Want a three-seater performance car? Here are nine of them
No surprises here. Overseen by Gordon Murray and powered by a 6.1-litre, 627bhp V12 created by BMW's engine genius Paul Rosche, the F1 is regarded as one of the greatest sportscars ever built. It remains one of the most furiously sought-after cars, too, with notable past and present owners including Elon Musk, Rowan Atkinson, and Jay Leno. They'd make for an interesting road trip trio...
Advertisement - Page continues below
Is this the coolest EV in history? The Nissan BladeGlider was first revealed to the world as a concept in 2013, and we had a go in it a couple of years later. Similar to the McLaren F1, the central driver's seat was flanked by one each side and slightly behind, while drive came from two independent electric motors, with a combined power output of 268bhp. Nissan initially suggested that it would make showrooms, but just two were built. Shame. You might like Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG004S
Meet the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG004S. Ok, it's not a particularly pretty name, but the specs? Sheesh. Thanks to its all carbon construction, it apparently weighs just 1,179kg – less than a suitcase more than the McLaren F1 – with power coming from a mid-engined twin-turbo V8 with 641bhp and 531lb ft of torque.
Advertisement - Page continues below
Introduced in 1973 and perhaps best known for its three-abreast seating, the Bagheera was the product of co-operation between French conglomerate Matra and Chrysler-owned Simca. An affordable, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe with a small, naturally aspirated engine and a manual gearbox, a handful survive today in the hands of a group of enthusiasts. And yes, it really was named after the Jungle Book character.
Photo: Bonhams Auctions
In 1980, the Murena was unveiled as the Bagheera's replacement. Despite the disappointment of not continuing the Jungle Book character theme, it offered better aerodynamics and arguably more style, improved corrosion resistance, and most essentially for all enthusiasts, more power, thanks to its 2.2-litre Talbot Tagora engine. Sadly, politics between Peugeot-Talbot and Matra saw the Murena prematurely halted in 1985.
Photo: Anglia Car Auctions Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale
Here's one you might not have heard of – a three-seat Ferrari. Unofficially nicknamed Tre Posti , meaning three-seater in Italian, it was conceived by Sergio Pininfarina and based on a design by Aldo Brovarone, who would later design the Dino. Unveiled at the Paris show of '66, underneath sat a race-derived 4.4-litre V12 and mechanics taken from Ferrari's 365 P2. Head of Fiat Gianni Agnelli was said to have loved it so much he ordered another one built, with only two ever created, and the first – a white coloured 365 – as recently as 2014 put up for auction... where a bid of $23m was rejected.
Photo: Gooding & Company Auctions
The McLaren Speedtail is the fourth car in the firm's Ultimate Series, after the Senna, the P1, and the F1, and offers three seats, a stratospheric top speed – 250mph – and a price tag – £1.75m – that's similarly out of this world. Still, that gets you 1,055bhp and 848lb ft – the highest of any McLaren road car – and enough for 0–186mph in 13 seconds. Oh, and guaranteed fun for you and two mates. Which, in our opinion, is quite frankly priceless.
Advertisement - Page continues below
And so we come full circle, to the spiritual successor to the McLaren F1. Gordon Murray's £2.8 million T.50 is a 963kg, 654bhp three-seater that aims to right the 'wrongs' of the McLaren F1 – his words, not ours. Indeed, the T.50 shares many features with the F1, including a central driving position with two passenger seats flanking the driver, a naturally aspirated V12, a six-speed manual gearbox, dihedral doors, fan assisted ground effect aerodynamics, and a laser focus on saving weight. The result, as we found out over a near 900-mile roadtrip, is rather spectacular...
It's been built to celebrate 30 years since the company's outright win at the 1995 Le Mans 24hrs. It's spun off a 'modern' McLaren platform. There's a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, lots of aero, a big wing, and most importantly... three seats!
"Three seats, luggage space, enhanced range; something drivers could, and wanted, to use," said boss Dean Lanzante of his new creation. "We wanted to deliver the same enjoyment and passion of buying and owning a classic car but in a contemporary way. Full focus on what the driver needs and wants, with a blend of modern technologies but pared back to maintain driver focus.'
Read the full story here.
Advertisement - Page continues below
Nissan
McLaren
Ferrari
List
Supercars
News See more on Nissan
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Britain's 9 WORST selling cars revealed – including £80k Fast and Furious-inspired motor & ‘king of weird' retro classic
BRITAIN'S least popular cars in terms of sales have been revealed. One of the losers to make it to the list includes a super rare Fast and Furious-inspired MG. 9 Vauxhall Adam Rocks But first, let's kick things off with the Vauxhall Adam Rocks, which had the makings of a nippy little motor. However, after just three years, the car manufacturer revealed that they were taking it off the market. Launched for the UK market in early 2014, it used the standard Adam's platform but added a rugged flair. The car had 15 mm of raised ride height, plastic cladding, skid plates and a retractable fabric sunroof that folded in just seconds to give a semi‑convertible experience with SUV styling cues. Rocks models started from about £14,695 for the base 1.2-litre version, rising to around £16,695 for the turbo‑charged 1.0‑litre Ecotec unit with around 113 bhp. Mercedes R-Class 9 Mercedes pitched the R‑Class as a 'grand sports tourer'. It was spacious enough for up to seven occupants and packed with luxury touches. Engine options ranged from smooth petrol and diesel V6 units to rare V8s, including a short‑lived R 63 AMG with a 6.2 litre V8 producing over 500 hp—making it one of the fastest seven‑seat vehicles ever. Yet, despite these impressive details, the R‑Class struggled on the market. Its shapeshifting identity—neither true SUV nor comfortable minivan—left buyers uncertain. Fast and the Furious legends meet for the first time in franchise's history The model, priced from around £44,620, withdrew from the UK market in late 2013. MG XPower SV-R model 9 Inspired by the Fast and Furious films, the XPower SV-R can do 0-60mph in just five seconds, and has a 4.6 litre V8 325 bhp engine. Unveiled in the early 2000s, the SV‑R was built on the Qvale Mangusta platform, created by McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens with aggressive styling, wide arches, prominent air intakes, and a carbon‑fibre and aluminium body. The asking price when new was approximately £82,000–£83,000 for the SV‑R variant. Unfortunately, that price proved a major obstacle: MG Rover couldn't sell more than a handful of units. Only 82 cars in total were built between 2003 and 2005 (including prototypes and standard SVs), with as few as nine SV‑R units reportedly sold to actual customers before the company collapsed in April 2005. Lotus Europa 9 The 2006 Lotus Europa S was a curious detour in Lotus's otherwise razor-focused lineup of lightweight sports cars. Introduced as a more refined, road-friendly alternative to the hardcore Elise, the Europa S was based on the same bonded aluminium chassis but featured a longer wheelbase, more comfortable cabin, and a turbocharged 2.0-litre GM-sourced engine producing around 200 bhp. However, it failed to impress as it lacked the practicality to compete with more luxurious rivals like the Porsche Cayman. Only around 458 Europa S models and just 48 Europa SEs were produced before the car was quietly discontinued in 2010. Renault Vel Satis 9 This French car lasted just three years in the UK, as sales topped just at 1,000. Ironically, the Vel Satis was designed as a concept car, but was not the most appealing of vehicles. It also came at a time when it was up against BMWs, Mercedes and the Ford Scorpio. The Vel Satis came available with five engine options, and had a squishy nature to it. However, it perhaps had too much weight to it, with the centre of gravity to high, and not the greatest to drive. But there were some positive aspects, such as being insanely comfortable on the interior, and having a well-appointed cabin that was spacious. Vauxhall Meriva 9 Slated for its bland styling, boring driving dynamics and underwhelming interior quality, the Vauxhall Meriva failed to impress. Despite clever features like rear-hinged FlexDoors and versatile seating system, the Meriva was often left at the bottom of the pile, as motorists leaned towards SUVs and crossovers. By 2017, Vauxhall quietly replaced it with the more SUV-like Crossland X, marking the end of the Meriva's run. It was given a 178bhp turbo engine in the Meriva OAP-mobile, and achieved 272 sales in four years. Chevrolet SSR 9 This is essentially a pickup truck with RWD and has no off-roading ability. Sales for the Chevvy SSR therefore did not go great, even despite its folding hard-top roof. It even had factory layoffs due to its lack of success. Chevrolet admitted defeat of the SSR in 2006, with just 9,000 sales. Aston Martin Virage 9 Only 426 Virages were made between 1988 and 1995, but this did not stop music icon Sir Elton John wanting the luxury car. He forked out £129,950 to get his hands on one, but sold it in 1997. Sitting between the DB9 and more hardcore DBS, it can be described as a GT two-door coupe with a Jekyll and Hyde personality. The Virage can go from long-distance cruiser at comfortable speeds well in excess of 150mph, to an out-and-out supercar. But Aston quietly canned the car 18 months after it launched. Renault Avantime 9 Sales of the Renault Avantime was very low, with only about 450 sold in the UK and 8,557 over the three years it was on the market. The company had originally projected sales of 1,500 per year in the UK. Though with its unique design and rarity, the Avantime could be a future classic. The car did gain a cult following later, but sales performance was still far below expectations.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Speeding driver clocked doing 199mph on German autobahn
German police have clocked a Porsche driver doing 199mph (320km/h) on the autobahn, nearly three times the speed limit for that stretch of motorway. Even in a car-mad country gripped by the need for speed, the report from the A2 near Burg in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt made national headlines. Police said the motorist, whose name and age were not released, faced a €900 (£785) fine and a three-month suspension of his licence among other penalties. Germany's autobahns are the stuff of legend for many drivers, given the absence of a general speed limit. But significant parts of the motorway network do have a cap, particularly in more congested areas. Roadworks also often lead to the enforcement of temporary maximum speeds. The stretch of motorway where the driver of the Porsche Panamera, a luxury car that retails at more than €100,000, was caught on radar had an upper limit of 75mph (120 km/h). He was detected in late July, but police only released data collected from the trap this week. The A2, which runs from the Ruhr valley to Berlin's ring road, is known for lengthy traffic jams, which had cut down on major speed violations of late, local media reported. However, a Bugatti driver was clocked at 259mph on the A2 in 2021, near the state capital, Magdeburg. He allegedly even took his hands from the wheel for a few seconds and was accused of joining an illegal race – a common problem on German roads – but the case did not lead to a conviction due to lack of evidence. Racing enthusiasts, who often gather from across Europe, commonly zero in on long, straight stretches of public roads that they illegally block, and sometimes autobahn sections without a speed limit. With most of Germany on summer school holidays, police in Saxony-Anhalt are carrying out what the regional public broadcaster MDR called a 'speed camera marathon', setting up radar traps on notorious stretches of road across the state. Radars such as the one that caught the Porsche driver are mounted on mobile 'enforcement trailers'. Police had recorded hundreds of violations only this week, MDR reported. Regional police used the extraordinary case of the Porsche driver to issue an appeal to motorists. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Geschwindigkeitsüberschreitungen, or exceeding the speed limit, 'endangers not only the driver himself but also all those on the roads', the force said in a statement. 'Respect the speed rules. That way you'll be on your way safely and avoid high fines, penalty points and driving bans.' Advocates of nationwide speed limits have long cited safety and climate concerns to make their case. The debate has failed to produce any real momentum towards new legislation though, as driving clubs and the auto lobby call the freedom of the autobahn a cherished right and part of Germany's cultural heritage.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Toto Wolff shares ‘very clear' message on George Russell's Mercedes future
Toto Wolff has expressed his contentment with securing George Russell's future at Mercedes, following the definitive end to speculation linking Max Verstappen with a sensational move to the team. The Mercedes team principal and his outfit had made little secret of their desire to recruit the four-time world champion, a pursuit that inevitably heightened concerns over Russell's seat, particularly as his current contract is due to expire at the close of this season. However, Verstappen, 27, recently confirmed his commitment to Red Bull ahead of last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, effectively drawing a line under the persistent rumours of a switch for the 2026 season. Wolff conceded that the potential availability of the Dutch driver was an avenue that "had to be explored." Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport: 'I've always said I'm happy with my team, with Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but suddenly Max's future became uncertain, so we talked to him too. 'But I've always been very clear with George: 90 per cent of the time he would stay with us, but I needed to talk to Verstappen too. Now the situation is clear, and everything can go back to normal.' Verstappen had a break clause from his Red Bull deal which can no longer be activated. Confirmation that he would stay with the team came 23 days after Christian Horner discovered he had been ousted as Red Bull team principal and CEO. Russell claimed his sixth podium of the season at the Hungaroring and has excelled in an inconsistent Mercedes car, while also stepping up to lead the team alongside 18-year-old Italian rookie Antonelli following Lewis Hamilton 's move to Ferrari. Hamilton, who won six of his seven world championships under Wolff at Mercedes, endured another difficult weekend for the Scuderia and labelled himself 'useless' after qualifying. The downbeat 40-year-old said Ferrari should change their driver but Wolff is convinced he will bounce back from his first-season struggles with the Prancing Horse. 'It's a characteristic of the greats: if they know they haven't been up to par, they don't blame the team but look within. Once this moment has passed, he'll come back with the same motivation as always,' Wolff said. Formula One will have a new set of regulations for next season, with major changes to power unit and aerodynamic rules that will bring an end to the ground-effect era in which Mercedes have struggled to match Red Bull and, this season, McLaren. Wolff is optimistic that his team will be stronger next season and admitted he would relish the chance to go head-to-head in a title battle with Hamilton and Ferrari. 'Seeing Ferrari against Mercedes would be fantastic,' Wolff added. 'I have no doubt this duel will happen, next year or in the future. We will experience it and it will be fantastic.'
