A few weeks ago, the folks running Summit Racing’s Facebook and Instagram pages posed a good, thought-provoking question to their social media fans:
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“What’s Your Favorite Non-American Performance Car?”
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Suffice it to say, there were plenty of opinions on this topic—the reader contributions tallied well over 300 responses. So we read through them all and picked the 10 most prominent ones here.
Note: Picking the “winners” here is always a tricky process: sometimes folks would give an exact year/make/model (1987 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2) and some would just give the nameplate (911). Still others would give us just the marque (Porsche). So we aggregated them the best we could.
Agree with our list? Have another candidate we should consider? Please let us hear about it in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
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Your 10 Favorite Non-American Performance Cars
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10. Nissan Skyline GT-R
Despite its roots in the 1950s, the Skyline was relatively unknown here in the United States until the import car scene exploded in popularity during the 1990s. Yet while the Skyline itself is a broad nameplate that encompasses sedans and coupes in a various trims, when folks say “Skyline” in a sporting context, they usually mean the models carrying the top GT-R performance spec.
Often referred to by its distinct generational codes (R32, R34, etc.) the Skyline ultimately evolved into the standalone GT-R coupe when it arrived on America shores in 2009.
And it was the R32 GT-R model that dominated both the Japanese and Australian Touring Car championships in the early 1990s—a feat that earned the Skyline the nickname “Godzilla.”
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9. 1st-Gen. Honda/Acura NSX
Supercar looks and performance with Honda reliability? Sign us up, please. Available globally as a Honda, the NSX came stateside as an Acura model—but outside of some minor differences, the cars are largely identical.
Thanks to its competent handling and effortless power delivery, the NSX was widely praised by the automotive press and buying public. Even better, the stunning sports car could be taken to any Honda dealership for service.
The first-gen. NSX was produced from 1991-2005, receiving a facelift in 2002 that did away with its pop-up headlights. Regardless of the flavor, an NSX is a welcome sight at any car show nowadays.
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8. Lotus 7/Caterham 7
“It’s a freaking slot car!” – John T.
Perhaps the pinnacle of “adding lightness,” the Lotus 7 is little more than a featherweight roadster body attached to four wheels and an engine. As a result, the Lotus 7 was quickly adopted by the grassroots racing scene thanks to its nimble handling and its ease of modification.
Lotus made the Seven from 1957 to 1973, continually refining and upgrading the car over the course of its production run. Once Lotus ceased Seven assembly, the specialty British automotive company Caterham purchased the manufacturing and license rights from Lotus, and continues to release new Caterham 7 models to this day—often featuring modern motorcycle powerplants from manufacturers like Suzuki and Honda.
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7. Nissan/Datsun 240Z
The Nissan 240Z is regarded by many as the car that changed the North American automotive landscape, because it signaled to the gearhead community that the Japanese manufacturers could mass-produce a world-class sports car.
When it hit U.S. shores in the early 1970s, it quickly proved to be a practical, reliable performer. And, just like the NSX mentioned earlier, it was a sports car that could leverage Nissan/Datsun’s growing dealer network—which made it an attractive alternative to two-seater sports cars from the niche European marques.
Most importantly, the 240Z established a long legacy of Nissan Z cars that carries on the front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car recipe to this very day—with a manual transmission, no less.
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6. Jaguar E-Type (XK-E)
“Jaguar’s E-Type is the most beautiful car in the world.” – Enzo Ferrari
There have been faster cars, rarer cars, and more successful cars—but no automobile, ever, has been so widely acclaimed for its sheer beauty than the E-Type Jag. Indeed, this is the car that many people picture when they think of a vintage sports car.
Produced from 1961-74, the XK-E (as it’s known in the United States) went through a few key evolutions, notably the addition of a V12 on the options sheet and an extended cabin 2+2 model that arrived in the 1970s.
Sure, it may not have the racing pedigree of some of the other cars on this list….but…just look at it. *Chef’s Kiss*
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4. BMW E30 3 Series
Though quite a few folks opted for the later E36 (1992-99) series, the E30 (1984-91) ultimately won out. Hailed as a practical sports coupe thanks to its razor-sharp handling, the E30-era Bimmers (particularly the M-series) were equally at home on the morning commute as they were on the racetrack.
E30s came in a wide range of configurations (coupes, sedans, and wagons), and could be had with several engines—including the potent 235 hp 2.5L S14 Evo3 four cylinder found in the 1989-90 M3.
In many ways, the E30 is what really established BMW’s reputation as The Ultimate Driving Machine here in the States, and clean examples now command a premium.
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5. Sunbeam Tiger
Quick, name a nimble British roadster with a Ford V8—that isn’t a Shelby Cobra.
If you said Sunbeam Tiger, slow clap.
And as you’d guess, Carroll Shelby was involved in the car’s inception. So was his pal Ken Miles. Starting with four-cylinder Sunbeam Alpine roadsters, the two worked independently to create a pair of V8-powered test mules that would ultimately lay the groundwork for the Sunbeam Tiger.
And yeah, they’re the automotive equivalent of Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl.
You can learn more about the Tiger (and a modified one that does 180+ mph) here.
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3. DeTomaso Pantera
…Speaking of finding an American V8 where you wouldn’t expect one, the fearsome DeTomaso Pantera is what happens when you stuff a rip-snortin’ Ford 351 Cleveland engine into the exquisitely-sculpted body of an Italian supercar.
Initially sold through Ford’s network of Lincoln-Mercury dealerships, the DeTomaso Pantera survived several distinct generations as the car evolved. In fact, the final versions soldiered on into the 1990s with a Ford 5.0L under the rear decklid.
Metti il pedale sul metallo, baby!
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2. Ferrari F40
A lot of folks simply said “Ferrari” in their responses, and some offered suggestions like the Testa Rossa, 308/328, or 365 Daytona—but the F40 was the specific model mentioned most often.
And it’s easy to understand why.
In addition to being the last Ferrari personally greenlit by Enzo himself, the car became the fastest Ferrari made at the time, capable of dancing tantalizingly close to 200 mph. Though some critics were initially skeptical of its function-over-form styling and lack of technologically-advanced assists, the F40 is now regarded as one of the purest sports cars ever made.
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1. Porsche 911
“Easy answer. Porsche 911 in any configuration.” – Bob C.
While we had to weigh and compare every other car on this list, the Number One slot had a clear winner. And though quite a few folks just said “Porsche” in their responses, we’re pretty sure that they were referring to the 911. (Someone even suggested the amazing Yellow Bird custom 911 CTR from the famed RUF tuning shop.)
From its inception as the Porsche 901, the 911 and its subsequent generations (like the 930, 993, and 996 wasser-boxer era) is often the bar by which every other sports car is measured. Over the decades, the 911 has set Nürburgring track records and won countless races—all while searing itself into automotive pop culture thanks to plenty of appearances in movies and video games.
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Honorable Mentions
To be fair, there were about a dozen other reader contributions that could’ve filled this list, from the Mazda Miata and Volkswagen GTI to the Lamborghini Diablo and Jensen Interceptor—heck, someone even mentioned the Canadian-market Chevy Acadian.
But is there another specific performance car that should be mentioned here? We’d love to hear about it. Drop your suggestions in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
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