Cars are built for variety of purposes, evoking varying emotions in different people. Men have been playing with automobiles ever since the combustion engine was invented. For automakers, experimenting how far a car could perform and pushing the limits has always been the primary motive for all time.

When it comes to the purest form of personal transportation with spirited performance and nimble handling, “sports cars” are on the top echelon. These cars have sleek styling, compact frame, particularly two seats with highly streamlined aerodynamics that should give you a chill down your spine.

Sports cars can be luxurious or spartan, and are specially designed to have low center of gravity with minimum weight and high maneuverability. With the steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speeds, they are excellent cars for racing. They have massive power and can ecstasize their drivers while sprinting to limits on twisting roads or racetracks.

Handful of automakers, around the world, have tried their hands and produced many sports cars over the past decades. While many have come and gone, there are some unique sports cars models that have stood the test of time and continued to be the best of the form.

Here is a list of the 25 Greatest Sports Cars of All Time. Some have incredible power and others features marvellous designs, but one dignified factor conjoins them all: they are fast as hell and cause huge rubbernecking.

Ferrari 250 GTO

Ferrari250 GTO

Produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964, the Ferrari 250 GTO is grand tourer sports car, made for homologation into the FIA’s Group 3 Grand Touring Car category. Designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and his team and total 39 units manufactured, the 250 GTO featured a compact berlinetta design and is still considered as the greatest Ferrari of all time. Powered by massive 3.0 L V12 or 4.0 L V12 engine with each cylinder displacing 250 cubic centimeters, this sports car was capable of producing 300 hp and could sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds. For a car launched in 1962, such a powerstrain and performance is simply incredible. This car has also remained as the most expensive car in history when the U.S businessman and entrepreneur, Craig McCaw bought it for $38,115,000.

AC “Shelby” Cobra 427

Shelby AC 427 Cobra

Produced from 1962 to 1967, AC Cobra 427, (also called Shelby Cobra 427) is a two-door roadster American Sports car. It was an upshot of the collaborative effort from Carroll Hall Shelby (American automotive designer, racer and entrepreneur) and AC (British automotive manufacturer). Its parts, accessories were reportedly borrowed from different cars such as a VW Beetle steering rack, Jaguar in-board disk brakes, a Ford based engine, etc, to build a memorable and unique design around the car. Powered by a 4.7 L or 7.0 L 7.0 Ford V8 engine, this cute monster produced 425 hp and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph at 4.2 seconds.