Home Cars 30 Classic Sports Cars That Are Super Slow By Today’s Standards

30 Classic Sports Cars That Are Super Slow By Today’s Standards

Vukasin HerbezFebruary 17, 2022

23. Porsche 912

Worried that the costly 911 would narrow its customer base and affect sales, Porsche needed an entry-level model for people who wanted an everyday sports car that would be dependable as well as economical. Nobody considered the economy of performance models in those days, but Porsche realized it could be a good selling point.

So in 1965 just after the end of the Porsche 356 production, they released the new 912. It was a 911 but with a 2.0-liter, flat four-cylinder engine producing 90 HP and modest performance numbers. The car also costs significantly less than the 911 and was fuel-efficient at 36 mpg. If you thought all Porsches are fast, well, not all actually are (via Porsche).

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22. Fiat X 1/9

Behind this strange name lies one of the most interesting, affordable sports cars of the ’70s. Fiat presented the X 1/9 in 1972 as a small two-seater with a T-Top. Also, it came with a mid-mounted engine and two trunks, one in the front and one in the back. Just think of it as a Porsche Boxster but 20 years older (via MotorTrend).

Despite its fantastic looks and technical layout, the X 1/9 was underpowered. In fact, it got just around 60 HP from its small 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine. And because the performance was not impressive, most owners decided to add bigger engines.

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21. DeLorean DMC 12

Started by John Z. DeLorean in the late ’70s, DeLorean was briefly marketed as the next big thing in the sports car world. It looked that America got a sports car brand that could rival Europe’s finest for a short time. DeLorean presented an interesting sports car concept with Gullwing doors, a modern wedge-shaped design, a mid-mounted V6 engine, and a stainless steel body (via Britannica).

However, production was late, and when the car was finally revealed, it turned out to be slow, underpowered, and riddled with quality problems. Due to its prominent appearance in the ‘Back to the Future’ movies and numerous music videos, the DMC 12 is still a popular car and one of the automotive symbols of the ’80s.

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20. Lamborghini Espada

Even though the Espada wasn’t the first Lamborghini GT car, it was the most successful and controversial. Debuting in 1968, the Espada succeeded the 400 GT and served for 10 years. The Espada caused a lot of attention and even some criticism for its unusual styling and almost flat roofline (via Lamborghini).

Four adults and their luggage could easily travel long distances, and that’s exactly what Ferrucio Lamborghini wanted. The power came from the legendary Lamborghini 4.0-litre V12 engine, which was and still is a piece of mechanical art producing up to 350 HP, but it was not as fast as the power figure suggests. Lamborghini made over 1,200 of these cool four-seat coupe. Prices are still somewhat affordable, considering the rarity and heritage of this car.

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19. 1953 Corvette

The introduction of the Corvette was the biggest automotive news to come out in 1953. Nobody expected Chevrolet to build and market such an exotic car. Suddenly, there was a brand new roadster with incredible features by a mid-class manufacturer with no sports car experience. However, the first Corvette was a well-designed and well-executed model (via Car and Driver).

But the most interesting thing about the new Corvette was the fiberglass body. Back in the early ’50s, plastic was still a futuristic material rarely used it in the car industry. The Corvette was the first car with a fully plastic body, making Chevrolet one of the pioneers of fiberglass construction. Under the hood was an inline-six engine they called the “Blue Flame,” which featured 3.9-liter displacement and a modest 136 HP rating. Although they equipped it with three Carter carburetors, the engine came from Chevrolet’s standard lineup. Also, the Chevrolet engineers tried to keep the costs down by borrowing mechanical components from other vehicles and using them on the Corvette.

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18. Alfa Romeo Montreal

Despite never officially selling the Montreal in Canada, this sports car from Alfa had a big impact on the early ’70s sports car market. They built it on a Giulia chassis with a timeless Bertone body and a high-revving V8 engine in front. The Montreal was fast, stylish, and exclusive. Production was low at just over 4,000 fastbacks, making it highly sought after today (via ZF).

Although Montreal was not as good or fast as it could be because they rushed it into production, it was still a great-looking and driving coupe. The Lamborghini Miura largely influenced its design. The sloping rear end is what makes it a true European fastback.

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17. Ford Capri

The success of the Mustang made it highly influential, inspiring American car brands to offer a pony car of their own. Even in Europe, the Mustang was popular and common. However, Ford wanted to explore the market further with a smaller European version. That’s how the Ford Capri came to be in 1969 (via Autoexpress).

Designed in the UK, the Capri was a European Mustang in every way. The Capri looked great using the “long hood-short deck” formula and semi-fastback styling. Although they based it on the standard Cortina and used the same engine, the Capri looked like a thoroughbred muscle car. In fact, most people thought it was a U.S.-built Ford. However, most Capris were powered by diminutive four-cylinder engines. Even the six-cylinder versions were not that powerful, even for fastbacks.

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16. Fiat Dino Coupe

Back in 1967, Fiat introduced the Dino, a coupe and convertible sports car that featured a Ferrari V6 engine from the 246 GT Dino. The coupe was designed by Bertone, while Pininfarina styled the convertible. The two cars shared mechanics, engines, and performance, but the design was totally different. The coupe featured an elegant fastback profile (via FCA Heritage).

Fiat officially sold the Dino Coupe in America. If you look at the classified ads, you could find one for as little as $15,000. That is definitely the most affordable way to own a piece of Ferrari magic at Ford Fiesta prices. If you’re a budget-minded enthusiast, look for the Dino Coupe since it’s more common and affordable than the convertible. The later 2.4-liter V6 version is better and faster than the early 2.0-liter model. Even though Ferrari powers it, this Fiat was slow.

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15. Aston Martin DB5

The DB5 debuted in 1963 with a design provided by the famed Italian Carozzeria Touring company. The heart of the car was a 4.0-liter straight-six engine delivering 282 to 315 HP depending on the trim and model. They produced the DB5 as a coupe or gorgeous convertible. Despite being powerful by the day’s standards, the DB5 was more of a luxury cruiser than a sports car. It could go from 0 to 60 mph in approximately eight seconds. It means that today, this gorgeous car would be beaten by any economy model (via Carmagazine).

The DB5 proved quite popular. Aston made over 1,000 of them until 1965. The car was considered to be a big success for a small boutique manufacturer. But what this car is the most famous for is being James Bond’s car of choice, appearing in quite a few Bond movies. Some say this is an early case of product placement but in reality it’s a match made in heaven.

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14. Porsche 356 Speedster

The first Porsche that gave driving enthusiasts a taste of a “race car for the street” was the tiny-but-significant 356 Speedster. They presented it in the mid-50s as a special model. It came without luxuries and an open-top. In fact, Porsche designed the Speedster to be easy to drive on the track as well as the road (via Porsche).

Although the mechanics were the same as the standard 356, the Speedster came with a flat-four engine with 75 HP on tap. Despite the fact the power was so diminutive, so was the weight. However, 0 to 60 mph figures are around 10 seconds which is ridiculous today. However, the low weight made the 356 Speedster an extremely fun car to drive on the track. Legendary actor and racer Steve McQueen had one too.

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13. Ferrari 246 Dino GT

The Dino was a big step for the company, even if it was the smallest model Ferrari ever made. They presented it in the mid-60s as the 206 Dino as an entry-level model with a V6 engine. The Ferrari purists were outraged since this was the first sports car Ferrari made without the big V12 engine (via Motor Trend).

The 246 Dino debuted in 1968, and sales picked up, making this little car responsible for the financial stability Ferrari needed. But most of all, the Dino was a blast to drive even though it had a smaller engine with fewer cylinders. This car showed that sometimes less is more, even though any Corvette could beat the Dino.

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12. BMW M1

Even though the M1 was not a commercial success since they only sold 453 copies, this limited production sports car was tremendously important for BMW’s future. It is also one of the best-known wedge-shaped supercars they ever made (via Car And Driver).

The heart of this sports car was BMW’s famous M88 six-cylinder engine with 3.5-liters of displacement. It also had advanced fuel injection and 273 HP, which was a high number for the day’s standards. But today, even the BMW 320 with a diesel engine can match M1’s performance. They positioned the engine longitudinally just behind the driver and the passenger.

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11. Renault 5 Turbo

The essence of the R5 Turbo was a mid-mounted 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivered 160 HP. They redesigned and reengineered the car to move the engine from the front hood to behind the driver. The rear track was much wider and the side scoops made for better engine cooling (via Top Gear).

However, such an extreme car lost one of the main hot hatch characteristics: practicality. Basically, it was a pure racing car they built for homologation purposes. It still deserves an important place in turbo history as one of the craziest hot hatches and coolest cars of the ’80s. It wasn’t that fast but it was insane.

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10. Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

Despite the fact it’s now irrelevant in the supercar class, in the late ’60s, Alfa produced one of the most interesting supercars ever built, the Tipo 33 Stradale. It was not only the most expensive production car at the moment, it was also the most exclusive. Powered by a screaming race-bred V8, Alfa sold only 15 of them (via Petrolicious).

The 33 Stradale looks gorgeous, but its production and public appearance were so limited people forgot about this car. Under the hood was a 2.0-liter V8 which revved up to 9,000 rpm, which was unheard of in the late ’60s. Despite all of that, the car was pretty disappointing to drive.

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9. Jaguar E-Type

The E-Type was the first massively popular sports car, even before the Porsche 911. It is a design and engineering icon that has graced the roads since 1961. It still looks as attractive as ever. The E-Type is a sharp handling, straight-six roaring, two-seater coupe or roadster with a long nose and curved rear end. When it debuted in 1961, the E-Type was a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean (via GQ Magazine).

Despite Jaguar’s long-lasting tradition of building fine sports cars, the E-Type was years ahead of its time. It had a superb design, four-wheel disk brakes, independent rear suspension, and powerful straight-six engines. They derived it from the Le Mans-winning C and D Type racers, making it as fast as any Ferrari or Maserati. The E-Type had a high-priced Italian exotic’s looks, power, and performance, yet it cost a fraction of the price. Even though it looks like million bucks, 0 to 60 mph is just over seven seconds which means some vans can beat it.

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8. Datsun 240Z

The 240Z was the first highly successful Japanese sports car on the American market. It’s a legend even today. The 240Z featured a bigger engine, updated construction, and more power and performance than anything from Japan. Critics say it was a copy of several European designs. Nevertheless, the 240Z managed to create its own fanbase (via Motor Trend).

Datsun introduced the 240Z to America in 1970, and it was the perfect car for the time. The muscle car craze was winding down because safety regulations were killing domestic performance cars. People were searching for alternatives to provide driving excitement with better handling and prices. Most European models were expensive, but the Datsun 240Z got 150 HP from its 2.4-liter six-cylinder, providing decent but not spectacular performance.

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7. Matra Bagheera

The French company, Matra, is one of the most interesting automotive design and development outfits. For decades, this firm has delivered innovative solutions and new technologies. In fact, they work with some of the biggest names in the industry. In the early ’70s, in cooperation with Simca, Matra decided to produce a small sports car for the European market. They called it the Bagheera, introducing this cool-looking three-seater in 1973.

Yes, you read it right, the Bagheera had three seats upfront. So even though it was compact and small, three people could sit comfortably next to each other. Unfortunately, the power came from a diminutive 1.2 or 1.4-liter engine, which didn’t provide an exhilarating performance. However, little Matra Bagheera was a moderate success with three seats and its French charm (via Aronline).

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6. Volkswagen SP2

The biggest car company in Brazil was Volkswagen. The combination of air-cooled quality, usability, and low price made Volkswagens the most popular car in Brazil by far. However, Volkswagen didn’t have any performance credentials or a sports model, and in the early ’70s, they wanted a piece of the action (via Silodrome).

So, they took the Beetle floor pan, a 1.7-liter flat-four engine, and tuned it to 75 HP. And although that wasn’t much, it was faster than the stock Beetle. They called the finished product the SP2, and it debuted in 1972. It looked modern with a long front end, low profile, and sporty silhouette.

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5. SAAB Sonett

Even though SAAB was always famous for sedans or convertibles with turbo engines, they produced a sports coupe during the ’60s and early ’70s. And as people expected, it was strange, obscure and quirky just like the rest of the range. In fact, there were three generations of the SAAB Sonett sports car (via Top Gear).

The first one was a racing prototype from the ’50s, but the second and third were regular production models. They designed it on a box chassis and fitted it with a fiberglass body. Initially, they equipped the Sonett with SAAB’s tiny three-cylinder two-stroke engine delivering just 60 HP. As you can expect, their customers were disappointed with the poor performance. But, soon, the company fitted it with a 1.7-liter V4 borrowed from Ford’s European division. Even though that was an improvement, it wasn’t enough to save the model. Due to disappointing sales numbers and the 1973 oil crisis, Saab ceased production in 1974.

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4. 1980 Chevrolet Corvette C3

In 1970, the hottest Corvette pumped out a whopping 435 HP. But by 1980, the hottest Corvette only produced a modest 180 HP. But in California, due to the stricter emission standards, it was even 10 HP less. So, what happened in only 10 years? Where did all those horses go (via Car and Driver)?

You can blame the recession and the tighter emission standards and safety regulations. In fact, they killed almost all the performances from the legendary Corvette. The 1980 Corvette was a bit of a dinosaur with old technology under its plastic skin. Also, it came with lazy engines and an outdated interior. It still looked like it meant business, but the years caught up with it.

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3. Skoda 110 R

During the ’60s, Skoda’s main sedan model was the 110. It was a basic four-door car with a rear-mounted four-cylinder engine. In Eastern Europe, sports cars were almost nonexistent as a category in those days. So Skoda wanted to introduce a sports coupe to widen its appeal and export sales. The result was the Skoda 110 R, a true sports coupe with a dynamic fastback design and more power (via Skoda).

They presented the 110 R in 1970 and immediately became a highly sought-after model in the whole of Eastern Europe. It retained the basic technical layout but had an upgraded engine producing 62 HP. But even though the performance was diminutive by today’s standards, back in the early ’70s in Czechoslovakia, it was a proper sports coupe.

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2. Ferrari Mondial

Debuting in 1980, the Mondial was a successor to the 308 GT4. It was a compact Grand Turismo sports car with a 2+2 seating configuration and a mid-engine layout. And that meant it offered more space than the 308 and 328 GTB models, which were only two-seaters (via Autoexpress).

Even though the Mondial was more practical and somewhat more affordable, it wasn’t particularly popular. Today, it is one of those rare yet poorly regarded models in the Ferrari community. That was because the design wasn’t dynamic. Also the performance figures were much slower than the rest of the Ferrari lineup.

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1. Sunbeam Tiger

Sunbeam is a classic English brand, long gone from the market and remembered by only a handful of enthusiasts. But the Alpine is a nice-looking car with dependable and conventional mechanicals. Also, it comes with a small 1.5 or 1.7-liter four-cylinder motor. Over the years, Sunbeam built over 60,000 Alpine roadsters, so finding one is easy. For under $20,000, you can find a nice example of this interesting car (via Top Speed).

However, if you are looking for a more serious machine, you might want to look for the Sunbeam Tiger. This model looks identical to the Alpine but packs a 260 or 289 Ford V8 engine under the hood. And that gives it much better performance and soundtrack. However, still not exhilarating. But best of all, the legendary Carroll Shelby designed this model before he worked for Ford.

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30 Classic Sports Cars That Are Super Slow By Today’s Standards

23. Porsche 912

22. Fiat X 1/9

21. DeLorean DMC 12

20. Lamborghini Espada

19. 1953 Corvette

18. Alfa Romeo Montreal

17. Ford Capri

16. Fiat Dino Coupe

15. Aston Martin DB5

14. Porsche 356 Speedster

13. Ferrari 246 Dino GT

12. BMW M1

11. Renault 5 Turbo

10. Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

9. Jaguar E-Type

8. Datsun 240Z

7. Matra Bagheera

6. Volkswagen SP2

5. SAAB Sonett

4. 1980 Chevrolet Corvette C3

3. Skoda 110 R

2. Ferrari Mondial

1. Sunbeam Tiger

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