25 great classic German coupés

These German two-doors are wunderbar

Germany has produced more than its fair share of great classic coupés, from the affordable to the highly exotic.

Here’s our selection of some of 25 of the most notable fastbacks to come from this country, presented in chronological order.

1. Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (1954)

Developed from Mercedes’ racing programme, the 300SL Gullwing coupé was every inch a race car for the road.

The sleek shape was arrived at by a desire to make it as streamlined as possible, helping the SL achieve a top speed as high as 163mph, depending on the gearing used.

Underneath the body it had a spaceframe chassis, which dictated the Gullwing’s trademark doors. With the sills providing so much of the strength, there wasn’t enough depth for normal doors, so the simple solution was to hinge them at the top, instantly creating one of the most distinctive coupés in motoring history.
 

2. BMW 503 (1955)

BMW embraced a bold new style with the Albrecht Goertz-styled 503 coupé in 1955.

Its full lines were very much at the forefront of design at the time, but some felt it lacked the drama of key rival, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

The Mercedes also eclipsed the BMW on performance, with the 503 managing 120mph with its 3.2-litre V8 compared to 150mph for the 300SL.

That and its huge price did for the 503 and only 412 were sold, which took BMW perilously close to bankruptcy and necessitated a shift in focus to the Isetta bubble car.

3. Borgward Isabella (1955)

Rumour has it that company owner Carl Borgward created the Isabella coupé to keep his wife from ordering a Karmann Ghia from rival Volkswagen.

Whether that’s true or not, the result is a pretty classic coupé with 2+2 seating and fine handling.

The rugged 1.5-litre engine offered sufficiently sporty performance, though the four-speed column gearshift was less impressive.

It’s a good all-round car, so Volkswagen’s loss of a sale benefited those who chose the more expensive Isabella.

4. Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (1955)

Form over function, or a brilliant use of the Beetle floorpan: both are valid views of the pretty Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.

Its coupé shape was less roomy inside than a Beetle’s cabin and the Karmann-designed model was heavier, so the already modest performance of the base car took a hit.

However, the Karmann Ghia was a hit with buyers and 364,401 were sold in its lifetime. VW also addressed the performance issue with the Type 3-based model, called the Type 34, that came with bigger engines, though these eventually made their way into the original version, too.

5. NSU Sport Prinz (1958)

Franco Scaglione at Bertone transformed the boxy NSU Prinz saloon into something way more dramatic and stylish with the Sport Prinz.

Here was a delicately proportioned two-seat coupé that added a great looks to the fundamentally decent handling of the base car.

It’s a shame the 583cc and then 598cc two-cylinder engines mounted at the back didn’t have the pace to match the looks.

However, this was not a barrier to the Sport Prinz finding more than 20,000 willing buyers during its nine-year production life.

6. Mercedes-Benz 300SE Coupé (1962)

Mercedes-Benz was on a roll with its coupés in the immediate post-war period, from the supercar 300SL Gullwing to the restrained elegance of the 220 model.

Yet none was more graceful than the 300SE, which used the same body as the 220 introduced the year before, but added a 167bhp 3.0-litre straight-six engine.

The pillarless design of the windows gave the 300SE’s cabin an airy feel. When Mercedes fitted the 3.5-litre V8 engine to this car in 1967, it had a coupé to rival the very best in the world, albeit with a price to match.

7. Opel GT (1968)

Opel took inspiration for its new GT coupé from its US cousin, the Corvette. It gave the GT swoopy lines, a cut-off Kamm-type rear end and those distinctive pop-up headlights.

It all came together in a very attractive two-seat shape that was first shown as a concept at the 1965 Frankfurt motor show.

Although German in design, engineering and its Rekord-sourced engine, the GT’s body was built in France by Brissonneau & Lotz before final assembly back at Opel’s factory.

In a twist of fate, this European idea of a Corvette ended up selling most of its 103,463 production in the US.

8. Audi 100 Coupé S (1970)

Audi decided it needed a bit of glamour in its line-up at the beginning of the 1970s and used its worthy but dull 100 saloon as the base.

What emerged in the 100 Coupé S was far from boring, thanks to styling that bore a resemblance to Aston Martin’s DBS.

The four-seat 100 Coupé S was comfortable and enjoyable to drive, and it came with Audi’s engineering know-how to ensure it was reliable and well built.

Power came from the 100’s 1.9-litre engine, giving 118mph on the autobahn. It’s rare then and now, because only 30,687 examples of the 100 Coupé S were made in six years.

9. Ford Taunus TC (1970)

While buyers in the UK had the Ford Cortina, in Germany there was the Taunus and it was offered as a handsome two-door, four-seat fastback coupé as the TC.

Ford already had the Capri, but the Taunus TC was intended as more of a grand tourer than a sporting model.

While never a huge seller, the coupé justified its place in the Taunus line-up until 1975. It was offered with the usual Pinto and Cologne V6 engine choices, including a 2.0 V6 that was never available to British buyers.

10. BMW 3.0CS (1971)

BMW’s coupé hit its stride with the 3.0CS, which offered more power, performance and long-legged cruising than its predecessor, thanks to its 180bhp 3.0-litre engine. The delicate styling was also tweaked to give it greater presence, though the clean side profile remained with the pillarless design for the windows.

The 3.0CSi added fuel injection and increased power to 200bhp, while the ultimate incarnation of this particular BMW coupé was the 3.0CSL, where ‘L’ stood for ‘leicht’.

This pared back, lightweight model was built to homologate the car for Touring Car racing, which it went on to dominate and cement the reputation of the CS coupé.

11. Volkswagen Scirocco (1973)

A year before Volkswagen stunned the world with the Golf GTI, it launched the crisply styled Scirocco coupé that shared its base platform with the Golf.

The Scirocco took over coupé duties from the Karmann Ghia, and the new car was also built by Karmann but styled by Giugiaro.

Initially launched with 1.5-litre engine, the Scirocco found its stride when it gained the same 110bhp 1.6-litre motor the Golf GTI would use.

This meant 0-60mph in a brisk 8.5 secs allied to nimble handling that made the Scirocco a half-million-selling hit across two generations.

12. Ford Granada Coupé (1974)

Ably demonstrating that a coupé was regarded as a cut above the average at the time, Ford introduced the fastback Granada Coupé in 1974.

Underneath, it was identical to the Blue Oval’s executive saloon with 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 3.0 V6 power, though most buyers opted for the latter.

Built at Ford’s Cologne plant, the Coupé lasted until 1977, when Ford introduced the Granada Mk2 range but with no coupé. In the UK, this handsome car was only offered in full-dress Ghia trim.

13. BMW 6 Series (1976)

The 6 Series coupé showed the direction of BMW styling and this shark-nosed two-door shared a lot in its looks with the as-yet unlaunched 7 Series saloon.

As a four-seat coupé, the 6 Series was more of a grand tourer than the previous 3.0CSi, but there was no doubting the improved performance, handling and refinement of the new model.

The 6 Series found its real form as the 635CSi, which went on to be the mainstay of sales throughout the 1980s with a total of 86,216 of all versions produced.

However, BMW also made the sublime M635CSi with firmer suspension, a limited-slip differential and the glorious 282bhp straight-six from the M1 supercar. A total of 5803 M635CSis were made and it was every inch a rival to the Porsche 911.

14. Porsche 924 (1976)

Porsche’s first front-engined and water-cooled car was originally intended to be a Volkswagen model, but it ended up as a Porsche.

No problem there, because it gave the company a more affordable entry point than the 911, and the pretty 924 offered excellent handling and good performance to fend off the likes of the Ford Capri and Lotus Elite/Éclat.

The 924’s 2+2 cabin appealed to buyers with young families, while the big single-piece glass hatch made it practical.

In later life, the 924 gained a turbo version and a more potent 2.5-litre engine in the S model, and it gave rise to the 944 and 968 lines.

15. Mercedes-Benz 280CE (1977)

By pruning 4in (10cm) from the wheelbase of the redoubtable 123-series saloon’s wheelbase, Mercedes came up with the two-door coupé model.

It still offered decent seating for four, plus the pillarless windows opened up the cabin to plenty of fresh air when they were lowered.

The range started with the base 230C, which became the 230CE with fuel injection in 1980. The 280CE was the one to have thanks to its 177bhp 2.8-litre straight-six motor that made it good for relaxed high-speed cruising and 125mph flat out.

16. Opel Monza (1977)

The Monza and its Royale-badged Vauxhall sister model brought a slice of rakish glamour to the Vauxhall/Opel line-up of the late 1970s, and gave buyers who mourned the end of the Ford Granada Coupé something to choose instead.

Big and handsome, the Monza could seat four in comfort and came with a full spread of luxury kit.

Power for the Monza came courtesy of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine with 180bhp to give 130mph and 0-60mph in 8.5 secs. The last of the line GSE models gained Recaro front seats and a very ’80s digital dash display.

17. Opel Manta B (1978)

Where the first generation of Manta was clearly a two-door version of the Ascona family car, the Manta B was a more bespoke coupé. It still shared the same wheelbase, floorpan, suspension and engines as the contemporary Ascona saloon, but its sleek lines tempted many away from the rival Ford Capri.

A 1981 facelift for the Manta improved the looks further and brought in a new 1.8-litre engine.

More was yet to come with the fuel injected 2.0-litre motor that offered 110bhp in the GT/E version that is now the most sought after, other than the exotic Manta 400 rally homologation model.

18. Porsche 928 (1978)

A measure of just how groundbreaking the Porsche 928 was for the company and the world in general is that the 928 is the only coupé to date ever to win the European Car of the Year title.

It took this accolade in 1978, rewarding Porsche’s faith in its mooted replacement for the 911.

The V8-powered 928 failed to take the place of the 911 and instead found its own niche as Porsche’s flagship GT coupé.

Superb quality, refinement and performance were all hallmarks of this car, which gained larger engines and more power throughout its 17-year lifespan to finish as the 5.4-litre, 345bhp GTS.

19. Bitter SC (1979)

Erich Bitter was already well versed in taking mainstream Opel components and building his fine-looking sports cars around them.

This reached its peak with the SC in 1979, which used an Opel Senator floorpan, engine and suspension, clothed in a stylish two-door coupé body.

In a twist on the usual flow of body styles, the coupé spawned a four-door saloon in 1984, while Bitter addressed criticisms about performance by offering 3.5- and 3.9-litre engines with up to 207bhp.

In the end, just 461 SC coupés were made, plus 22 convertibles and a mere five saloons.

20. Audi quattro (1980)

Audi shifted the dial of what was expected of a sporting coupé when it launched its quattro in 1980.

Its four-wheel-drive system was there to homologate it for rallying, and delivered unrivalled traction and road-holding. On switchback roads, nothing could keep up with this 200bhp machine.

As a coupé, the quattro was practical enough to carry four people plus luggage, and it was also everyday usable.

Aside from the short-wheelbase Sport version, the ultimate quattro arrived as the 20v with a four-valve-per-cylinder motor and 220bhp. Just 931 20v cars were built.

21. Mercedes-Benz SEC (1981)

Mercedes has long understood that many of its most well-heeled customers fancy something a bit sporty for the weekend.

For those not keen on the SL roadster or SLC coupé, Mercedes came up with a two-door version of its then new 126-series S-Class in the sleek SEC. It shared the same V8 engines, but the body had a graceful pillarless-window outline and a wheelbase shortened by 85mm (3.3in). Significant strengthening in the sills meant the SEC’s body was just as rigid as the S-Class saloon’s.

A mild facelift in 1985 also brought with it the ultimate SEC in the form of the 560, which used a 268bhp 5.6-litre V8 to deliver effortless cruising and acceleration to match the swish coupé lines.

22. Mercedes-Benz 300CE (1987)

Mercedes’ dependable 124-series E-Class saloon was given a sophisticated party frock when it became the CE coupé – and was at its best in 300CE six-cylinder form.

The four side windows dropped to leave a completely open space, lending a luxuriously open feel to the cabin, which could seat four easily on a grand tour.

While the CE was sold as an executive coupé, it also had its fair share of handling ability that meant you could keep up with other sporting cars of the period, such as the BMW 6 Series.

By the end of production in 1993, Mercedes-Benz had built 43,486 300CEs and a further 24,463 300CE-24 models with the uprated 231bhp 24-valve six-cylinder engine. 

23. Volkswagen Corrado (1988)

Volkswagen knocked it out of the park with the Corrado, and this neatly styled coupé just got better and better as it received more powerful engines.

The looks also concealed neat touches, such as flush-fitting windows and a rear spoiler that deployed at 45mph on earlier cars and 55mph on later versions.

Inside, the VW Corrado surprised with the amount of space it offered, but it was what was under the bonnet that mattered to most owners. The original 134bhp 1.8-litre motor from the Golf GTI was good, but the supercharged G60 with 158bhp pointed at how great this car could be.

It was only when the 187bhp VR6 engine was offered from 1992 that the Corrado came into full bloom as a brilliant coupé.

24. BMW 8 Series (1989)

BMW looked to take on the Mercedes-Benz SEC and Porsche 928 with the 8 Series, which was a major step up in technical sophistication and price from the 6 Series it replaced.

The low nose profile was helped by pop-up headlights and there was no central window pillar, giving the 8 an even classier appearance.

It was launched with a 300bhp 5.0-litre V12 engine, but a global recession hastened the arrival of the 840i with a 4.0-litre V8, later swapping to a 4.4-litre V8 in 1996. Top of the line was the 850CSi with a 376bhp 5.6-litre V12.

The sweeping centre console added style to the cabin, which could seat four with ease, but the 8 Series proved a tough sell for BMW and only 30,621 were made in a decade.

25. Audi TT (1999)

Controversy surrounded the Audi TT when it was first launched in 1999, because of a handful of incidents involving the car spinning at high speed. Audi quickly addressed this with a small boot spoiler on production cars and as a no-cost recall for those cars already on the road.

This minor hitch did nothing to dampen sales of this dramatic coupé that came with 178 or 222bhp 1.8-litre turbo engines.

A 3.2-litre V6 with 246bhp and dual-clutch gearbox joined the range in 2003, sharing the same chic interior as the four-cylinder cars.

However, it was best to regard the Audi TT as a two-seater, because the rear seats are so tightly squeezed under the sloping roof line.