They dominated the racetracks in their day or were the dream cars of children and adults: These sports cars were already legends during their construction period - or have become so in the meantime.
They have inspired through dreamlike designs or technical innovations that were ahead of their time. No wonder that today they adorn photos and posters, that they are not only found as model cars in children's rooms and that the sight of them not only makes the hearts of sports car fans beat faster.
The special appeal of sports cars
What still distinguishes the classics in our list for car enthusiasts from "normal" models is, in addition to the technology, above all the design. On the one hand, the design of the body and the design of other details reflect the power and dynamics of the vehicles. On the other hand, they are usually highly individual forms that have become a myth and a brand in their own right - as in the case of the Porsche, for example.
A huge cult has long since developed around these special cars. Many collect small models of the vehicles as a hobby, visit trade fairs or racing events where the sports cars can also be admired in real life.
Often the own camera is then there to capture the beauties pictorially. Instead of a purchased calendar, your own photos end up as a large-format poster on the wall. After all, today there are numerous ways to capture a successful Set the scene for photo. Another way to live out your passion for sports cars. We have collected the most popular classics among the photo motifs here.
The Lancia Stratos
Who wanted to acquire itself at the beginning of the 1970er years a Lancia Stratos, which did not have to put even 15'000 D-Mark (approximately 7'500 euro) on the store counter. For it the buyer received a narrow two-seater with little comfort, but each quantity of power. A V6 engine with a displacement of 2.4 liters and an impressive 193 hp for the time accelerated the body, which was made of a mixture of steel and fiberglass-reinforced plastic, up to 248 kilometers per hour.
Only an estimated 495 Stratos went on sale - and even this small run did not cause long lines in front of the dealerships. However, the manufacturer could live with that - because the Stratos had not been developed for the road, but for another reason. The nippy "Italian" was one of the first production cars designed exclusively for racing.
After initial teething problems, this tactic worked: With the Stratos, the carmaker from Turin won the World Rally Championship three times from 1974 to 1976, which at that time was still held exclusively as a constructors' championship.
Just over ten years later, one of the Stratos' successors was shaking up the rally scene: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Italians won six consecutive one-make world championship titles with the Lancia Delta Integrale. The Delta integrale is thus the most successful rally car in motorsport history.
But back to the Stratos: If you bought one in the 1970s - and still have it in good condition in your garage today - you don't have to worry about your pension: Due to its rarity, today's value of the little runabout is around 300,000 euros.
The Porsche 911
Actually, everything has been said and known about him. Nevertheless, it naturally belongs on this list: The Porsche 911. Since its unveiling on September 12, 1963, at the IAA in Frankfurt, the "nine-eleven" has become a cult sports car. Lush eight generations of the Porsche 911 have been launched since then - and all of them have found their fans.
The technical development of the past decades can be seen wonderfully in the sports car legend from Baden-Württemberg: The basic version of the original model, which was built until 1973, had a 2.0-liter, 130-hp boxer engine. The latest generation, which has been sold under the designation Porsche 992 since last year, is available with engines up to 650 hp. In the most powerful engine version, the 3.7-liter engine catapults the Porsche from zero to one hundred in 2.7 seconds.
The Ferrari 250 GTO
Admittedly, almost every car with the red horse from Maranello is a classic. But one still stands out: the Ferrari 250 GTO. On August 27, 2018, a 1962 GTO was sold in California for over $48 million. sold at auction. This set a new record amount for the purchase of a car at auction.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a sports car built for racing in small series, which can be used as a GT. The 250 GTO becomes a special Ferrari by combining highly developed racing technology with a near-production sports car. The GTO is as much fun on public roads as it is on the race track. The V12 engine has a fascinating sound. The round, sleek body line, whose side air intakes are somewhat reminiscent of a shark, plays just as large a part in the charisma.
The Audi Quatro
This "box" is supposed to be a dream sports car? While most car legends come with curvy bodies and breathtaking lines, the Audi Quattro, which was introduced in 1980, looks quite different with many edges. Nevertheless, it is a beloved classic for many motorsport fans. The Ingolstadt car was one of the first vehicles produced in larger series with permanent all-wheel drive - and helped it achieve a breakthrough.
This was also because the Quattro was a feared "rival of the racetrack". The carmaker with the four rings won the brand's rally championship with the Quattro. A year later, the Sport Quattro equipped with a shorter wheelbase was sent out onto the "track." The Swede Stig Blomqist won the 1984 World Rally Championship aboard a Sport Quattro.
The Jaguar E-Type
From the boxy Audi Quattro back to a true design legend: In 1961, Jaguar introduced the E-Type as a descendant of its successful Jaguar D-Type racing car. With its eternally long hood, coupled with the otherwise rather rounded body, it was a real "eye-catcher" and is not only recognized by connoisseurs at first glance as a Jaguar.
The classic still scores points with its design today: In 2015, it was named the best British car of all time at the Classic & Sports Car show in London. Two years later, a jury from the trade magazine Auto Bild Klassik named it the most beautiful car of all time. Incidentally, to mark the E-Type's 60th birthday, Jaguar is planning a Strictly limited special edition of the classic hang up
The Mustang
The biggest cult car from America is certainly the Mustang, which in the course of recent years has also found more and more fans in this country. From 1964 to the current date, more than 10 million units of the powerful sports car from Ford went over the counter.
While the Mustang has only recently gained cult status in Europe, it has had this in the USA right from the start: On the day it went on sale, more than 22,000 people bought a Mustang. This was due on the one hand to a clever brand campaign - and on the other hand to a selling price that was unbeatable for a sports car (starting at 2,368 dollars, or about 19,000 dollars in today's purchasing power).
The Mercedes Benz 300 SL
Romy Schneider drove one, Sophia Loren got behind the wheel as did Tony Curtis - we're talking about the Mercedes Benz 300 SL. Even during its construction from 1954 to 1963, the beautifully designed noble sports car was not intended for the masses but rather for exclusive buyers.
This has remained so to this day due to horrendous prices for this classic car. The "Silver Arrow," which was unmistakable as a coupe with its gullwing doors and a design legend as a roadster, cost around 29,000 euros back in the 1950s. By way of comparison, a VW Beetle could be had for 4,400 marks at the time. And even these 4,440 marks were already about the annual gross wage of an industrial worker back then.
For the world premiere, the Coupé with the characteristic gullwing doors made the hearts of experts and the public beat faster. Technical details such as lattice tube frames and the unusual door construction were without precedent among the production sports cars of its era.
The Lamborghini Countach
With a design like something from another star, the Lamborghini Countach also became a legend. When it was unveiled at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show, more than a few visitors thought they were looking at the design of a futuristic spaceship. Only the four wheels reminded them that it was a car.
Futuristic, on the other hand, was the angular and aggressive shape with flat windshield and scissor doors opening in a semicircle. In the later built version LP 500S a huge and high rear wing was added. The name "Countach" may have been the first thought of many car enthusiasts when they first saw the car: In Piedmontese dialect, Countach stands for an exclamation that combines astonishment and admiration.
The Countach was not comfortable. The cockpit is cramped, and visibility - especially to the rear - leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the super sports car, which reached speeds of up to 290 kilometers per hour - found many friends. Top models today are worth over half a million euros. But even new, the Countach, which was built until 1990, was anything but a bargain, with a new price of just under 200,000 deutschmarks.
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