We as gearheads all love impressing others with our cars, don't we? We crave that attention from others as we roll around in our cars. Regardless of whether it's a Huracán or an Altima, our car is our baby, and we are proud of it.
The thing is though, to most people out there most cars are just seen as a "piece of metal" and only some like supercars do impress most people. So if you were thinking that your Miata would impress your non-car friends, then you'd be wrong. Nevertheless, here are ten sports cars that only impress gearheads.
10 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is a car that only gearheads can appreciate. To the average non-car person, it's merely a Japanese 4-door sedan (sounds harsh, we know). But to people like us, it's a proper rally car for the road that Tommi Makinen drove to win the 1999 WRC championship.
Launched back in 1992, it became an instant hit. In 2016 though, Mitsubishi pulled the plug on the Evo, focusing more on building boring SUVs, crossovers, and hybrids. The resale prices of these cars vary. Modified examples tend to go for a bit more (unless they're badly modified). However, the most expensive Evo models on the used market are the low-mileage, stock, and limited edition models.
9 Honda Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R is a crazy hot-hatchback that only gearheads like. Non-car people would just assume this is some boy-racer annoying loud hatchback driven by somebody with no manners. The current model (which is made in Britain) has a ludicrous bodykit with huge spoilers, three exhausts, and large alloys. In all honesty, it's a bit distasteful, but it sure does stand out.
The elder Type R Civics such as the EP3 is far more subtle. These cars are more likely to be mistaken as just ordinary cars. But of course, if you know your cars, you'd know that the EP3 is far from ordinary.
8 VW Golf GTi
Hot-hatchbacks in general are mainly loved by gearheads. Most non-car people simply do not care about them. The GTi is one of the most subtle hot-hatches ever made. The current MK8 model does look quite nice, but you'd never know that this car packs a 241hp 2.0 TSI 4-cylinder under the hood. This car is just far too subtle.
Only real gearheads are impressed by the GTI. It is a proper nerd's car, and it even comes with weird tartan seats as standard. Those who don't get that reference aren't real gearheads and would find the interior boring.
7 Toyota A80 Supra
To a non-car person, this is just an old Toyota. To people like us, it's heaven on wheels. The MK4 (A80) Supra will make any car enthusiast scream (even if they don't like them). They're just so iconic, and you have to be a proper gearhead to own one.
The Supra MK4 was launched back in 1993 and ended production in 2002. It was meant to be a "Grand Tourer" but it was just far too cool and fast to be one of those. The 2JZ unit under the hood is very tuneable, and many people have gotten these cars to produce figures way past 1000hp.
6 Mazda Miata
As mentioned earlier, your non-car friends will not be impressed by your little Miata. Neither will your date. The Miata was launched back in 1989, and it is the world's most popular sports car. It's light, nimble, easy to drive, and easy to live with.
Gearheads love the Miata since it's just so playful. Think of it as a Labrador. Very friendly, always wants to have fun, and it is very loyal. However, unlike a Labrador, the Miata will impress a select number of people.
5 Ford Fiesta ST
Yet another hot-hatch on this list, and it's a Fiesta ST. This is one of the best hot-hatchbacks ever made, with a 1.5 liter 3-cylinder turbo under the hood making 197hp. It's a gem, yet most non-car people won't even give this car a second look. To these people, this pocket-rocket is merely just another Fiesta on the road.
To us gearheads, this car is sublime. It's small, fast, practical, and cheap. A perfect car for the younger or retired gearhead.
4 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
The Subaru Impreza WRX STi is Evo's biggest rival. Launched back in the 1990s, it instantly became a hit amongst those who love to wear their snapback cap back to front. To those who have no interest in cars, the STI isn't anything special. To us gearheads though, it's a rally icon that Colin McRae drove to win the 1995 WRC.
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The current Impreza WRX STi isn't called an Impreza WRX STI. It's simply called WRX STI. It includes a large spoiler, a simple body kit, and four exhausts. To the average person who isn't interested in cars, this is just some boy-racer car.
3 Honda/Acura NSX Mk1
To non-car people, this is just some old Honda or Acura. To us, though, it's the car that Gordon Murray drove and Ayrton Senna drove. The NSX was a car that slapped the Ferrari 348 black and blue. The current NSX will impress non-car lovers since it does look pretty cool. The elder Mk1 though won't because, let's be honest, it isn't the most interesting-looking supercar, is it?
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The NSX featured an angry 3-liter V6, and it was mounted behind the driver. The NSX was a very practical supercar with recent trunk space, ride quality, and brilliant build quality.
2 BMW M3
The M3 is a nerd's car. Only car geeks buy the M3, and we don't blame them. Up until the F80, it was a fantastic car. Unfortunately, the current G80 won't impress anyone with that beaver face and auto gearbox. The M3 was launched back in 1986 in the E30 generation.
The M3 is an icon worldwide. It's the ultimate performance coupe/sedan after the C63. The elder M3s were far more subtle looking than current M3s, but they still look very cool indeed.
1 Caterham 7
A non-car person would scoff at this. It looks like a toy car, and it probably weighs less than a toy car. Plus, you have the option to build the car yourself. How uncool is that? The Caterham 7 is a track weapon, and it was launched when the world was in black and white. Current models use 4-cylinder engines and that's all that this car needs since it is so light.
You can opt for a slower 160 model which has no power or an R600 which has way too much power. Or for a happy medium, a 420R model combines the best of both worlds.