Sports cars originated in Europe in the 1900s. Over time, its definition has become diverse and often leads to controversies among enthusiasts. Nonetheless, the common attributes used to determine sports cars include a powerful engine, an aerodynamic design, and minimal storage space. European automotive companies caught the sports car-production bug quite early with the 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 60 hp considered among the earliest models ever produced.
Consequently, due to their age, unbelievably-awesome aesthetics, and historical automotive significance among others, classic European sports cars have become perfect collector’s items for gearheads. However, while European automotive companies are known for several famous sports car models such as the Lamborghini Aventador and Porsche Boxster, several other European models seem to be largely unknown.
10 Lister Storm
For homologation purposes, British low volume car company Lister Cars produced Lister Storm starting from 1993. The Storm is fitted with Jaguar’s 7.0-liter V12 engine and its production was however limited to four units due to the massive £220,000 price tag slammed on it.
With an output rated at 546 horsepower and 582.7 lb-ft of torque and for being able to get to 60 mph from rest in 4.1 seconds, the Storm is claimed to be the fastest grand tourer in the 1990s and early 2000s.
9 Gillet Vertigo
Although Belgian sports car manufacturer Gillet has been around for a bit, only a few automotive enthusiasts know about the company. The company was formed in 1992 by former racing driver Tony Gillet and later produced a bespoke, hand-built, and ultra-lightweight sports coupe called Vertigo.
Upon introduction, Vertigo was powered by a Ford Cosworth 2.0-liter engine while subsequent upgraded versions are powered by more potent 4.2-liter Ferrari/Maserati V8 and 3.0-liter Alfa Romeo V6 engines.
8 Morgan Aero 8 GTN
Founded by H.F.S. Morgan in 1910, Morgan Motor Company has over time built several cars in limited numbers. That said, one of the most limited and highly unknown model among the cars is probably the Morgan Aero 8 GTN.
Only 11 units of the sports car were produced, and it is powered by a 4.6-liter Alpina BMW engine with an output of 339 bhp as well as a top speed of 165 mph. Unlike the base Aero 8, all GTNs came adorned in blue and gray.
7 Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS
Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS is a sports car that was conceived and produced in the Netherlands by two Dutch students, Emile Pop, and Justin de Boer. The Roadyatcht GTS is powered by a V8 engine sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.
This engine is good for 670 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque, powering the car from rest to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph. The Roadyacht GTS has a retractable roof made from glass panels reinforced with carbon fiber.
6 Tushek Renovatio T500
The Tushek Renovatio T500 is considered Slovenia’s first supercar. It was built in 2012 by supercar startup Tushek, which was founded by Slovenian racing driver Aljosa Tushek. The startup later partnered with Jacob Carl Spigel to become Tushek & Spigel Supercars GmbH.
Built before the partnership, the Tushek Renovatio T500 is powered by a 450-hp 4.2-liter Audi RS4 engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and has a carbon-fiber body.
5 Zenvo ST1
Zenvo Automotive is a Danish sports car company founded by Troels Vollertsen in 2004. In 2008, the company released its first prototype, which led to the production of the Zenvo ST1 in 2009.
The ST1 was designed by Jesper Hermann and Christian Brandt. The car is powered by a twin-charged 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine producing an incredible 1,089 bhp at 6,900 rpm and 1,055 lb-ft of torque. Notably, only 15 units of the car were produced.
4 Faralli & Mazzanti Antas V8 GT
The Italian duo of Luca Mazzanti and Walter Faralli founded Mazzanti Automobili as Faralli & Mazzanti in 2002 to produce hand-built high-performance cars. The duo split up in 2010 to focus on their individual specialties.
However, their previous partnership had birthed the 2006 Antas V8 GT. Built completely by hand, the sports car features an aluminum body, and it’s powered by a potent 310 bhp V8 Maserati engine. Also, the car’s claimed top speed is 168 mph.
3 K-1 Attack Roadster
The K-1 Attack Roadster is a sports car produced by a Slovak automotive fabrication company called K-1 Engineering, which has now been rebranded into B-Racing. Development started in 1999, with the sports car eventually launched and put into production in 2002.
The Attack Roadster is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 Ford Mondeo ST220 engine, which is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission using a rear-wheel drive powertrain. Notably, the sports car can accelerate to 62 mph from rest in 5.2 seconds.
2 The Marussia B2
The Marussia B2 had a promising start to the sports car circle. Built by Russian automaker Marussia Motors, the B2 is an upgraded version of the company’s first sports car, the B1. It possessed an aggressive and robust design with its exterior made entirely of carbon fiber and a chassis made of aluminum.
Like the B1, the B2 is equipped with a V6 engine with an output ranging from 300 to 420 horsepower. Unfortunately, the company shut down in 2014.
1 Wiesmann Roadster MF5
Two brothers Martin and Friedhelm Wiesmann founded Wiesmann GmbH in 1988 to produce hand-built custom convertibles. Although it was temporarily shut down in 2014, the German automobile manufacturer is set to resume production with new model cars.
Nonetheless, before it was closed, the company produced the Roadster MF5 among other models. The two-seater is powered by a BMW S85 V10 mated to a 6-speed sports automatic transmission and has a glass fiber bodyshell.