A sports sedan (also known as sports saloon in British English)[1][2] is a subjective term for a sedan car that is designed to have sporting performance or handling characteristics.[3]
History
The term was originally introduced in the 1930s and early examples include the Sports Saloon versions of the Rover 14[4][5] and Rover 16.[6][7]
From the 1960s, the term sports sedan was increasingly applied by manufacturers to special versions of their vehicles that allowed them to enter production cars in motor races. These cars contained modifications not usually permitted by the regulations, which therefore required cars to be homologated typically by selling them in minimum numbers to the public. Some of the earlier examples were the Alfa Romeo 1900,[8] Renault R8 Gordini,[9] Triumph Dolomite,[10] and Lotus Cortina.[10][11]
In the twentieth century, sports sedans used a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. However,, as other transmission types and drivetrain layouts have become more widespread for sedans in general, sports sedans have also used these. While many sports sedans use notchback designs, fastback and liftback variations are not unheard of, with rarely a smaller hot hatch with three-box/liftback design crossing into this territory compared to large liftbacks.
North American usage
The term "sport sedan" was initially used in North America for luxury import sedans (i.e. BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz). These cars gave higher priority to handling than the domestic luxury sedans (i.e. Cadillac and Lincoln), which were more focused on comfort. However, since the 2000s, the domestic brands have begun producing sports sedan models such as the Cadillac CTS and Lincoln LS.[12][13][14]
Another term sometimes used to describe sports sedans in the US is muscle car, but that normally refers to V8-powered two-door coupe American cars.[15]
Examples
- Acura CL Type-S
- Acura TL Type-S
- Acura CSX Type-S
- Acura TLX Type-S
- Alfa Romeo 1900
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Nuova Super 1600 (1974)
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta Turbodelta (1977)
- Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione
- Alfa Romeo 164 Quadrifoglio
- Alfa Romeo 155 Quadrifoglio
- Alfa Romeo 146 ti
- Alfa Romeo 156 GTA
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (2017)[16][17][18]
- Audi 100 S4
- Audi RS 4
- Audi RS 5
- Audi RS 6
- Audi RS 7
- Audi S8
- Austin Montego Turbo
- Aston Martin Rapide
- Bentley Turbo R
- Bentley Arnage
- Bentley Mulsanne
- Bentley Flying Spur
- BMW M2 Gran Coupé
- BMW M3
- BMW M4 Gran Coupé
- BMW i4 M50
- BMW M5[19]
- BMW M6 Gran Coupé
- BMW i7 M70
- BMW M8 Gran Coupé
- Buick Regal Turbo
- Cadillac CTS-V[20][21]
- Cadillac STS-V
- Cadillac ATS-V
- Cadillac CT4-V
- Cadillac CT5-V
- Citroën DS
- Citroën XM
- Citroën C6
- Chevrolet Cobalt SS
- Chrysler 300M[22][23]
- Chrysler 300 SRT-8
- Chrysler 200S[24][25]
- De Tomaso Deauville
- Dodge Spirit R/T
- Dodge Intrepid R/T
- Dodge Neon SRT-4
- Dodge Avenger R/T[26]
- Dodge Charger SRT-8 (2006)[27][28][29]
- Dodge Dart GT (2016)
- Fiat Croma Turbo
- Fiat Tempra Turbo
- Ford Escort RS
- Ford Granada V6 (Europe)
- Ford Scorpio V6
- Ford Sierra RS
- Ford Taurus SHO
- Ford Contour SVT
- Ford Mondeo ST
- Ford Falcon GT
- Ford Fusion Sport
- FPV F6
- FPV GS
- Holden Monaro GTS (1976)
- Honda Accord Type R
- HSV Grange
- HSV ClubSport
- HSV GTS
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 77 kWh AWD
- Hyundai Elantra N
- Infiniti G
- Infiniti M S
- Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400
- Infiniti Q70
- Jaguar S-Type
- Jaguar XE
- Jaguar XF[30]
- Jaguar XJ[31]
- Kia Stinger
- Lancia Thema V8
- Lexus IS F
- Lexus GS F
- Lincoln LS V8
- Lotus Cortina
- Lotus Carlton
- Lotus Emeya
- Maserati Biturbo
- Maserati Ghibli (2013)
- Maserati Quattroporte[32]
- Maybach 57 S
- Maybach 62 S
- Mazda Cosmo Turbo Sedan (1981)
- Mazdaspeed Protegé
- Mazdaspeed 6
- Mercedes-Benz 190 E Evolution
- Mercedes-Benz C AMG
- Mercedes-Benz E AMG
- Mercedes-Benz S AMG
- Mercedes-Benz CLA AMG
- Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG
- Mercury Marauder
- Merkur Scorpio
- MG ZS 180[33]
- MG ZT 260[34]
- Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
- Mitsubishi Debonair V3000 Royal AMG
- Mitsubishi Diamante 30R-SE
- Mitsubishi Magna Ralliart
- Nissan Bluebird SSS
- Nissan Leopard Type X (1992)
- Nissan Primera eGT
- Nissan Cima VIP (2012)
- Opel Vectra OPC
- Opel Insignia OPC
- Porsche Panamera
- Porsche Taycan
- Peugeot 405 T16
- Peugeot 508 PSE
- Polestar 5
- Pontiac Bonneville GXP
- Pontiac Grand Prix GXP
- Prince Grand Gloria (1964)
- Renault 8 Gordini
- Renault 12 Gordini
- Renault Safrane Biturbo
- Rover 200 (1984)
- Saturn Aura XR
- Subaru Impreza WRX STI
- Subaru WRX STI
- Subaru Legacy STI
- Triumph Dolomite
- Volkswagen Vento VR6
- Volkswagen Phaeton
- Volkswagen Passat R36
- Volkswagen CC VR6
- Volkswagen Arteon R
- Volvo 850 R
- Volvo S40
- Volvo S60
- Volvo S70
- Volvo S80
- Volvo S90
References
- ↑ "saloon (noun)". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ "saloon". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ "Best sport sedans in America". Autoblog. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
'Sport sedan' doesn't have a strict dictionary definition, but we have assembled here our favorite cars with four proper doors and a trunk, not a hatchback.
- ↑ "Rover Speed 14". classicandsportscar.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ↑ "1936 Rover 14 Sports Saloon P2 - Superb, Restored cond. For Sale". carandclassic.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ↑ "1947 Rover Sixteen Sports Saloon". bonhams.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ↑ "1938 Rover P2 16 Sports Saloon". classicandsportscar.ltd.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ↑ "1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint". Sports Car Market. 1 November 2003. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Heseltine, Richard (September 2008). "Renault R8 Gordini". Motor Sport Magazine: 122–126. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- 1 2 Kitman, Jamie Lincoln (31 March 2011). "The 20 Best Sports Sedans of All Time". GQ. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ McCourt, Mark J. (May 2016). "1966 Ford Lotus-Cortina Mk I - Before BMW's 2002 popularized the genre, Ford imported the original sports sedan". Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ "2004 Lincoln LS review". autoblog.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ↑ "2017 Cadillac CTS V-Sport: Continuously Chasing The World's Best Sport Sedans". forbes.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ↑ "2018 Cadillac CTS". caranddriver.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ↑ Mueller, Mike (1997). Motor City muscle. Motorbooks International. p. 13. ISBN 9780760301968.
- ↑ Grasso, Marc D. (9 November 2020). "A movable feast: Alfa Romeo's Giulia sport sedan". Boston Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Evans, Scott (5 June 2020). "2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Q4 Ti Sport AWD First Test Review: Yep, Even Better". Motor Trend. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Wong, James (December 2020). "2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sport review". CarExpert. Australia. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ "Battle of the super-saloons: BMW M5 vs. Vauxhall VXR8". Autocar. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ↑ Gall, Jared (27 April 2015). "2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport". Car and Driver. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
is a sports sedan of singular focus
- ↑ Hogan, Mack (12 May 2019). "Review: Cadillac's $100,000 2019 CTS-V sports sedan gives BMW, Mercedes a run for their money". CNBC. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ↑ Krebs, Michelle (2 June 1998). "1999 Chrysler 300M First Test". Motor Trend. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ "2001 Chrysler 300M Review & Ratings". Edmunds. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Rall, Patrick (11 May 2015). "2015 Chrysler 200S Review: Fun to Drive, Luxurious and Affordable". torquenews.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Prince, Max (25 March 2015). "First drive: 2015 Chrysler 200S V6 AWD". Road and Track. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Williams III, G. Chambers (31 August 2007). "Star-Telegram.com's view: Dodge Avenger R/T". cars.com/reviews. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
This is a well-engineered, cleverly outfitted, fun-to-drive sport sedan.
- ↑ Kreindler, Derek (22 December 2014). "Capsule Comparison: 2015 Dodge Charger SRT 392 Vs. 2014 Chevrolet SS". The Truth About Cars. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Capparella, Joey (14 October 2019). "2019 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack vs. 2019 Kia Stinger GT: Which Sports Sedan Packs a Bigger Punch?". Car and Driver. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Veron, Max (5 December 2020). "Here Are The 10 Best Sports Sedans Of 2020". HotCars. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ "Top 10 best super saloons 2021".
- ↑ "Mercedes S63 AMG vs Jaguar XJR: super-saloon battle". Auto Express. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ↑ "The Super-Saloon". City AM. April 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ↑ Autoexpress April 2003 "Of all the cars transformed by Rover's engineers, this motor is perhaps the most remarkable, as it turned the originally rather dowdy 45 into a fire-breathing super saloon" http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-reviews/36794/mg-rover-45
- ↑ "Ford V8 power for MG's new ZT 260 super saloon". fleetnews.co.uk. 25 September 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
External links
Media related to Sports sedans at Wikimedia Commons