Performance cars for the extrovert
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There was a time when performance cars tended to be conservatively styled, sure one or two had a naughty wing or big exhaust to warn others of its potential but in general this sort of overt bragging was frowned upon.
Cars like the Lamborghini Miura and Mercedes-Benz SL300 were beautiful but their sultry curves didn’t quite visually convey their performance potential.
Then slowly machines such as the BMW Batmobile and Lamborghini Countach began to buck the trend, their massive wings and aggressive bodykits screamed ‘look at me, I’m fast!’ Fast-forward to 2017 and the extrovert car-lover is spoilt for choice.
From aggressively styled hatchbacks to in-your-face supercars, you can now signal your arrival with a combination of visual and aural theatre that will stop pedestrians in mid-conversation.
So if you like to get noticed when driving about then read on because the cars from our selection will have people staring at you like you’re a rock star.
Vauxhall GTC VXR
The GTC VXR is a 276bhp missile with looks and an exhaust note that will make it possibly the worst getaway car in history.
For the true extrovert you can opt for larger alloys, an even bigger wing and of course there are a range of colours that will require the donning of sunglasses before viewing.
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Honda Civic Type-R
The first turbocharged Type-R in history is also one of the most aggressively styled Hondas ever built.
The skyscraper high rear wing hints at the serious performance that this 306bhp hatchback can deliver.
A mere 5.5-seconds to 60mph will ensure that most road users will only ever get to see your tailpipes.
Buy a Honda Civic Type-R on AutoTrader
Ford Focus RS
The latest RS continues to provide the goods in the performance department and if you pick one in a nice lurid neon blue or eye-blinding yellow its looks aggressive looks won’t go unnoticed either.
For the ultimate RS experience be sure to opt for the performance upgrade kit which gives you 370bhp and gives the all-wheel drive Focus a supercar scaring 4.5-second 0-60mph time.
Buy a Ford Focus RS on AutoTrader
Ford Mustang 5.0
The first official right-hand drive Mustang to arrive on our shores does not disappoint.
It may not have the laser-like precision of the Germans but who cares about that when you have those looks and that big V8 lump to enjoy.
412bhp and a feature called ‘Line Lock’ is at your disposal to make a smoky and noisy departure from every business meeting.
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BMW M4 GTS
The new M4 may look imposing but for the true extrovert the only option must be the M4 GTS. Yellow alloys? Check. Massive rear wing? Check.
Extremely noisy exhaust with bangs and pops to wake the neighbours? Check and Check.
You may need to scour the specialists for one though as all of these 493bhp monsters have been sold.
Buy a BMW M4 GTS on AutoTrader
BMW Batmobile
Based on the beautiful 3.0CSL, its 206bhp output may seem a bit anaemic in a modern day context but make no mistake, this light-weight racer was a proper sporty machine in its day.
Regulations in the 70s meant that the massive wing had to be shipped in the boot of each car for the owner to assemble. Its road-racer looks gave it a presence on the road that few could match.
You will need to be patient to find one though, they are highly collectible, rare and very pricey.
Aston Martin Vantage
It has been around for ages but thanks to its beguiling looks and that menacing V8 soundtrack the 420bhp Vantage V8 remains the extroverts’ choice.
You can have it in roadster form too if the coupe body style is a bit too retiring for your tastes.
Although for serious bragging rights you may want to hunt down the one-off GT12.
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Maserati GranCabrio
The GranCabrio is another car that has been around for a while but its allure hasn’t diminished since it arrived on the scene in 2010.
It is an imposing thing, as long as an S-class and with one of the best sounding exhaust notes in the business.
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Audi R8
When it was released in 2007, the R8 was a bit of an unexpected entrant into the entry-level supercar sector.
While Audi was known for making quick family cars they had never tried their hand at a two-seater mid-engined Porsche beater.
Its low-slung bodywork and side blades gave it real presence and whether you chose the V8 or V10 the exhaust note was intoxicating.
The recently launched second generation models continue to challenge the established supercar hierarchy.
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Porsche 930
Most 911s tend to blend in innocuously with their surroundings, most that is except for the whale-tail 930.
This, the first turbocharged 911 was also the deadliest, there are probably still bits of bodywork stuck in hedges from the 80s.
Its on-boost performance humbled almost anything else around at the time, the wide arches and huge wing just added visual drama as onlookers watched them slither about.
Porsche GT3
The modern day 911 Turbo is a much more restrained looking car than its forebear so we must look to the GT3 for serious visual drama.
And it doesn’t disappoint, every crease and line screams its intentions. Then you turn the key and realise that those intentions are to race around a track at break-neck speeds.
Buy a Porsche GT3 on AutoTrader
Lamborghini Countach
When the Countach arrived in 1973 its wedge shaped styling and wailing V12 exhaust note rendered just about every other car invisible.
This was before updated versions received the numerous wings and spoilers that have become associated with this in-your-face supercar.
Lamborghini Aventador
The modern version of the Countach may have been designed under the watchful eye of parent company Audi but you would be hard-pressed to tell.
It spits blue flames out of its exhaust pipes and the 740bhp SV version adds some pedestrian skewering wings and scoops to the jet-fighter like bodywork.
A bit different from your A3 TDI then.
Buy a Lamborghini Aventador on AutoTrader
Lamborghini LM002
When it comes to extrovertly styled cars we could just keep on going through Lamborghini’s back-catalogue but to be fair to the other manufacturers we will end the Lamborghini-fest with one last and totally mad entry.
The LM002. Powered by a Countach derived 400bhp+ V12 this crazy SUV is as imposing and eye-catching as a vehicle can get. Impractical? Hell yes, but who cares when it gets you noticed anywhere you drive it.
Ferrari 488GTB
Turbocharging the 458 replacement may have upset the purists but even they cannot deny the simply towering performance of the 661bhp 488GTB.
The bodywork has been subtly updated too and if you don’t turn your head as one blasts by you clearly have no interest in anything on wheels.
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Ferrari F40
Some younger fans of the marque may not know this but Ferrari had experimented with turbocharging way before the 488. The 208GTB, 288 GTO and finally the iconic F40 all featured turbocharged engines.
In the case of the F40, its 2.9-litre 478bhp V8 gave it a 201mph top-speed. The race car inspired looks make sure that it is as striking to look at today as it was at its launch way back in 1987.
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Mercedes SLS AMG
The SLS AMG may not be in production anymore but its gullwing doors, raucous 6.2-litre V8 and low-slung bodywork make for the ultimate look-at-me mobile.
The Black series added further aggression to the package and these are the ones you should look for if you want show-stopping presence.
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Pagani Huayra
Just look at this thing, it demands all of your attention just sitting there. Then you turn the key, or perhaps it’s a special fingerprint recognising button, only those with the requisite £900,000 or so in loose change will find out, and all hell breaks loose.
The Mercedes derived twin-turbo 720bhp V12 sounds ferocious as it blasts you along.
Then there are the cool active aero flaps that move about as you carve up the backroads. Perfect.
McLaren P1
The P1 combines some very clever technical solutions to provide one of the most engaging drives around. It is also clad in a carbonfibre bodywork that looks like it was stolen from the future.
The hydraulically assisted rear wing and swooping lines will have everyone staring as you blast by in a 904 bhp fury of power and noise.
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Bugatti Chiron
If you are looking for all-conquering performance and extreme luxury all wrapped in a nice unassuming package, then the 1500bhp Chiron is definitely NOT the car for you.
In this, the latest ultra-car from Bugatti you will be followed and photographed wherever you go. Thankfully its 261mph top-speed can get you away from the crowds in a hurry.