Lotus Elise S1
When the Lotus Elise debuted in 1996, it caught the auto world by storm. Such a compact yet beautiful roadster with a lightweight body and precise handling was unique on the market and influenced many big manufacturers to produce similar models. Lotus designed a car that weighed only 750 kg and went from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds, powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 143 hp. The interior was pretty bare, but this wasn’t a problem (via Road and Track).
The driving dynamics were so good, and the Elise was so fun to drive that the lack of an audio system or air conditioning was hardly noticeable. However, Lotus` quest for lightness resulted in a car that barely passed the crash tests in Europe but failed in America and was ultimately banned. Only the second generation of Lotus Elise, which debuted in 2001, got better crash test ratings and was granted a US passport.