When you stop to consider that some of the fastest and most expensive cars on the market come from overseas this seems like a stupid question. Americans probably still consider the Corvette to be the true American Sports car as a two seater built mainly of fiberglass and just about all motor. Italians have the right to be boastful of their accomplishments with the beauty and performance of the Ferrari line, no none can question that they are a force in the sports car market, albeit and expensive one. If you were to ask a German who builds the best sports cars they have the cars to back an argument as well, from the Bugatti to the Porsche Turbo Carrerra GT the Germans have introduced a long line of true sports cars to the world market. We can't forget the Japanese influence of late, from Nissan's Z car series going back to the original 240Z when they were called Datsun, to the 360Z of today they have remained dedicated to offering a pure sports car. Toyota was once a dominant force with the popularity of the Toyota Supra, especially the turbo model but they have become more focused in the sedan market. Mitsubishi has been continually introducing new sports cars and they seem to be more focused on the young auto buyer, the Lancer EVO featured in the Fast and The Furious movie makes their case well. Sports cars have been a global phenomenon since before the start of mass production when cars were considered just for fun or sport. There were cross country rallies all over the globe where independent car makers would test their cars and their skills against each other. After World War II the big cross country rallies were added to with one on one races like the street races in the United States that were glorified by movies like Rebel Without A Cause and later films like Grease. Usually these races would occur in the wee morning hours when the roads were fairly empty and racers would sometimes race for the pink slips or titles of their cars. In Europe the races happened on the long and winding country roads that are all over the Old Country. And now the Japanese began entering the fray, due in large part to the concern over the price of gas in the United States, the Japanese brought quality and performance to new levels while showing that both could be done while offering decent fuel economy. The love of sports cars is even growing in the Middle East where Maserati has found a dependable niche market among the rich young oil barons. The Maserati Quatroporte is especially in demand among the young drivers there. In a world of differing opinions and political views the sports car seems to be a common unifier all across the planet. |
