It sounds nice and contradictory: modest supercars. Yet quite a few have been secretly built. We list 10 here.
A supercar is the highest achievable in the automotive spectrum. Well, literally speaking that might be a Brabus G-Class with lift kit and portal axles, but you can't make a bigger statement than with a real supercar.
Almost all supercars share the same recipe: lots of cylinders, lots of power and rear-wheel drive. Of course, sometimes people deviate from the recipe, but in most cases you are dealing with a low and wide car. That always makes an impression.
Understated supercars
In many cases, a lot of visual drama is also used. It's just part of a supercar. Spoilers, air intakes, flamboyant styling. It is just what you expect with a supercar. And yet there is also a subgroup of more subdued supercars. These do have the exotic technology and special layout, but are aimed at the more mature person.
A person who needs to stand out a little less, but still wants to enjoy the pleasures of a supercar. A supercar that is actually usable for daily driving. Supercars where the performance potential is also usable. You don't have to call your insurer after a few turns because you involuntarily pruned the neighbor's hedge with your exotic plant. We have made an overview of some great understated supercars.
Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro (Type 42)
2007 – 2015
The Audi R8 was a sensation for Audi at the time. A mid-engine, most of the drive to the rear wheels and complete use of understeer! It was bizarre that Audi came up with such a car. But let's be honest, despite the fact that it was a very good supercar, it was an understated appearance by supercar standards. No big spoiler, crazy folds or other strange antics. Yes, admit it, those LED headlights age worse than Thijs Römer's text messages. But otherwise a great one.
BMW M1 (E26)
1978 – 1981
One of the first supercars that did everything differently. The BMW M1 is one of the most iconic sports cars of the brand, but also of its time. Initially because of the looks. Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the car as only he can: a simple yet very recognizable design. Despite Lamborghini's involvement, the BMW M1 was certainly not an untamed beast. Here was a supercar with actually a bit of finesse and comfort.
Honda NSX (NA1)
1990 – 2001
Perhaps the prototype understated supercar. In the late 1980s, the Japanese economy was booming and Japanese brands wanted to move up. Not only to increase the margin per car, but also to make more name and fame. The Honda NSX was a fabulous masterpiece, but not everyone saw it as such when it was introduced. The special Honda remained intact and was relatively easy to drive. The exterior was also more 'super-CRX' than Ferrari-killer.
Lotus Esprit V8
1995 – 2004
People always had some doubts about the supercar status of the Lotus Esprit. Yes, Giugiaro's basic lines were very nice and the car drove very well, but it was not particularly fast with the four-cylinder. That changed with the '915' engine, a 3.5 liter V8 with two turbos and a flatplane crankshaft. Suddenly the Esprit had 350 hp at its disposal and a lot of torque. Fun fact: the engine produces more than 500 hp in standard trim, but Lotus had to curb the engine slightly because the transmission (from a Renault 25) would otherwise not work.
Porsche 959
1987 – 1992
The only car in the overview with the engine behind the rear axle. This Porsche was revolutionary in its time. Lightning fast, equipped with the most special techniques and also very luxurious. We're the last to say that this is a very easy car to drive, but the Porsche 959's contemporaries provide some much-needed context. Four-wheel drive was a new phenomenon at the time, also very special
McLaren MP4-12C
2010 – 2013
This was the battle 14 years ago: the MP4-12C against the Ferrari 458 Italia. The 458 was (and is) one of the most beautiful and successful Ferraris of all time, the McLaren the new challenger. Just like the Formula 1 team of both brands, the then brand new road car division worked completely differently. The MP4-12C was given very modest styling, a relatively quiet engine and extremely comfortable handling. Don't make the mistake of thinking it's a slow, understeered and cumbersome car. It is still a very frisky, very fast and sharp supercar, it just does not stand out as much, both in terms of design and driving characteristics.
Maserati MC20
2021 – present
And so we arrive at the Maserati MC20. It is one of the most mature and understated supercars. That does not mean that it is a boring car, on the contrary. It is also not the case that you go through life completely incognito with the MC20. It is simply a supercar that does not shout from the rooftops that it is an Italian supercar. The 620 hp engine is quite tweaked, as every German tuner can easily get 700 hp or more out of it. The MC20 is therefore somewhat 'positioned' by Maserati (or better said: Ferrari).
Lotus Evora GT410
2020 – 2021
We've already mentioned a Lotus and here's another one. But in this case the car is even more subdued. And the character is even less extreme. There are a few chassis gods at Lotus. Gavan Kershaw is perhaps the best known. He has the gift of giving an extremely sporty car a great ride. They have delivered their masterpiece with the Evora, because the Evora has very flexible suspension for the type of car. Please note: it is certainly not a soft car. In this case we took the 'GT410' because you then have 410 hp, which the car also deserves at least.
McLaren GT
2016 – 2023
The MP4-12C was followed by the slightly modified 12C and then the 650S, which added a bit more drama to the recipe. That car is a particularly fast and exuberantly styled supercar. Based on – more or less – the same basis and engine, McLaren is rapidly developing a supercar, each more exuberant and faster than the other. This also provides space for an understated supercar with an eye for comfort. That car in question is the McLaren GT. The advantage for the British was that they could now rely entirely on ease of use. The MLAren GT is relatively spacious and even has a usable luggage compartment! The chassis is more tailored to public roads than tight track asphalt. But mind you: it is still a supercar with a carbon chassis and a 600 hp V8. It is still a thoroughbred.
Acura NSX Type S
2022
The reason we are most jealous of Max Verstappen. He (undoubtedly) has one. The second generation Honda NSX was received even worse than the first. The first NSX was relatively friendly and accessible, but with sensations and very pleasant handling. The second generation was a special case. The combination of four-wheel drive and hybrid is a special one. Actually, the Honda's system is particularly efficient and smart. Once again it is a supercar for every day, but this time with a much more serious performance potential.
Bonus: Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus
2017 – 2018
The second generation R8 was already slightly more extroverted. Especially after the facelift. But in addition to the chosen lines, the right configuration can do wonders for this overview of modest supercars. Yes, we know: it's a convertible and not a coupe like the rest. But check out that combination of dark green exterior, brown interior, aluminum details and silver rims. This is what an R8 can also look like. Luckily someone at the British importer did that, because it looks great. It also drives like a charm, by the way.
Of course, this is just a selection of the special understated supercars. Additions are of course very welcome in the comments!
This article These are 10 modest supercars in a row first appeared on Autoblog.nl.
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