When automakers launch sports cars, the idea is always, as is with any car, to make a hit. While some sports cars do go on ahead and become legends, some turn out to be misses or even lemons. They are not always bad sports cars, sometimes just launched at the wrong time, or with the wrong kind of expectations.

We are not talking about the sports cars that missed the mark today, rather, the ones that turned out to be so good, that they firmly entrenched the brand into the minds of the buyers. Some of these sports cars even turned the fortunes around for their struggling makers, becoming such huge sellers that their legacies live on in the new cars from the same automakers today. Here go eight such sports cars that were launched at the right time, with the right tech, and turned their automakers' histories around.

8 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Mercedes have been making glamorous cars for the crème-de-la-crème of the society for donkey's years. However, it has had some trouble in the past, especially in the thick of WWII. By the end of WWII, many German automakers were all but destroyed, but they were slowly getting back on their feet.

Enter the gullwing Mercedes-Benz 300SL in 1954, which was initially offered only as a coupe until 1957. In 1957, the gullwing coupes were dropped to give way to the roadster version until Mercedes pulled the plug in 1963. Mercedes had already sold more than 3000 copies of the 300 SL and was back to winning ways. This car remains a highly vaunted sports car classic today.

7 1994 Aston Martin DB7

In the late-80s, Aston Martin was dealing with the expensive failure of the wedge-shaped Lagonda, so they desperately needed a winner to survive. Ford owned Aston Martin from 1988 to 2007 as well as Jaguar from 1990 to 2008, so the Aston Martin DB7 launched in 1994 was the first product based on a redesigned and improved Jaguar XJS platform.

The first iteration of the DB7 carried a 3.2-liter supercharged inline-6 engine cranking out 335 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque. It could easily do a 5.7-second sprint to 60 MPH on the way to a top speed of 165 MPH. It’s never been driven by Bond but it sold a whopping 7000 copies. This was more than all the other DB cars that went before it combined, and enough to bring Aston Martin back into the sports car business.

RELATED: Best Features Of The 1994 Aston Martin DB7

6 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo

By the mid-90s, Lamborghini had already had several new owners who tried but failed to turn the fortunes of the company. However, things changed when it was acquired by Volkswagen and placed under the Audi group in 1999. Under this new ownership, the first one to launch was the Lamborghini Murciélago, in 2001. The change of fortunes for Lamborghini came with the 2003 launch of the Gallardo.

Being a smaller, more affordable supercar, this V10 machine stole every gearhead’s heart. Lamborghini sold about 14,000 Gallardos, which was more than all the other Lamborghinis sold in the past put together. It remained the company’s best-selling model for a very long time.

5 1997 Porsche Boxster

When the Stuttgart automaker’s future was in the doldrums because of dwindling sales in the early 90s, the Porsche Boxster was tasked with saving the company. The car debuted in the fall of 1996 for the 1997 model year as an affordable mid-engine roadster that came with Porsche’s impeccable performance, handling, and build quality.

It was Porsche’s first volume product that drew inspiration from the 550 Spyder of the 1950s. The car became a runaway success and remained Porsche's best-selling model between 1996 and 2003. This feat brought Porsche back on the map and earned it enough moolah to later develop its most successful model ever, the Cayenne.

RELATED: What You Should Know Before Buying Porsche's Cheapest Model, The Boxster

4 2003 Bentley Continental GT

Today, the Continental GT may be a familiar sight on the American roads but very few people know that this is the car that saved Bentley from going under in the mid-2000s. Things were bad when Volkswagen acquired Bentley in 1998. Even in 2003, five years after it went to Volkswagen, Bentley averaged just about 1000 cars a year. It needed a true savior and the newly-launched 2003 Continental GT was Bentley’s best bet at the time.

Under the hood, it carried a twin-turbo 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine hammering out 552 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. That was far more power than any Bentley before could ever boast. In 2004, Bentley sold 6,896 cars leading to a sevenfold growth and the rest is history.

RELATED: These Features Make The Bentley Continental GT The Coolest Grand Tourer On Sale

3 1968 Jaguar XJ6 Series 1

The company’s co-founder and Automotive Hall Of Famer Sir William Lyons had a major role in the success of the Jaguar XJ series of cars. Also known as Mr. Jaguar, for his undying love for his cars, the original XJ model was his last masterwork so it had everything to be a successful car. The XJ6 Series debuted in 1968 at the time when Jaguar was a part of a newly-formed British Leyland.

This new company resulted from the merger between Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings; however, it was never a success. The company spiraled into financial difficulties owing to poor management, but the XJ6 held the company together. The XJ6 Series 1 lasted until 1972, selling about 78,000 copies worldwide. It's the car that kept Jaguar afloat when it needed the most support.

2 1996 Lotus Elise

This British marque was on the rocks by the late 80s after the death of its founder, Colin Chapman in 1982. Lotus Cars exchanged many hands to stay afloat before it was on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1982, General Motors bought Lotus and resuscitated the older nameplate, the Elan. It was a cheaper, better-looking and more entertaining Lotus roadster, but the less expensive and more successful Mazda MX-5 Miata trumped it in no time.

General Motors pulled out and sold the company to an Italian entrepreneur, Romano Artioli, who did what Lotus did before. He made an extremely lightweight, technically innovative, back-to-basics sports car that became a legend in no time. The Lotus Elise sold more copies in a single year than it had ever sold before ever.

RELATED: Why The Lotus Elise Should Be On Every Gearhead’s Bucket List

1 1959 BMW 700 Coupé

Today, the name “BMW” is synonymous with fireball performance and class-leading capability, but there was a time when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. BMW was floundering in the 1950s and needed cars that could save its fortune. The bubble car Isetta came armed with the BMW R25/3 motorcycle engine and it helped save BMW. That said, there was another BMW model that delivered salvation in these difficult times.

It was the new 700 Coupé which was also the first BMW with a monocoque body. Powered by a rear-mounted 697cc flat-twin borrowed from BMW’s motorcycle engine, the 700 soon became BMW’s cash cow for years. It was so successful in Motorsport that BMW launched its racing special called the 700 RS to raise the bar higher.

Sources: Classic & Sports Car, BMW