We all love sports cars as they provide us with so much joy, However, some of them are only meant to be used on occasion because they are absolutely impossible to live with on a day-to-day basis. Whether they have a lack of driving aids, they're too powerful, they're unreliable, or they are just too expensive, some sports cars are only reserved for special occasions.
It doesn't make them bad sports cars, but it makes them more challenging and maybe more of a hassle to live with.
10 Caterham 620R
The 620R is a sports car that really is made for skilled drivers. It is a supercharged rocket with 311hp and 219 lb-ft of torque. That doesn't sound like much, but remember, this car weighs about the same as an ant, giving it a serious power-to-weight figure of 568hp per ton. That's enough to rocket it from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 155 mph.
It is one of the best track cars of this year, but it is impossible to use as a daily. A windscreen is optional and the roof, well, it's an umbrella. It's uncomfortable, has no storage space, and is also useless in the wet. It's a weekend toy for sure.
9 Ginetta Akula
From the makers of the amazing G60, the Ginetta Akula is a £280,000 supercar made by British carmaker Ginetta, based in Leeds. It features a 6.0L V8 engine pushing out 600hp and 520 lb-ft of torque. Nobody really knows the Akula, but those who know anything about Ginetta know this flagship car will be a major handful.
The Akula is a monstrous car, but it won't be sold in North America. It is a full-on race car for the road and the thought of using this every day should never ever cross your mind as this is definitely an occasional car. The asking price is £340,000, which is a lot of money for a car built in Leeds
8 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
Here is a car that nobody tends to buy despite it being a great car. The 4C maybe look like a small sports car, but it's not. It's wide. Really wide. Probably as wide as an SUV. It is a fun car to drive with its 237hp and 258lb-ft of torque 1.75-liter 4-cylinder engine. It hits 60 in 4.5 seconds and flat out does 160 mph. The 4C is soulful, it looks great, sounds great, etc but this thing cannot be used every day.
It is simply too impractical. There is hardly any storage space, the ride is too harsh, there is no luxury inside, and it's way too wide. A car best to use on the weekend as every day will just bother you.
7 Lotus Exige Cup 430
The standard Lotus Exige is a handful to live with every day and the most hardcore model, the 430, is even worse. It's powered by a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 from a Camry, and it pushes out 424hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. It shoots to 60 in 3.2 seconds and flat out does 180 mph. It is a manual only 6-speed track car that handles like a go-kart.
You would never want this car to be your only car. Its interior is far too spartan for anybody to actually be comfortable. The gearbox is way too sharp and complex and the car is just too fast. It is born for the track and that's it. However, North America doesn't get the 430 or even the standard Exige.
6 Ariel Atom
The Atom is not a car that you want to drive every day. It may be fun, but only on occasion, who in their right mind would want to drive a roofless sports car every single day. The Atom is in no doubt one of the best road-legal track cars on sale today but by far one of the worst cars to use on a day-to-day basis. Behind the driver is a Honda 2.0L 4-cylinder motor that pushes out 321hp, which means the Atom produces 540hp per ton.
It is insanely fast, shooting to 60 in 2.8 seconds with a top speed of 162 mph. It moves like a wasp, but it is insanely impractical. The pictures of the car do the talking, as you notice right away that it's a weekend toy.
5 Noble M600
The M600 is more of a supercar than a sports car, but nevertheless, it's not allowed on US shores. The M600 really is a drivers' car, powered by a 4.4-liter Yamaha/Volvo V8 pushing out 650hp, which's enough to accelerate to 60 in 3 seconds and on to a top speed of 225 mph. It may have adjustable driving modes with different power outputs for the occasion, but ultimately, this car is for skilled drivers only. It is a raw car with no driver aids hence why it is a hassle to use every day.
It also does not have the best track record for reliability, and parts for Noble cars are also pretty rare and expensive. If you are a Noble fan who wants a more usable car then check out the heavily underrated M500.
4 Cobra 427 Replica
The original AC Cobra is a handful to drive but by far one of the fastest sports cars of the 1960s. Unfortunately, the AC Cobra is very expensive, and they don't make them anymore. Luckily, several companies have been making replica Cobras for years, and they're more than happy to fit it with a huge 6.3-liter Chevy Small Block V8 pushing out 435hp and 445 lb-ft of torque.
That should be enough to provide you with a 0 to 60 time around 4.5 seconds with a top speed of over 160 mph. While it's a fun car to drive, it's definitely a handful and requires a bit of skill to tame. It also has no roof, which makes it less than ideal as a daily driver.
3 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The Nissan 370Z Nismo is a prime example of everything wrong with modern Japanese sports cars. It is dated, noisy and its build quality isn't the best. The Nismo is a great car to drive and the awesome 3.6-liter V6 sounds crazy with 350hp and 276 lb-ft of torque. It hits 60 in around 4.5 seconds and flat out it hits 155 mph.
It is a hardcore car with a very harsh ride. For that, it isn't a great sports car to use every day despite it having a sat-nav and a decent-sized trunk. Luckily the 400Z is coming out soon because the 370Z really does need an update.
2 Zenos E10 S
A great car to drive, and it looks pretty cool too. But it has no doors or roof so here is where the practicality issues start. It is very light, weighing in at 720kg. Under the hood is a 2.0L Ford EcoBoost engine with 200hp 155 lb-ft of torque, enough to push the car to 60 in 4 seconds and flat out it can do 145 mph. A more powerful R model was also launched with 350hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The R can accelerate to 60 in 3 seconds, a whole second less than the "standard" version.
It is not a good car to drive on a daily basis. It is purely an occasional toy since this thing really is a handful to own. Reliability is also questionable since Zenos is a small British company based in Norfolk.
1 BAC Mono
Just one look at this sports car and you can tell it's not meant to be used every day. This single-seater missile is absolutely crazy, it's also one of the best street-legal track cars of 2020. It is powered by a 2.3-liter Ford EcoBoost engine that propels this car to 60 in 2.7 seconds. The power output is pretty neat at 332hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
The Mono is an ultimate track day toy that you would never dream of daily driving. Being a single-seater, it isn't practical at all, and not having a roof or even a windshield certainly doesn't make it more comfortable.