Five cars that need to make a comeback

With McLaren reportedly reinventing the legendary F1, we think it is time for some of the other manufacturers to revive a few legends from their own past for modern consumption.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

Okay, so Ford has proven it still knows how to make fantastic fast cars with the likes of the Focus RS and the new GT, but what it is missing now is a superbly bonkers re-invention of the legendary Sierra RS Cosworth.

Winding the Mondeo’s brilliant 2.3-litre turbo engine up to insane levels would be a good start, as would slipping the Focus RS’s AWD system under the body, but by going truly off the deep end and chucking a new body on it to reminded us of the Sierra’s fabulous shape would just be awesome…

Porsche 356

The new 718 Boxster may be a thoroughly triumphant return to four-cylinder glory for the German manufacturer, it is still a fairly pricey, full-fat modern car.

Taking that brilliant new engine and jamming it into a shortened version of the Boxster’s platform (or save massive money by using a VW/Audi platform) draping it in a sleek, minimalist body and offering a no-frills interior would see the sudden availability of a low-cost lightweight Porsche that would be perfect for track days.

And it would also have to be called the 356.

Ferrari Testarossa

Modern Ferrari’s are all curvy, showy monstrosities that are ridiculously fast, but also ridiculously easy to drive. So how about Ferrari return to form and build a monster that wants to kill you?

Before the V12 engines dies in a flurry of environmental concern, jam one in a 458, grind off all the scoops and swoops of the bodywork and give us a brutal, angry wedge with a manual transmission that requires the driver not only sign a waiver before they drive it, but also own at least one pastel coloured suit that he wears with a t-shirt.

Lotus Esprit

Okay Lotus, we get it, you are very good at building fast lightweight cars that all look like the Elise.

So how about bringing back the supercar glory days of the Esprit? If you can’t afford to build a new platform, then have a chat to that Musk bloke who used to jam electric motors into Elises. Things seem to have worked out okay for him so far.

A Lotus designed and engineered modern day Esprit with Tesla underpinnings and electric technology would be pretty damn awesome…

Mini

Yes, yes, we know there actually IS a current Mini, but what would really excite us is a proper mini Mini.

The sort of thing BMW has teased us with before – a tiny city car dripping with Mini design cues. Except this time it could be built out of modern high strength materials, making it small and light.

Then jam an electric drivetrain down low in the tiny body to ensure superb handling and run the whole interior off a smartphone app so that it is also superbly minimalist inside.

Make the design relentlessly modern, but with enough Mini design cues to keep everyone happy. Job done.