The British motor industry has given birth to its fair share of world-renowned badges like Mclaren, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley, and Land Rover. Apart from these big names, the industry is also home to numerous small manufacturers rolling out models that range from the outstanding to the downright horrible.
Most of these lesser-known auto builders lend credence to the stereotyping of British sports cars as strange home-built vehicles. They offer cars that are ridiculous either in styling, quality of materials, craftsmanship, performance, or a combination of the above. Once a force to be reckoned with in automotive development, the arrival of cheaper and better cars from overseas saw a general decline in the industry. Even the big names were caught on the wrong foot and could not keep up with offerings from overseas. So let’s celebrate the lack of innovation as we take a look at the most ridiculous British sports cars ever put on the streets.
10 Gibbs Aquada
The Gibbs Aquada is a limited production amphibious vehicle that was designed and built by Gibbs Sports Amphibians in 2003 and 2004. Drawing power from a 2.5-liter Rover V6 engine, the Aquada has a top speed of 99 mph on land and 31 mph on water.
Whether you call it a sports car or a high-speed amphibious vehicle as Gibbs calls it, the Aquada is one weird car. In 2004, a Gibbs Aquada was used by Richard Branson to cross the English Channel in a record 1 hour, 40 minutes, 6 seconds.
9 Triumph Stag 1970
Designed by Giovanni Michelotti, the Triumph Stag is a 2+2 sports car that was manufactured and sold from 1970 to 1977. The poorly designed V8 engine under the hood displaced 3 liters to produce 145 hp and a disappointing top speed of 115 mph.
Rated by Time magazine as one of the 50 worst cars ever, the Stag was plagued by a variety of engine problems. Apart from overheating caused by water pump failure and electrolytic corrosion leading to head gasket failure, it also suffered timing chain failure and sloppy handwork.
8 Zenos E10 R
Launched in January 2016 at the Birmingham Performance Car Show, the Zenos E10 R is among the 100 units of E10 speedsters built between 2015 and 2016. Motivation is from a 2.3-liter Ford Ecoboost I4 engine sending 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.
Mated with a 6-speed manual transmission, it sends the E10 R to 60 mph in 3 seconds and a maximum speed of 155 mph. Priced at $56,052, and considering its good qualities, it is quite odd that the Zenos E10 R remains relatively unheard of.
7 MEV Exocet G-Type
Unveiled to the public at the 2010 Newark kit car show, the Exocet is an exoskeleton kit car manufactured by Mills Extreme Vehicles(MEV). Based on the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Exocet G-Type wears a chiseled body style with a contemporary design that makes it look more aggressive.
Retaining all the donor vehicles’ innards including the engine, the suspension system, the transmission system, steering, and brakes, it handles well. The weird creation is actually a Mazda mx5 Miata that has replaced its body panels with the bright orange MEV exoskeleton.
6 Triumph TR7
Built from 1974 to 1981 by British Leyland and launched in January 1975, the Triumph TR7 is a two-door sports car designed by Harris Mann. Powered by a 2-liter inline-4 engine making 105 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque, it could hit 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 114 mph.
The engine was a downgrade on the excellent 6-cylinder unit that powered the TR6 while the interior was poorly finished with cheap materials leading to poor sales volume compared to predecessors.
5 Jensen SV-8
Following a financial rescue mission by investors, the troubled Jenson, renowned for the Jenson Interceptor, launched the distinctly styled Jenson SV-8 in 1998. Powered by a 325 hp Ford Mustang Cobra V8 engine displacing 4.6 liters, it could hit 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and max out at 160 mph.
However, upon a closer look, one would discover build quality problems ranging from visible wires to large panel gaps and poor quality interior materials. Despite an initial order of 110 vehicles being placed, only 20 units were completed while 18 partially completed units were sold alongside the Jenson name to SV Automotive.
4 Rover 220 Coupe Turbo
Produced from 1992 to 1995, the Rover 220 Coupe Turbo was the flagship model of the Rover 200 Coupe range of sports cars. Powered by a 2-liter turbocharged 16-valve engine churning out 197 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque, it used 6.2 seconds to hit 60 mph from rest.
With a top speed of 150 mph, it was the fastest production Rover back then, albeit one with poor handling caused by clumsy power transmission. Not being able to tame nearly 200 hp going to the front wheels, it was simply too powerful for its good and had to be discontinued for safety reasons.
3 FBS Census
Built between 2002 and 2003, the FBS Census was a two-seater sports car that was so poorly styled it could easily be the ugliest British sports car. A 2.5-liter V6 engine sent 167 hp through a five-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels for a top speed of 139 mph.
Reports from reviewers indicated that the FBS Census had several problems which included an awful build quality, poor handling, and a rough engine. Despite some slightly more positive reviews, only eight units were built before the company went bankrupt.
2 Rover 800
Developed in partnership with Honda the Rover 800 was manufactured by Austin Rover Group from 1986-1988, and by Rover Group from 1988-1998. With the partnership came the promise of top-class build quality and the best of Japanese engineering in a British-designed car.
Plagued by head gasket failures, the engines powering the Rover 800 series, together with unreliable gearboxes truncated a promising start. In addition to that, the Rover 800 series also had badly fitting doors and poor interior build quality.
1 Reliant Scimitar SS1
Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Reliant between 1984 and 1990, the Scimitar SS1 was launched in Birmingham at the 1984 British International Motor Show. Based on the Lotus Elan, the two-seater Scimitar SS1 was built on a semi-tubular backbone chassis and featured body panels designed to be easily removed for repairs.
With plans to build 2000 units a year, the Scimitar SS1 was powered by a range of engines including a 135 hp 1.8-liter turbo that spurred it to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. Despite a facelift and renaming in 1990, and another in 1992, only 1507 units were produced before Reliant folded up in 1995.
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