The world of sports cars is an immensely exciting place. Everybody can recognize the everlasting shape of the Porsche 911 or the black stallion logo of Ferrari, but for most people, that is it.
Today, we will tell you more about lesser-known sports cars, most of which were never offered for sale in North America. All of them are fast, exclusive, good looking, but none of them managed to become a mainstream car.
However, for certain sports car connoisseurs, these machines are very interesting since they offer an alternative to well-known names and bring something new to the game. Here is your guide to 10 foreign sports cars nobody has ever heard of.
10 KTM X-Bow
This extreme sports car comes from Austria and amazes with its carbon-fiber chassis, extreme construction, a 400-hp Audi turbocharged engine, and the lack of body panels. The constructors don’t hide the fact that it’s only usable on the track, although there are several examples legally registered for street use. We believe that the driving feel is fantastically raw and amazing.
9 Ascari KZ1
The Ascari was ALMOST the next big thing in the sports car segment, but the circumstances beyond its control limited the production. Powered by a 4.9-liter V8 engine from BMW M5, it was a fast, well-designed, capable, and spacious coupe built in England. It was as fast as the Lamborghini Murcielago due to a similar power-to-weight ratio, but only about 50 cars were produced.
8 Lister Storm
Lister Storm was a '90s beast that could comfortably seat four people and also reach 200 mph. Powered by the Jaguar V12 engine delivering 546 hp, it had a strange but aerodynamically efficient design. Along with the road-going version, Lister produced several racing cars which were campaigned in the European endurance racing championships.
7 Mega Track
What you get when you cross supercar and off-road SUV? Mega Track. This French supercar was powered by Mercedes V12 engine and also equipped with a capable all-wheel-drive system, a suspension which could be raised and off-road tires. It was made to cross the desert at speeds of over 100 mph—something like if Ferrari would build an F-150 Raptor.
6 Tushek Renovatio T500
This capable sports car comes from a small country in Europe called Slovenia. Based on the Audi R8, the Tushek Renovatio T500 is thoroughly changed and upgraded by Slovenian racing driver Aljosha Tushek. But there is much more to T500 than just the upgraded R8. The car has a carbon-fiber body, ceramic brakes, special exhaust, and much more.
5 Marussia B2
Russia might be a big market for sports cars, but there are no Russian sports car bands? Or are there? The Marussia B2 is a sports car designed and engineered in Moscow but built in Finland and could be considered a success. According to the manufacturer, all 500 examples of the B2 model have been sold out already.
4 Spyker C8
Spyker is an obscure Dutch company that makes fantastic cars with incredible attention to detail. Powered by Audi's V8 engines, they also offer a twin-turbo version with up to 600 hp. Sold mostly in Europe, each Spyker takes a long time to produce with prices of over $300,000.
3 Noble M600
Noble has a reputation as a kit-car maker, but when it comes to the M600, we cannot argue with the results. Powered by a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine from Volvo, the M600 delivers 650 hp and goes faster than any other car in its price range. Very rare outside Great Britain, Noble is a disturbing site in review mirror if you are driving a brand new Ferrari.
2 Mastretta MXT
The Mastretta name is totally unknown to American sports car fans, but it shouldn’t be since it is produced in Mexico. Powered by 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine from Volkswagen, and delivering 240 hp, it is still plenty fast due to lightweight and compact dimensions. The base price of just over $50,000 makes it relatively affordable, as well.
1 Alpine A110
The little French boutique brand Alpine has been making cars since the '60s, but it isn’t well-known in America. The A110 is a retro-futuristic masterpiece of lightness, balance, and driving dynamics powered with a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine placed in the middle of fantastic chassis. Magazine testers called it better to drive than some of the supercars with much more power.