Top 5 Underrated Supercars Of 21st Century
The last 20 years witnessed the shift of supercars with raw, naturally aspirated motors and unassisted driving to supercars with tech from the future, turbocharged engines and all the driver assists you can come up with.While all of the established supercar makers came out with a sea of offerings, there were some gems which were left unnoticed in this huge pile. We are talking about supercars which didn't make headlines or make it to your wall. Some of them are starting to get all the praise they deserve, but nearly after a decade of the launch, which is too late. Below are five of them which proves being different is a good thing.
Lexus LFA
It'll be a blasphemy if we don't start with the howling LFA which schooled all the entrenched supercar brands on how to make a special car So special that after 10 years since its inception, it is revered as one of the best supercars ever made. So much so that renowned auto journos say it's the best car they've driven. How did Lexus, the same carmaker which makes the most geriatric cars in the world pull this off? 10 years of development and an awful lot of money down the drain with immense passion and vision for perfection gave birth to the LFA. The 560PS 4.8-litre V10 revs to the moon, howls, screams and makes the best noise you've heard (Thanks to Yamaha). Some say, listening to an LFA at full blast is therapeutic. It was and is an alien to the supercar world, but an alien with the most important trait that makes it special -- soul. But to see the brilliance, you have to look beyond the numbers, especially the price tag.
Noble M600
The F40 is the mother of all supercars ever made. But what if you wanted a new one? Simple. You go to Leicester, England and buy a Noble M600. Sounds stupid, right? Well, the M600 must be that epic for it to be lovingly referred to as the modern interpretation of the F40. Like the Fezza, there is no ABS, no climate control or a wacky infotainment system wired to an infinite number of speakers by a brand with a fancy name. The Noble M600 clearly appeals to the unfeigned car guy who likes to drive hard. It is a stealth supercar with understated looks and explosive performance. Explosive is actually an understatement here because the Yamaha-built 4.4-litre turbocharged engine (from Volvo XC90) sends 650PS to the rear wheels. The M600 is that car which makes all the supercars look slow, and we haven't even mentioned the kerb weight of 1250kg.
Honda NSX
Yes, the new NSX is heavy and not as focussed as the original version. But as far we remember, the original NSX (not the Type-R/ Type-S/Type-S Zero) was all about daily usability. It was the supercar that you could drive everyday. In that essence, the new NSX just trumps over the original version. It's basically a cut-price 918 with a 3.5-litre V6 hooked to three electric motors to develop 570PS. But, there were few takers for the new NSX, something which we still can't figure out. It's got the looks, tech, performance and unlike popular belief, it's also got a character.
Maserati MC12
The MC12 is the great Ferrari Enzo's twin cousin. For this reason, it was also the least popular between them. Enzo had the numbers, but the MC12 was special as it was developed to signal Maserati's return to racing after 37 years. The main difference is MC12's long body which in-turn gives it more downforce making it faster than the Enzo around a racetrack. It uses the same 6.0-litre NA Enzo-derived V12 engine pushing out 630PS and 652Nm of twist to the rear wheels. The MC12 showcased commendable performance at races it entered starting with the FIA GT, Italian GT, Super GT and American Le Mans Series. A Maserati MC12 in the iconic Vitaphone livery is a sight to behold and is one of the most underrated race cars and road-going supercars around.
Ferrari 599 GTO
The third car to grace Ferrari's famed GTO badge is the hardcore version of the front-engined 599. For starters, it was the fastest Ferrari when it debuted making it faster than the Enzo around Fiorano test track. But unlike other GTO models, the 599 GTO was not a homologation version derived for racing. This is one supercar that aged so gracefully. The 599 GTO looks fresh even today with some rather quirky design traits. The naturally aspirated 6.0-litre Tipo V12 made 670PS and 620Nm of twist catapulting it to 100kmph in under 3.3 seconds. Production was capped to 599 cars, making it one of the rarest front-engined Ferraris ever made.
By Adithya Gopal S July 26, 2020 at 03:20PM
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