You've got to love the UK's low-volume car industry. Brimming with ambition, but more often lacking the funds to realise the potential of many of its most exciting and innovative designs, it has left Y in its wake a series of so-near yet-so-far concepts that never quite made the grade. And when it comes to would-be sports cars, this country has an enviable track record.
Some have emerged from resin-dust encrusted workshops in the Midlands to enjoy fleeting fame before being unceremoniously scrapped. Others were conceived to change our perceptions about a brand, before their technical complexity set alarm bells ringing with the bean-counters. And by the time a few more had been unveiled, changing market forces had simply prevailed enough to kill their original business cases.
But not all of our homespun sports car concepts were produced by manufacturers synonymous with such vehicles. Mainstream doyen Vauxhall can take a bow here, in its quest to find a more youthful following during the 1960s. At the other end of the market, Bentley dabbled in the supercar world, while Aston Martin's Bulldog was so forward-thinking that its true mettle wasn't tested until last year. But they all have one thing in common: none ever saw a showroom.
1. Triumph Lynx
In the late 1960s, there were rumours that the lucrative American market was set for an all-out ban on new convertibles, which would have impacted quite massively on BLMC's portfolio. By 1972, Triumph's TR6 successor, the TR7, had been signed off as a fixed-head coupé, but the company was still left with the open-topped four-seater Stag.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison