Forgotten British sports cars worth rediscovering

Britain has never really struggled when it comes to building sports cars. For decades, we seemed to produce them in every shape and size imaginable – some brilliant, some questionable, and quite a few that quietly slipped through the cracks.

Because for every E-Type or DB5 that gets wheeled out at the first mention of “classic British motoring”, there are dozens of others that never quite achieved the same level of fame. Not necessarily because they weren’t good, but because they arrived at the wrong time, wore the wrong badge, or simply didn’t shout loudly enough.

Which is a shame, really. Because some of them have stories far more interesting than their reputation suggests.

The Jensen-Healey is often remembered, if it’s remembered at all, as a slightly troubled roadster from the early 1970s. Which is only part of the story.

What tends to get overlooked is just how ambitious it was. Jensen, better known for rather muscular GT cars, decided to take on the likes of the MGB and Triumph TR6 with something lighter, more modern, and – crucially – powered by Lotus.

That engine, a Lotus 907, was advanced for its time: twin overhead cams, 16 valves, and a willingness to rev that most British sports cars of the era simply didn’t have. On paper, it should have been a game-changer.

In practice… well, early reliability wasn’t exactly its strong suit.

Still, the idea was there. A genuinely modern British roadster, blending Lotus engineering with everyday usability. Had it arrived a few years later – or with a bit more development – it might have rewritten Jensen’s story entirely.

The early 1980s were a slightly awkward period for TVR. Known for curvy, slightly wild sports cars, the company suddenly pivoted to something far more angular with the Tasmin. Sharp lines, flat surfaces, and a design that looked more like origami than traditional British sports car styling. It didn’t go down especially well.

But here’s the interesting part: beneath the styling, the Tasmin was a serious attempt to move TVR upmarket. Better build quality (relatively speaking), improved ergonomics, and a more refined driving experience. It was TVR trying to grow up.

The problem was that buyers didn’t really want a sensible TVR. They wanted something a bit more unhinged.

Which is exactly what TVR went back to building not long after.

If you want obscure, Gilbern is a good place to start. A small Welsh manufacturer producing cars in the 1960s and ’70s, Gilbern built the Genie as a sort of grand touring sports car – fibreglass body, Ford mechanicals, and a level of practicality that made it surprisingly usable.

What makes it interesting isn’t just the car itself, but the fact that it existed at all.

Gilbern was one of the very few car manufacturers ever to come out of Wales, and it managed to carve out a niche despite limited resources and almost no marketing presence. Owners tended to discover them through word of mouth rather than glossy brochures.

The Genie, in particular, struck a nice balance. Quick enough to be entertaining, comfortable enough for longer journeys, and just unusual enough to start conversations wherever it went.

Mention the Triumph Stag and you’ll usually get a knowing look, followed by a comment about overheating. Which is a bit unfair.

Yes, the early cars had their issues – particularly with the in-house V8 engine, which could be temperamental if not maintained properly. But what often gets missed is just how appealing the Stag was as a concept.

A stylish, open-top grand tourer with a proper V8 soundtrack and enough space to be genuinely usable. It wasn’t trying to be a stripped-out sports car. It was something more relaxed, more grown-up.

And when they’re sorted – which almost all are now – they make a compelling case for themselves. Smooth, characterful, and perfectly suited to the kind of long, unhurried drives they were designed for in the first place.

Sometimes, a reputation just sticks a bit too well.

Reliant is usually associated with three wheels and a certain amount of comedy. The Scimitar GTE ignores all of that.

A shooting brake sports car from the late 1960s onwards, it combined fibreglass construction with Ford power and a layout that made it genuinely practical. You could carry luggage, passengers, and still enjoy yourself on the right road.

It also attracted a rather interesting fan base. Princess Anne famously owned several, using them as everyday transport, which tells you quite a lot about their usability.

The idea of a fast, practical coupe wasn’t entirely new, but the Scimitar made it feel accessible. A car you could actually live with, rather than just admire.

Marcos always did things slightly differently. Low, wide, and often built with a mix of materials that suggested improvisation rather than convention, their cars had a reputation for being, shall we say, characterful.

The Mantula, launched in the 1980s, took that formula and added a Rover V8 into the mix. The result was a lightweight sports car with rather more power than you might expect, and a driving experience that leaned firmly towards the lively side.

What’s interesting is how loyal Marcos owners tend to be. These aren’t cars you buy by accident. You seek them out, usually because you want something that feels a bit more raw and involving than the mainstream alternatives. And that, in many ways, is the appeal.

What ties all of these cars together isn’t just their relative obscurity. It’s the sense that each of them was trying to do something slightly different.

Some were ahead of their time. Some were misunderstood. Some simply suffered from being built in an era when the British car industry wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders.

But all of them offer something that’s easy to overlook when you focus only on the obvious classics: character.