Love them or hate them, the 1990s were an exciting time! The last decade of the 20th century was ground-breaking in many aspects of our lives: fashion, consumer electronics, entertainment, and - last but not least - automobiles. During that time, the car industry made the shift from the old-fashioned, analog idea of a car to the more modern, hi-tech infused standard we know today.

Indeed, most safety and comfort car features we know and love today originated in the 1990s. GPS navigation, adaptive cruise control, advanced stability control - you name it! But let's not focus solely on comfort and safety - the performance standards also took a huge leap in the 1990s. And no other cars would be a better example than the 1990s sportscars.

Many of them - such as the original Acura NSX - were instant classics upon release and became even more coveted as the years passed. Other sports cars - not so much. Many of them received lots of praise and love when they first came out, but have since faded into obscurity. In this article, we will explore a few sports cars we used to love in the '90s - but not anymore.

15 Audi TT

Blue Audi TT
via wheelsage.org

When the TT first came out in 1998, it was a sensation! The fun, handsome sports coupe was regarded as one of the best cars to come from Audi in the 1990s. Unfortunately, its reputation was soiled by a series of high-speed accidents caused by design flaws. The TT is still around in its 3rd generation, but it was never quite as popular as when it first came out.

14 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Black Mercedes-Benz SLK
via benzshop.de

The first-gen SLK was Mercedes' take on the sporty, affordable 2-seat roadster format that made the Mazda Miata sell so well. Unfortunately, the SLK never got to beat the Miata due to its questionable styling, boring driving experience, and cheap-feeling interior. Just like the Audi TT, the SLK - now called SLC - is still on the market. And just like the TT, it's also on the brink of being discontinued.

13 Chevrolet Corvette C4

Red Chevrolet Corvette C4
via corvsport.com

The fourth-generation Corvette is considered by many Corvette enthusiasts to be the worst one ever. It doesn't have the beautiful styling of the C3 or the improved driving experience of the C5. In addition, it was on the market for simply way too long and was completely outdated by the time the 1990s came around. Of course, it was still a Corvette and, thus, it was still cool. It simply didn't age as well as its predecessors.

12 Dodge Viper

Red Dodge Viper
via motorauthority.com

The original Dodge Viper is one of the craziest, most American cars to come out in the 1990s. The 8.0-liter V10 engine, developed in part by Lamborghini, manual gearbox and no airbags, traction control or ABS made the Viper notoriously dangerous and difficult to drive. And that's why everyone loved it! Sadly, though, not everyone bought it, and the Viper was discontinued in 2017.

11 Subaru SVX

Dark purple Subaru SVX
via hagerty.com

Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, the SVX was, arguably, the most daring car that Subaru has made to this date. The handsome exterior styling was combined with a comfy, hi-tech interior. And don't forget the signature window-in-window design, reminiscent of the Lamborghini Countach and the McLaren F1. The SVX made some noise in the 90s, but today nobody even seems to remember it!

10 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
via carthrottle.com

The fourth-generation Firebird is not as famous and well-regarded as its predecessors. Still, in the 1990s it was well-regarded as one of America's few capable sports cars, especially in the Trans Am trim. Now, with Pontiac long gone, the glory of the Firebird seems to be forgotten.

9 Ferrari 456

Dark Blue Ferrari 456
via wheelsage.org

The reason why the 456 faded into obscurity is not that it's a bad car - it's a Ferrari, after all. The issue is its format - a grand tourer with a V12 in the front and 4 seats. This kind of Ferraris never sold or aged particularly well. As a result, the 456 is, perhaps, the least remembered of the 1990s Ferrari models.

RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About The 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo

8 Ferrari F50

Red Ferrari F50
via wheelsage.ord

Now, this will be a hot take, but bear with us! Yes, the F50 is a legendary car, one of Ferrari's famous limited production, groundbreaking, poster-worthy supercars. When it came out, it was one of the most desired cars in the world! As the years passed, however, the F50 failed to get the same cult following as the preceding F40 - the last Ferrari, personally approved by Enzo himself.

7 Jaguar XJS

Maroon Jaguar XJS
via hagerty.com

The XJS was one of the last truly old-school Jaguars. Sleek styling, smooth yet sporty driving experience, tons of wood and leather on the inside. Even towards the end of its production run in the 1990s, the XJS was immensely cool. Nowadays, it is considered one of the worst old cars to own due to its infamous unreliability and complicated V12 engines.

RELATED: 30 Classic Jaguars Found in British Greenhouse

6 Maserati Shamal

Black Maserati Shamal
via hemmings.com

The '90s were an odd period for Maserati. The company was not doing stellar financially (as if it ever did) and their boxy cars were quite unlike the curvy, elegant Maseratis of old. The '90s Shamal was one of their more successful models, however.

Its twin-turbocharged V8 was quite advanced for the era and gave the car decent performance. Nevertheless, the Shamal is barely remembered today.

5 Aston Martin Virage

Dark Green Aston Martin Virage
via classicdriver.com

Maserati was not the only car manufacturer with an odd phase in the 1990s. Aston Martin was another and today their 90s cars, developed under the Ford ownership, are not so well-remembered. The Virage, however, was a very innovative model for the famously conservative brand. Unfortunately, its angular design did not age particularly well.

RELATED: 007's New Aston Martin Valhalla Ready For "No Time To Die" (2020)

4 Ford Mustang

Black Ford Mustang
via hemmings.com

The fourth-generation Mustang was a big step forward from the third-gen Fox-body. Ford put a lot of work into improving the design, performance, interior space and the overall quality of the car.

Compared to the previous generation, the fourth-gen Mustang was very well-received when it came out. Today, however, both iterations of the legendary model don't get anything more than a shrug.

3 Nissan 300ZX

Red Nissan 300ZX
via bringatrailer.com

The Nissan 300ZX sits in a weird spot in Nissan's Z lineup history. On one end, there is the legendary Fairlady Z of the '70s. On the other end, there is the more recent and famous 350Z. As a result, the 300ZX is not a sports car that gets lots of love today - even if it's one of the great sports cars that Nissan used to make.

2 Toyota Celica

Black Toyota Celica GT-Four WRC
via reddit.com

The reason why the '90s Celica just faded away is its styling. While it was a good sports car with a famed lineage, it shared too many similarities with the iconic Supra of the same years. Today, it is even regarded as the "poor man's Supra," as the more legendary model has skyrocketed in price. Shame for a fun sports car that one once in the spotlight.

1 Honda Del Sol

Green Honda Del Sol
via pinterest.at

The Del Sol is just one of the many amazing sports cars that Honda was famous for in the 1990s. The small, quirky targa-top two-seater was all the rage in the early '90s. Sadly, it's production run was rather short, and nowadays the once-popular Del Sol is a rare sight. Perhaps, Honda should reconnect with its roots and bless us with more fun, affordable sports cars.

NEXT: 14 Things About Sports Cars Of The '90s That Most People Ignore