10 Performance Cars From The 1960s No One Remembers

For gearheads, the 1960s was a seriously exciting time. Americans were able to watch the muscle car scene explode, while throughout Europe the popularity of stripped-back sports cars and powerful GT models swelled immensely. It's really no surprise that the timeless classics from this particular decade are now some of the most desirable and treasured cars out there.

But for every multi-million-dollar Ferrari, or chrome-clad muscle car, there's an obscure counterpart that time has all but forgotten. Let's shine a spotlight on some of the more interesting and performance-focused models that all too often go unmentioned.

1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire

Number Produced: 9,607

Although now defunct, Oldsmobile is a treasured and iconic classic muscle car brand, with many fans still enjoying famous models, such as the Tornado and 442. One model that flies under the radar, though, is this – the 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire. Just shy of 10,000 units were made throughout 1962 and 1963, taking good advantage of the space-age craze at the time, sporting a cool nameplate like 'Jetfire'. It's surprising that the Jetfire isn't more fondly remembered, as under the hood sat something very unusual for the time – a turbocharged 215ci V8.

This made the Oldsmobile one of the world's first turbocharged production cars, and therefore a car with awesome classic credentials, and plenty of historical importance. Nevertheless, the Jetfire has been consigned to the history books, with more influential muscle cars from the 1960s occupying the head-space of fans instead.

1966 Saab Sonett II

Number Produced: 1,868

A quick look at the Sonett II's specs will likely leave you questioning whether or not the pocket-sized Saab really deserves this spot on a list of forgotten performance cars – 60 horsepower, a 841 cc engine; where's the performance? A good point, but, performance doesn't necessarily always translate as brisk acceleration and high speeds. In the case of the Saab Sonett, performance means stripped-back design, featherweight lightness, and a remarkable back-to-basics sporty driving experience.

Still don't agree? Saab actually made a formidable racer out of the Sonett, which performed incredibly well both on the road and off of it, as a competitive rally car on the complex stages around Europe.

1964 Marcos GT

Number Produced: 850

Marcos produced the GT throughout the 1960s and early '70s, even alongside the Mantis, which was quite possibly the ugliest production car ever developed. The GT, however, was a caricature-like sports car, with a huge sweeping hood, tiny cabin, and steeply raked rear window. Under the hood sat anything from a humble inline-four through to a Ford-derived 3.0-liter Essex V6. The GT proved fairly successful for the British brand, which continued to churn out handsome and low-volume sports cars for decades. Despite the reasonable success of the GT, classic car fans continue to lust after other models, such as the iconic E-Type, Austin Healey, or early Porsche models.

1969 Gilbern Invader

Number Produced: 603

Apart from sporting a rich heritage in racing and rallying, Wales really has had very little involvement with the automotive world, although one manufacturer did make an effort to infiltrate it – Gilbern. Other models came first, but the Invader really was the ultimate iteration of the Gilbern, with a powerful stance and purposeful Ford-derived V6 engine. A fiberglass body kept things light, and a purposeful interior filled with switches and gauges completed the performance GT look. There is likely a small band of enthusiasts who adore and treasure the last few remaining Gilbern models, but largely, Wales' only production car has been forgotten.

1966 Chevrolet Corvair Yenko Stinger

Number Produced: 185

Most Chevrolets that have been tweaked by Don Yenko are anything but forgotten, and instead are some of the most treasured muscle cars out there. Before Don set about creating top-flight Camaro models, he needed a road-racer, and due to the Corvette's weight-problem, it was the Corvair that attracted his gaze.

100 were produced by 1966, with a further 85 coming in the following years, to multiple different specifications, or 'stages'. The most powerful stage IV cars sported 240 horsepower from the Yenko tuned flat-six, which was more than enough to see the 2,100 lbs Corvair flying. These hardened Corvair models could be ordered through the COPO scheme, and due to the insane desirability of Yenko's later tuned Chevrolet models, the Corvair Stinger tends to fly under the radar.

1967 Monteverdi 375

Number Produced: 151 (all variants)

Picture the scene: you're a wealthy businessman in the late 1960s, looking to storm across Europe in a flash GT car this summer. What car should you pick? A Lamborghini Espada, perhaps, or maybe an Aston Martin DBS? Either will do fine, but for a left-field choice, why not opt for a Monteverdi 375 instead?

This sleek luxury GT car hails from Switzerland – not exactly the cultural home of performance, which is possibly why this powerhouse coupe slipped through the cracks. It's estimated that only 151 were produced. It's a shame, really, as the Monteverdi boasts all the right ingredients of a true legend: Italian styling courtesy of Frua in Turin, and a huge all-American 7.2-liter V8 providing ample get-up-and-go.

1964 Gordon Keeble GT

Number Produced: 100

This handsome beast is a real British brute, and it follows a similar recipe to that of the younger Monteverdi, featured in this article. Once again, Italians took care of the styling – namely Giugario of Bertone, who penned the sleek design of this sleek sporting coupe. Under the hood, though, sits a powerful Chevrolet-derived small block V8, which churns out a respectable 300 horsepower.

A total of only 100 Gordon Keeble GTs were ever assembled, and fewer still survive today. This scarcity has led to them becoming incredibly desirable, for those that know, but sadly, it's also resulted in the handsome GT being largely forgotten. Had more been produced, then the Gordon Keeble GT would have been a more regular sight on British roads, which surely would've resulted in more remembering this marque today. In the face of more established brands, though, such as Bentley and Aston Martin, it was a tough sell back in the early '60s.

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt

Number Produced: 100

Ford produced the Fairlane in the tens of thousands, so why does it make our list of '60s performance cars that nobody remembers? Specifically, it's the Thunderbolt model featured here – a scarce limited-run of road-legal drag-racers produced by the blue oval brand in 1964. Like some of the other scarcely recalled models from this list, only 100 were ever made.

Much like many of Ford's most potent models, a 427 big-block V8 takes care of motivation, with a conservatively rated 425 horsepower on offer. The bodywork was quite different from standard Fairlane models, and also consisted of lightweight materials, such as fiberglass and aluminum. Keen Ford muscle car fans will likely remember the model fondly, but for many, this is a classic that not many will be aware of.

1960 OSCA 1600 GTZ

Number Produced: 98

There is more than one way of constructing a performance car. One way - and arguably the easiest way - is to slap a large and powerful V8 into anything, as that will almost inevitably result in a reasonably brisk creation. The other method is to do what OSCA managed here with the 1600 GTZ, which is to champion lightness, and clever packaging.

Despite double-carb iterations only sporting 105 horsepower from a diminutive 1.6-liter inline-four, the OSCA was a keen sports car of the period, with much race success. The diminutive but charming bodywork was styled by none other than Zagato, adding further to the racing appeal. Although adored by racing enthusiasts of the 1960s, more popular models take the spotlight now, which has left the OSCA to be forgotten by many and most.

1960 Warwick GT

Number Produced: 40 (estimated)

While some cars slowly slip out of relevance to become forgotten, others are simply so scarce, no-one knew about them in the first place. The 1960 Warwick GT is one of those cars. When the small sports car company, Peerless, went under at the tail-end of the 1950s, Bernie Rodger purchased and restarted the business, with the unveiling of his Warwick GT. On the face of it, little had changed, but Bernie addressed a number of key flaws with the Peerless, by redesigning the construction of the front-end, and the dashboard too.

Only 40 cars were made over the course of two years, and surviving models are few and far between. Interestingly, when the Warwick GT failed commercially, the project then moved on to John Gordon and Jim Keeble, who developed it into the powerful and stylish Gordon Keeble, which debuted in 1964.