1955 Porsche 550A Spyder
A Porsche landmark, the car James Dean died in, and one of the best-looking sports cars of the 1950s. You, too, can be a little bastard.
1959 Aston Martin DBR1
With no less than Carroll Shelby at its helm, the DBR1 helped Aston finish 1-2 at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. It also made every Ferrari sports racer of the time look like a dumpy old grandmother.
1965 Ford Mustang Coupe (Fastback)
The sleekest version of the first pony car, and one of the most recognizable cars in history. More attractive than the notchback, and a thousand times cooler than the convertible.
1965 Porsche 356 Carrera 2
The original Porsche, and still one of the best, the 356 offers the rear-engine layout that has defined Porsche sports cars for more than half a century. The Carrera 2 sports the more-gears-than-an-eighteen-wheeler Fuhrmann four-cam four, one of the coolest engines ever built.
1970 Datsun 240Z
Sure, it's a bit truckish and relatively uninspiring to drive, but it's also one of the most capable sports cars of the 1970s. A torquey six lives under that long snout, and while it's no high-rpm screamer, it's still strong enough to get the job done.
1970 Dodge Coronet R/T
The only Coronet available with Dodge's massive, four-barrel 440 V-8, the R/T was designed for destroying tires — and adversaries — at stoplights.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Myoldpostcards
1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda
The third-generation Barracuda was bigger and badder than any 'Cuda before it. When equipped with the 426 Hemi V-8, few cars, muscle or otherwise, could keep up.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia/Herrandersvensson
1970 Toyota Corolla
The second-generation Toyota Corolla weighed less than most modern sports cars and put just over 100 hp to its rear wheels. Unlike modern Corollas, it was as fun as it was thrifty.
1986 Dodge Shelby Omni GLHS
If you haven't heard, "GLHS" stands for "Go Like Hell Som'more." This little hatchback featured a turbocharged, 2.2-liter four and Carroll Shelby's endorsement. It could also hustle to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. Go like hell, indeed.
1986 Ford Capri 3.0S
One of Ford's most popular sport coupes, and a staple in 1970s European road racing. The Capri is big, cheap British fun at its finest.
1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II
An amped-up version of Mercedes-Benz's 190E 2.3-16, the 2.5-16 Evo II was the ultimate evolution of Mercedes's relatively tame 190E. See that insane wing? This is — you guessed it — another high-strung homologation special.
1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
The top-of-the-line Eclipse boasted a 190-hp turbo four and all-wheel drive. It was a bit heavy, but it was also a remarkably attainable piece of Japanese speed.
1993 Renault Clio Williams
Named for the Williams F1 team, the Clio was actually designed to allow Renault to race in the World Rally Championship. It offered a 134-mph top speed in a small, tossable package.
1993 Saab 900 Turbo
1993 was the last year for the Saab 900, which was arguably the last of the great Saabs. The Turbo embodied everything exciting about Swedish quirk.
1995 BMW 850CSi
The ultimate ultimate driving machine from the mid-'90s, the 850CSi was stiffer, lower, and crazier than the already loaded 8-series. An M8 in all but name, the CSi sported a 375-hp V-12 and a six-speed manual transmission.
1995 Ferrari 348 GTS
Luca di Montezemolo once pointed out that the 348 is probably the single worst Ferrari of the past twenty years. Who cares? It looks cool, and it sports a 312-hp, 3.4-liter V-8. In the digital world, there is no such thing as a bad Ferrari.
1997 Ford Probe GTS
The final and most decked-out version of Ford's sporting front-drive coupe, the Probe GTS is notable for its dual racing stripes, chrome wheels and unmarked brakelight insert. Other than that, it's an ordinary Probe GT.
Photo Credit: Aristov.com
2000 BMW Z8
How's this for a recipe: The Z8 packaged the E39 M5's 400-hp, V-8 driveline into a lighter, more compact shell that aped BMW's famed 507 roadster. Derivative, yes. But also gorgeous.
2000 Toyota Chaser
A rear-wheel drive, front-engine, mid-size sedan with a manual transmission, the Chaser was a Japanese businessman's car that happened to be fun.
2002 BMW Z3 M Coupe
One of the few true shooting brakes sold in America, the M Coupe combined the sporty handling of the Z3 M roadster with the utility of a hatchback and a bit more torsional stiffness. Refined hooliganism, and the last truly nutso car to come out of Munich.