Not all European classics received the high status that they deserved. When brands like Lamborghini and Ferrari have made some amazing performance cars that are often high-priced and highly sought after, other brands struggled to create the same kind of brand image and access the same world of high status and high relevancy in terms of car culture.
When looking back at classic European cars, the used market is packed with underrated models most enthusiasts don't even remember anymore. The classics on this list were often overshadowed by more iconic rivals but still make fantastic driver's cars and collector's items. Oftentimes, these cars are rare to find on the used market as many were neglected and forgotten about.
10 Triumph Dolomite Sprint
In 1973 the Triumph Dolomite Sprint was launched a year after the original Dolomite. Despite being a fairly competitive sports sedan, its rivals like the BMW 2002 easily won in terms of desirability making this car severely underrated. Interestingly, the Sprint was announced as being the world’s first mass-produced multi-valve car, but despite the peppy engine, it was always overshadowed.
Although it came with some enviable motorsport success and a top speed of 120 mph, the build quality of the Sprint put off potential buyers. The car did take part in endurance races and was an overall success, but rust and quality issues have always kept it out of the eyes of enthusiasts.
9 Porsche 924
The Porsche 924 is possibly the most underrated classic on this list. The car is often considered to be the runt of the Porsche lineage, but upon a closer look, the vehicle is actually outstanding. Originally a VW project until Porsche bought it, it was a transaxle setup, which gave the 924 near-perfect weight distribution.
The ultra rare 924 GTS also had Le Mans success in 1980 where the vehicle came 6th overall. The big issue with the 924 was the engine, the same basic block used in the VW LT van. However, the 924 did become the basis for the 944, which is one of the most beloved Porsches ever.
8 Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti
The Alfa Romeo Alfasud itself came out of the Italian government insisting on a vehicle to further help boost the economy of southern Italy. It was actually an incredibly advanced car from Alfa Romeo, and many consider the Ti version to be a contender for the first proper hot hatch. It came with fantastic handling and a very clever design. The Boxer engine for example helped acceleration while also maximizing space.
The suspension was also clever, with the MacPherson struts at the front, and a Watts linkage at the back – unusual for such a small car. As such, the Alfasud Ti was more advanced than any other small vehicle at the time and could outhandle most competitors. Despite its great braking and outstanding performance, the car lived in the shadow of the VW Golf GTI, and the horrendous rust issues have meant that many have fallen apart before they could be appreciated.
7 Fiat Dino Coupe
The Fiat Dino Coupe was released in 1966. It came with a fully-fledged Ferrari V6 in a very handsome Italian body. It definitely looked stylish when it was launched, and its good looks cannot be disputed. However, the car never had the pedigree of a real Ferrari, which put people off and made it incredibly underrated over time.
The car was also incredibly expensive to repair as it came with Ferrari prices. This put people off even more, despite the fact that the car is an amazing Italian classic.
6 Opel Monza
The Opel Monza is often forgotten about. It is a classic coupe that was often considered good-looking, while it also came with a 3.0-liter engine that allowed the car to go 133 mph at top speed. As impressive as it was, it was underrated. Despite being a good cruiser, it wasn't as popular as other affordable coupes like the Ford Capri.
Among enthusiasts, the car is enjoyed – and so is the facelifted version launched in 1982. It may have been less refined than the Royale Coupe, but the Monza was a great car, and it came with a great amount of power.
5 Renault 5 Turbo
The Renault 5 Turbo lived in the shadow of the VW Golf GTI and the Peugeot 205 GTI in the hot hatch battle of the 1980s, despite offering an amazingly advanced turbo setup. Not only this, but the Renault was an incredible car to handle too, but it ended up being owned by youths, which led to more than a few being crashed and ruined.
Despite being less vicious at the limit than the 205 as there was no lift-off oversteer, the 5 Turbo never achieved the same iconic status. Adding to that, many were badly modded and those parts are a nightmare to source, which means there aren't many left to be enjoyed.
4 Lotus Elan M100
The Lotus Elan M100 is a very advanced car from Lotus. Coming as a surprise to many, the Lotus Elan was FWD rather than being RWD (the norm for sports cars). The Lotus was great to drive and had amazing handling, meaning it should have been a success.
However, it was a hard sell, especially because the Mazda Miata NA was launched in the same year (1989) – which interestingly, the original Elan helped to inspire. While the Elan M100 may be worth more now, it is still a severely underrated modern classic because many purists prefer the RWD setup and will steer clear of the M100.
3 Volvo P1800
The Volvo P1800 is one of the most reliable sports cars ever made – with one example having done over a million miles. It was also incredibly stylish and featured in The Saint TV series. Despite the performance of the car not exactly living up to its style, the Volvo did receive updates to the engine with it finally reaching 130 hp in the P1800E.
The car, however, wasn’t as fast as many would have liked, and buyers preferred rivals such as the Triumph TR6 and the Alfa Romeo Spider, and they are still preferred today despite how durable the P1800 is.
2 BMW M535i (E12)
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The BMW M535i (E12) was the M Division's first attempt to upgrade a sedan. The car came with the same engine used in the 635CSI and the limited slip differential enhanced the power even further. It wasn’t as highly regarded as other fast BMW sedans, especially when compared to the E28 M5.
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Despite being so underrated, the car has become quite a bit collectible in recent years and many are finally seeing the true performance capabilities of the original M535i.
1 Rover SD1 Vitesse
The Rover SD1 came with futuristic looks upon its launch in 1976. It came with a great V8 engine that was also boosted for racing in the touring car version of the SD1. Also appealing because of its good handling and smooth ride, the car is incredibly underrated. The Vitesse version was the top of the range and featured 190 hp from its V8 engine and had tremendous success in Group A rallying and Touring car races.
However, the death of Rover and the history of unreliability meant the Vitesse was quickly forgotten. The SD1 Viteesse is bad considering its performance capabilities.