These Are the Most Gorgeous Foreign Cars Of The 90s
The 1990s gave us some truly stunning cars that easily match the most stylish models on sale today when it comes to looks.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and rightly so. They also argue that design is subjective, but in the past, there have been some gorgeous models that managed to appeal to a majority of automotive enthusiasts around the world who still marvel at their breathtaking designs today.
These sports cars have aged gracefully and can give their modern contemporaries a run for their money. As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, we decided to wind the clock back and take a look at some of the most stunningly gorgeous foreign cars of the 90s which have gone down as modern-day classics.
10 Audi TT
The Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer managed to deliver a design masterpiece with the original Audi TT which was introduced back in 1998. The car’s revolutionary aesthetics inspired many other offerings which include the Range Rover Evoque that borrowed styling cues from the Audi TT, such as the car’s flared wheel arch design.
Over the years many facts about Audi’s sports car have been lost in obscurity, but the first generation remains one of the best-looking sports cars from the turn of the millennium.
9 Nissan Skyline R33
The Nissan Skyline GTR R33 is a glorious performance machine that is coveted by car enthusiasts around the world. The Skyline R33 has a long list of admirers which includes Rutledge Wood and Matt Farah.
The car’s understated styling has aged well over the decades, which is probably the reason why the Skyline GTR managed to steal the show with its every appearance in The Fast and Furious franchise. The car is powered by a twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine which produced 280 HP of maximum power in a stock state of tune.
8 Alfa Romeo GTV
It is not possible to curate a list of beautiful cars without including at least one Alfa Romeo model. The original Alfa Romeo GTV was introduced back in 1993 to too much fanfare.
Over the years the popularity of the sports car has grown to monumental proportions where fans compelled Alpha Romeo to reboot the GTV nameplate as a modern offering. The glorious sports car was styled by legendary car designer Pininfarina. The Alfa Romeo GTV sports flamboyant and passionate Italian aesthetics.
7 Maserati 3200 GT
Maserati is yet another highly coveted Italian thoroughbred brand. This is also the reason why fans expected a lot from the company when it introduced the 3200 GT. Maserati 3200 GT failed to meet the expectations and the car’s performance was not up to the mark, but its curvaceous styling still remains one of the most striking body shapes of the 90s.
The beautiful Italian looks more than make up for the car’s unimpressive handling characteristics, but the duo select semi-automatic gearbox is by far one of its biggest failings.
6 Lotus Esprit V8
Not only did it serve the Spy with a License to Kill but the Lotus Esprit was one of the best sports cars that the United Kingdom has ever produced. Other than its performance, the Esprit’s design is one of the most recognizable body shapes of all time and even inspired the mercurial CEO of Tesla who styled his all-electric Cybertruck after the British sports car.
It was in 1996 that Lotus Esprit received its V8 power plant which produced 350 HP and could accelerate to 60 MPH from a standstill in 4.4 seconds.
5 Porsche Boxster
Ferdinand Porsche is responsible for delivering us one of the most timeless and breathtaking car designs of all time. The Porsche 911 styling has influenced the design of many models over the years, including the mid-engine Boxster. The car came equipped with a limited-slip differential and its 2.7-liter flat-6 engine produced 217 horses.
This meant that this bullet-shaped sports car could shoot to a top speed of 161 MPH. Even though the purists claimed that Boxster is just a poor man’s 911, we beg to differ because, with its top-down, the proportions of this roadster are simply breathtaking.
4 Aston Martin DB7
Styled by legendary car designer Ian Callum, the Aston Martin DB7 is one of the finest British luxury cars of all time. The Aston Martin DB7 was offered in both coupe and convertible body types and the grand tourer was a sight to behold in its every avatar.
The Aston Martin DB 7 is one of the finest models the automaker has ever produced and the offering is still desired by enthusiasts around the world. The car shared its underpinnings with The Jaguar XK 8 which also shares DB7’s beautiful proportions.
3 Jaguar XJ 220
Luxury car manufacturer Jaguar teamed up with Tom Walkinshaw Racing to develop one of the most beautiful mid-engine British sports cars ever produced — the XJ 220. The car wasn’t just an automotive-style icon but also a formidable performance machine and set the record for the fastest production car between 1992 and 93 by achieving a top speed of 212.3 MPH.
The car’s beautiful lines were carved in aluminum and XJ220’s scissor doors stole the spotlight from other offerings in the segment.
2 Lamborghini Diablo
Lamborghini has famously avoided participating in motorsport racing over the years, as the Italian car manufacturer focused its efforts on developing the most breathtaking and exhilarating driving machine money can buy.
When the company introduced Lamborghini Diablo in 1990, the car became an instant hit which led to its production spanning over a period of 11 years when the nameplate was finally decommissioned in 2001. Diablo was powered by a 5.7-liter V12 motor which produced 595 HP of power in its most capable state of tune. Even in its first production run Lamborghini Diablo was capable of achieving top speeds north of 200 MPH.
1 McLaren F1
Gordon Murray’s McLaren F1 is a classic hypercar that had the honor of stealing the title of the world’s fastest production car away from the Jaguar XJ 220. The McLaren F1 set a new record in 1992 when the car managed to achieve a top speed of 217.1 MPH.
The car was produced in limited numbers, with only 106 units of this highly sought-after hypercar were ever manufactured. The car’s styling is quite understated but Murray’s brainchild and its butterfly type dihedral doors offered plenty of panache.
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