Adorned with low-slung sleek bodies, these wedge shaped sports cars are some of the coolest cars ever made, guaranteed to draw admiring glances wherever they turn up.

What fascinates us the most is the impression of speed even when standing still, the pointy nose hinting at missile-like performances even in the rare instances of looks outshining the actual driving experience. In theory, any carmaker can create a wedge, low at the rising swage lines ending in muscular haunches. Looking back at the greats, most are not the work of manufacturers, instead turning to styling studios, many of the coolest wedges the work of Giugiaro alone.

We've come a long way since the '70s, a decade renown for the most outrageous angular sports cars, and yet the allure of impossibly sleek and low tarmac-snuffling designs is as strong today as it has ever been.

10 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800

Lamborghini Countahc LPI 800 - Front
Via Lamborghini

Arguably the most famous wedge shaped supercar ever, The Countach with its sharp lines and low profile body was the stuff of dreams of every gearhead growing up in the seventies and eighties, despite a reputation for poor ergonomics and heavy controls.

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800 - Top Down
Via NetCarShow

In 2021, Lamborghini announced the Countach's return. Based on a reworked Sian FKP 37 chassis and hybrid V12 drivetrain, the new wedge profile hints at Lamborghinis current line-up, but somehow manages to capture the original Countach's dramatic low-front, high-rake stance.

9 De Tomaso Mangusta

De Tomaso Mangusta - Front
Via Mecum Auctions

While the Pantera rightly claims the title of the best De Tomaso, we think the Mangusta comes a close second and is way cooler to look at. Designed by Giugiaro, this American muscle car-powered mid-engined sports car owes its existence to the failed collaboration project with Carroll Shelby. Mangusta meaning Mongoose, and is more commonly known as a Cobra killer.

De tomaso Mangusta - Rear
Via Mecum Auctions

With original intentions of a 7-liter V8 amounting to nothing, the Mangusta entered production in 1967 using the smaller Ford HiPo 289 V8 engine rated at 306 hp, US gearheads on the receiving end of a lower spec 302 unit producing 230 hp.

RELATED: These Modern European Cars Pack An American V8 Under The Hood

8 Ford GT40 Mk1

Silver 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I Parked Outside
Via: Mecum Auctions

Ford Vs Ferrari, the GT40 was built and raced in retaliation to a potential Ford/Ferrari business deal that went sour at the last moment, gave rise not only to one of the biggest David vs Goliath rivalries in automotive history, but also the most important racing car ever.

Ford GT40 - Side
Via: Mecum Auctions

Early competitive outings didn't immediately yield success, mechanical failures plagued the Ford/Shelby project throughout 1964, eventually taking its maiden win at the 1965 Daytona 2000. The experience gained through the GT40s shortcomings paid off in 1966, a larger 7-liter V8 engine powering Ford to Le Man's glory in a staged 1-2-3 finish.

7 AMC AMX/3

AMC AMX III - Front
Via Mr. Choppers / Wikipedia

In all, just six AMX/3s were produced, American Motors Corporation pulled the plug abruptly after its debut, giving no explanation as to why this Pantera-rivaling wedge wouldn't see the end of 1970.

AMC AMX 3 - Rear
Via Mr. Choppers / Wikipedia

Despite AMC branding the AMX/3 had is roots firmly placed in Europe, designed by Bizzarrini with input from Italdesign, and BMW with final production to be handled by Karmann. For financial reasons alone, AMC outsourced the entire AMX/3 project, supplying just its own 6.4-liter 340 hp V8 engines.

6 Maserati Bora

Maserati Bore - Front
Via Bring A Trailer

Born to compete with the Miura and Mangusta, Maserati turned to the master of the wedge design, Giugiaro, with the resulting Citroën-approved Bora appearing in 1971. Unlike its rivals, The Bora was more civilized, it offered a decent amount of trunk space up-front, its cockpit benefiting for a rear twin-glazed rear window to minimize engine noise, in short the Bora was a cool every day driver.

Brown 1977 Maserati Bora on the driveway
Via Bring A Trailer

Initially fitted with Maserati's Tipo AM107 4.7-liter V8s producing 310 hp, the Italian carmaker claiming a top speed of 167 mph. However, later cars upped the ante, bigger displacements producing more low down torque with a small bump in power to 330 hp pushing performance to just short of 180 mph.

RELATED: Maserati Celebrates 50 Years Of The Bora As It Welcomes MC20 Supercar+

5 Holden Hurricane RD001

Holden Hurricane - Front
Via NetCarShow

The chances are you won't have heard of this Australian mid-engined wedge. Built in 1969 as a research vehicle, with Holden claiming the Hurricane provided an insight in to current design trends and modern propulsion systems, and yet nothing wearing the Holden badge since ever looked this cool.

Holden Hurricane - Rear
Via NetCarShow

Externally just another wedge shaped wannabe, but up close, the Hurricane is anything but a cheap copy. Measuring an incredibly low 39 inches, the highest point atop a hydraulically operated canopy, occupants climbing down into a two-seater cockpit. Out back, Holden's trademark 5-liter high-compression V8 produced a healthy 259 hp.

4 Lotus Esprit Turbo HC

Lotus Esprit Turbo HC - Front
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First launched back in 1976 the Giugiaro designed Lotus Esprit was the UK carmakers ticket to the big leagues, looking to take on Porsche and Ferrari with a low-profile plastic wedge packing a tiny 2-liter engine.

Lotus Esprit Turbo HC - Side
Via Bring A Trailer

By the end of production in 2004 the Esprit's original folded edge styling had been eradicated in a series of soft makeovers, it might have been faster but in our eyes the S3 Turbo looks way cooler. The last of the Giugiaro styled cars arrived in 1986, Esprit Turbo HC variants equipped with Lotus type 912 engines growing to 2.2 liters, delivering 215 hp with more torque available lower down.

3 Jiotto Caspita

Jiotto_caspita_1st_f
Via Toyotacoronaexsaloon / Wikipedia

Dome's Zero supercar failed to catch on, lasting a surprising three years in production before being canned. Underpowered, slow and too wacky for more gearheads. However, Dome didn't give up chasing the supercar dream, in 1989 treating gearheads to another sliver of JDM mayhem.

Jiotto_caspita_1st_r
Via Toyotacoronaexsaloon / Wikipedia

This time around, Dome wouldn't make the same mistakes, on appearances resembling Group C racers. However, the cool factor here comes not from a svelte new body design, but rather the mid-mounted Motori Moderni F1 engine, detuned to a mere 450 hp. Later Series IIs switched to Judd V10 power, again F1-based, kicking out 585 hp.

RELATED: These Are The Rarest Japanese Performance Cars Ever

2 Mercedes-Benz C111

Mercedes-Benz C111 - Front
Via Detectandpreserve / Wikipedia

Mercedes tripped into the unknown with their wedge shaped C111, developed from 1969 onwards with production examples totaling 16 cars, most of which evolutionary over their predecessors sporting a range of engine set-ups. The first prototype of 1969 sporting a three rotor Wankel engine, followed by a quad-rotor design before being dropped entirely.

Mercedez-Benz C111 - Rear
Via Detectandpreserve / Wikipedia

In all, Mercedes experimented with several engine configurations, including a run of diesels culminating in a straight-five producing 228 hp and setting nine records in the process. The last of the C111s breaking another record in 1979, powered by a more conventional 4.8-liter turbocharged V8 producing 500 hp, resulting in an average lap record of 250.958 mph.

1 Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0

Diablo VT 6.0 - Front
Via NetCarShow

Saving the best until last, Lamborghini's Diablo started out fast and just kept getting faster until its demise in 2001, with the arrival of the Murcielago. No one does wedge-shaped sports cars quite like Lamborghini, the drama and spectacle often outshining its performances. The Diablo, somehow managing to contain all 543 hp without ejecting its occupants into the nearest ditch.

Diablo VT 6.0 - side
Via NetCarShow

Going out with a bang, Lamborghini stretched the Diablo's V12 engine to 6 liters, lighter, stronger internals alongside a revised ECU increased both torque and horsepower meaning the VT 6.0 can rev-higher and go even faster, flat out good for 208 mph. The Murcielago and Aventador might be more useable, the Diablo however is way cooler.