There are many sports cars out there that deserve high praise for their capabilities and craftsmanship, but sometimes manufacturers go too far when hyping up their products. The anticipation of a new model, combined with the brand and nameplate’s legacy are, oftentimes, enough to hype up the car community, but sometimes, the car we get in the end isn’t quite what you had hoped for. The car community can be a cruel mistress and very often, a model is either praised or shunned solely due to the badge it’s “wearing”.
This is most true for the world of performance cars where most highly-anticipated models have a lot of expectations to live up to. In their strife to promote a new model, marketing departments, oftentimes, overshoot their target, by over-praising the model. While some of the cars on the list certainly have what it takes to be classified some of the best sports cars in the industry, there are areas, in which they simply don’t live up to the expectations. These range from compact crossovers to V-12 supercars. Beware that some of what we say below might spark some hard feelings even though each of the cars listed is good in its own right.
10 2024 Nissan GT-R
Even JDM fans would agree that the R35 GT-R is officially an old car. The fact that you can buy a 15-year-old, used example while the car is still in production says enough. While the R35 GT-R has proven time and time again that it is an immensely capable platform, its competitors have moved on. GT-R’s main rival – the Porsche 911 Turbo – has since received two new generations while Nissan have been improving the existing R35.
Yes, the car now has over 100 extra horsepower and a front, limited-slip differential, but it is essentially the same old platform underneath, just with a bumped-up price. The U.S.-exclusive, 2024 Nissan GT-R is the same deal. Nissan went with the nostalgia factor by re-introducing the R34’s Millenium Jade color option and R32-inspired rear wing.
9 2023 Acura Integra
Calling the new Acura Integra a performance vehicle may be a bit of a stretch, but the nameplate has always been associated with the best-handling, front-wheel-drive Japanese coupe. When chatter about the return of the Integra started, every JDM enthusiast expected a new, lightweight coupe. Instead, we got a more luxurious version of the Honda Civic Si. That’s not to say the car is bad, quite the contrary in fact.
This was a classic case of hyping up the public mixed with the weight of the iconic Integra nameplate. On the plus side, the Integra has always been a Civic underneath, and in this regard, it stayed true to tradition. This goes double for the recently-unveiled Integra Type-S, which may have been the redeeming point for the 2023 Integra. Nevertheless, the front-wheel-drive luxury hatchback is shaping up to be the next Japanese tuner car.
8 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo
Maserati may be one of the older Italian carmakers, but it certainly isn’t the first one when you think of mid-engine supercars. Nevertheless, 2020 saw the brand introducing a successor to the Ferrari Enzo-based Maserati MC12. Dubbed the MC20, the new, mid-engine Maserati adhered to some of the latest trends in the industry, among which a “downsized”, twin-turbo V-6 instead of the old model’s big, naturally-aspirated V-12.
By all means, the MC20 is a great car, but Maserati did some mistakes. First, they lied about its “all-new” Nettuno V-6 engine, which turned out to be based on a Ferrari V-8. Then, there’s the MC20 Cielo’s starting price of $212,000, which puts it squarely with the equivalent Ferrari 488 and Lamborghini Huracan, and that’s a bit of a stretch.
7 2024 Ford Mustang
Ford is one of those brands that likes to keep things fairly traditional even in times of electrification. The Ford Mustang is a testament to that as it didn’t feature hybrid powertrains as information leaks had suggested. While hybridization might still be on the way for the next-generation Mustang, we are glad to see the S550’s engine choices have been carried over (although revised). There lies the problem.
The 2024 Mustang simply isn’t new enough. It rides on the same platform as the S550, but it’s even less retro-futuristic than before. The dual-cowl dashboard design has been replaced by a dual-flat-screen layout, which in base trim, looks like an afterthought, with two separate screens randomly sticking out from the dashboard like a pair of mushrooms. A cheeky way of forcing you to opt for the higher trim.
6 2023 Dodge Challenger/Charger Hellcat
The MOPAR duo offered American Muscle car enthusiasts affordable V-8 power since 2006 and 2008 respectively. Carrying the iconic nameplates from the 1960s, these two peaked with the introduction of the supercharged, Hellcat V-8 engine, which was the most attainable collection of big, V-8 horsepower you could get. This spawned various other versions, with the most powerful one being the recently-unveiled Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, churning out up to 1,025 horsepower and 810 pound-feet (1,098 Nm).
Before the brand’s first e-Muscle car, the Challenger and Charger got a plethora of epic “last call” models, powered by the Hellcat engines. While all of these interpretations of the two MOPARS are great and harken back to Dodge’s Muscle car lore, they are, essentially, limited-edition versions of the same LX-based boats we’ve known since the mid-2000s.
5 2023 Honda Civic Type-R
The sixth-generation Civic Type-R is a bit of a recurring theme. Ever since the 2015 FK2 Civic Type-R emerged, it has been the same formula rehashed. The turbocharged, K20C engine with “reverse V-Tec” is a welcome sight and we can spend all day quoting raw figures, which suggest the FL5 Type-R’s superiority to its forbearers.
The truth is that the Civic Type-R hasn’t been groundbreaking for the segment, for some time now. Earlier Honda Civic Type-R generations adhered to the formula of simplicity and lightness. But the 2023 model tips the scales at a not-so-lightweight, 3,188 pounds (1,446 kg). The 5.1-second 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) sprint is tricky to achieve, which means the FL2 Civic Type-R isn’t much quicker than the turbocharged models before it.
4 2023 Nissan Z
Just like the R35 GT-R, the Nissan 370Z was due for a replacement. The 2023 Nissan Z is the latest in a long line of Z-cars to come from Japan. The two-door sports car was far from being “all-new”, riding on the same chassis as its predecessor and featuring the same six-speed manual. Differences were found under the hood, I the form of the VR30 DDTT engine, derived from the Infiniti Red Sport models.
While the new Z was a great improvement in terms of power and interior refinement, Nissan could have done a better job at adapting the chassis to the new powertrain. The 2023 Z turned out to be less-compliant at the limit compared to its 370Z, which boasts better balance overall. In the end, the Nissan Z’s biggest highlight is the great “bang for the buck”.
3 2023 Maserati GranTurismo
The Maserati GranCabrio was in dire need of a successor. Having been around since 2007, the Italian gran tourer showed obvious signs of aging even when compared to the now-deceased Jaguar XK. A successor finally arrived in 2023 and while the design language was very similar to the outgoing M145 model, underneath, there was an all-new Giorgio Sport platform. The GranCabrio also got an EV variant under the Folgore name.
The gasoline versions featured a de-tuned version of the MC20’s 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6, with 496 and 558 horsepower respectively. The new GranTurismo was to usher a new age for Maserati as the brand wanted to become more brash and exclusive – like Ferrari. With a starting price of $295,000, however, the Maserati GranTurismo is too expensive for its own good, especially when compared to more established models like Bentley’s Continental GT.
2 2023 Acura NSX Type-S
The original Honda/Acura NSX reinvented the mid-engine supercar. In 1990, it showed exotic carmakers like Ferrari that maintaining a mid-engine, high-performance vehicle doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Its 2016 successor showed that hybrid powertrains, previously associated with boring economy vehicles, can indeed work in high-performance applications. The car performed well against the competition, but Honda wasn’t sure whether it wanted it to be a sports car or a supercar.
For 2022, the swan-song NSX Type-S was introduced. With the same twin-turbo V-6 hybrid, but with more power – now 602, it was the ultimate NSX. Unfortunately, a starting price of $169,500 put it against more established competitors like the Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911. The second-generation NSX was not a good seller. Between 2016 and 2023, just 2,908 were sold, including the 350 Type-S units.
1 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL
The Bavarian carmaker has plenty of iconic models. After giving us numerous homage models to commemorate iconic classic BMWs, the company finally gave us a road-going example that (few) people could buy. As the name suggests, the 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL celebrates the 1972 original, dubbed “the Batmobile” due to its aggressive styling. Under the neo-retro design cues hides a BMW (G82) M4 CSL. There are some key differences under the bodywork too.
For starters, the S58 straight-six has been “massaged” to produce 552 horsepower (we all know it’s underrated) and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm). In classic tradition, power is sent exclusively to the rear axle and the only transmission is a six-speed manual. So far, it’s all great, until you reach the price tag of $780,000. Even with only 50 made, the new 3.0 CSL is priced way too steep for what is essentially a stripped-down M4.