Sporty cars that looked fast - but actually really weren't

Sporty cars that looked fast—but actually weren’t—focus on designs that suggest stronger performance than the engines deliver. The piece cites the Toyota Celica for starting at 143bhp from a 1.8-litre VVT-I unit, taking 9.0 seconds to reach 62mph, later reaching 127mph when possible. It also notes the Mazda RX-8’s 189bhp output and limited torque at 162lb ft, producing 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and a quarter-mile around 17 seconds, despite its high-revving 1.3-litre Wankel setup. The 2012 Toyota GT86 uses a 2.0-litre Boxer rated at 197bhp and 151lb ft, hitting 62mph in 7.7 seconds, while the automatic slows to 8.2 seconds. Fisker Karma (2011) is described with 260bhp plus two 201bhp electric motors, reaching 62mph in 8.0 seconds on battery. The Ferrari Mondial debuts at Geneva in 1980 with a 3.0-litre V8 at 214bhp and 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds. DeLorean DMC-12 is also referenced.