You can count on a French to invent something futuristic and full of joie de vivre during the worst years of the Nazi occupation of Paris. German sports cars are not just about pure luxury; many of them are cheaper and more thrilling than a muscle car.

Porsche's brilliant engineers managed to tuck a 3.5-liter flat-six at the back and harness all 325 German horses to ensure a 0-60 time of 4 seconds to the bone. Oh, what a glorious sound the S85 V10 made well when they're not engulfed in flames, that is. As you've read throughout the list, we recommend opting out for manual versions of these cars if available as they're often more fun to drive, but in the Porsche's case, the standard transmission and PDK-transmission are both splendid. In fastback and wagon styling, the Streamliners used lots of chrome and wider bodies, with a low stance that's loved by car modders today. One thing all German sports cars share is their tendency to be killed off by depreciation, and what once was a $140,000 sports monster, is now a $38,000-sized bargain. In 1946, Sir Sydney Allard decided to use spare parts and engines left over after the war and build an affordable roadster. This is a legendary car, the first proper sports car made by Enzo Ferrari under his own name. Built entirely from aluminum using rubber presses that used to make panels for bombers, the 1800 Roadster wasn't so sporty, after all. It has been confirmed, future AMG models will have to replace almost all of their rowdy V8 engines with turbocharged four-cylinders in order to accommodate new emission standards, and this will mean we'll never see another one of these dangerous Mercs on the showroom floor. Related: Heres How Much The BMW E63 M6 Costs Today. READ MORE: The most beautiful cars of the 1920s and 1930s, Our editor at large started writing about cars only after getting a taste for extensive road trips all across Europe, more than ten years ago. Today, you have to pay almost $3,000,000 for a Tucker Torpedo in mint condition. It's also arguably the most beautiful car of the forties. The Allard K1 was born.

The first models copied the design of the pre-war automobiles, and a lot of small car companies tried to fill the void left by the big carmakers. Just like the American powerhouses, German cars also have a cult following, and in this list, we'll list some German sports cars which gift the driver a superior driver over any muscle car any day.Related: Every Gearhead Should Drive These Cool And Affordable German Sports Cars. The 1920s and the 1930s were wild and full of remarkable creations. What always made the Turbo models stand out from other 911s, was that they came equipped with AWD, and in return resulted in excruciating acceleration figures, as the 996 Turbo could go from naught to sixty in just 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 190 mphmuch like the Audi RS7. These Are The 10 Coolest Sports Cars With AWD, 10 German Sports Cars We'd Drive Over A Muscle Car Any Day, legendary pony cars like the Ford Mustang, Every Gearhead Should Drive These Cool And Affordable German Sports Cars, US-bred muscle cars are often unrefined and unbearable, we don't want to imitate muscle car drivers to such an extent now do we, Heres How Much The BMW E63 M6 Costs Today, V8 engines with turbocharged four-cylinders, Usually, the M3 name was only associated with straight-six engines, but it's much more affordable than you'd think, that could leave even the most extravagant Ferrari sports cars in its rearview mirror, 3 Sports Sedans We'd Buy Over The New Cadillac Blackwing (5 That Are Worse), HotCars Best European Sports Car Of 2021: Porsche 911 Turbo S, $140,000 sports monster, is now a $38,000-sized bargain, Here's What You Need To Know About Stellantis' New 3-Liter Inline-6 Hurricane Engine, The Best Feature Of The New Hyundai RN22e Concept, This Is Why We Cant Wait To Drive The Hyundai Ioniq 6, The Boxer Engine In This Subaru WRX Frightens Hagerty's Mechanic, Heres Why The Chrysler 300 SRT8 Was Discontinued, Why Its Worth Waiting For The Badass GMC Hummer EV, 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor Is The Most Ridiculous Factory 4x4 Youve Ever Seen, How The 2023 Honda Civic Type R Compares To The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45, Here's Why The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Is Getting A Lot Of Love, This Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 Puts A Tesla Model S Plaid In Its Place, Check Out This Incredibly Low Mileage Ford GT Up For Auction At Pebble Beach, The Truth Behind Why The Porsche Cayenne SUV Exists, 2022 Lexus RC F Fuji Speedway Edition Review: This Carbon-Fiber Track Toy Costs A Pretty Penny, Why Every Gearhead Must Drive The 2023 Toyota bZ4X, This British Army Truck With A 5.9-Liter Cummins Is The Ultimate Camper Van, Everything You Need To Know About The New 2023 Honda Civic Type-R, Heres How The 2023 Acura Integra Differs From the China-Only Honda Integra, The 2,000bhp Electric Ford SuperVan 4 Is Sicker Than We Could Have Imagined.

These muscle cars aren't just loud and proud, they're fast too, especially when it comes to drag racing.Across the pond lies Germany, home to some sophisticated, but still sporty car brands like BMW and Porsche, and they're all much more diverse than their American counterparts.

Under the RS5's hood is a menacing 4.2-liter V8 monstrosity that propels all four wheels with 444 evil horses at once, and when you couple those two sinister elements together, you're left with a 0-60 time in as little as 4.6 seconds. The split windshield was the only reminder that this car came from another era. One Freccia d'Oro featured in The Godfatherin 1972 (the car that exploded was a replica, though). About them, in our next article. This was no ordinary V8 engine, it was twin-turbocharged alongside a displacement of 4-liters with a combined power output of 553 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque yes you heard that right. Unfortunately, when the world descended into World War II madness, civilian cars production halted almost everywhere. The Streamliner was the kind of a car in which you wanted to be seen at the beginning of the turbulent forties.

The Cayman S was a rear-wheel-drive, mid-engined German sports car that could effortlessly slide through corners and destroy any other sports car on the road. Related: 10 Things We Love About The E92 BMW M3. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Usually, the M3 name was only associated with straight-six engines, but the E92 M3 sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the line-up, as it receives all of its juice from a throaty naturally aspirated V8 motor that generated upwards of 410 hp and made for the perfect bonkers Bavarian sports car. Related: 3 Sports Sedans We'd Buy Over The New Cadillac Blackwing (5 That Are Worse). With a Pininfarina body, the first post-war Maserati hinted to the late Alfieri (the A6 code for the engine), but the 1,488 cc engine developed only 65 hp, a far cry from the pre-war Maseratis. The first-generation RS7 is far from just a pretty face and a harmonious rumble, it was a V8-powered Sportback with enough seats for 5 people, and enough power to demolish supercars on the drag strip. Related: HotCars Best European Sports Car Of 2021: Porsche 911 Turbo S. If you've ever craved to sound as obnoxious as a straight-piped Mustang driver, sport handsome German styling, and feel the driving experience as raw as a modern car can be, look no further than the Mercedes SL63 AMG.

From 1940 to 1945, few countries continued to develop or produce civilian cars and focused on creating all sorts of death tools like tanks, armored vehicles or all-terrain cars and trucks that could deliver soldiers and weapons where they were needed.

It sported an unhealthy 518 hp V8 with a displacement of 6.2-liters and could put that power down to complete the quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds. The custom coachwork comes from Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, and only 25 examples were made. Weighing only 350 kg (771 lbs), l'Oeuf Electrique could travel 100 km at an average speed of 70 km/h. Designed by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, the son of Ferdinand Porsche, and Erwin Komenda (father of the Beetle's design), the 356 sported a 4-cylinder, air-cooled rear engineand an all-aluminum body (changed to steel later on). The most modern American car to see the light of day in the forties was born in 1949. Read more, https://cdn.drivemag.net/images/editors/author-avatar.svg. The W204 C-Class will go down in history as being one of the most ludicrous AMG cars ever, with its C63 AMG variant being fitted with a monstrous naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 that produced an oversaturation of 451 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. Both have a classic design that gets even more beautiful as time passes. Another legendary automobile, the 356 is the first production car made by Porsche (the company). On the third generation, launched in 1949, lots of chrome, an oversized grille, a pillarless coupe version and the appearance of tailfins were the signs of things to come. And what came were the amazing fifties. Jaguar's first sports car after the war, the XK120 Roadster was one of the most successful roadsters sold at the end of the forties. The new 6-cylinder motor resulted in a ludicrous 338 hp power figure and could zoom the Beemer from 0-60 in under 5 seconds - if you knew how to tame the tires, that is. In the real world, that resulted in a grocery-getter that could leave even the most extravagant Ferrari sports cars in its rearview mirror with a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 190 mph.

Production stopped in 1942 when all American car manufacturers switched to military vehicles but resumed in 1945, with the Streamliner coupe. Not only was this one of the most muscular Beemers ever built, but it's much more affordable than you'd think, with prices starting from just above $20,000 on the used market nowadays. The 996-generation of Porsche 911s are widely frowned upon for their goofy lights that look damn near identical to the baby Boxster, despite the big price and performance gap. Most of these stunning sports cars were equipped with the well-hated SMG gearbox, and for that reason, we'd heavily insist on finding a stickshift one, it truly makes a world of difference. US-bred muscle cars are often unrefined and unbearable, but the RS5 is a refined piece of machinery designed to put its power down to engulf the driver in one of the most insane driving experiences ever. Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Standard Motor Company started designing this car when the WWII wasn't even finished, as the Brits wanted to return to their luxury habits as soon as possible. Cherishing the road more than the car, he finds it somewhat difficult to fall in love with today's supercars, but will go on talking for hours about n

This little Audi sports car might look like any other TT on the road to the untrained eye, but that fancy RS badge means more than just aesthetic appeal, it morphed the eensy TT into somewhat of a little R8. Giuseppe Figoni was one of the most renowned coachbuilders before the war, but perhaps his greatest creation came in 1946, just after WWII. Get Hotcars Premium. Cadillac Series 62 was the quintessential '40s car, alongside the Buick Super, the Roadmaster and the Oldsmobile 98. The rear-wheel car had, at first, a 1.1-litre engine, but eventually received 1.3 and 1.5-litre engines that helped it win the hearts of automotive enthusiasts - and a lot of races. But for this list, we won't be listing any old 911, no, we'll be talking about the 911 Turbo that came from the factory with a 3.6-liter flat turbocharged flat-six that pumped out a respectable 415 hp. It received all of its oomph from a uniquely designed 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine that pushed out a whopping 360 hp that could only be tamed via a 6-speed manual gearbox, and due to its 3,300-lb curb weight, going from a standstill to 60 mph happening in 4 seconds dead, landing it awfully close to its big brother, the R8. Towards the end of the decade, the first really interesting cars started appearing, but the design revolution was to begin in the crazy 1950s. Oh, La La!

Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment. When BMW's M-division got their hands on Chris Bangel's breathtaking 6-series, the end product was something that shocked all Bimmer fans worldwide, a proper V10-powered M car. The poor man's Porsche, as some may consider it, but in reality, the Cayman was far from being a pitiful excuse wearing the Stuttgart badge. The USA is famous for its oversized foods, A-list celebrities, legendary pony cars like the Ford Mustang, and is home to both Tesla and the muscle car enthusiasts that despise it. Still, we have a list of the most beautiful cars of this decade, and here they are. While some cars on this list might have been muscle car rivals, the BMW Z4 M was more focused on getting your hands sweating and trying to kill you in the process. In the post-war years, the US took the lead, even if it still needed at least two years to restart its car production. And this naturally aspirated 500-hp 5.0-liter V10 meant you couldn't blink too long, or the tires might get too squirmy under pressure and send you flying straight into a tree, and we don't want to imitate muscle car drivers to such an extent now do we.

Of course, it competed in the 1951 Mille Miglia rally and can raise over $2 million in today's auctions. All shared the C-body platform and crossed the war years with little changes to their styling. Start your free trial today. These aren't your average car lovers, they're obsessed with gargantuan V8 motors that produce an obnoxious amount of power, and love to scare their neighbors half to death every morning with a cold start. But the Tucker Torpedo also had some innovations: a third directional headlight (The Cyclops Eye") that lit up if you steered the car by more than 10 degrees, a rear-mounted engine, disk brakes, fuel injection and a padded dashboard were all things difficult to find together in a 1948 car.

There's a reason for this: only 51 examples were made between 1948 and 1949, and it's extremely difficult to find one of the remaining 47 vehicles. With a 3.4 L XK inline-six engine under the hood and an aluminum body, the XK120 managed to dominate opponents on the road and at the track. Would the 1940s bring that design revolution everybody hoped for? Only 680 were made, and it seems the Mafia really loved them.

In conclusion, the C63 AMG was about as near of a muscle car as any German manufacturer had ever come to create, and was a force to be reckoned with. Integrated fenders, a forward-mounted engine, independent front suspension, a modern drive shaft - all were introduced at the same time on this car and would appear and be perfected in the fifties.

Many of the owners provided the engine, but you could often find an 85 hp Ford V8 under the bonnet, allowing the car to reach speeds up to 86 mph (138 km/h). The 1.5-liter engine managed a 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) sprint in 34.4 seconds and reached a top speed of 121 km/h (75 mph). The first Alfa Romeo to be built after the war, the Freccia d'Oro (Golden Arrow) was a 5-seat Berlina with a 2.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine (hence the 6C name) that developed 90 hp and allowed it to reach a top speed of 155 km/h (96 mph). Maximum speed exceeded 132 mph (212 km/h).

Not to mention the 0.27 drag coefficient! P15S Deluxe and P15C Special Deluxe were back on the assembly lines in October 1945, with many differences from the pre-war cars. This Delahaye Narval, named for a noble sea creature, was one of the just seven built for the Salon de l'Automobile de Paris of 1946. The 1500 Gran Turismo was first revealed at the 1947 Geneva Motorshow. Nevertheless, it could reach a top speed of over 150 km/h, which was decent at the time. The first-generation Audi RS5 is as close as Germany has ever come to creating a muscle car on second thought, maybe the Audi makes for a close second. Usually, small sports cars come equipped with turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, but the Z4 M wasn't too fond of that puny number, so it rather borrowed a 3.2-liter straight-six from the E46 M3. Paul Arzens tried to solve petrol shortages by going full electric, and the aluminum and Plexiglas car soon got the name of the Electric Egg.