The design of a car is one of the most important ways to influence how customers see it overall. A great spec sheet will only go so far, as most sports cars spend their time on public roads at speeds well below the top end of their capabilities. Getting a car to look just right is a tricky task, as it's important for the car's visuals to accurately reflect its overall characteristics.

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Oftentimes, designers choose to produce aggressive looks to really emphasize the car's performance. Angry-looking grilles, jagged lines, and piercing lights all often feature on high-end cars, but there are some that really take it to an extreme. There are also a few sports cars out there that do the exact opposite; they make an effort to look disarming, even cute. Often those looks are a reflection of the car's more modest power, but occasionally an unassuming design disguises a real beast. Let's take a look at five cars on both extreme ends of the aggressiveness spectrum.

10 Most Aggressive: Ford Shelby GT350R

Ford Shelby GT350R
Via Top Gear

American muscle cars almost always strive to look just that: muscly. One of the most brutish forms of sports car, they pack heaps of power, and are often some of the best value power-per-dollar cars on the market.

Ford Shelby GT350R
Via Detroit Free Press

With all that performance, it's no surprise the Shelby GT350R looks as aggressive as it does. It's 526hp engine can really pack a punch, and the mean-looking front end lets everyone else know it.

9 Most Aggressive: Lamborghini Centenario

Lamborghini Centenario
Via Car and Driver

Unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the Lamborghini Centenario was built to commemorate Ferrucio Lamborghini's 100th birthday. It was designed as a landmark car for the brand, a high water mark of both design and performance.

Lamborghini Centenario
Via Lamborghini

A 6.5L V12 saw to its performance needs, and the futuristic-looking aspects of the car's design made it resemble a spaceship on wheels. With its face curled up into a menacing snarl, it was a very aggressive spaceship on wheels at that.

8 Most Aggressive: McLaren Senna

McLaren Senna
Via Romans International

The British brand's 2018 Senna is, according to McLaren's press release, "the personification of McLaren's DNA at it's most extreme". The design of the car was largely shaped by aerodynamics, with the bodywork channeling air to achieve maximum downforce and minimum drag.

McLaren Senna
Via Romans International

This has the side effect of making the car look very angry, with the tiny downward-sloping headlights exacerbating the look. It's another car that has the performance figures to back up it's aggressive design, with a 0-60 time of just 2.8 seconds.

7 Most Aggressive: Zenvo ST1

Zenvo ST1
Via Supercars Net

Zenvo's first car, the ST1, was designed for maximum visual drama. Unfortunately for Zenvo, the car became infamous for other forms of drama, catching fire and promptly burning to a crisp while being showcased on Top Gear.

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Zenvo ST1
Via Autogespot

When it wasn't bursting into flames, the ST1 still managed to look like something to keep a distance from. The large, central front grille makes the car look a bit like a fish, but a fish that will eat anyone who gets too close to it.

6 Most Aggressive: W Motors Lykan Hypersport

W Motors Lykan Hypersport
Via Concept Carz

Hailed as Dubai's first supercar, the Lykan Hypersport was actually built in Lebanon by partners of W Motors. The designer of the car was also Lebanese, previously designing cars for Land Rover and Aston Martin.

W Motors Lykan Hypersport
Via Autogespot

Its dual-tier front headlights give the car an odd face, which isn't helped by the jagged lines that protrude from the bodywork. The lower tier lights are a bit reminiscent of the antennae on an insect, which surely can't have been the look the designer intended.

5 Not Scaring Anyone: Caterham Seven

Caterham 7
Via The Lotus Forums

With headlights like that, the Caterham 7 is off to a losing start if it wants to scare anyone. In fact, the design is based on the Lotus Seven, a sports car first produced way back in 1957. It's been updated since then, but the Caterham still visibly retains it's '50s DNA.

Caterham 7
Via Autotrader UK

It has the effect of making the car look almost friendly, especially with a UK number plate attached. These Caterhams come with a range of powertrains, but the smallest one is a tiny 0.66L unit out of a Suzuki Jimny. It's a good job it doesn't look aggressive then, as it wouldn't be able to back it up with performance.

4 Not Scaring Anyone: Abarth 595

Abarth 595
Via Snows

Abarth's 595 is one of many brands under the new Stellantis group, and it's currently entirely dedicated to producing modified Fiats. The 595 takes the Fiat 500 and gives it a makeover, with a marginally more sporty body shape and some internal upgrades too.

Abarth 595
Via FCA

Even with some new panels, the 595 can't shake the Fiat's cutesy look. Top-spec 595s sport 177hp, which isn't huge by any standard but is enough to make the car at least feel quicker than it looks.

3 Not Scaring Anyone: Austin-Healey Mk1 Sprite

Austin-Healey Sprite
Via Motor Biscuit

The Austin-Healey Sprite was known as the "frogeye" in the UK and "bugeye" in the US, for obvious reasons. It was intended as an affordable sports car and as a result was a bit of a parts-bin special, with most components being sourced from existing cars.

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Austin-Healey Sprite
Via HandH UK

The designers of the car had originally intended for the headlights to pop up and retract, but thanks to cost-cutting the production version sported fixed lights, leading to its famous look. Its grille also makes it look like it's smiling, turning the Sprite into one of the happiest-looking cars ever made.

2 Not Scaring Anyone: Autozam AZ-1

Autozam AZ-1
Via Twitter

A weird but brilliant JDM car, the Autozam AZ-1 was exclusively sold in Japan for just three years between 1992 and 1995. It was designed to fit into the country's kei car class, meaning the engine was a tiny 0.66L three-cylinder.

Autozam AZ-1
Via Bring a Trailer

That also meant a design that fitted the super-compact regulations of the class. It was a small but awesome package, but thanks to it's diminutive size and friendly styling, it's not going to be scaring anyone.

1 Not Scaring Anyone: Mazda MX-5/Miata Gen 1

Mazda Miata
Via Pinterest

Mazda's MX-5/Miata is one of the best-selling affordable sports cars around, and is still in demand today. The first generation cars featured a pop-up headlamp system, giving the Miata big 'eyes' that looked more puppy-like than threatening.

Mazda Miata
Via Miata Net

It's affable design reflected its modest powertrain, with early cars only offering 114hp. Still, the point of the Miata wasn't be fast, rather it was to be fun to drive. It fulfilled that brief very well, hence its continuing popularity into the present day.

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