Who made the first supercar?

At age ten, in 1967, I was in Monte Carlo for the first time. I had grown up in a small town in northern Idaho and my dad had (at the time) the only Ferrari in the state, a 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta. So while I'd seen a few great cars I still rememember the impression left by a fly yellow Bizzarrini parked in front of the Casino. It was a true Supercar in every sense of the word.

I loved the Muira when I first saw one of those as well, hovever I think the term applies to a lot of cars of great sporting intent, including many pre-war cars. Cheers, George

 

Jaguar xk120.

Jaguar brags they have a car capable of 120MPH, and then proves it. I think the car did 130MPH plus at the time. This in 1949, I think. Named the xk120 because of it's speed capability.

Alloy body, hand made 1st year or two, still a wonderful and stylish car today.

Without a doubt a "supercar" in the immediate post WWII era.

DM
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Context *is* _everything_:

"Supercar, the marvel of the age! Pilotted by Mike Mecury and designed by brainiac Professor Popkiss, this phenomenal machine can fly and travel underwater, operating from its base in the Arizona desert. Popkiss`s assistant, Dr Beaker, orphan Jimmy Gibson and his pet monkey Mitch made up the rest of the Supercar team. Its not all sweetness and light, however; there are evildoers who want to steal Supercar`s secrets - chief among these villains is Mike Mercury`s recurring nemesis, Masterpsy."
http://www.myscifi.co.uk/supercar.htm

 

The Countach without a doubt was the first Supercar. Sure the Miura, 250GTO and the SL300 could easly be concidered Supercars you really didn't know what to call them in the era because there wasn't even a name for them!.

Personally if someone mentions Sl300, 250GTO and a Miura, I think Muscle car, not quite American Muscle but at that time those sportscars where fast just like the Cudas, Challengers and such.

When the Countach was released, there wasn't a car like it, it was in a leage of its own. Someone mentioned Countach, they normally said Supercar. The design, power and quaitly made it a Supercar.

Its like the term Hypercar didn't come about until the Veyron was released, you wouldn't concider a Mclaren F1 or an Enzo a hypercar wouldn't you?.

 

I think its the Miura, but wont argue too hard that its the Countach like you suggest..... so I suppose that by ownership of both, Im just trying to cover my bases ;-)

Joe

 

Exactly. If it can't fly, it ain't a supercar. End of story.

 

Interesting posit...

427/289 Cobras were basically "hot-rods"
427 Corvettes....same
426 Hemi's....same
Ls-6 straight line and nothing else
Countach...80's car pushing 200 MPH, style, presence
TR...(Ferrari's response).... 80's car, pusing 200 MPH, style, etc
Muira... late 60's early 70's grand GT...tops out @ 170 MPH?
250 LM basically a racer/limited street car production
Tucker...15 years prior to anyting previously metnioned in my list
Aston DB?...grand GT, power, style
GT-40
944T did 150 MPH
928
Esprit
962
550
935



IMO, a "super car" is a grand GT that can go to the corner market for groceries, yet can top 200 MPH if needed...........


Who did that first?

Original GT-40
Countach
TR

(getting credit for lack of technology)
Aston
Esprit
550
962

Who really "raised the bar" tp the point where is took years to catch up....that's your answer.

 

Supercars by definition did not race and were production cars.

Thus the Alfa Romeo 8c2900B, etc. cannot be considered a supercar because it did enter many races for the factory.

The Ford Gt40 cannot also be considered a supercar because ofcourse it was designed to win races.

Thus yes I agree with many that the Lamborghini Muira was the first. The first, I will not race, poser street car. What a shame Wallace was not allowed to race the thing ...

It's a stupid term for stupid cars, beautiful yes but stupid.
Pete

 

Yes, and much of it was lifted from the pre-war BMW 328 that came over ten years earlier (1936). The 328 like the XK120 was a street and track car.

 

i'll just throw in the bugatti t-57c atlantic....pretty exotic even in it's own time...

 

"Sl300 (sic), 250GTO and a Miura, I think Muscle car, not quite American Muscle but at that time those sportscars where fast just like the Cudas, Challengers"

I have to confess that mention of those first three never brought forth thoughts of the last two.

 

Paul's car now lives in Texas. The car is still in immaculate condition. A testament to the quality of his restoration.

 

Great write up. Definitely a part of the history of this car.

 

People claim it's the Lambo Miura but Gandini totally ripped off the Ford GT40 profile.

Prewar I'd guess Duesenberg.

Postwar maybe Ferrari before the 250 GTO

 

Very entertaining thread for sure. Miura .

 

Then by your critera I would suggest XKE 3.8

 

Why is the L88 Vette considered a "hot rod" and not a supercar?
It came from the factory with all disc brakes independent suspension and an aluminum block engine with over 500 hp. Could be driven on the street and was a winner in GT racing
The Owens/Corning team won over 20 races in a row with these
Is a supercar defined by who built it, how it looks, or how it performs?
Was looking at a Z28 this weekend. Over 500hp CCB brakes same suspension tech as an F12
Is it a hot rod or a supercar?

 

Interesting topic.

I think the OP's reference to "supercar" was likely in the popular road car sense, what the broad Public would have perceived and talked about. So IMO Lamborghini made the first supercar and the "Countach" was the first one. Boosted in part by the expansion of mass visual media (TV, magazines), the Countach became the most visible icon of cutting edge automotive ideas at the time, essentially creating the popular mindspace for the term. The Miura may have rightfully been the first car to be called a "supercar" by an automotive authority but the term really did not take root in the Public until the Countach came along.

 

MIURA

 

That beat Ferraris on the race track, how is that not super? But super car does have an exotic implication and the Miura was exotic.

 

Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W198)

 

The price they sell for now says it all, but where they exotic or just a better Corvette?

 

TheL88 option cost as much as the base car I believe.
Is Ferrari just a better fiat?

 

Tatra 77