Sports cars are thoroughbred speed machines designed to look fast and go even quicker. If only that were always the case. As the following shows, looks are only part of the package.
Designers and engineers play a delicate game of balancing power, style, and performance. They usually get it right, delivering jaw-dropping works of automotive art and adrenalin-pumping speed. But it’s not always that simple. Throughout the 1970s, American muscle cars affected by the oil crisis were neutered, running smaller or detuned engines, sometimes left standing by your average hatch or sedan.
However, even the mightiest names can get it wrong. To name a few, Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini have slipped up. A prime example is the gorgeous Ferrari Dino with a lower spec engine that sprints to 60 mph on the wrong side of 7 seconds.
They might be fast-looking, but these sports cars are far from fast when it counts.
1. Lotus Esprit S1
The Esprit was Lotus’s ticket to the big league, finally casting off Its kit car origins. Turning to Giugiaro, Lotus had a show-stopper on its hands; the S1 looked as sleek and fast as premium supercars. A lightweight glass fiber body mounted to a Lotus steel backbone chassis helped keep weight down.
Despite the low wedge profile, Lotus relied on a low curb weight and small engine recipe that didn’t deliver. The S1 shipped with a type 907 inline four-cylinder unit producing 160 hp, yielding a 0-60 mph pedestrian time of 6.8 seconds. Eventually, the Espirt matured with the S3 Turbo in 1982, six years after the car’s debut.
2. Ferrari 308 GTB
Under normal circumstances, any car adorned with the prancing horse badge should be an adrenalin-pumping speed machine. Not so for Ferrari’s 308 GTB. Designed as a new, smaller sports car, the 308 GTB borrowed heavily from its predecessor. Constructed around a tube frame for strength and rigidity clad in fiberglass for the first batch, it should have been a winner.
Ferrari’s engine was where it got the mix of weight and power. Slung out back behind the cockpit, a Tipo F106 2.9-liter V8 drove the rear wheels via a 5-speed transmission. Unfortunately for Ferrari, this engine was not a thoroughbred and produced 252 hp. As a result, Ferrari’s most iconic sports car struggled to reach 60 mph in 8.1 seconds.
3. Porsche 356 Speedster
Based on its name and brand, the Porsche 356 Speedster seems quicker than the numbers reveal. But remember, the car’s origins are closely related to the VW Beetle. Ferdinand Porsche championed the air-cooled rear engine layout for simplicity and cost.
Several engine variants existed, ranging from a lowly 1.3-liter to the beefier 1.6-liter unit featured in the Carrera. However, even the most potent Porsche 356 lacks the power to match its look. At best, it has a top speed of 107 mph, and sixty takes 11.4 seconds.
4. Pontiac Fiero GT
Pontiac’s troubled mid-engine Fiero never got a great start with the infamous Iron Duke engine. Two years into production, a more powerful 2.8-later V6 was dropped into the chassis, bringing a welcome boost in performance, boosting the Fiero’s complement of ponies from 92 hp to a more usable 140 hp.
Boasting more power with a curb weight of 2701 lbs, the Fiero GT could crack 60 mph in 8.8 seconds. But given the sleek two-seater mid-engine layout, neither Fiero lived up to the hype or name. Largely ignored by gearheads, the Fiero is an incredible drive if you look past the disappointing performance figures.
5. DeLorean DMC-12
Marty McFly and Doc Brown made the De Lorean famous. On-screen high adrenalin action sequences would have you think the DMC-12 was quick, going so far as smoking its rear tires and leaving a trail of flames in its wake. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Designed as a modern two-seater sports car for the masses, DeLorean rushed the DMC-12 into production after numerous specification changes. DeLorean opted for a readily available 2.7-liter PSV-designed V6, putting out 130 hp. At a push, 60 mph arrived in 9.6 seconds, eventually wheezing to a top speed of 130 mph.
6. DC Avanti
Have you never heard of DC Design? Few gearheads have, and for good reason. Based in India, DC Design began building the Avanti in 2012. Sculpted from high-grade steel and exotic carbon composite materials, DC ticked all the boxes on appearances.
Lurking under the space-age body lays a mid-mounted Renault 2-liter engine, turbocharged to produce 250 hp. Sounds good so far? For the bad news, stunning looks aside, the Avanti is slower than you might think. It’s not the engine that lets the Avanti down, but instead, its 3444 lbs weight. Putting your foot on the gas encourages the turbo to spool up, but not much else happens; 60 mph takes an agonizing 6.5 seconds.
7. Fiat 124 Spider
Every gearhead knows the best-value small sports car is the Miata MX-5. Even Fiat recognizes that the Japanese have this market sewn up and haven’t tried to improve the recipe. Instead, they collaborated with Mazda to use the same chassis setup and share the same assembly line.
Noticeably, the bodywork and engine are different. Fiat opts for its own Multiair design, displacing 1.4 liters and adding a turbocharger for good effect. While this all sounds good in theory, with just 140 hp on tap, the merits of smaller engines lose the battle against performance. While its MX-5 cousin boasts a sub-six second 0-60 mph time, the Fiat needs 7.6 seconds.
8. Chevrolet Corvette C3
Every generation of Corvette is sublime in its looks and performance, but some duds have slipped through the net. C3 production ran from 1968 through to 1982, hosting a range of engines to suit every gearhead’s needs. For 1975, the base Corvette ran a small block L48 5.7-liter V8.
Any V8 sportscar blessed with a lightweight fiberglass over steel frame chassis should be a speed machine. However, all the weight-saving materials in the world can save the lowly C3. Produced at a time when emissions were a significant concern, the C3 boasted 165 hp and struggled to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds.
9. Ford Mustang McLaren M81
Merging Ford’s mass production expertise with McLaren’s racing pedigree sounded like a match made in heaven. The only clue to how disappointing the M81 would be is the Ford-based 2.3-liter four-cylinder lurking under the hood. A raft of upgrades ensued: port polishing, forged pistons con rods, and a Garret T-3 turbocharger.
Small displacement engines can yield significant power gains when paired with forced induction. In the M81, 175 hp was barely enough to push the Fox body Mustang to 60 mph in 10 seconds. It was hardly a speed machine you would associate with the McLaren name.
10. Mitsubishi FTO
Failing at every level to live up to its JDM coupe form, the FTO struggles to get below 7 seconds in a sprint to 60 mph. Several engine variants and little to tell the FTO model line-up make a difference. At the lower end, GS spec cars came with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder cranking out 123 hp, while at the other end of the scale, GPX cars boasted 197 hp.
To make matters worse, the FTO used a front-engine, front-wheel-drive chassis. That wouldn’t be an issue in small compact hatches, but the battle between grip and steering compromises performance for sports cars.
11. Rover MG-F
Rover’s demise had been on the cards for years, and outdated models and questionable build quality were taking their toll. Looking to recover its MGB glory days, Rover envisaged a compact two-seater roadster to compete with the MX-5. Where Mazda succeeded, Rover failed.
It wasn’t through lack of trying; the MG-F boasted a mid-engine chassis and rev-happy K-Series engine. However, the K-Series wasn’t the most reliable and shipped in low-power trim. The base 1.8-liter cranking out 118 hp wheezed to 60 mph in 9 seconds. In later years, Rover added a 1.8-liter VVC version, boosting power output to 143 hp; even then, the MG-F was far behind its competitors.
12. Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Much like the C3 Corvette above, the Camaro screamed performance that it failed to deliver. Production began in 1982 with a raft of new technologies, including, for the first time, fuel injection feeding a small block 5-later V8. Given the extra cylinder count over outgoing Iron Duke cars, the Z28 should have been a performance monster.
Unfortunately, 80s-era US V8 sportscars were still reeling from the oil crisis and a growing concern over emissions. As a result, the Z28 hobbled along with a paltry 165 hp, hustling the Camaro’s bulk to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds.
13. Alfa Romeo Montreal
Classic Italian styling backed up by a V8 should be a recipe for speed. It’s a common misconception that V8 cars are consistently fast; Montreal proved that theory wrong. Styled by Gandini, Alfa’s 2+2 coupe has all the hallmarks of a classic supercar. But under that long hood line lays a 2.6-liter cross-plane V8 rated at 197 hp.
Using a unitary steel body added weight to the Montreal, blunting its performance potential. Once up to a claimed top speed of 137 mph, performance wasn’t far behind its rivals. But in a drag race, the weight penalty came into play, holding the Montreal back to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds.
14. Toyota 2000 GT
The Toyota 2000 GT caused a storm on its debut and is a sports car icon. It is more of a show car than a speed machine; Japan’s first proper sports car lacked the performance to back up its appearance. Styled in-house and drawing comparisons to Jagaur’s E-type, it was highly praised for its sleek, fast-back coupe body.
The praise kept coming, with critics citing the 2000 GT as the most enjoyable sports car on the market. The downside was the engine options. Production began with 2-liter straight sixes producing 148 hp, followed by a larger but less powerful 2.3-liter unit. In either engine spec, acceleration was disappointing, needing 10 seconds to reach 60 mph.