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The Legends of Open Air Driving: 20 Best Classic Roadsters Money Can Buy

Vukasin Herbez June 25, 2018

Ask any car enthusiast what their greatest driving pleasure is and most of them will say it is driving a small two-seater open-top sports car on a coastal road in the summer. Although it is a mainstream driving experience, you can’t beat the smell of the sea and the warm wind in your hair. Add the excitement of driving a compact and nimble convertible to the equation and it is an unforgettable experience.

For those who don’t know, roadsters are a class of small sporty convertibles with two seats, compact bodies, rear wheel drive and sharp handling. They are not brutally fast, although most of them deliver a satisfying performance, but they drive perfectly and provide the ultimate enjoyment. British manufacturers from the 50’s and 60’s were best known for classic roadsters, all of which are popular in America. And, even today, America is one of the biggest roadster markets in the world.

This interesting list showcases the best classic roadsters that also happen to be surprisingly affordable for summer cruising. In most cases, a perfectly restored, classic British or Italian roadster can cost you the same as a new compact SUV which is a bargain. This list also includes some of the newer open top alternatives from the 90’s that are slowly reaching classic car status. Keep reading to find your dream roadster and let your hair fly in the wind.

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  1. MG B

One of the most popular and typical British roadsters from the 60’s is the MG B. They introduced it in 1962 as was successor of the MG A, which helped establish the roadster class in the U.S. For the standards of the day, the MG B was a fairly modern car with unibody construction, a roomy interior, and decent suspension and steering.

Some contemporary tests said the MG B was underpowered. In fact, 95 HP from 1.8-liter engine certainly isn’t much, but since the car weighs only 2,200 lbs, it can keep up with modern traffic. For those who want more power, MG introduced their model C with a 3.0-liter six cylinder and 145 HP. They also offer the MG B GT with a 3.5-liter V8 engine, available only in coupe form.

The best thing about the MG B is that this is a simple car to maintain and all relevant parts are available today. MG produced over 400,000 MG Bs, with most of the cars sold in America, so finding one isn’t a problem. Expect to pay from $7,000 for decent MG Bs, and up to $25,000 for show quality examples.

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  1. Austin Healey Sprite Mk1

If you look at an Austin Healey Sprite Mk1, you will see how the industry has advanced in the last 50 years. The little, bug-eyed Sprite Mk1 is a tiny roadster with two seats, a cramped interior and a small trunk. It weighs 1,500 lbs and comes with a 943 ccm engine producing 45 HP. But, the Sprite Mk1 was an immensely popular roadster back in its day.

In fact, Austin Healey sold over 350,000 examples, most of them in America. People in the U.S. have loved it for its compact size, peppy engine, driving dynamics and pure driving feel. Basically, when you drive a bug eye Sprite Mk1, there is nothing between you and the road. There’s just a little tin can with a small windshield.

Not surprisingly, the Sprite Mk1 was a favorite car in amateur racing on the West Coast. Many latter racing champions started behind the wheel of this little thing. For around $20,000 you can find a nice Mk1 that will introduce you to basics of open-top motoring.

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  1. BMW Z3

Roadsters became popular in the 90’s with the Mazda Miata showing the way. It made all the major car companies want a piece of the action. BMW produced numerous convertibles before it, but no roadsters, so the Z3 was their first. Despite this being a relatively modern car, it possessed the classic concept and analog driving feel. It was and still is the definitive future classic, so you may want to get yours today.

BMW created the Z3 using the E36 Compact 3 Series platform and a rear suspension out of the old E30 model. BMW finished it off with a sexy new open-top body. The result was a stylish convertible with two seats, a lineup of potent four and six-cylinder engines, a light weight and great driving dynamics. The car was significantly more expensive than the Miata, but also much better, faster and luxurious.

The Z3 was released to an eager audience in 1996 in the middle of the roadster renaissance. It was one of the bestsellers in its class, and a benchmark model in the performance and handling department. The Z3 was especially popular in America. Interestingly, it was the first BMW they solely produced in the new South Carolina factory.

Also, the appearance in James Bond movie, GoldenEye, helped its popularity, too. BMW made close to 270,000 examples until 2002. For around $10,000 you can find a nice six-cylinder Z3 with all the luxury items such as a leather interior. Most also come with climate control and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) to will make cruising along the coast much more enjoyable.

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  1. Triumph Spitfire

The Spitfire was the second definitive British roadster from the 60’s, and according to most car fans, it is much cooler than the MG B. They share the same mechanics, modest power and performance. However, the Spitfire got its name from a World War II fighter plane. It had an aggressive, sportier design with lower sides and a sharper front end.

Triumph presented this legendary roadster in 1962. It came with a diminutive, 1.1-liter four-cylinder engine with 63 HP. Over the years, the power grew, thanks to a 1.5-liter engine with 71 HP and more torque. These changes improved the driving dynamics. As all other British roadsters, the biggest market was the U.S.

Triumph produced 314,000 Spitfires with most of them ended up in America. The high production numbers make the Spitfire is easy to find and relatively inexpensive, too. Some decent examples cost below the $10,000 mark and for $15,000, you can purchase one of their perfect late models with the hardtop option.

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  1. Mazda Miata

One of the most successful stories in car industry must be the tale about the Mazda Miata roadster. This little car changed the car world, becoming the best-selling open-top model in history. In fact, the Miata passed the one million mark in 2013. Nobody expected it would be so successful and influential when Mazda presented the Miata in the late 80’s. Soon after its introduction, the industry realized roadsters were coming back and the Miata completely dominated the market.

The Miata’s secret was simplicity, a light weight and balance. Mazda didn’t try to invent something new. Instead, they copied the basic concept of a classic British roadster, added modern materials and designs, making the Miata dependable yet agile. With 116 HP coming from a twin-cam 1.6-liter engine, it may not sound powerful, but in a 2,200-lb car, it’s more than enough.

If you are looking for an affordable Miata, the first-generation Miata can provide many memorable moments for just a few thousand dollars. Don’t forget that there are lots of aftermarket options to can transform your little Miata in a sports car killing machine, too.

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  1. Triumph TR6

If the Spitfire was Triumph’s roadster for the masses, the TR6 was a car for lovers of open-air driving and speed. Some drivers considered the Spitfire underpowered even though it weighed only 1,500 lbs. However, the TR6 provided lots of power and a convincing performance straight out of the box. The TR6 was a successor to the TR5 and for the U.S. market only.

The TR6 and TR250 shared the basic construction, dimensions and design. Triumph introduced the TR6 in 1968. It featured disc brakes all around, an independent suspension and a 2.5-liter straight six engine with 145 HP. Thanks to a weight of just under 2,200 lbs, the TR6 was agile, making it among the fastest power roadsters in the late 60’s.

Production ended in 1976 after Triumph produced more than 90,000 of them. Today, the TR6 is a popular choice for classic roadster fans who want those old school looks and feel with decent performance and speed numbers. You can find a quality TR6 for approximately $20,000.

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  1. Datsun Fairlady Roadster

One of the most interesting Japanese copies of European cars was the cute, compact Datsun Fairlady Roadster. Datsun, known by some as Datsun Sports, built the Fairlady Roadster from 1959 to 1970. They borrowed the design, technology and the feel from those classic British roadsters like the Triumph and MG.

However, Datsun did more than just copy the British. They gave this little roadster significant power with a 2.0-liter engine, as well as better handling and driving dynamics. Most importantly, Datsun guaranteed the quality of their cars, which is something that British car manufacturers had difficulties with at the time.

Datsun made over 40,000 of these cool little cars over an 11-year production period. They sold most of them in the USA, so they came with left-hand drive. Today, you can find a decent Fairlady Roadster for just over $15,000. For that budget-friendly price, you’ll get a cool sports convertible with better construction than anything coming from the UK.

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  1. Alfa Romeo Spider

Alfa Romeo introduced the Spider in 1966. It was the Italian answer to the popularity of British roadsters. Eventually, it became globally popular and the Alfa Romeo model with the longest production run. They initially called it the Duetto. They built the Spider on Alfa’s 105 sedan-coupe base with a Pininfarina-designed body, all alloy twin cam engines and rear wheel drive.

During the late 60’s, the Spider became popular after the movie, The Graduate, where the famous actor, Dustin Hoffman, drove a red one. While the rest of the roadsters vanished from the American market, Alfa managed to sell Spiders all the way up to 1994. This just shows how popular this car was in the U.S. The engine choices ranged from 1.3 to 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines with 105 to 130 HP. Earlier cars had carburetors and later models had fuel injection systems.

Alfa made over 124,000 of those elegant Spiders, selling most of them in the states. The final model year is 1994, so there were four generations of this model. Although they kept the same mechanical layout, they updated the design details, bumpers and lights. For less than $20,000, you can pretend to be the young Dustin Hoffman, but pay attention to rust issues since those classic Alfa Spiders were rust-prone.

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  1. Porsche Boxster

Although the third generation of the Porsche Boxster is currently in production, they presented the first-generation model in 1996 and discontinued it in 2004. It’s been over 20 years since Porsche introduced this roadster, so it is safe to say the Boxster revolutionized the concept of the open-top fun car. It has also stood the test of time as a future classic that you can own today.

The big advantage of the Boxster is its layout. While most cars have a front engine and rear wheel drive construction, the Boxster has a mid-mounted flat six engine. This gives the car perfect balance with room for two trunks and sublime handling. The base 2.5-liter engine delivers a healthy 200 HP.

This makes even the most affordable Boxster agile, fast and exciting to drive, especially with a six-speed manual transmission. If you think that the 90’s Porsche design is cool, and you want a perfect piece of German engineering with open-air flavor, this is the roadster for you. For around $10,000, you can find a nice Boxster from the late 90’s.

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  1. Fiat 124 Spider

The Alfa Spider wasn’t the only Italian contender in the classic roadster class. Fiat’s 124 Spider was also a popular, affordable choice that is still an interesting proposition for convertible fans who love Italian charm.

Fiat introduced it in 1966, selling the Spider in America until 1985. Pininfarina designed and built the Fiat 124 Spider on the 124 Sedan platform. The mechanics were straightforward with a twin cam engine, a four-speed manual transmission and rear wheel drive. The early models produced 90 HP from a 1.6-liter engine, while later versions got 2.0-liter engines with fuel injection and 102 HP.

The 124 Spider was one of the most comfortable roadsters since it featured a roomy cabin, a big trunk and impressive ride quality. Car fans seek well-maintained models of the 124 Spider. Fortunately, Fiat built over 200,000 124 Spiders. Most of them are in America, so finding one won’t be hard. You can expect to pay around $15,000 for a near mint 124 Spider.

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  1. Renault Floride/Caravelle

You may see some of the other cars from this list during your daily commute because they are common street décor in America. However, you will have to dig deep to find the Renault Caravelle, even at car shows or in automotive museums. But, the Caravelle was popular, so Renault managed to sell 117,000 of them during its 10 years from 1958 to 1968.

Renault based it on the mechanics of their economy 4CV model. The Floride/Caravelle was a cool-looking roadster with a rear mounted four-cylinder engine and 2+2 seating configuration. Renault intended to call the car Floride for sale in the U.S. But they decided to call the model the Caravelle for U.S. buyers and Floride for the rest of the world.

Interestingly, most of the production did end up in America although the British roadster invasions of the 60’s made Renault look outdated and slow. Despite looking elegant, the Caravelle was sluggish because its biggest engine was a 1.1-liter four cylinder with 55 HP. However, if you love French charm, are not in a hurry and want a car nobody else has, the Caravelle is for you. You can find a Caravelle for around $10,000, which is affordable for such a rare model.

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  1. Honda S2000

Honda introduced the S2000 in 1999 and discontinued it in 2009. However, you could consider the S2000 a 90’s model, even though Honda presented it at the end of the decade. This model was a true driver’s car with all the important features, like lightweight construction and an ideal weight distribution. It also had a powerful, rev-happy engine and razor-sharp handling in an elegant open-top package.

Under the hood was a 2.0 or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 HP, which was the main selling point of the car. This little gem of an engine featured a 9,000-rpm redline and four valves per cylinder. It also had the famous Honda V-Tec system, providing all its power in high rpms and a wonderful screaming sound. Thanks to its intelligent engineering and light weight, the S2000 delivered respectable performance numbers and handling, receiving universal praise.

During its decade-long production run, Honda sold over 110,000 of these fast, little roadsters. You will be pleased to know you can find one today quite affordable at around $6,000. Look for unmodified examples since people are mostly looking for those stock S2000s. However, there is one possible downside of the Honda S2000. It is a small car with limited interior space, so if you are over six feet tall, you will probably have problems fitting inside.

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  1. Mercedes SL R107

Although the Mercedes SL isn’t exactly a small convertible, if you look carefully, you will see that the R107 generation fits the bill perfectly. First, it is strictly a two-seater convertible. Second, it is an old school model, built with highest standards of quality. Third, it offers a lot of enjoyment, power and comfort for the money. Fourth, it is a great summer cruiser and a good investment since the prices of classic SL models are constantly on the rise.

This generation was in production from 1971 to 1989 and is common. The engine choices include one six-cylinder engine and several V8 with range-topping 560 V8. Look for a 450 or 500 V8 engine since they are the most popular and offer the best combination of power and efficiency.

Mercedes sold over 237,000 of those elegant convertibles during its 18-year old run. Believe or not, almost two-thirds of the whole production were U.S.-spec cars. That is why you will not have any problems finding an excellent SL. But, be ready to pay around $25,000 for the best examples of this Teutonic-powered roadster.

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  1. Sunbeam Alpine/Tiger

One of the most interesting but forgotten models in the classic roadster class is the Sunbeam Alpine, an English two-seater convertible they built from 1959 to 1968. The Sunbeam is a classic English brand, long gone from the market that only a handful of enthusiasts remember. But the Alpine is a nice-looking car with dependable, conventional mechanicals and small 1.5 or 1.7-liter four-cylinder engines.

Over the years, Sunbeam built over 60,000 Alpine roadsters, so finding one shouldn’t be a problem. For under $20,000, you can find a nice model of this interesting car. However, if you are looking for a more serious machine, go for the Sunbeam Tiger.

This model looks like the Alpine but it packs a 260 or 289 Ford V8 engine under the hood, giving it a better performance and soundtrack. The legendary Carroll Shelby designed it before he worked for Ford. The Tiger is significantly more expensive and rarer because they only built 7,000 of them. But its cool history and performance are worth your investment.

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15. Buick Reatta

It seems like everybody forgot about the sleek Buick Reatta. Introduced in the late `80s, the Reatta was Buick`s halo car and it was a cool looking two-seater coupe or convertible built on shortened GM`s E platform.

Under the hood was a 3.8-liter V6 with independent suspension and disc brakes all around. All Reattas were highly optioned cars and despite dating from late `80s, it featured board computers and lots of pretty modern electronic systems. The production lasted four years and over 21,000 were made.

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16. Mercury Capri

Over the years, Mercury sold numerous models under the Capri name. First it was just a trim level on a regular Mercury sedan and then it was a re-badged Ford Capri from Europe. In the late `70s and early `80s it was the Mercury version of Fox-bodied Mustang and in 1991 it was a totally new and separate model.

The 1991 to 1994 Mercury Capri was assembled in Australia on Mazda 323 basis and sold in USA. The cool looking two-seater roadster had a 1.6-liter engine and front wheel drive. Despite being a decent car in all aspects, it failed to gain significant popularity and was withdrawn from the market in 1994.

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17. Cadillac Allante

The Allante was envisioned as a competitor to the Mercedes SL convertible and it was a two-seater luxury convertible with Italian styling by Pininfarina, Northstar V8 engine and front-wheel drive. That was quite an unusual combination but the car looked and performed very well. Even the production process was specific and actual fabrication was done in Italy in the Pininfarina factory and the cars were shipped to the States by jet which affected the cost of the final product.

The Allante stayed in production until 1993 and just over 21,000 were made. The car proved too expensive to produce and the factory allegedly lost money on every example they made.

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18. Jensen Healey

In a desperate attempt to save the company, Jensen launched the Jensen Healey roadster in 1972. The initial response from the American buyers was good since the car was a modern take on a bit outdated MG and Triumph offerings.

Under the hood was a 2.0-liter Lotus derived engine with around 100 HP and modest performance. However, the modern design and nice stance attracted buyers. As all British cars from the `70s, the Healey had problems with rust and electrics and that is why they are cheap today. However, if you are looking for an interesting and rare car with Lotus engine, this could be it.

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19. Fiat 850 Spider

Fiat was always one of the best producers of supermini and compact cars, often making sportier and open top versions for keen buyers. This is exactly what the 850 Spider is. Presented in 1964, the 850 Spider was a cool looking roadster version of the regular 850 compact family car.

Despite looking like a toy compared to other full-size cars of the period, the 850 Spider was a capable driving machine since it was so light and nimble. With just 49 HP the car wasn’t exactly capable of outrunning any Porsches but since it was so small, it could provide much driving excitement.

20. ——–

 

Hopefully, this list of the legends of open-air driving – best classic roadsters you can buy has given you an idea of what to get if you like the thrill of your hair blowing in the wind.

Home Cars 14 Sports and Supercars Which Never Made It to the US Shores
Cars

14 Sports and Supercars Which Never Made It to the US Shores

Vukasin Herbez June 25, 2018

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Although China holds a close second place, the U.S. is still the biggest car market in the world. This means all manufacturers want a piece of the action and a slice of the lucrative American pie, no matter how big or small they are. But coming to America and selling cars is not an easy task. There are numerous legal obstacles, safety and crash tests, emissions regulations and homologation processes that can be expensive and long-lasting. This is especially true for those small, boutique manufacturers with limited resources.

That is why there are loads of interesting, rare and fast cars not available to the American buyer. Some companies find it hard to produce at least three cars that will be destroyed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Agency (NHTSA) during the crash test and homologation processes. Others have realized their cars are so obscure, they wouldn`t stand a chance against those more popular American brands. Whatever the reason is, American car enthusiasts are missing out on some cool machinery.

Here is a list of 15 sports cars and supercars that are or were not available on the U.S. market. Some of the cars on the list are over 25 years old. This means you can legally import and register them without the painful homologation process. However, most of the cars are new or current models, so you can either wait 25 years to buy one, or move to Europe or Japan. Keep reading to learn more about these amazing sports and supercars that never made it to U.S. shores.

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1. Noble M600

The expansion of supercars in the 2000’s brought many interesting, powerful machines. Most models the car industry has produced in recent years are famous. Car historians and fanatics have documented them and are quite aware of them. However, there are a few models that flew under the radar despite being capable and fast. One of those cars is the Noble M600.

Noble became famous for producing extreme cars using components from other manufacturers. Being a British company, people always saw them as a kit car factory. Although this is not true, it did affect their reputation in the supercar market. But, the M600 model shattered all false prejudices and showed what Noble was capable of producing.

Using a 4.4-liter V8 from Volvo and bolting two turbochargers on it, Noble managed to squeeze 550 or 650 HP in a lightweight, sleek body. The idea behind the M600 was to produce a pure supercar without any unnecessary electronic aids to deliver the purest driving experience possible. This made the M600 a little scary to drive but also an immensely fun, unforgettable experience. Using all 650 HP, the M600 accelerates to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds and goes over 220 mph.

Regardless of its great looks and performance, mainstream supercars buyers avoided the M600, even though Top Gear featured it in their show, praising its qualities. The M600 is still in production, so if you want to be a proud owner of one of the purest and fastest supercars today, be ready to pay over $200,000 but be aware that the car is not available in United States.

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2. Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

You may think it is strange to feature an Alfa Romeo on this list since Alfa is a well-known factory that doesn’t produce supercars. However, there is one Alfa Romeo model that is obscure and rare, so it is fitting for this article. That is the Alfa Romeo TZ 3 Stradale they produced in 2011 in just nine cars.

The TZ name has been present in Alfa’s history since the 1960’s when it produced several sports and racing cars named the TZ 1 and TZ 2. The T stands for Turbulare and the Z stands for Zagato, the famous designer house. To connect with its glorious racing past, Alfa Romeo presented a limited production model in 2011, called the TZ 3 with a Zagato body. The automobile public was surprised when Alfa introduced their new model because they didn’t have the chassis or the engine for such a model.

When Alfa revealed the specifications, the secret came to light. The Alfa Romeo TZ 3 was a previous generation Dodge Viper ACR-X in a track version. Alfa placed the Viper into a Zagato body, leaving the important mechanical components and massive 8.2-litre engine intact. Even the interior was the same, except they switched the badges from Dodge to Alfa Romeo. The TZ 3 had a supercar beating performance with 600 HP, a 3.4 second 0 to 60 mph time and a 200 mph top speed.

Despite the fancy new Italian suit, great V10 engine, perfect driving dynamics and legendary name, Alfa managed to sell only nine of them. Ironically, none of them were allowed in the U.S., even though the mechanics came straight from a U.S.-made car.

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3. Lister Storm

The Lister Company made their name as a racing outfit and for preparing racing cars for many mainstream manufacturers like Jaguar, Maserati and Chevrolet. But in the mid-90’s, Lister decided to make their own supercar using a highly tuned Jaguar V12 engine. The idea behind the supercar was to introduce a brutally fast four-seater Gran Turismo coupe capable of breaking speed records and transporting its passengers in comfort.

They named their new model the Storm and it came with a V12 engine with 550 HP. The engine displaced 7.0-liters and came from a Le Mans racer. Lister made their own body that featured a wider track to accommodate wider tires. It also had lots of scoops and spoilers for better cooling and aerodynamics. At the same time, Lister offered the Storm as a passenger car at almost $450,000 and as a racing version for private teams.

However, despite having brutal power, acceleration times of 4.0 seconds to 60 mph and over 210 mph, only four customers ordered it. The reasons were simple. The car was aggressive-looking, or ugly as some people said. And despite being a four-seater, it didn’t have a lot of space. As expected, they never homologated the Storm for the U.S. market since Lister realized there wasn’t any potential for significant sales results.

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4. Ascari KZ1

Back in the early 2000’s, Ascari was on the verge of becoming the next big thing in the supercar segment. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize, so all that is left of this interesting venture is the KZ 1 model. They presented the KZ 1 in 2004. It featured cool styling and durable construction with a carbon fiber tub. It also had a S62 V8 engine from the E39 BMW M5 that was good for over 400 HP.

Since the KZ 1 was light and balanced, the performance was great. Acceleration from 0 to 60 was possible in just 4.0 seconds, while the top speed was 200 mph. The specifications and features in popular magazines added to the hype. But then Ascari announced the pricing, and the KZ 1 hit the wall.

Ascari priced this car at a hefty $400,000, which was more than a comparable Ferrari or Porsche, sealing its destiny. They stopped production a few years later after building only 10 KZ1s. As expected, the company was unable to sell cars in America, and they soon went out of business.

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5. Porsche 959

The Porsche 959 is one of the fastest, most advanced and technologically complex supercars of the 1980’s. The 959 was a super Porsche in every way, not only by design but also by performance and price. Since Porsche has always been popular in America, it is easy to think every model is sure to be homologated for the U.S. market. However, the 959 was an exception to that rule.

The car was so advanced and expensive for Porsche to build, so the factory decided to not market it in the U.S. Also, the process of obtaining a permit from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was too complicated, even for Porsche. The 1980’s were funny times for Porsche. Despite the popularity of their models, Porsche was in a dilemma as to what path to choose. They had to decide whether to go with the rear engine classic 911 or with the more modern and better balanced 928, 924 or 944?

The odds were against the 911, but it kept selling and winning races, so Porsche decided to introduce one model. It would be a rolling compilation of every technology compatible with the 911. They would build it using their perfect blend of experience from racing and the latest technology, along with turbocharging. They put everything they had into one car, naming it the 959.

Porsche introduced the 959 in 1987. It had a 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-six engine with 450 HP that transferred to all four wheels over an intelligent AWD system. It was the first of its kind. They also equipped the car with traction control, ABS and a host of electronic systems to help drivers.

Although all this is standard in most new cars today, in the 80’s, it was space age technology. The performance of this technological tour de force was astonishing. A 0 to 60 mph sprint was possible in just 3.7 seconds.

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6. McLaren F1

It is hard to comprehend, but the legendary McLaren F1 was never officially imported to America. Sure, there are a few examples in the U.S., but they are basically sculptures with no license plates. Now, 25 years after the F1 rocked the world of supercars, you can finally own one of these bespoke sports cars in America and register it, too. This is the last analog supercar and a road trip across America would be an interesting way to introduce this car to the states.

There is so much information about the F1, including the way they designed and produced it. Most car fans and historians believe it changed the supercars’ world forever. McLaren presented the F1 in 1992 and it stayed in production until 1998. During that period, McLaren produced 106 cars, including the GT-R versions, which were highly successful racing models. The F1 featured a bespoke 6.1-liter V12 engine by BMW Motorsport, delivering 627 HP with its six-speed manual transmission.

Road versions of the F1 had an interesting, three-seat configuration. The driver’s seat is in the middle of the cabin and the steering wheel is in the center of the dash. The initial testing, racing success and overall excellence of the package declared the F1 one of the best, if not the best supercar of all times. The price of the F1 was around one million dollars when new, but perfect examples trade hands for 10 to 15 times as much right now.

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7. Audi RS6

When you see the RS badge on an Audi, you know that a special car is in front of you. Since the legendary RS2 from the early 90’s, Audi has been producing crazy fast wagons in the A4 and A6 range. They equip them with the most powerful engines the company has, along with the renewed Quattro all-wheel drive for enhanced traction and performance.

Unfortunately, the RS wagon range is not available in the U.S., but it still deserves a place on this list for the sheer beauty, power and craziness of the package. You may wonder why there is a four-door station wagon on a list that consists of only sports and supercars. However, with 605 HP and 3.9 seconds to 60 mph, the current Audi RS6 is faster than many supercars.

It also more practical, as well. That is why it is a shame they didn’t homologate this wagon for the American market. Most car enthusiasts feel that a company like Audi could easily do so if they wanted to.

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8. BMW Z1

Before roadsters like the Z3, Z4 and cool, limited production Z8, BMW introduced a strange-looking but interesting Z1. The car was advanced for the times and in 1989 there was nothing similar on the market. The Z1 was a sleek roadster with uncharacteristic styling, plastic body panels and unusual sliding doors, which disappeared in its rocker panels when open. Technically, you could drive the BMW Z1 with the doors down.

BMW built the Z1 on special chassis featuring a new rear suspension setup. The power came from a well-known 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine with 168 HP which produced decent performance. The other interesting feature were the plastic body panels bolted onto the chassis. Z1 owners could buy different color panels and attach them to the car at will. Owners could change the paint of the car just by adding different colored doors and fenders, as well as a trunk or hood.

In production until 1991, BMW made 8000 of Z1 roadsters. The factory never tried to homologate the Z1 for U.S., market possibly because of its unusual doors. They realized the NHTSA will never approve this feature for safety reasons.

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9. Mitsuoka Orochi

One of the world`s most obscure supercars comes from Japan in the form of the Mitsuoka Orochi. It is a groovy-looking two-seater with Lambo doors and a controversial design. The Mitsuoka company was famous for building restomod cars based on regular models. But in 2006, they decided to enter the supercar market with the highly exclusive Orochi. Mitsuoka named it after a mythical Japanese dragon with eight heads, which influenced the design of the car.

They based the Orochi on the Honda NSX platform, but powered it with a Toyota 3.3-liter V6 engine with 240 HP. The horsepower may not sound like much, but in a car so light and nimble, the performance is satisfying. They never intended to sell the Orochi outside of Japan or in some selected Asian markets, especially not in America. This is because they only produced the car in a right-hand configuration and Mitsuoka is not interested in foreign buyers.

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10. Bristol Fighter

Bristol Cars is one of the craziest companies in the world. And not just for their models, which are quite strange, but for their business policy. The company barely made any money for decades and operated only one showroom. They only sold one or two cars per year and refused to modernize their lineup for decades. However, they somehow managed to survive.

In 2004, Bristol decided to introduce a new model with uncompromised performance and a fresh design. That is how the Bristol Fighter was born. They custom-made the chassis with a special body featuring gullwing doors and a long hood. The design of the Fighter has no resemblance to other Bristol cars, but it carries the tradition of using Chrysler engines. This sports car has an 8.0-liter V10 from the Dodge Viper rated at 525 HP.

With a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of around four seconds and a top speed of over 200 mph, it was one of the fastest cars when they introduced it. However, Bristol’s business policy and their refusal to make and sell many cars caused the company to close in 2011. Allegedly, they made only 13 Fighters, none of which they ever imported to the U.S.

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11. TVR Sagaris

The TVR Sagaris is one of the cars most people are truly fond of, so it is a terrible shame it never came to America. TVR introduced it in the early 2000’s. It was an exciting, innovative design from a company known for brutally fast and sleek sports cars. Propelled by TVR’s own 4.0-liter high revving six-cylinder engine with 406 HP, the Sagaris was lightning quick. It had acceleration times of 3.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph and 185 mph top speeds.

But the coolest thing about this crazy sports car was its design. They named it after a battle axe from Greek mythology, and the Sagaris was simply hard to describe. There are few cars that have such an aggressive design yet still manage to look elegant and fast, even when standing still. TVR’s management was under scrutiny for not equipping the car with standard safety features like ABS, stability control or even airbags. This caused problems with car buyers on several European markets.

The head of the company explained that such devices promote overconfidence with drivers and TVR wanted to provide the purest driving experience possible. Needless to say, this policy didn’t attract many customers, even though the car was fantastic. Also, a lack of safety features kept the Sagaris from entering the U.S. market.

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12. Isdera Imperator 108i

Isdera is a small, ultra-exclusive manufacturer of supercars in Germany. Eberhard Schultz, an ex-Mercedes engineer, founded the company in 1969. Over the years, Isdera produced only a few models, all of which used many Mercedes parts, engines and components. Over time, the company became famous for its exclusive production approach.

They introduced the Imperator in 1984. It remained in production until 1993 during which time they produced 30 of them. The car included spaceframe construction with a plastic body and Gullwing doors, which was everyone’s favorite supercar detail. Behind the driver was a Mercedes V8 engine with 5.0 liters of displacement. Over the years, Isdera installed bigger engines with 5.6 and 6.0 liters of displacement that Mercedes produced.

The performance was respectable with 5.0 seconds up to 60 mph and top speeds of over 170 mph. The design had the characteristic wedge shape and another interesting feature – a periscope rearview mirror which was and still is a rare solution in car design. Despite the interesting look, exclusivity, and performance, Isdera didn’t homologate the Imperator for the U.S. market. They sold the car only in Europe and the Middle East.

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13. Lotec Sirius

The Lotec Sirius is one of the most obscure European supercars produced by the Lotec Company in early 2000’s. The prototype caused much attention when they first presented it in 2001. But ever since, the news about this crazy supercar has been scarce. Some people say Lotec made only two examples, while others say the Sirius never progressed beyond the prototype stage.

However, the Sirius is still one of the most powerful, interesting machines out there. The heart is a twin-turbo Mercedes-derived V12 engine which produces around 1,300 HP. With a five-speed manual transmission and just 2,800 pounds of curb weight, the Sirius is unbelievably fast. A 0 to 60 mph sprint takes less than 3.7 seconds and the top speed is an amazing 285 mph.

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14. Axiam Mega Track

One of the most interesting, rarest supercars that never made it to U.S. shores was the French Mega Track. The Axiam company built it in the mid-90’s and the Mega Track was the first and only off-road supercar ever. So, how is it possible to produce a supercar capable of going off-road? Axiam managed to produce a vehicle with an adjustable suspension that owners could transform from a regular sports car into an SUV in a matter of seconds.

The complicated system allowed 8 to 13 inches of ride height, but in just one moment, the Mega Track could become a true off-road beast. Behind the driver was a massive 6.0-liter V12 engine from Mercedes-Benz. It produced 400 HP and powered all four wheels. The concept had its drawbacks, though. The Mega Track was a heavy, big car. It weighed over two tons and had a length of over five meters, which is more than the Mercedes S-Class.

The Axiam company, known for producing small micro cars and various automotive industry components, didn’t have the time or interest to further promote the Mega Track. They ceased production after building only five or six Mega Tracks, depending on the source.

These are the top 14 sports and supercars that never made it to U.S. shores. Perhaps someday, they will make it, but for now, you will have to move to overseas to drive one of these road beasts.

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