27 unexpected performance classics

Left-field fast cars

It’s always a joy when a performance model is launched by a car maker when you least expect it – and motoring history is full of them.

From hot hatches to supercars, here are our favourite fast classic cars that arrived under the radar, listed in chronological order.

1. Alfa Romeo Giulia Super (1965)

Alfa Romeo introduced the Super as a more upmarket version of the Giulia small saloon, but it also added a 98bhp engine in place of the Ti’s 92bhp motor.

That was enough to see the Super top out at 110mph and the revvy 1570cc engine would also propel the car from rest to 60mph in 11.3 secs.

A more powerful 102bhp engine arrived in 1971 along with stronger brakes, though nothing was done to improve the roly-poly handling.

2. NSU 1200TT (1965)

Almost unheard of outside of its native West Germany in the 1960s, the NSU 1200TT bridged the gap between the 1000 saloon and the TTS.

For those looking for an alternative to the Mini Cooper ‘S’, the 1200TT fitted the bill with its good handling and peppy performance from its 1177cc engine with 64bhp.

Light weight helped the 1200TT deliver the goods against the clock despite it modest power output, and 0-60mph in 14.8 secs and 96mph flat out bettered a basic 998cc Cooper.

3. Monteverdi 375L (1967)

Luxury GT buyers were not short of choice in the 1960s, but the Monteverdi 375L would have been an unusual pick.

Even so, those seeking supercar pace could enjoy 0-60mph in 6.5 secs and a 160mph top speed in a sleek, discreet four-seat coupé.

Power came from a 7.0-litre Chrysler V8 with a lazy 390bhp and this engine grew to 7.2 later in the 375’s life, both driving through a three-speed automatic gearbox.

4. Morgan Plus 8 (1968)

Morgan was in the vanguard of small companies who recognised the benefits of Rover’s lightweight and powerful 3.5-litre V8 engine.

Once fitted to the Morgan’s chassis, with suitable modifications, the Plus 8 was instantly the fastest car from the Malvern firm, and put its performance alongside the Porsche 911’s thanks to 0-60mph in 7.3 secs and a 125mph top speed.

The Plus 8 enjoyed a very long life and only came to an end when supply of the Rover V8 engine dried up in 2004.

5. Škoda S110R (1970)

Škoda’s reputation for rallying prowess was all founded on the S110R coupé. This small rear-engined car came with a modest 1107cc four-cylinder engine with just 52bhp in roadgoing trim, but it could be tuned to much more for competition use.

It was also reliable, which had as much to do with Škoda’s success on rally stages as outright power.

More than 56,000 S110Rs were made between 1970 and 1980, with many finding their way past the Iron Curtain.

6. Mazda RX-3 (1971)

It may have taken its styling cues from American muscle cars, but the Mazda RX-3 took a uniquely Japanese approach under the bonnet.

Choose the more powerful 120bhp version and you got a twin-rotor Wankel engine with a nominal capacity of 2292cc.

The high-revving 120bhp engine powered the RX-3 to 110mph and the car enjoyed a fair degree of racing success. Perhaps more importantly, it paved the way for the later RX-7.

7. Rover P6 3500S (1971)

The P6 had been available with Rover’s V8 beforehand, but the 3500S brought a four-speed manual gearbox to the mix and turned the executive saloon into an understated flying machine.

Top speed was a giddy 122mph and 0-60mph was covered in 10.2 secs. Little wonder police forces were very keen on this car.

Rover confused things for buyers by offering the S with an automatic gearbox alongside the non-S 3500 Automatic.

8. DAF 66 Marathon (1972)

Named after DAF’s success in the London-Sydney Marathon, this model used a 60bhp version of the 66’s 53bhp Renault-sourced engine.

Acceleration was not a strong suit, taking 19.4 secs to go from rest to 60mph, but 90mph was decent and the Marathon came with good handling thanks to some suspension and chassis upgrades.

A more powerful 1.3-litre version arrived in 1973, called the 1300 Marathon, with foglights mounted in the grille, sports front seats and extra dashboard-mounted gauges.

9. Jaguar XJ12 (1972)

Quite possibly the dictionary definition of a Q-car, the Jaguar XJ12 married the respectable style of the British saloon with a 253bhp 5.3-litre V12.

It was enough to whisk the XJ from 0-60mph in only 7.4 secs, leaving more overtly sporting cars in its graceful wake.

The alloy construction of the engine didn’t affect the handling, while later S3 models had a 300bhp version of the V12 that raised top speed to a genuine 150mph.

10. Triumph Dolomite Sprint (1973)

Triumph’s use of an innovative 16-valve head on its slanted four-cylinder engine gave the Dolomite Sprint a tasty 127bhp.

That was well up on the Ford Escort RS2000 and saw the Sprint go from a standstill to 60mph in 8.7 secs. A top speed of 115mph was good for the class, too.

Racing success and advanced technology for the engine helped the Dolomite Sprint shift 22,941 units during its seven-year life.

11. Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 (1975)

Mercedes’ 450SEL 6.9 was reassuringly subtle and expensive for those buyers who wanted to elevate their status from the merely brilliant S-Class saloon.

By fitting in the 6.9-litre V8 with its 286bhp, Mercedes created a supersaloon capable of 0-60mph in 7.5 secs, 140mph, and frying its rear tyres if you were too heavy-booted.

For a car that cost around twice as much as an entry-point S-Class, the 6.9 found a considerable number of buyers willing to pay the original £21,995 list price. In total, 7380 6.9s were sold worldwide.

12. Saab 99 Turbo (1977)

Saab might not have been the first to use a turbocharger in a production car, but its 99 Turbo did more to popularise the technology than most.

It helped the turbo boosted the 2.0-litre engine’s power from 118 to 145bhp and, in the process, allowed the car to accelerate from 0-60mph in 8.9 secs.

Just as relevant for the way the 99 Turbo performed was the might of its mid-rev punch when the turbo spooled up. It made for effortless overtaking and this Saab went on to enjoy much success in rallying.

13. BMW 745i (1979)

This is a tale of two BMWs that share the same boot badge. In Europe, BMW fitted a turbocharged, 3.2-litre straight-six to its E23 7 Series saloon. It delivered 248bhp and turned the luxury four-door into a superb, high-speed autobahn machine.

However, the steering-column design meant the turbocharged engine could not be fitted to right-hand-drive cars.

BMW South Africa got round this issue by fitting the 280bhp, 3.5-litre, six-cylinder engine from the M635CSi into the 7 Series, and calling it a 745i.

A handful were sold with a five-speed manual gearbox, making this an M7 in all but name.

14. Bentley Mulsanne Turbo (1982)

Before Bentley started its renaissance with the Turbo R, there was the Mulsanne Turbo – and it was a car few took notice of.

Developed by Bentley’s engineers to see how turbocharging would work in the luxury saloon, they unwittingly started the regeneration of the brand we know today.

The Mulsanne’s forced-induction system increased power to 300bhp. It was enough to catapult the Turbo from 0-60mph in 6.8 secs and up to 135mph. The Turbo R that followed benefited from firmer suspension and even more power.

15. Vauxhall Cavalier SRi (1983)

A broader Cavalier range was introduced in 1983 when the sporting SRi model arrived.

It shared its 115bhp fuel-injected 1.8-litre engine with the CDi and GLSi models, but the SRi was immediately distinguished by its alloy wheels, spoilers and two-tone bodykit. Performance was on the money for keen reps, with 0-60mph in 9.1 secs and a 115mph top whack.

Vauxhall improved the SRi with the 130 model in 1987, which could crack 0-60mph in 8.7 secs on its way to 120mph flat out.

16. Citroën Visa GTi (1985)

Citroën got in on the hot-hatch scene with a typically left-field offering in the shape of the Visa GTi. It took the top-heavy style of the Visa and married that with the 105bhp 1.6-litre engine lifted from the Peugeot 205 GTI.

The result was a five-door car that dashed off 0-60mph in 9.2 secs and headed on to 109mph.

Not as fast as some of its rivals, the Visa GTi was a much more comfortable car than most hot hatches on bumpy roads.

17. Vauxhall Carlton GSi 3000 (1987)

Before Vauxhall blindsided the world with the Lotus Carlton, it launched the Carlton GSi 3000. Some deft parts-bin raiding saw the Senator’s 177bhp, 3.0-litre straight-six slotted under the Carlton’s bonnet – the result was 0-60mph in 8.2 secs, 134mph and a real BMW 5 Series beater.

Vauxhall upped the ante with the 24v model that delivered 204bhp and even offered the GSi as the Diamond Estate, though only 90 of these were ever sold.

18. Lancia Thema 8.32 (1988)

The Lancia Thema shared its V6 engine with large saloons from Peugeot, Renault and Volvo, but only the Italians could have come up with the idea of fitting a Ferrari 308’s 3.0-litre V8 in place of the usual V6.

To make the 8.32 even more bespoke, the engine gained a flat plane crank and it produced 215bhp for 0-60mph in 6.8 secs and 149mph. 

Motorcycle maker Ducati was enlisted to building the Thema 8.32 and sales were sluggish due to the high price. Then Lancia launched its own Thema 16v Turbo that was just as fast yet better handling and much cheaper, so that was the end of the 8.32.

19. Peugeot 405 Mi16 (1988)

Peugeot had already given the world the brilliant 205 GTI, but it wasn’t done yet in the 1980s, because it then launched the 405 Mi16.

It used a 16-valve version of the 205’s 1.9-litre engine, developing 160bhp for 0-60mph in 8.2 secs and 138mph. There was also a four-wheel-drive version.

In a twist of fate, many Mi16s were raided for their engines to convert 205 GTIs to the more potent motor, so survivors are very rare today.

20. Renault 21 Turbo (1988)

The Renault 21 Turbo was the French equivalent of the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and just as fearsome in its power delivery.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre engine produced 175bhp driving through the front wheels, which meant plenty of wheelspin and torque steer. It also meant 0-60mph in 7.3 secs and a 141mph top speed.

Renault later tamed the 21 Turbo with the four-wheel-drive Quadra model in 1990 – and this is the pick of the bunch.

21. Ford Scorpio Cosworth (1990)

Ford’s jelly mould Granada Scorpio was a mainstay of company-car drivers from its launch, but it took until 1990 for a performance flagship to arrive in the shape of the Cosworth.

It used four-valve-per-cylinder technology on the 2.9-litre V6 to free up 195bhp, giving 0-60mph in 8.5 secs and a 140mph maximum.

Ford improved this engine for the facelifted Scorpio in 1994 with its bug-eyed looks. The engine’s power increased to 207bhp, but the Cosworth badges were removed because Ford was concerned about their temptation to car thieves.

22. Volvo T5-R (1994)

Few cars have had such a profound and long-lasting effect on a company’s image as the Volvo 850 T5-R.

While the T5 had already floated the idea of a quick Volvo and police forces loved them, the T5-R took the idea to a whole new level of performance and desirability.

Its 240bhp turbocharged five-cylinder engine gave 0-60mph in 5.8 secs and a true 155mph maximum speed.

The estate version of the T5-R grabbed all the headlines, even competing in the British Touring Car Championship, but there was a saloon as well that is, arguably, even more subtle.

23. Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf (1995)

The Cloverleaf, or Quadrifoglio as it was known in the rest of Europe, was part of the new 145 three-door hatch range from Alfa Romeo.

It used a 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine with 148bhp, or 153bhp in later Phase 2 models, and could deal with 0-60mph in 8.0 secs. A 129mph top speed was more than decent for a mid-’90s warm hatch.

Just as vitally for an Alfa Romeo, the handling was considered very good at the time and still entertains today. Alfa also offered a four-door version badged as the 146ti.

24. Audi S8 (1996)

The Audi V8 set the tone for the German firm’s big-bodied, large-engined luxury saloon.

However, the S8 took everyone by surprise thanks to its 340bhp 4.2-litre V8 motor that could propel this aluminium-framed four-door from rest to 60mph in 6.7 secs.

That gave contemporary performance cars a serious run for their money and the S8 didn’t stop until it hit 159mph.

A five-speed automatic gearbox was standard for UK-bound S8s, but other markets were offered a six-speed manual with even better performance.

25. Citroën Xantia V6 (1997)

Citroën left the best to last with its sleek Xantia small saloon and estate range when it introduced the V6 in 1997.

Having built the model’s reputation on four-cylinder petrol and diesel motors, the V6 was an unexpected delight that packed 194bhp. Its list price put off more buyers than it attracted, but 0-60mph in 7.7 secs and 142mph put it in the same bracket as the Ford Mondeo ST200.

The Xantia V6 came with Citroën’s Activa active suspension to reduce body lean – it set a new record for how quickly it performed the notorious Swedish moose test at 53mph.

26. Daimler Super Eight (1997)

Daimler had long-dormant previous form with rapid luxury saloons in the shape of the Majestic Major, but the Super Eight packed an even bigger surprise.

Behind its genteel fluted grille lay the supercharged 4.0-litre V8 from the Jaguar XJR. This kind of power equated to a 155mph top speed and 0-60mph in 5.3 secs.

That kind of performance was all the more astonishing in a car with the luxury appointments of the Daimler, which was only offered with the longer-wheelbase body of this generation of Jaguar/Daimler model.

27. Honda Accord Type R (1998)

Every now and then, Honda lets off steam with something a bit special, and the Accord Type R was just such a car.

Built solely with the European market in mind, it took the worthy but dull Accord saloon of the time and turned it into a serious performance machine. Weight was reduced, the bodyshell strengthened, and suspension and brakes were all uprated. Honda’s attention to detail even extended to new wheel bearings to deal with the 209bhp generated by the 2.2-litre engine at a heady 7200rpm.

Going from rest to 60mph in 7.0 secs and 142mph flat-out don’t sound that quick, but the Accord Type R had the handling to carry its speed through corners safely and enjoyably.