At the magical age of 25-years, cars overnight become classics, gaining an almost invisible aura surrounding how fast or powerful they were
Revisiting an old British classic car is somehow both familiar and different at the same time. Simpler engine designs curiously feel more alive and responsive compared to everything that now comes with a turbo and some clever anti-lag gadgetry. Cars were less complicated with less weight. Agility and handling were all part of what made the driving experience so rewarding. Ask anyone who has driven the original Golf GTi how it compares to a modern example, yes the current one is faster, but the original feels faster.
At some point the misty-eyed nostalgia is going to throw up some discrepancies, Ford's Cosworth range, for example, without a shadow of a doubt, is quicker than the blue oval claimed. Other carmakers also deliver better performance than the numbers suggest. Maybe it's old age creeping upon us?
10 Sunbeam Alpine / Tiger
Alpine Sunbeam vs Sunbeam Tiger, the differences are more important than a simple rebadging. While the original Alpine version looks relatively unchanged, any gearhead behind the wheel of an S1 is going to be disappointed.
Launched in 1959, the Alpine, packing nothing more threatening than a four-cylinder 1.5-liter motor punching out 84 hp, resulted in a pedestrian 13.6-seconds 0-60 mph time. Fast-forward to 1967, with a helping hand from Carroll Shelby and Ford, the more potent Tiger II appeared, sporting a 289 cubic inch V8 motor producing in the region of 200 hp requiring just 8.6-seconds for the same benchmark.
9 TVR Taimar Turbo
Following on from the success of the TVR 3000M series, the Taimar from 1976 was much improved, with a host of creature comforts that goes against the UK carmaker's ethos of minimalism. Niceties such as leather seats, Webasto sunroof, better heating, and ventilation were all available.
However, TVR, despite the upgrades, hadn't gone soft. In stock specification, the Taimar boasted a Ford 3-liter V6 Essex engine, good for a zero to sixty run in 7.7-seconds and a top speed of 121 mph. The Taimar story doesn't stop there. TVR, true to its reputation, developed the Taimar turbo, bringing specialist Broadspeed to handle the turbo installation, boosting output to 230 hp, slashing two seconds off the 0-60 mph time.
8 Jaguar XJ12-C
Big Jaguars are the kind of four-door cars people buy to waft around in near-silent luxury, except where the XJ12-C is concerned. Shorn of two doors and given a pillarless coupe profile, this big cat is unique.
Under the hood, Jaguar's sublime 5.3-liter V12 engine provides a silky smooth 289 hp that belies just how fast this luxury coupe is. Under hard acceleration, weight does put a damper on things, sixty coming up in 7.7-seconds, but it's the top end where this near two-ton luxury coupe shines going on to a maximum of 149 mph. So good was the XJ12-Cs performance, Broadspeed even went racing with the XJ12C.
7 Morgan Plus 8
Post-war styling and a penchant for part wooden construction methods don't instill visions of blistering performance. Added to which, Morgan, despite offering several engine options over the years, did little to shout about the changes.
Longevity of production guarantees a host of different engines, anything with a number four in its model name packing adequate, if lazy, four-cylinder motors, perfectly suited for that Sunday afternoon country run. During the late '60s, Buick/Rover V8 power married in these 8s, boasting 3.5 liters and 204 hp, the "new" Morgan despite a mixture of timber and metal, would hit 60 mph in 6.5-seconds.
6 Lotus Seven
The last kit-car Lotus produced is also one of the most copied sports cars of all time. The original still more or less in production under the Caterham Seven name.
The simplicity of design and lightweight construction made the Seven a track star with legendary cornering ability that easily makes up for the lack of power. Under the long tapering nose, Ford's 1.2-liter engines in various states of tune proved how little power you need to go fast, with The Motor publication recording an impressive 0-60 mph time of 6.2-seconds, it was quick even by modern standards.
5 Jensen Interceptor III
Jensen's Interceptor is a gorgeous combination of Italian styling and manufacture, with final assembly taking place in the slightly less glamorous location of Leeds, with engines shipped in from Chrysler. Whoever said a world car isn't feasible hasn't seen the Interceptor.
By the time the Series 3 Interceptors rolled off the assembly line, Chrysler supplied no less than three separate engine configurations spanning 383, 400, and finally 360 cubic inch displacements with power figures hovering around the 250 hp mark. Designed as a luxury GT, Jensen never envisaged being among the fastest cars, but that's exactly where it belongs, boasting an impressive 135 mph top speed.
4 Bentley 4.5-Liter "Blower"
We've gotten used to sleek Le Man's racers where speed alone is not the only winning factor, endurance and efficiency play their roles also. Someone didn't tell W.O Bentley at the time, the 4.5-liter Blower, the stuff of racing legends, is anything but sleek, Ettore Bugatti himself summing up Bentley perfectly saying they build fast trucks.
Never once off the podium between 1928-30, the Bentley 4.5-liter, while adequately fast if not outstanding, managed to set a record top speed of 138 mph during testing thanks to its 4.5-liter straight-four boosted by the now-iconic "blower" supercharger mounted over the front axle.
3 AC Frua 428
Coming full circle, this low-volume British sports car owes much of its design to the AC Cobra Mk III chassis on which it is based, albeit with a few extra inches. In turn, it has a distant connection to another British sports car, the AC Ace.
Where the Cobra was about maximizing performance, the Italian-designed Frua chased another class of clients, offering first and foremost a comfortable GT cruiser experience. Intended for production with Ford's 428 V8, the Frua was advertised as having 345 hp and a top speed of 152 mph.
2 Trident Clipper
The TVR that never was. Later in the development stage, the UK sports carmaker lacked the financial resources to progress any further with the Trident, handing the project over to dealers W.J. (Bill) the last who set up shop under the Trident Cars name. And so in 1966, the first Trident Clipper made its debut sporting Ford V8 power,
A mishmash of Austin Healey-inspired chassis and TVR wedge bodywork constructed in fiber-glass over steel with 270 hp on tap, Trident made it available in both assembled or kit form. It had a claimed top speed of 150 mph with sixty coming up in 5-seconds, much quicker than would have been the case with TVRs preference for Ford V6 power.
1 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth
the '80-s poster child for gearheads seeking the ultimate thrill without spending big money. Ford Europe, on a roll after their earlier success with the standard Sierra Cosworth, commissioned a limited run of 500 special edition three-door coupes.
The RS500, despite the name, packed a 227 hp turbocharged inline-four responsible for a growing number of high-speed chases, sometimes ending badly. Ford made bold performance claims, with sixty coming up in 6.5-seconds, flat-out a very impressive 149 mph. However, rumors of understated performance circulated, claiming 300 hp to be a more realistic figure.