25 Iconic British Cars: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

22. Ford Sierra Cosworth

One of the most legendary British muscle cars is the fantastic Sierra Cosworth, which Ford introduced in 1985. The Ford Sierra was an ordinary family sedan they produced in numerous versions. The car featured rear-wheel drive and an independent rear suspension.

But when Ford decided to contract the Cosworth tuning house for a performance model, a legend was born. Cosworth took a three-door body and added a special body kit with spoilers.

Then they added unique wheels and colors. Under the hood was a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that produced 225 HP. And it propelled the car to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. For 1985, those were fantastic numbers. The Sierra Cosworth became one of the hottest British cars on the road. Also, it was successful on the tracks, winning many races.

23. Triumph GT 6

The GT6 project started in mid-60s when Triumph realized they needed a coupe version of their popular roadster. However, just putting the roof on the Spitfire wouldn’t do the trick. They needed to extensively reengineer the car. Also, they needed a more powerful engine in for the chassis to cope with the added weight of the coupe body style.

So, the Triumph engineers installed a 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine with 106 HP. That provided the GT6 with more power and performance than the similar Spitfire. They officially presented the GT6 in 1966 and discontinued it in 1973 after they built around 45,000 of them. The GT6 was never as popular as the Spitfire, but it was a cool-looking alternative to the other sport coupes on the market.

24. Ford Capri

Designed in UK, the Capri was like a European Ford Mustang in every way. Using the long hood-short-deck formula and semi-fastback styling gave the Capri a fantastic stance. Despite being based on the standard Cortina floorplan with the same engines, the Capri looked like a thoroughbred sports or muscle car.

In fact, people often confused it with the U.S.-built Ford. This affordable coupe was almost as successful as the Mustang. It sold in millions throughout its 16-year lifespan. They imported the Capri to the U.S. as the Mercury Capri in the mid-70s.

25. Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

The ultimate British car is, without a doubt, the Rolls Royce. Over the years this company produced some of the best luxury cars the world has ever seen. After the war, Rolls introduced the Silver Cloud, but the market needed something more modern and advanced. So, in 1966, they presented the Silver Shadow.

With the new V8 engine, hydro-pneumatic suspension, modern design and improved road manners, the Silver Shadow was a prestigious four-door sedan. The market was impressed and suddenly the waiting list was over a year long. Rolls also produced an elegant coupe and gorgeous convertible they named the Corniche.

These iconic machines helped form this beginner’s guide to the British car industry. Have you chosen your favorite? Hopefully, you’ll be able to find it on U.S. shores, but if not, you’ll need to cross the pond to Great Britain.