19 unicorn classics of the 1990s

’90s survivors

In the latest in our occasional series about unicorn cars, we’re taking a look at models from the 1990s which have not survived in great numbers to the present day, according to the How Many Left? website.

As usual, the rule is that each car must have been on sale predominantly during the decade in question, and we’re listing them in order of increasing rarity.

All recorded survivors are counted, but we’re also splitting the total into those registered for the road and those with a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice) status. The figures are the most recent presented by How Many Left? and were correct as of the end of 2020.

1. Nissan Sunny GTI-R

Known as a Nissan Pulsar outside Europe, the Sunny GTI-R was a very special version of the company’s family hatchback.

It had a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine and four-wheel drive, and was built in just enough quantity to allow Nissan to compete in international rallying in a heavily modified derivative.

Nissan Sunny GTI-R – how many left?

According to the records, 88 examples of the GTI-R are still around. Stories of the car’s unreliability are supported by the fact that only 17 are registered for the road.

Remarkably, the GTI-R has survived better than a more conventional hot hatch in the same range – the front-wheel drive, non-turbo Sunny GTI. Only 24 appear to be in the country, three of them fully registered and the remaining 21 on SORN.

• Registered: 17 • 
SORN: 71 • 
Total: 88

2. Renault Sport Spider

The Sport Spider was more literally a racing car for the road than any other model Renault has produced.

Although its 150bhp 2.0-litre 16-valve engine and accompanying gearbox came from high-performance versions of the Clio and Megane, they were mounted at the rear of a unique aluminium chassis clothed in composite bodywork. Some examples were sold with a windscreen, but none ever had a roof.

The Renault Sport Spider had its own one-make race series in several countries. Andy Priaulx and Jason Plato (future World and British Touring Car Champions respectively) both competed in the UK championship with great success.
 

Renault Sport Spider – how many left?

The survival statistics for the Sport Spider make strange reading: 78 are still known to be in the UK, but around two-thirds of them are on SORN.

It’s not clear why this is, since the running gear is usually considered sturdy, and the chassis and bodywork definitely won’t suffer from rust.

• Registered: 23 • 
SORN: 55 • 
Total: 78

3. Volkswagen Vento VR6

Vento was VW’s name for the saloon version of the third-generation Volkswagen Golf.

The models were mechanically identical, and were both fitted with a narrow-angle 2.8-litre V6 engine known as the VR6.

Oddly, VW made the Vento VR6 the basis for a British one-make race series, the successor to one for the supercharged Polo G40.

Volkswagen Vento VR6 – how many left?

The motorsport connection made very little impression on Vento VR6 sales in the UK, or on its survival rate after it was discontinued.

Only 73 are still known to be in the country. By contrast, over 1500 examples of the Golf VR6 are still around.

• Registered: 11 • 
SORN: 62 • 
Total: 73

4. Volkswagen Golf G60

The G60 engine was a supercharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol unit fitted to the second-generation Golf.

Although that Golf was introduced as early as 1983, G60 models did not appear until much later. They qualify for this list because they were sold mostly in the 1990s, though there’s not much in it.

Volkswagen Golf G60 – how many left?

The How Many Left? website reports that there are still 68 Golf G60s in the UK.

The same engine was used in the Golf-based Corrado G60 coupé and the four-wheel drive Golf Rallye. Surprisingly, there appear to be far more of those in the country, at 750 and 130 respectively.

• Registered: 19 • 
SORN: 49 • 
Total: 68

5. Volkswagen Polo Harlequin

Yes, it’s another VW… The Harlequin was a limited-edition version of the third-generation Polo with red, yellow, green and blue body panels, giving the effect of a Harlequin costume.

Painting the cars that way in the factory would have been monumentally expensive. Instead, each car was built in one colour, its panels were later exchanged with those of three more Polos painted in the other colours.

There were therefore four Harlequin colour schemes. The original colour of each car was the one seen on the roof, rear pillar and side sills, whose removal would be very difficult and, in this case, unnecessary.

Volkswagen Polo Harlequin – how many left?

Although the Harlequin idea is fun, the cars are otherwise no more special than any other VW Polo of the era.

This might explain why only 61 remain in the UK, and why just 21 of those are still registered for road use – not that they’d be hard to spot!

• Registered: 21 • 
SORN: 40 • 
Total: 61

6. Subaru Impreza 22B

Subaru created the Impreza 22B shortly after winning its third consecutive World Rally Championship for Manufacturers title in 1997.

Compared with the regular Impreza WRX STI, the new derivative had wider front and rear wheelarches, larger wheels (17-inch rather than 16-inch), a larger engine (2.2 litres rather than 2.0 litres), a hefty rear spoiler and a stronger clutch.

Subaru Impreza 22B – how many left?

Although only a small number are currently registered for the road, nearly 60 22Bs are known to remain in the UK.

This is a remarkable number, considering that only 16 were officially imported. Over 50 arrived in the country as grey imports before the UK-specific examples were registered.

• Registered: 18 • 
SORN: 41 • 
Total: 59

7. Hyundai Scoupe

Also known as the S Coupé, the Scoupe (pronounced ‘scoop’ when spelt like this) was a relatively sporty version of Hyundai’s first front-wheel-drive model, the Excel hatchback.

It was sold at a time when, unlike today, the most obvious reason for buying a Hyundai was that it didn’t cost much.

All versions were powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. In the case of the high-performance model, the unit was turbocharged, sending the power output well over 100bhp.

Hyundai Scoupe – how many left?

It seems strange that the mass-produced Scoupe is now less common in the UK than the specialised Impreza 22B.

One explanation is that 22Bs are now worth six-figure sums. It’s unlikely that this will ever happen to the Scoupe.

• Registered: 18 • 
SORN: 39 • 
Total: 57

8. Jaguar XJ220

The XJ220 was an exceptionally fast two-seater sports car manufactured between 1992 and 1994.

Although Jaguar originally planned to use a V12 engine, the XJ220 went into production with a twin-turbocharged V6 derived from the unit which powered the MG Metro 6R4 rally car.

A slightly modified version, with the catalytic convertors removed and the rev limit raised from 7400 to 7900rpm, achieved 217mph in the hands of racing driver (and now commentator) Martin Brundle at the Nardò test track in southern Italy.
 

Jaguar XJ220 – how many left?

An expensive sports car built in small numbers is bound to be a rarity nearly three decades after it went out of production.

In this context, the XJ220 is doing rather well, with 46 survivors.

• Registered: 13 • 
SORN: 33 • 
Total: 46

9. Nissan QX

QX was the name used in the UK for the second-generation Nissan Cefiro, an executive saloon available with a variety of V6 petrol engines.

The QX was a pleasant but not particularly distinguished car. Nissan’s UK division didn’t seem to have much faith in it, judging by its choice of ‘It Exists’ as the advertising slogan.

If that was the best the company could come up with, imagine what the rejected suggestions must have been like.

Nissan QX – how many left?

Only 27 examples of the QX remain in the UK, and slightly more than half of them are on SORN.

It is therefore still accurate to say that It Exists, but Only Just.

• Registered: 12 • 
SORN: 15 • 
Total: 27

10. Citroën XM V6 24v

In 1990, Citroën added a 24-valve (four valves per cylinder) version of the 3.0-litre PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) engine to its largest model, the XM.

Its peak output of 197bhp was a new record for a Citroën production car, and made the 24v the most powerful model the company had ever put on sale, exceeding even the Maserati-engined SM of the early- to mid-’70s.

Citroen XM V6 24v – how many left?

The XM was never a big seller in the UK, and only around 800 of any kind remain.

The V6 24v is inevitably the rarest of all. None are registered for road use, and a mere 14 currently have a SORN notification. This includes a car referred to as a ‘24X’, which is presumably an error.

• Registered: 0 • 
SORN: 14 • 
Total: 14

11. Plymouth Prowler

One of the last models marketed under the now discontinued Plymouth brand, the Prowler was Chrysler’s tribute to the hot-rod scene, which began when post-war Americans put a lot of money and effort into modifying pre-war cars.

In a splendidly anachronistic turn of events, the Prowler was based on a unique platform. It was categorically not a development of an existing model, as all classic hot rods were.

Plymouth Prowler – how many left?

Although there have been British hot-rod enthusiasts for over half a century, the scene is not native to the UK. This could explain why the Prowler was never a hit here, which in turn explains why so few are left.

The total figure is currently 14, split equally between cars fully registered for the road and those on SORN.

• Registered: 7 • 
SORN: 7 • 
Total: 14

12. Saab 900 Sensonic

In the 1990s, there was a very brief fad for cars with manual gearboxes but no clutch pedal. In each case, the clutch was operated electronically, and the system is usually described as ‘semi-automatic’.

One example (we’ll be looking at another shortly) was the Saab 900 Sensonic. Saab abandoned the system when the 900 was replaced by the 9-3 in 1998.

Saab 900 Sensonic – how many left?

Only 11 Saab 900 Sensonics survived in the UK to the end of 2020, and none of them are fully registered for road use.

Which is probably not a surprise.

• Registered: 0 • 
SORN: 11 • 
Total: 11

13. Maserati Shamal

Maserati describes the Shamal as ‘the most extreme derivate’ of the Biturbo saloon family. It was based on a shortened floorpan also used for the Biturbo Spyder and the Karif.

Unlike the other models, the Shamal was fitted with a 3.2-litre V8 engine rather than a 2.8-litre V6, though (as the name of the original model suggests) it still had two turbochargers.
 

Maserati Shamal – how many left?

It seems that 10 Shamals appear to have made it to the third decade of the 21st century, though only two of them are fully registered.

The related Karif has fared slightly better, with 12 survivors. The How Many Left? website says that there are 91 Biturbos still in the country, but it is not clear how many – if any at all – are Spyders.

• Registered: 2 • 
SORN: 8 • 
Total: 10

14. Daewoo Espero CDXI Auto

Daewoo entered the UK market with a customer-friendly policy of providing all the usual information at dealers but not using a hard-sell technique.

On top of that, the two models available at launch were impressively cheap. One was the Vauxhall Astra-like Nexia, while the other was the Espero, which was based on the J platform used by many other mid-sized, front-wheel drive GM cars around the world.

Of all the versions available from day one, the Espero CDXI Auto was the most expensive, having the highest level of equipment and a relatively costly automatic gearbox.

Daewoo Espero CDXI Auto – how many left?

Daewoo customers appear to have preferred their cars to be as cheap as possible. The Espero CDXI Auto is the rarest of the early models sold in the UK, with only one registered for road use and another nine on SORN.

Much the same applies to the Nexia. There are 180 left in total, but only 12 of these are automatics. As with the Espero Auto, just one of those can legally be driven on the road.

• Registered: 1 • 
SORN: 9 • 
Total: 10

15. Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II

In its various forms, Mercedes’ 190 could be anything from a dependable taxi to a formidable sports saloon.

The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II was the most extreme example of the latter type. Its 2.5-litre short-stroke 16-valve engine produced over 230bhp, and its appearance was dominated by an enormous rear spoiler.

Mercedes created the Evolution II so that it could use a modified version in the German touring car championship, or DTM. Klaus Ludwig is pictured driving one of those cars on his way to winning the 1992 title.

Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II – how many left?

Only as many Evolution IIs as necessary were built in 1990 and 1991, and there is no reason why many of them would have found their way to the UK.

Sure enough, only six are known to be in the country now, and only one is registered for road use.

• Registered: 1 • 
SORN: 5 • 
Total: 6

16. Volkswagen Golf Ecomatic

Like the Saab 900 Sensonic mentioned earlier, the Golf Ecomatic diesel had a manual gearbox and electronic clutch control. It also had an early form of start-stop, which shut off the engine when the car was moving. (This sounds alarming, but you get used to it.)

The Ecomatic was sold in the UK for one year, starting in July 1994. Around 110 found customers, most of them through the Motability scheme. It was only after this that Volkswagen UK realised the Ecomatic had been the cheapest two-pedal diesel in the country, and might have been more popular if marketed as such.

The start-stop system meant that emissions were far lower than in any other diesel-fuelled Golf, but in the mid 1990s there was no tax incentive for cars like that.

Volkswagen Golf Ecomatic – how many left?

Of the original 110 or so examples sold in this country, only six are left, and all of them are on SORN.

This includes the car pictured above, which is owned by Volkswagen. It is on SORN because it is currently in storage, but it stills runs perfectly and will no doubt be registered for road use once more in the near future.

• Registered: 0 • 
SORN: 6 • 
Total: 6

17. Lamborghini Diablo GT

No version of the Diablo ever bore the slightest resemblance to, for example, a Ford Fiesta, but the GT was an exotic supercar even by Lamborghini standards.

More track-oriented than any other Diablo, it was lighter, had a wider front track and had many alterations to the bodywork.

Furthermore, the Diablo’s V12 engine, which normally measured 5.7 litres, was extended to 6.0 litres for the GT.

Lamborghini Diablo GT – how many left?

Only five Diablo GTs remain in the UK, and only one can legally be driven on the road.

However, this should be put in context. Lamborghini only built around 80 examples, of which just four were sold new in the UK (so one or more of the survivors must have been imported later).

Compared with other cars on this list, the Diablo GT is therefore doing extraordinarily well.

• Registered: 1 • 
SORN: 4 • 
Total: 5

18. Bentley Turbo S

The Turbo S was a high-performance derivative of the Bentley Turbo R (pictured) manufactured only in 1995. Bentley planned to build 75 examples but in fact stopped at 60, of which 31 were left-hand drive and 29 right-hand drive.

Other than rarity, the key difference between the Turbo S and the Turbo R lay under the bonnet. Both cars used a turbocharged version of the venerable 6.75-litre L-Series V8 engine (which had by now been in production for 36 years), but the compressor in the Turbo S was larger and the engine management and induction were different.

For these reasons, the maximum output was 402bhp, compared with 298bhp for a Turbo R of the same period.

Bentley Turbo S – how many left?

Despite being very near the end of this list, the Turbo S is actually quite a success story in terms of its survival.

Four remain in the UK, which is a good chunk of the 60 cars built over a quarter of a century ago, and sold in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries.

The Turbo S is also one of the very few cars on this list of which it can be said that most are fully registered for the road.

• Registered: 3 • 
SORN: 1 • 
Total: 4

19. Venturi Atlantique 300

Venturi’s Atlantique was a smart-looking French sports car powered by the V6 Peugeot-Renault-Volvo engine. In the 300, the PRV was used in 3.0-litre form, and was available in both naturally aspirated and twin-turbo forms.

The Atlantique was compared favourably with the Lotus Esprit, but sales were very poor.

Venturi Atlantique 300 – how many left?

The Atlantique 300 is the only Venturi model mentioned on the How Many Left? website. Three of them exist, two fully registered and one on SORN. It is not clear whether any of them are turbocharged.

The site also refers to four other Venturis. These are all described as ‘model missing’, so there is no way of telling whether or not they are Atlantiques.

• Registered: 2 • 
SORN: 1 • 
Total: 3