The 1960s remain the most romanticized decade in automotive history — and for good reason. Muscle cars were rewriting the American performance playbook, while Europe churned out stripped-back sports cars and thunderous GT machines that still command reverence today. Yet for every icon that earns a poster on a bedroom wall, there’s a forgotten counterpart that history has quietly buried.
Beyond the multi-million-dollar Ferraris and chrome-clad muscle cars that dominate collector conversation, a handful of genuinely remarkable machines from the era have slipped through the cracks. It’s time to shine a spotlight on some of the most interesting and performance-focused models that all too often go unmentioned.
1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire
Number Produced: 9,607
Front shot of a 1962 Oldsmobile JetfireBring A Trailer
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
Turbocharged 3.5-liter V8
Power
215 horsepower
Torque
300 lb-ft
Although now defunct, Oldsmobile remains a treasured and iconic classic American brand, with devoted fans still celebrating famous models such as the Toronado and 442. One model that consistently flies under the radar, though, is the 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire. Just shy of 10,000 units were built across 1962 and 1963, capitalizing on the space-age craze of the era with a suitably futuristic nameplate. It’s surprising the Jetfire isn’t more fondly remembered, because under the hood sat something genuinely unusual for the time — a turbocharged 215ci V8.
That engine made the Oldsmobile one of the world’s first turbocharged production cars — a distinction that gives it tremendous historical importance and serious collector credentials. Nevertheless, the Jetfire has been largely consigned to the history books, with more celebrated muscle cars from the decade occupying the attention of enthusiasts instead.
1966 Saab Sonett II
Number Produced: 1,868
1966 Saab Sonett II Red Rear Angled ViewBring A Trailer
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
841cc inline-three (two-stroke)
Power
60 horsepower
Torque
69 lb-ft
A quick look at the Sonett II’s specs will likely leave you questioning whether the pocket-sized Saab really deserves a spot on a list of forgotten performance cars — 60 horsepower, an 841cc engine; where’s the performance? It’s a fair question, but performance doesn’t always translate to brisk acceleration and high top speeds. In the case of the Saab Sonett, performance means stripped-back design, featherweight construction, and a back-to-basics driving experience that few cars of any era can match.
Still not convinced? Saab made a formidable racer out of the Sonett, which performed incredibly well both on tarmac and on the demanding rally stages across Europe.
1964 Marcos GT
Number Produced: 850
Front quarter shot of a 1964 Marcos GTBring A Trailer
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
3.0-liter V6
Power
140 horsepower
Torque
191 lb-ft
Marcos produced the GT throughout the 1960s and into the early ’70s, even alongside the Mantis — quite possibly the ugliest production car ever developed. The GT, however, was a caricature-like sports car, with a sweeping hood, tiny cabin, and steeply raked rear window that gave it an unmistakable silhouette. Power came from a range of engines spanning a humble inline-four all the way up to a Ford-derived 3.0-liter Essex V6. The GT proved fairly successful for the small British brand, which continued producing handsome, low-volume sports cars for decades. Despite that reasonable success, classic car fans continue to lust after other models — the iconic E-Type, the Austin-Healey, or early Porsches — leaving the Marcos largely overlooked.
1969 Gilbern Invader
Number Produced: 603
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
3.0-liter V6
Power
141 horsepower
Torque
181 lb-ft
Apart from a rich heritage in racing and rallying, Wales has had very little involvement with the automotive world — though one manufacturer made a genuine effort to change that: Gilbern. Earlier models came first, but the Invader was the ultimate expression of the marque, combining a purposeful stance with a Ford-derived V6 engine. A fiberglass body kept weight in check, while a cockpit filled with switches and gauges completed the performance GT look. A small band of dedicated enthusiasts still adore the surviving Gilbern models, but for the most part, Wales’ only production car has been all but forgotten.
1966 Chevrolet Corvair Yenko Stinger
Number Produced: 185
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
2.7-liter flat-six
Power
240 horsepower
Torque
unknown
Most Chevrolets touched by Don Yenko are anything but forgotten — they rank among the most treasured muscle cars in existence. Before Don set about creating his legendary Camaro builds, he needed a road-racer, and the Corvette’s weight problem steered his attention toward the lighter Corvair.
100 were produced in 1966, with a further 85 following in subsequent years across multiple specifications, or ‘stages’. The most potent Stage IV cars produced 240 horsepower from the Yenko-tuned flat-six — more than enough to send the 2,100-lb Corvair flying. These cars could be ordered through the COPO scheme, but due to the overwhelming desirability of Yenko’s later Camaro builds, the Corvair Stinger tends to get lost in the shuffle.
1967 Monteverdi 375
Number Produced: 151 (all variants)
Front quarter shot of a 1967 Monteverdi 375Bonhams
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
7.2-liter V8
Power
375 horsepower
Torque
480 lb-ft
Picture the scene: you’re a wealthy businessman in the late 1960s, looking to storm across Europe in a flash GT car. What do you choose? A Lamborghini Espada, perhaps, or an Aston Martin DBS? Either would serve you well — but for a genuinely left-field choice, the Monteverdi 375 deserves serious consideration.
This sleek luxury GT hails from Switzerland — not exactly the cultural heartland of performance motoring, which is possibly why this powerhouse coupe slipped through the cracks. Only an estimated 151 were ever produced. It’s a shame, because the Monteverdi has all the right ingredients of a true legend: Italian styling courtesy of Frua in Turin, and a massive all-American 7.2-liter V8 providing the muscle.
1964 Gordon Keeble GT
Number Produced: 100
Front shot of a 1964 Gordon KeebleBonhams
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
5.4-liter V8
Power
300 horsepower
Torque
360 lb-ft
This handsome machine is a genuine British brute, and it follows a similar recipe to the Monteverdi featured earlier in this list. Once again, an Italian took care of the styling — specifically Giorgetto Giugiaro, then at Bertone, who penned the sleek lines of this sporting coupe. Under the hood, however, sits a Chevrolet-derived small-block V8 producing a respectable 300 horsepower.
Only 100 Gordon Keeble GTs were ever assembled, and fewer still survive today. That scarcity has made them intensely desirable among those in the know, but it has also contributed to the GT being largely forgotten by the wider world. Had more been built, the Gordon Keeble would have been a more familiar sight on British roads — and far more people would remember the marque today. As it was, competing against established names like Bentley and Aston Martin made it a tough sell in the early ’60s.
1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt
Number Produced: 100
Front shot of a 1964 Ford Fairlane ThunderboltBring A Trailer
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
7.0-liter V8
Power
425 horsepower
Torque
480 lb-ft
Ford produced the Fairlane in the tens of thousands, so why does it appear on a list of forgotten ’60s performance cars? The answer lies specifically with the Thunderbolt variant — a scarce, limited run of road-legal drag racers that Ford produced in 1964. Like several other entries on this list, only 100 were ever made.
Motivation comes from a 427 big-block V8 conservatively rated at 425 horsepower — a figure that left little doubt about the Thunderbolt’s intentions. The bodywork differed significantly from the standard Fairlane, incorporating lightweight materials including fiberglass and aluminum to keep the car as lean as possible. Devoted Ford muscle car fans will likely know the model well, but for most enthusiasts, this remains one of the era’s best-kept secrets.
1960 OSCA 1600 GTZ
Number Produced: 98
Rear overhead shot of a 1960 OSCA 1600 GTZBring A Trailer
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
1.6-liter inline-four
Power
105 horsepower
Torque
98 lb-ft
There is more than one way to build a performance car. The straightforward approach — arguably the easiest — is to drop a large V8 into a lightweight shell and let displacement do the talking. The other method is to do what OSCA achieved with the 1600 GTZ: champion lightness and clever packaging above all else.
Despite twin-carb versions producing just 105 horsepower from a 1.6-liter inline-four, the OSCA was a capable and competitive sports car of its era, racking up meaningful race results. The diminutive but charming bodywork was styled by none other than Zagato, adding further to its racing pedigree. Though adored by enthusiasts during the 1960s, more prominent models have since claimed the spotlight, leaving the OSCA largely forgotten.
1960 Warwick GT
Number Produced: 40 (estimated)
Front quarter shot of a 1961 Warwick GTHistorics
Key Engine & Performance Specs
Engine
2.0-liter inline-four
Power
100 horsepower
Torque
117 lb-ft
While some cars gradually slip out of relevance, others are so scarce that few people knew about them even when they were new. The 1960 Warwick GT falls firmly into the latter category. When the small sports car company Peerless folded at the tail end of the 1950s, Bernie Rodger purchased the business and relaunched it with the Warwick GT. On the surface, little had changed, but Rodger addressed several key weaknesses of the Peerless by redesigning the front-end structure and the dashboard.
Only around 40 cars were built over two years, and surviving examples are exceptionally rare. Interestingly, when the Warwick GT failed commercially, the project passed to John Gordon and Jim Keeble, who developed it into the powerful and stylish Gordon Keeble — which made its debut in 1964.
Sources: Hemmings, Hagerty, Fastest Laps, Ford, Chevrolet
