Italy is the country that introduced the world to supercars. This land of pizza, wine, and amazing fashion is also the purveyor of some of the most beautiful, famous, and most sought after sports cars.

Italy is home to some of the biggest car brands in the world. These include Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo. There is no doubt that Italian cars set the pace for some of the most iconic cars in the world, as we know them today.

However, not all Italian cars broke the mold. Some of these cars were champions of their time but as time went by, they were forgotten. Here are ten classic Italian sports cars that time forgot.

10 Iso Lele

Via: Revivaler

The name of this car set it for doom from day one. Iso Lele is definitely not the best name for a car that was built with the hope of going up against cars like Ferrari. Well, other than the name, the Iso Lele had a lot going on for it.

Via: revivaler

This Italian sports car was powered by a 5.7-liter Ford Cleveland V8 engine. This engine was paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. This engine had an output rating of 325 horsepower. The top speed of this ride was 143 mph, and it accelerated from 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds.

9 Fiat Abarth 2400 Coupe Allemano

Via: Concours Virtual

The Allemano started off as a coachbuilder that was popular for its classy interpretation of popular sports cars like the Maserati 3500 GT. When Carlo Abarth took up the project to build a classy Italian sports car, he settled on using the latest Fiat 2400 family runabout. This was the project that got the spotlight shined on him.

Via: Concours Virtual

Carlo Abarth fit the Fiat 2400 with a 2.3-liter natural aspirated inline-six engine that pushed 142 horsepower, taking the car to a top speed of 124 mph. He also added a twin tailpipe exhaust, three double-barrel Webers, and lighter pistons.

8 Lancia Hyena Zagato

Via: Top Gear

If you are a motorsport fan, then you are aware of Lancia's tremendous success in the early days. However, in 1994, this proud Italian car company lost its mojo and became a shadow of itself. At its peak, Lancia built some of the best motor racing cars in the world. These cars included the famous Lancia Stratos HF and the Delta. In the shadow of the Delta, the Lancia Hyena Zagato was born.

RELATED: What Made The Lancia Stratos One Of The Most Dominant Rally Cars In History

Via: Top Gear

The Hyena Zagato used the same drivetrain as the Delta. This Italian Hyena was powered by a 2.0-liter straight-four engine that pushed 250 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque. The top speed of this sports car was 143 mph, it accelerated from 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds.

7 Lamborghini Jarama

Via: Wikipedia

Lamborghini has always had a special place in the motor industry. These bright-colored Italian bulls have a home on people’s walls and video games. The Lamborghini Jarama was built strictly for the American market. However, this sports car did not meet its clientele's expectations. This modified version of the Espada was built to succeed the Isero.

Via: Mecum Auctions

A 3.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine was fitted under the Jarama’s hood. This engine was paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic transmission. This engine had an output of up to 365 horsepower and 302 lb-ft of torque. The Jarama hit a top speed of 165 mph and accelerated from 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

6 De Tomaso Guara

Via: Wikipedia

De Tomaso cars such as the Pantera and the Mangustas are well known around the world. However, the Guara’s popularity was often overshadowed by these brand names. The De Tomaso Guara is the last car to bear the De Tomaso badge. You would think that this alone would have it line up with the greats, but that was not the case.

Via: Wikipedia

The Guara was powered by a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated BMW V8 engine. This was later swapped for a 4.6-liter supercharged Ford V8 engine. The BMW engine had a power output of 279 horsepower and the Ford engine pushed 316 horsepower.

5 OSCA 1600GT

Via: Car Body Design

The abbreviation OSCA stands for Office Specializzate Costruzione Automobili - Fratelli Maserati that translates to Specialized Car Building Workshop of the Maserati Brothers. After the death of Alfieri Maserati, the three surviving Maserati brothers got together to build cars. The OSCA 1600GT is one of the cars built by the Maserati brothers.

RELATED: Rumor: Alfa Romeo & Maserati To Merge Into One Brand

Via: Drivetribe

This car was a small engine racecar, powered by a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated DOHC four-pot engine that was paired with a four-speed manual transmission. This engine had a top speed of 124 mph and pushed 105 horsepower and 102 lb-ft of torque.

4 Maserati Karif

Via: Honest John Classics

The Maserati Karif was unveiled in 1988 at the Geneva Motor Show. The Karif is a boxy sports car that was designed and built for people who were looking to have a good time behind the wheel. However, the Maserati Karif did not break out of its shell because, at the time, the market was interested in the Biturbo. The Biturbo was thought to be a more practical and powerful version of the Karif.

Via: Auto Database

This underdog was powered by a 2.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that was paired with a ZF five-speed dog-leg manual transmission. This engine pushed 281 horsepower and a top speed of 158 mph.

3 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint

Via: Bring a trailer

The Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint was officially unveiled in 1962 and it was endorsed as the company’s flagship six-cylinder 2600-coupe series sports car. The 2600 Sprint was a two-door, two-seater coupe that was considered a favorite amongst the Italian police. It was used as a rapid response car by the police unit called the “Panteras”. This Italian sports car was the best-selling car from 1962 to 1968.

Via: Wikimedia Commons

This ride was powered by a 2.6-liter naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine that was paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The output of this engine was rated at 145 horsepower, with the car hitting a top speed of 120 mph.

2 Bizzarrini 1900 GT Europa

Via: Supercars

Giotto Bizzarrini is the man behind the most expensive car in the world currently – the Ferrari 250 GTO. He also worked on the very first Lamborghini V12 engine. He later went ahead and founded his own company that is known for building the 5300 GT Strada.

RELATED: 10 Greatest Ferraris Ever Made

Via: Pinterest

As time went by, Bizzarrini decided to build a cheap sports car that could go up against the Strada. The result of this venture was the Bizzarrini 1900 GT Europa. The GT Europa featured a 1.9-liter Opel inline-four engine that was paired with a five-speed manual transmission. This engine had a maximum output of 110 horsepower and a top speed of 128 mph.

1 B Engineering Edonis

Via: Motor1

While the B Engineering Edonis doesn’t date back as far as some of the cars on this list, this 2002 car is still a classic. Built off the carbon-fiber tub of the Bugatti EB110, the Engineering Edonis was Nicola Materrazzi’s attempt at building a modern supercar.

Via: Motor1

The B Engineering Edonis was powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo Bugatti engine. This engine’s rating stood at an impressive 671 horsepower and 542 lb-ft of torque. During testing at the Nardo’s high-speed ring, the Engineering Edonis hit 223.4 mph. On a 0-60 mph run, this Italian beauty cleared the track in 3.8 seconds.

NEXT: 10 Powerful European Cars With American DNA