365 Sports Cars You Must Drive puts you in the driver’s seat of a century’s worth of sports car legends (and a few rather less legendary), each presented with a fun and informative profile and fact-and-spec box. It’s the ultimate gearhead’s bucket list and poses the challenge: How many have you driven?
Whoever coined the phrase “getting there is half the fun” must have owned a sports car. And the wag who suggested that “it’s the journey not the destination”? Probably driving a Lotus or MG at the time. From towering icons like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Corvette to everyman sportsters from Triumph, MG, Sunbeam, and Miata to oddballs like Crosley, Sabra, and DB, sports cars inspire passion and strong opinions as few other vehicles on the road can.
In one beautiful book, long-time Road & Truck magazine chief photographer John Lamm, along with other top motoring contributors, gives the reader illustrated profiles of every sports car you’ve ever dreamed of driving!
Now, imagine if you could drive a different sports car—any sports car—every single day for a year. Which would you choose?
From the Publisher
Introduction
This book is more than just your typical “car of the day” compilation; it truly is an eclectic mix of sports cars that covers the broadest possible spectrum—from two seats to four doors. This is a blend of the familiar and expected—who wouldn’t want to see Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches—and the unexpected, like Tojeiro, Dual-Ghia and even a Bosley. There is just the right balance of the old and the new, the exotic and affordable, obscure and famous, foreign and domestic, production and concept. If it’s got wheels and any pretense of performance, it’s in here.
Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
How can you not love a car nicknamed the “Flying Saucer”? Alfa Romeo’s legendary Alfetta 158/159 Grand Prix car had become obsolete by 1952, but the Milanese automaker had already moved on to sports car racing with a machine based on the mechanicals in its 1900 models. Carrozzeria Touring, the coachbuilder long associated with Alfa, created the slippery body that allowed the car to reach 140 miles per hour despite its small engine. The author had the pleasure of running the Italian retro Mille Miglia in this car with Phil Hill. Five
Alfa Romeo Spider DuettoThe classic Alfa Spider, based on the Giulia 105 series cars and known affectionately simply as the Duetto, suffered from a troubled introduction to the world. Fiat was struggling financially at the time, which meant there was an unusually large gap between the car being unveiled in 1961 and it rolling down Pinifarina’s production line at the end of 1965. But that didn’t matter, because when the 1,570cc Duetto arrived it was such a charming little car, both to look at and to drive, the politics behind its creation took a back seat.
Aston Martin One-77First revealed in 2009, the One-77 provided more proof that English automaker Aston Martin lives at the top of the list of exotic carmakers. At the heart of this rare machine is a light, quite rigid carbon fiber monocoque. Around this is dramatic aluminum bodywork with bulging fenders that remind one of German DTM race cars. Inside is a sporting-yet-elegant mix of leather and carbon fiber. Upper and lower A-arm suspension are employed front and rear, matched to what Aston calls Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve technology, which allows the driver to vary the shock absorbers’ characteristics. For motive power, Aston upgraded its V-12 to 7.3 liters and improved handling by adding a dry sump oiling system to lower the engine in the car, dropping the center of gravity. —JL
Austin-Healey Sprite Mk I
For many of us, the Sprite was the perfect first sports car. It was small, but also rugged, cheap, and a blast to drive. By the late 1950s, Donald Healey had already found success with his big sports car (see previous entry) and decided to build a less expensive model based on components from the British Motor Corporation. The engine, for example, was a tiny, slightly upgraded four from the Austin A Series. What really sold the little car, however, was its exterior design. Gerry Coker, who did the big Healey, drew this small rounded box and originally planned on including retracting headlights. When that proved too pricey, they plopped the pair atop the hood and the Sprite was forever known as a Bugeye. They weren’t fast, but it’s tough to drive a Sprite without smiling. —JL
Bentley Continental GT SpeedIn 1998, Rolls and Bentley both were absorbed into Volkswagen, which later sold Rolls to BMW but retained and revived Bentley with new models, which for the 2009 model year included the Continental GT Speed, a higher performance version of the Continental GT. With a 600 horsepower W-12 engine, this large, sporty car can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in less than 4 1/2 seconds, to 125 mph in less than 13, and on up to make it the first 200-plus Bentley. Not bad for a car that weighs nearly 5,300 pounds. —LE
Bizzarrini 5300 Spyder S.I.None other than the late Phil Hill would have told you of the engineering expertise of Giotto Bizzarrini. The Italian worked first at Alfa Romeo, then Ferrari through 1961 before moving on to ATS, then Lamborghini, and finally Iso Rivolta. There Bizzarrini engineered the Iso Grifo AC3/C, and after Renzo Rivolta’s death, Bizzarrini took over production of the car, renaming it the 5300 GT Strada. Powered by a Chevrolet 327 V-8 with four Weber carburetors, the cars were well regarded for their power and handling, with an independent front suspension and DeDion rear layout. It’s estimated that 115 5300 GT Stradas were built, and there were also competition versions. The little-known Italian design house Stile Italia (hence the S.I.) turned three of the 5300 chassis into targastyle roadsters with a removable center section roof, as shown here. —JL
Publisher : Motorbooks; Revised, Updated edition (October 27, 2020)
Language : English
Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 0760369771
ISBN-13 : 978-0760369777
Item Weight : 1.67 pounds
Dimensions : 6.65 x 1 x 8.25 inches
