The future of the sports car is bright – and these five prove it

It’s easy to take a doom-and-gloom approach to the future of the sports car. You can point a finger at how heavy batteries are, moan about EVs delivering a silent and seemingly neutered driving experience, then surmise that the sportscar is dead.

Or, you can pick any of the five cars I’ve gathered up here – five sports cars that really couldn’t be more different if they tried – and remind yourself that driving please is alive and well, even in today’s electrified world.

I’ve tried to be as eclectic as possible. There’s a front-engined British brute, a rear-engined German of impeccable pedigree, a French hot hatch with Formula One DNA, an EV that drives like it’s in a video game, and a Japanese classic given a new lease of life with an electric conversion. Something for everyone, then. Let’s get into it.

Aston Martin Vantage

I’ve always loved the ‘baby’ Aston Martin, ever since it landed as a concept all the way back in 2003. Fast-forward almost a quarter-century and, while the latest, third-generation Vantage is still Aston’s smallest, cheapest and most affordable car, it is no longer a baby.

Power is up a chunky 30 percent on its predecessor, and the twin-turbocharged V8 now puts out 656 horsepower with 800 Nm of torque. The 62 mph benchmark is completed in 3.4 seconds; top speed is 202 mph. Supercar figures from just a generation ago, yet now available at Aston Martin’s entry level.

Not just a brute in suit, the Vantage packs plenty of new tech too. The interior houses Aston’s all-new infotainment system, with its 10.25-inch touchscreen, revised user interface and sensible deployment of physical controls for key systems like the cabin temperature and media volume. Aston promises over-the-air updates too, while must-have extras include a Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

Read our first-drive review of the Aston Martin Vantage

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

Next up, a sports car that couldn’t be more different. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a family-sized electric hatchback that can serve your daily-drive duties, but also happens to produce 640 horsepower, sprint to 62 mph in exactly the same time as the Aston Martin Vantage above – and it has a pretend eight-speed gearbox.

Sure, there’s a regular EV mode. But press a couple of buttons and suddenly the 5 N makes engine-and-exhaust noises from its speakers that are far more lifelike than you’d expect. It revs through the gears, hitting an artificial limiter if you’re not quick enough on the up-shifts, then crackles and pops like a rally car when you shift back down the ‘box.

There’s no clutch pedal and gear stick, but pulling on the paddles behind the steering wheel makes you feel like you’re really changing the cogs on a semi-automatic transmission. It sounds like a gimmick, but it really does work, and feels incredibly authentic. As a demonstration of how to make electric cars fun, I’m all for it.

Read our review of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

Porsche 911 Carrera

Back to being predictable, if only for a moment. The Porsche 911 has been the quintessential sports car for decades now, and with the latest 992.2 generation there’s no sign of that changing.

Sure, the new model represents only a tiny upgrade on its five-year-old predecessor – and the removal of both an analogue rev counter and key-like start switch are both steps backwards. But spend just a few hours in one, even the base-model 911 Carrera, and you’re reminded of how fantastic these cars are.

The entry-level car gets to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 183 mph. It lacks the clever hybrid tech of the new GTS, but still feels plenty quick enough for daily driving. Add in the no-cost-option rear seats, and there’s even room for a couple of kids in the back, plus the usual generation boot space under the nose.

Alpine A290

Sitting between the common-or-garden Renault 5 and the completely bonkers 5 Turbo 3E, you’ll find the Alpine A290. This French hot hatch takes the regular 5 and turns up the wick, adding an extra 100 horsepower, sportier styling, revised suspension and an upgraded interior.

The latter includes a steering wheel decorated with switchgear inspired by that of Alpine’s Formula One car. There’s a blue switch for adjusting the strength of the regenerative braking and a red trigger for instantly deploying maximum power. A gimmick, sure, but it’s a fun way to sprint out of corners while pretending you’re an F1 driver.

I think the A290’s rally-racer styling is a delight, especially when painted in Alpine’s trademark metallic blue, while the interior does just enough to stand out from the standard (and utterly charming) Renault 5. Both cars benefit from a Google-powered infotainment system with integrated Google Maps, Google Assistant and Spotify.

Read our first-drive review of the Alpine A290

Mazda MX-5 Mk1 by Electrogenic

Here’s something a bit different. I love the Mazda MX-5, and have owned a current ND model for four years now. So naturally I was thrilled to try out a newly electrified NA MX-5 by Electrogenic.

Sold as a kit, the electric motor and battery slot into the original, mk1 MX-5, but can be adjusted to fit the mk2 as well. The car produces 160 horsepower, which boosts the original’s power-to-weight ratio by about 20 percent. But what’s much more significant is the boat-load of torque, which lowers the 0-60 mph time from 8.6 seconds to 6.0.

As ever with small EVs, the instantaneous acceleration from walking pace is what impresses most. Add this to the MX-5’s low weight and well-sorted handling, and the result is hugely entertaining. Having flung Electrogenic’s test car around the track at Bicester Heritage I declared it my favourite classic car conversion yet.

Read more about the electric Mazda MX-5 by Electrogenic