These Sports Cars Look Cool but Don't Have the Power to Back It up
What’s not to love about sports cars? They’re some of the most beautiful cars around. But some of them put looks before everything else, including speed, power, and performance. Keep reading to find out more about 35 sports cars that were all show, no go.
MG Midget
There's no denying that the MG Midget is an iconic sports car, but that's mainly because of its beauty. Under the hood of that glossy, open-top vehicle is a disappointing engine that doesn't have enough revs to achieve true speed.
Ferrari Mondial
The Ferrari Mondial is one of the brand's best-looking and most futuristic cars, and it was also a roaring success back in 1980. Sadly, that is the only 'roaring’ thing about it because it takes almost 10 seconds to reach 60mph.
Porsche 914
Ask any sports car fan, and they'll tell you that Porsche makes some of the most gorgeous models on the market. However, despite having a top speed of 190mph, the 914 is very slow to rev up and is 7 seconds slower to reach 60mph than the same-era 911 model.
Lotus Esprit
Though it may be polarizing, we love the long, flat look of the Lotus Esprit that made it such a famous sports car. But what should have been a fast, nimble vehicle was actually very lethargic and underpowered due to strict emissions standards.
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Not to be confused with the gigantic Eclipse Cross, the Mitsubishi Eclipse is a compact sports car with a sophisticated, rounded shape and leather interior with room for five people. What it lacks is raw sports car power, due to its underwhelming V6 engine.
Triumph TR7
The Triumph TR7 has all the bells and whistles you could want, from pop-up headlights to an extended windscreen to a unique wedge-shaped design. But did it drive well? Sadly, no, because it was unreliable and very slow to accelerate.
Alfa Romeo Spider
We love the look of the Alfa Romeo Spider because it's so timeless. That sleek elegance and top-down cruising experience will never go out of style. But what hasn't aged well is the Spider's limited performance, which is very slow compared to modern sports cars.
Pontiac Solstice
If you love convertibles, you probably already know the Pontiac Solstice. It's the epitome of what a roadster should look like, with a small body, bulky hood, and convertible roof. All it lacks is a proper roadster engine that maintains power while driving.
Mk4 Toyota Supra
It doesn't get much sportier than this! The Mk4 Toyota Supra is low-slung and bulked-out, with an aggressive front end that promises power. Sadly, many drivers find that it doesn't live up to expectations without modifications to make it louder and faster.
Subaru BRZ
While some modern sports cars are ugly, the Subaru BRZ takes the classic, aggressive sports car look and refines it, resulting in a very sophisticated vehicle. But if you want to go racing, look elsewhere because the BRZ's potential reportedly peaks at just 70mph.
Ferrari Testarossa
The Testarossa takes a lot of flak, but it's not all earned. It also employs the unique wedge design and pairs it with a tiny interior and extended glass area. However, we do agree with the criticism of its handling, which lacks stability, control, and engagement when accelerating.
Mazda MX-5
If there was ever a sports car that looked best cruising rural roads with the top down, it's the stunning Mazda MX-5. But you’d have a while to take in the views because the MX-5 has weak power output, so speed isn't its main priority.
Mitsuoka Orochi
We're willing to bet that you've never heard of the Mitsuoka Orochi, but you have now! With its unique front shape, scissor doors, and intricate hood, it's hands-down the most interesting-looking car on our list. Sadly, it's not as agile, fast, or responsive as it looks.
BMW M1
BMW is known for championing luxury, and we can see it in this futuristic M1. It's long, lightweight, and aggressive; everything a sports car should be. But before you get too excited, you should know that the M1 is actually quite slow compared to modern sports cars.
Maserati GranTurismo
A Maserati that is “no go”? Unfortunately, that is indeed the case with the GranTurismo. We love its extremely low-slung body and domineering hood, but there's not much going on inside. The engine is prone to leaks and faults, making it much harder to reliably achieve top speeds.
TVR Sagaris
The TVR Sagaris is probably best described as a sports car on steroids. It's low and compact, with a two-piece sculpted hood, wraparound windshield, and prominent rear spoiler. But the TVR's handling is terrible, which makes it dangerous to go at high speeds.
Shelby Cobra
Also called the AC Cobra on its British home turf, the Shelby has long been an iconic sports car for its drooping hood, tiny windshield, and open top. But though it has power, its handling lets it down, making it safer to cruise, rather than race.
Alfa Romeo 4C
We adore the Alfa Romeo 4C for its perfectly sculpted lines alone. It also has a glossy, low-set body and intricate alloys on its wheels. It's just a shame that its turbo and throttle are so underwhelming, making it a bit of a disappointing everyday driver.
Audi TT
You may not think of Audis as sports cars, but the TT model absolutely is. It favors a track-focused design, with a streamlined shape and aggressive long hood. But it fails to deliver proper power and has uneven weight distribution, making it slow to accelerate.
Pontiac Fiero
One thing about the Pontiac Fiero is for sure: it's a headturner! It has a classic ‘80s look, with rugged bolt-on panels, a long hood, and pop-up headlights. Sadly, its “Iron Duke” engine produced only 98 horsepower, taking over 7 seconds to reach 60mph.
Mazda RX-7
Like the MX-5, the Mazda RX-7 is drop-dead gorgeous. From its curved front end to its track-inspired rear wing, it looks like everything a sports car should be. We just wish its torque and power delivery while accelerating weren't so lacking.
Lamborghini Huracan
The Lamborghini Huracan looks like a beast on wheels, with an aggressive hexagonal build and low-slung chassis that wouldn’t be out of place on a racetrack. But though it’s powerful, its weak fuel tank causes issues when the Huracan is out on the roads.
Geo Storm
The Geo Storm may have only been manufactured for three years, but they were packed full of style! The car’s exquisite Japanese engineering gave it a cool, more innovative, sporty look. It’s just a shame that the Geo Storm is known for being slow and extremely unreliable.
BMW I8
The BMW i8 is another of the coolest cars on this list, with a super-sculpted, layered shape, a “black belt” V on the bonnet, and incredible butterfly doors. But this car is actually restricted by its design because it doesn’t have the supercar engine to match.
Hyundai Veloster Turbo
It may have turbo in its name, but the Hyundai Veloster Turbo is far from reaching sports car speeds. This is because it struggles to gain traction and has issues with fuel regulation, but we still adore its bold grille and chrome highlights.
Plymouth Prowler
If all sports cars look the same to you, you’ll love the unique Plymouth Prowler. It has exposed wheels, an F1 kart body, and a surprisingly luxurious interior. Its racecar look is why so many drivers are disappointed to discover that it’s actually quite underpowered.
Porsche 912
The Porsche 912 is similar to the 911, maintaining the brand’s iconic luxury feel, but giving it a sporty edge. We can’t find much wrong with such a good-looking car, except for a series of fuel system issues that make it tricky to rely on the 912 at high speeds.
Lancia Montecarlo
The Lancia Montecarlo was designed by Pininfarina, so we’re not surprised that it has such a high-quality build. Like every good sports car, it’s long-slung and highly symmetrical, which should give it great racing potential. If only it didn’t have such little horsepower!
Toyota MR2
We generally think of Toyotas as everyday commuter cars, but the MR2 remains one of the most recognizable sports cars, thanks to its low-set chassis and aerodynamic air scoops. But though its handling is great, the MR2 lacks the torque and power output to go really fast.
Chrysler Crossfire
The Chrysler Crossfire was ahead of its time, and it still looks great after 20 years. However, one common complaint is that it’s sluggish to drive, which is mostly due to its automatic transmission making it harder to properly engage the car.
Matra Bagheera
The Matra Bagheera is an underrated gem of a sports car. It’s wedge-shaped, with pop-up headlights and a unique three-seater front row. But it’s also one of the slowest sports cars around, taking over 12 seconds to reach just 60mph.
Lamborghini Aventador
Perhaps we’re being picky, but the Lamborghini Aventador is disappointingly slow compared to other modern sports cars with supercar styling. It’s also sluggish when driving in a straight line. But at least we can enjoy its aggressive sculpting and incredible scissor doors.
Smart Roadster
The Smart Roadster is designed exactly as its name suggests. It has a very compact build, wheels at each corner of the chassis, and an extended windshield. But it lacks roadster speeds, taking around 11 seconds to hit 62mph while fiercely accelerating.
Bricklin SV-1
The Bricklin SV-1 became an iconic sports car after just one year of production. The team clearly spent a lot of time on its fibreglass body, gull-wing doors, and bulky structure. We just wish they’d also given it some power so it could reliably reach sports car-level speeds.
DeLorean DMC-12
If we’re talking about great-looking sports cars, we can’t not mention the DeLorean DMC-12. It’s known for its futuristic stainless-steel panels and iconic gull-wing doors, but also its lack of power. The DeLorean takes almost 9 seconds to reach just 62mph!
