Top 10 Sports Cars 1966 — Best Overall plus Best Value

Direct Answer

The best sports car of 1966 was the Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Roadster — our Best Overall — a car that paired a 265-hp twin-cam straight-six, a near-150-mph top speed, and bodywork so beautiful that Enzo Ferrari reportedly called it the most beautiful car ever made, all for a 1966 MSRP of roughly $5,580.

The smartest money in the showroom, our Best Value, was the Datsun 1600 Roadster (Fairlady) at a 1966 MSRP of about $2,545 — a crisp, reliable, 96-hp British-style roadster from Japan that undercut every European rival and previewed the giant-killer reputation Datsun would later cement. 1966 was a watershed year: Chevrolet dropped the 427 big-block into the Corvette, Shelby stuffed the same displacement of Ford iron into the Cobra, and Alfa Romeo unveiled the gorgeous new Duetto Spider at Geneva.

Looking back, it may have been the single richest year the sports car ever had.

How We Ranked the Top 10

We weighted each car the way an enthusiast of the era — and a collector of today — would actually judge it. The blend rewards cars that were thrilling to drive, not just fast in a straight line, while still respecting period value and how the metal has aged.

• Driving fun and handling — 30%: steering feel, balance, and how alive the car felt on a back road.
• Performance — 20%: horsepower, 0-60, and top speed in period.
• Value in period — 15%: what you got for your 1966 dollars.
• Style and legacy — 15%: design impact then and enduring icon status now.
• Reliability — 10%: how often it left you stranded.
• Collectibility now — 10%: current values and blue-chip standing.

Sources include period road tests from *Road & Track* and *Car and Driver*, the Hagerty Valuation Tools price guide, RM Sotheby's and Gooding plus Company auction records, automobile-catalog performance data, and marque histories via Wikipedia and Supercars.net.

1. Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 🏆 BEST OVERALL

1966 MSRP: $5,580 | Best for: the buyer who wanted supercar style and pace at a fraction of Ferrari money

The E-Type was the car of the decade and 1966 may have been its sweet spot. The 4.2-liter twin-cam straight-six made 265 horsepower, pulled the roadster to 60 mph in about 7.4 seconds, and pressed on to nearly 149 mph — figures that shamed cars costing three times as much.

Drive went through a much-improved all-synchromesh four-speed to the rear wheels, and the independent rear suspension gave it ride and grip few rivals could touch. Today a clean Series 1 4.2 sits around $129,000 in top condition per Hagerty, blue-chip but still attainable next to a Ferrari.

Pros:

• Stunning Malcolm Sayer bodywork that still stops traffic sixty years on.
• Genuine 150-mph performance for the price of a loaded American sedan.
• Independent rear suspension delivered grip and ride rivals envied.
• The new 4.2 added torque and a far better gearbox over the early 3.8.

Cons:

• Lucas electrics and cooling demand patience from any owner.
• Tight footwell and cabin heat make long summer drives a workout.

Verdict: The most car for the money in 1966, and still the definitive sporting icon of its era.

2. Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray 427

1966 MSRP: $4,295 plus $312 for the 427 | Best for: the American who wanted European looks and earth-moving torque

1966 brought the big news of the year to Corvette: the 427 cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8, available in 390-hp and a fire-breathing 425-hp tune. So equipped, the C2 ran 0-60 in roughly 4.8 to 5.4 seconds and topped 140 mph, making it one of the fastest cars money could buy at any price.

The mid-year Sting Ray's split-personality body — beauty up front, muscle in the haunches — backed a four-speed manual and rear drive. A 427 coupe in excellent condition today commands well into six figures, with the 425-hp L72 cars the most prized.

Pros:

• The 427 big-block delivered supercar acceleration for under five grand.
• Hideaway headlamps and Coke-bottle styling remain timeless.
• Fiberglass body and strong dealer network kept it usable daily.
• Huge parts support makes it the easiest blue-chip classic to own.

Cons:

• Drum brakes early in the run struggled to match the engine.
• The cabin and ergonomics trailed the best European rivals.

Verdict: America's answer to Europe, and the year's performance bargain by a wide margin.

3. Porsche 911

1966 MSRP: $6,490 | Best for: the driver who valued precision and engineering over raw muscle

The 911 was barely two years into production in 1966, and it already pointed the way to the future. Its 2.0-liter air-cooled flat-six made about 130 horsepower, good for 0-60 in roughly 8.5 seconds and a top speed near 130 mph — modest numbers that undersold a car defined by its steering, brakes, and build quality.

Rear-engined and rear-driven, it rewarded skill and punished laziness in equal measure. Early short-wheelbase 911s are now serious collector cars, and a clean 1966 example trades comfortably into six figures.

Pros:

• Air-cooled flat-six and tactile controls set a new engineering benchmark.
• Build quality and usability outclassed nearly every rival.
• Early short-wheelbase cars are the most coveted vintage 911s.
• A genuine everyday sports car you could also race on Sunday.

Cons:

• The 130-hp output felt modest against big-engine American iron.
• Snap oversteer at the limit demanded real respect.

Verdict: The thinking driver's choice, and the most consequential design on this list for what came after.

4. Ferrari 275 GTB

1966 MSRP: $14,500 | Best for: the wealthy enthusiast who wanted the ultimate road-going Ferrari

The 275 GTB was Maranello's grand touring masterpiece, and in 1966 it represented the state of the art in front-engined Ferrari design. Its Colombo 3.3-liter V12 was rated at 280 horsepower, hauling the Pininfarina-bodied coupe to 60 mph in about six seconds and on to roughly 156 mph.

A transaxle gearbox and independent rear suspension made it a real driver's car, not just a poster. Values are stratospheric now — strong examples regularly bring $3 million to $4.5 million at auction, with rare alloy-bodied cars going far higher.

Pros:

• A jewel-like Colombo V12 with one of the great soundtracks in motoring.
• Pininfarina coachwork that defines mid-1960s grand touring beauty.
• Transaxle layout gave it genuine balance and handling poise.
• Blue-chip provenance places it among the most valuable Ferraris ever.

Cons:

• The 1966 price put it out of reach for all but the wealthiest buyers.
• Running and restoration costs today are eye-watering.

Verdict: The most exquisite machine here, priced then and now for the very few.

5. Shelby Cobra 427

1966 MSRP: $7,495 | Best for: the adrenaline seeker who wanted the most violent car on the road

If the year had a wild child, this was it. Carroll Shelby's 427 cubic-inch side-oiler V8 made north of 425 horsepower — competition cars claimed up to 510 — in a featherweight aluminum-bodied two-seater that weighed barely a ton. The result was a 0-60 time of about 3.4 seconds, supercar pace decades before the term existed, through a four-speed to the rear wheels.

The Cobra is now the ultimate American collector car: original 427 street cars routinely sell for over $1 million, with Hagerty pegging top examples around $1.35 million.

Pros:

• A staggering power-to-weight ratio that humbled everything in 1966.
• Brutally simple, lightweight aluminum body and tube chassis.
• Genuine sub-3.5-second 0-60 that still impresses today.
• Among the most valuable and recognizable American collector cars.

Cons:

• Crude, hot, loud, and frankly intimidating to drive hard.
• Replicas vastly outnumber the few hundred genuine cars, complicating the market.

Verdict: The most thrilling, most terrifying car of 1966 — and now the priciest American on the list.

6. Lotus Elan S2

1966 MSRP: $4,200 | Best for: the purist who believed handling mattered more than horsepower

Colin Chapman built the Elan around one idea: lightness. At roughly 1,485 pounds, with a 1.6-liter twin-cam four making 105 to 115 horsepower, the Elan delivered 0-60 in about 7.5 seconds and handling that period testers called the best in the world. Its backbone chassis, fiberglass body, and four-wheel independent suspension made it feel telepathic on a winding road.

Values have climbed steadily as collectors recognize its brilliance, and clean S2 cars now trade in the high tens of thousands at Gooding and similar sales.

Pros:

• Sublime, telepathic handling that defined the Lotus philosophy.
• Featherweight construction made modest power feel electric.
• Backbone chassis and fiberglass body were genuinely advanced.
• A pure driver's car increasingly prized by collectors.

Cons:

• Fragile build and finicky electrics made it a poor everyday companion.
• Small, snug cabin and minimal practicality.

Verdict: The handling benchmark of 1966, and a giant-killer that punched far above its weight.

7. Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III

1966 MSRP: $3,665 | Best for: the traditionalist who wanted a big, burbling British roadster

The Mk III was the final and most refined Austin-Healey 3000, and it remains the archetype of the muscular British roadster. Its 2.9-liter inline-six with twin SU carburetors made 150 horsepower, good for 0-60 in about 9.8 seconds and a top speed near 120 mph, sent rearward through a four-speed with overdrive.

The "Big Healey" was raucous, low-slung, and full of character, with a walnut dashboard that lent it a touch of class. Values today range from around $32,000 to nearly $68,000 depending on condition, with the BJ8 Mk III the most coveted.

Pros:

• A torquey, charismatic inline-six with a glorious exhaust note.
• Handsome, low-slung lines and a wood-trimmed cabin.
• The most refined and desirable version of the Big Healey.
• Strong club support keeps these usable and well-served.

Cons:

• Minimal ground clearance and serious cockpit heat.
• Heavy steering and a firm ride by modern standards.

Verdict: The definitive burly British roadster, and a sound-and-feel experience few cars match.

8. Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider

1966 MSRP: $3,950 | Best for: the romantic who wanted Italian style and a free-revving twin-cam

New for 1966 and unveiled at the Geneva show, the Pininfarina-designed Duetto launched the long-running Alfa Spider line. Its 1.6-liter twin-cam four made 109 horsepower, with a five-speed gearbox — exotic for the day — driving the rear wheels and 0-60 in roughly 11 seconds.

The numbers undersell it; the Duetto was about the joy of revving a willing engine through that slick gearbox on a sunny road. Its "boat-tail" body and a starring role in *The Graduate* secured its place in pop culture. Clean early Duettos now bring strong money as the most desirable of the Series 1 cars.

Pros:

• A jewel of a twin-cam engine that loves to rev.
• Rare five-speed gearbox gave it a sporting edge over rivals.
• Pininfarina boat-tail styling and lasting cultural fame.
• The debut model that started a legendary roadster lineage.

Cons:

• Modest straight-line pace against the field.
• Rust was a lifelong enemy of these Alfa bodies.

Verdict: The most romantic car of 1966, and a brand-new icon the moment it landed.

9. Sunbeam Tiger Mk1

1966 MSRP: $3,499 | Best for: the buyer who wanted Cobra attitude on a budget

Often called the poor man's Cobra — and developed with input from Shelby himself — the Tiger crammed a 260-cubic-inch Ford V8 making 164 horsepower into the pretty little Sunbeam Alpine body. The result was 0-60 in about 8.6 seconds and a 120-mph top speed, an unlikely turn of speed for such an unassuming shape.

Rear-drive and a four-speed manual completed the formula. Production ended in late 1966, making these increasingly sought after; top examples have brought well over $100,000, though the market has cooled from its peak.

Pros:

• An American V8 in a tidy British body for genuine giant-killer pace.
• Shelby-influenced development gave it real credibility.
• Sleeper looks hid surprising straight-line muscle.
• Limited production makes a genuine Tiger increasingly collectible.

Cons:

• Cramped engine bay makes maintenance a knuckle-skinning chore.
• Alpine-based chassis can feel overwhelmed by the V8.

Verdict: The budget Cobra, and one of the most charming Q-cars of the decade.

10. Datsun 1600 Roadster 💎 BEST VALUE

1966 MSRP: $2,545 | Best for: the value-minded buyer who wanted European thrills for half the money

The Datsun 1600 Roadster, sold as the Fairlady, was the quiet revolution of 1966. For just $2,545 — less than half the price of an E-Type — you got a proper convertible sports car with a 1.6-liter inline-four making 96 horsepower, rear drive, a four-speed (later five-speed) manual, and a top speed around 106 mph.

It looked and drove like an MGB but came with Japanese reliability that British rivals could only dream of. Long overlooked, these are appreciating fast: average values now sit near $18,000, with clean cars climbing well past that.

Pros:

• Unbeatable value — European-style fun at half the price.
• Japanese build quality made it far more dependable than British rivals.
• Crisp, honest roadster dynamics with a willing engine.
• An undervalued classic that is appreciating quickly.

Cons:

• Lower brand cachet than its established European competitors.
• Survivor numbers and rust make clean originals harder to find.

Verdict: The smartest buy of 1966 then and a rising-value sleeper now — our Best Value without question.

Buyer Decision Tree — Which One Was Right for You?

What to Look For in a 1966 Sports Car (Then and as a Classic Now)

Buying one of these cars sixty years on is as much about the paper trail as the metal. A few hard-won lessons:

• Provenance is everything. Matching-numbers engines, documented ownership, and original chassis tags can swing value by tens of thousands — especially on the Corvette 427, Cobra, and 275 GTB.
• Replicas versus originals. The Cobra in particular is swamped by replicas; demand chassis records (CSX numbers) and registry confirmation before any money changes hands.
• Rust is the silent killer. Alfa, Jaguar, Triumph, and Datsun bodies all rot — check sills, floors, footwells, and frame rails far more carefully than paint and chrome.
• Lucas and SU service history. British electrics and carburetors are not a flaw so much as a maintenance commitment; reward cars with recent, documented attention.
• Originality matters less than nostalgia implies. For drivers rather than concours bidders, a tastefully upgraded car — better brakes, electronic ignition, a five-speed — is often more rewarding to live with than a fragile, all-original survivor, and frequently costs less.

FAQ

What was the fastest 1966 sports car? The Shelby Cobra 427 was the quickest, with a 0-60 time around 3.4 seconds thanks to over 425 horsepower in a roughly one-ton body. The 425-hp Corvette 427 and the Ferrari 275 GTB were the next quickest.

Which 1966 sports car is the best investment today? The blue-chip trio — Shelby Cobra 427 (over $1 million), Ferrari 275 GTB ($3 million-plus), and the 427 Corvette (well into six figures) — have the strongest track record. For upside on a budget, the Datsun 1600 Roadster and Lotus Elan are appreciating quickly.

Was the Jaguar E-Type really better than a Ferrari in 1966? On pure value, yes — the E-Type delivered roughly 80 percent of a Ferrari's pace and arguably more beautiful styling at a fraction of the price. The Ferrari 275 GTB was the finer machine, but it cost nearly three times as much.

What made 1966 such an important year for sports cars? It brought the 427 big-block to both the Corvette and the Shelby Cobra, redefining American performance, and it saw the debut of the Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider at Geneva, launching one of the longest-running roadster lines in history.

Which 1966 sports car was the best value when new? The Datsun 1600 Roadster at about $2,545 — it offered genuine convertible sports car fun and Japanese reliability for less than half the price of most European rivals, which is why it is our Best Value pick.

Were Japanese sports cars taken seriously in 1966? Not yet by most buyers, but the Datsun 1600 Roadster proved the template. Its blend of low price, sound engineering, and dependability foreshadowed the giant-killer reputation Japanese makers would earn over the following decades.

Bottom Line

1966 may have been the high-water mark for the classic sports car. At the top sat the Jaguar E-Type, our Best Overall — beautiful, fast, and astonishingly good value for what it delivered. The Datsun 1600 Roadster took Best Value by offering real roadster joy for a price no European could match.

Between them stood a field with no weak links: the thunderous 427 Corvette and Cobra, the surgical Porsche 911, the exquisite Ferrari 275 GTB, the featherweight Lotus Elan, the burly Austin-Healey, the romantic new Alfa Duetto, and the sleeper Sunbeam Tiger. Whatever your budget or temperament, 1966 had a sports car built precisely for you — and most of them are still a joy to drive today.

Sources

• Hagerty Valuation Tools — Jaguar E-Type SI 4.2, hagerty.com/valuation-tools/jaguar/e~type/1966
• Hagerty Valuation Tools — 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 (CSX3101-CSX3200), hagerty.com/valuation-tools/shelby/cobra/1966
• Hagerty Valuation Tools — 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8, hagerty.com/valuation-tools/austin~healey/3000/1966
• Hagerty Valuation Tools — 1966 Porsche 912 and 911 specs, hagerty.com/valuation-tools/porsche
• RM Sotheby's — 1966 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-Litre Roadster auction record, rmsothebys.com
• Gooding plus Company — 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra (CSX 3192) and 275 GTB results, goodingco.com
• Automobile-catalog.com — 1966 Corvette 427 and Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider performance data
• Supercars.net — Ferrari 275 GTB and Lotus Elan S2 marque histories
• CLASSIC.COM — market data for Triumph TR4A IRS, Datsun 1600 Roadster, and Ferrari 275 GTB
• Conceptcarz.com — 1966 Datsun Fairlady 1600 and Lotus Elan specifications and original pricing

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