The world has been blessed by classic car rekindles such as the Acura NSX, Fiat 500, and Ford GT. On the other hand; "less successful" executions like the Honda CRZ, Ford Thunderbird, and Pontiac GTO also exist that never lived up to their preconceived expectations. Petrolheads always hope that their favorite cars will one day be resurrected and come back a modern icon. Here are some examples we'd love to see.
10 1981 Lamborghini Jalpa
The Jalpa was the last Lamborghini sports car to have a V8 hidden inside its engine bay. Labeled the "affordable" Lamborghini, the Jalpa was designed and built by the famous Bertone. The 3.5-liter V8 made 255 hp that launched the bull to 60 mph in only 6 seconds.
The Jalpa was Lambo's idea of an affordable luxury almost-super car, but only 410 models were ever born. V8 Lambos are almost translating into becoming a myth. We would love to see a revived Jalpa.
9 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
Crowned one of the most beautiful cars to ever exist, the Karmann Ghia is a coach-built, air-cooled comfy cruiser. This creation was due to a collaboration between Volkswagen, who took the Beetle's chassis and mechanicals; Carrozzeria Ghia, who styled the type 14 to perfection and hand-built by the coachbuilder, Karmann.
The air-cooled Beetle engine used, puffed out between 34 hp and 49 hp, depending on the year model. This resulted in a 0-60 time of... eventually. Speed never was the Ghia's priority, but rather looking stunning while crawling around. A 21st century Karmann Ghia would truly be something to behold.
8 Porsche 914
Co-developed by Volkswagen and Porsche, the 914 was a cheap entry-level Porsche sports car with a very quirky design. The 914 was meant to replace the Karmann Ghia and the 912. This odd-ball Porsche came with either a 1.7-, 1.8- or a 2.0-liter four- or six-cylinder engine. The six-cylinder variant soon died off after its launch because of its price tag and inability to compete with its rivals.
The final model featured a tuned little 4-cylinder wound up putting out 100 hp to the rear wheels. This meant it propelled the 950 kg Porsche to 60 mph in just over 10 seconds. The stand-out feature of the 914 was its superb cornering while its wheels were glued to the ground. A new 914 would be almost like a Cayman, but just smaller, lighter, and even more agile. As the saying goes: Bigger isn't always better.
7 Alfa Romeo Montreal
Alfa Romeo has never disappointed when it comes to big, strong, beautiful Italian cruisers. But it has been quite some time since we have received a mass-produced super GT like the Montreal. The Miura look-alike was also designed by Bertone, boasted a 2.6-liter V8 engine that exclaimed 230 Italian horses. The Montreal does 0-60 in just over 7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 220 kph.
Due to Bertone's impeccable design and the ferocious V8, this Alfa strives at high speed. We long for a new GT produced by Alfa Romeo. The Montreal's revival will suit this niche perfectly.
6 Volkswagen Thing
Who would have thought that a funky, convertible, air-cooled, lego brick with seats could be this great? The Thing - a.k.a. the Type 181 - is everything an adventurous teen can dream of. Although the 4-cylinder 1.6-liter air-cooled engine pumps out a microscopic 46 hp, it never seems to struggle to get over hills in or out of town.
The Thing featured all kinds of quirks like a removable roof, foldable windscreen, fenders as wide as Arnold Schwarzenegger's shoulders, and an interior with technology out of the 1910s. A modern Thing would have people selling their kidneys to get in line for a chance to own such a majestic creature.
5 Honda S2000
The S2000 was a screaming JDM topless sports car that oozed excitement. With the combination of VTEC and an excruciating 9000 rpm redline, this 2.2-liter 4-banger put out 247 hp. The S2k is considered to be the sweet spot in the 2000s sports car line-up. 0-60 happens in only 6.3 seconds.
The suspension set-up - although it was softened over the years - will feel like you are driving over a cheese grater. Traction control is merely a gimmick and the rear end is keen to lose focus a little too often. You either fear or admire the S2000 for that reason. But be warned. Once you've driven the S2k you'll never drive something that can quite compare... unless we see it make a comeback.
4 Lancia Delta Integrale
The Delta Integrale is an Italian rally legend. The rally racer inhabited a 2-liter 16-valve turbocharged inline-4. This absolutely shattered their competitors' dreams of being a threat to Lancia. 0-60 happened in just 5.7 seconds - that's faster than a Porsche 944 Turbo. This pocket rocket punched WAY above its weight class due to its 215 hp, AWD, and curb weight equal to a pizza (1300 kg).
The Lancia Delta Integrale won 11 world rally championships throughout its lifetime, and 6 of them were won in a row. Unfortunately, Lancia has not made any noteworthy accomplishments since ownership has been switched to Fiat. Nonetheless, having this super hatch make its comeback would be unbelievable.
3 BMW M1
Styled by Lamborghini and engineered by BMW, a recipe for success. The BMW M1 was a car forced into existence due to homologation rules, and we are overjoyed it did. Within the street-legal race car's middle is a 3.5-liter inline-6 spitting out 274 hp. This means 0-60 of 5.8 seconds.
Only 400 road-legal examples were ever made. Sadly, BMW never did create another supercar. Bimmer fans worldwide dream of the idea of an M1 being brought back to modern times
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2 Toyota Celica GT-4
A Japanese 4-eyed rally machine that resulted in a ban from the WRC. Need we say more? The Toyota Celica GT-4 packed a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-banger that made 252 hp and had AWD. The original Celica was meant for road racing, but it later evolved into a rally wrecker. The GT-4 was also the first rally car ever to make use of anti-lag.
All turbocharged rally cars that competed in the WRC had to be equipped with restrictor plates. This rule prevented too much air from entering the turbos and causing an unfair advantage. The Celica faired well, a bit too well... Instead of ditching the restrictor plate, Toyota modified it to give themselves an upper hand. This lead to them being disqualified after only winning one race. A modern Celica would dominate rally races and be a danger on public roads as well.
1 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Lancer Evolution had 10 generations throughout the years, all carrying one distinct trait: a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine. The last installment was the Lancer Evolution X. The X produced a whopping 440 hp that propels the Evo X to 60 mph in just over 5 seconds.
If you were to choose a car that would dominate multiple race disciplines simultaneously, the Lancer Evolution would be a no-brainer. From rally racing to hill climbs and road racing - the JDM-legend would bring trophies home. The Evo has since been discontinued due to financial reasoning by Mitsubishi. However, the idea of the Evo making a return is a petrolhead's wet dream.