Driving a sports car invokes many of a driver’s best memories. The exhilarating experience of driving a twisty road with tons of horsepower beneath you is indeed a memorable one. With that in mind, the last couple of decades have experienced a resurgence in sports cars. Many models reinvigorated a dying marketplace.
Then you had the 2008 recession, where buyers flocked to lightweight vehicles. But automakers have also made many mistakes. Sports cars just aren’t the beefed-up powerhouses of yesteryear, and many would argue some cars fell one (or in some cases, more) mistake short of greatness. Several were lacking some of the features that make cars coveted by stars. Read on as we take a look at 35 sports cars that almost got it right.
35: Lancia Delta HF Integrale
Turbocharged out of the gate and sporting an attractive exterior style, the Delta HF Integrale was a promising car. Unfortunately, the package that hit the market was not what most enthusiasts were expecting. The car had a lot of shortcomings, such as the 2.0-liter “Lampredi” twin-cam, four-cylinder engine. This powerplant was notorious for having maintenance issues, many of which were expensive to repair.
Few cars have been as polarizing as the Lancia Delta HF Integrale was on the rally circuit. But when it came to being a production sports car, this particular model simply fell short. With the critical mistakes that were in the built quality of the car and the high price tag, this is an avoidable model altogether.