History & Spec

Alfa Romeo Spider (175,467)
This sales total is for all Alfa Romer Spider models, from the very first in 1966 up to the last in 2011. Even on its own, the original Spider that ran in four generations from ’66 to 1993 would still make it into this list of best-sellers with 124,104 sold.

The mid-90s 916 Spider was also a good seller alongside its GTV coupé sister and Alfa produced 39,000 of the open-top model. The last of the line Type 939 was a harder sell and only 12,363 rolled off the production line between 2007 and 2011.

Fiat 124 Spider (178,439)
It may not have sold in quite the same numbers as some of its rivals, but the Fiat 124 Spider enjoyed a longevity few can match. It was launched in 1966 and was still on sale in 1985 in largely unchanged form. It’s a testament to how right the car was straight out of the factory.

Fiat kept it simple for the 124 Spider, using simple four-cylinder engine, rear-drive and clean-cut looks. It found a lot of favour in the US and even did well in rallying. However, the 124 Spider could have sold even more if Fiat had offered the car with right-hand drive (opening up the large UK, Japan and Australian markets to name but three) rather than selling it as a left-hooker only.

BMW Z4 (180,856)
Now into its third generation, the first of the breed BMW Z4 was the best-seller out of them all. Known as the E85 in BMW-ese, the original Z4 was a much more driver-focused car than its Z3 predecessor. It kicked off with BMW’s soulful and supple 2.5- and 3.0-litre six-cylinder engines, later gaining a cheaper-to-buy 2.2-litre four-cylinder motor.

There was also the Z4M Roadster, and its coupé sibling, along with the Si coupé. However, it was the soft-top that dominated Z4 production at the Spartanburg factory in the US across its six-year life.

MG Midget (226,427)
The MG Midget is an enduringly appealing small sports car and just as much an inspiration for the Mazda MX-5 as the Lotus Elan. MG knew exactly who wanted this car in 1961 and built it to precisely the right specification and price so it was affordable and just nippy enough. It started life with a meagre 948cc A-series motor, but this was upped to 1098cc and then 1275cc before a final fling with a Triumph-sourced 1500cc engine.

Whichever period you look at, the Midget was a keen seller, helped by its frugal economy thanks to an all-up weight of between 695- and 780kg depending model. This saw the Midget weather the early 1970s fuel crisis and continue on sale until 1979.

Mercedes-Benz SL (237,287)
The R107 generation of Mercedes SL introduced in 1971 went on to sell almost five times as many cars as the previous ‘Pagoda’ model. It helped the R107 enjoy a near 20-year production life compared to eight years for the earlier model. However, it also says the R107 was just the right blend of luxury, style and handling for the times.

Just as happy barrelling down the autobahn as it was as an accoutrement of the jet set, this SL lasted from 1971 to 1989 with subtle updates and engine improvements. It has never gone out of favour, like so many of its contemporaries suffered, before finding classic status so a large number survive.

BMW Z3 (279,273)
For a car that many felt was too contrived and not that great to drive, the BMW Z3 sure found plenty of willing buyers during its six years on sale. At the lower end of the scale, the 1.9-litre cars gave the Mazda MX-5 and MGF a run for their money. At the higher reaches of the Z3 range, the 3.0-litre model was a competent alternative to a Porsche Boxster.

There was even the Z3M Roadster, and its unusual and now very collectable coupé sister, for those wanting to go much quicker. However, it’s the bread and butter Z3 models that generated sales volume that exceeded the subsequent Z4 by 50 per cent. NEED WE SAY MORE!

Ford Mustang (291,079)
The first-generation Ford Mustang was a runaway success, yet the convertible was a much slower seller than its Hardtop and Fastback sister models. 1965 was the peak year for this Mustang soft-top, with 73,149 going to new owners, while 1971 was the nadir of convertible sales for the original Mustang with only 6121 sold.

With growing concern in the US about regulators banning open-top cars for safety reasons in the early 1970s, Ford didn’t offer a second-generation convertible Mustang. It took until 1983 before America’s pony car once again came with a fabric hood.

Triumph Spitfire (309,340)
Triumph’s riposte to the MG Midget was the Spitfire and it went on to outsell its key rival and remained on sale from 192 to 1980. Impressively, it was the final fifth incarnation of the Spitfire, the 1500, that sold in the greatest numbers and rung up 91,137 sales on the till.

Rarest of the Spitfire models is the Mk2, which was on sale between 1965 and 1967 with a sales tally of 37,409. It gained an extra 4bhp over the original Spitfire’s 67bhp, which was deemed plenty in a car weighing just 711kg. In addition, Triumph's TR series of sports cars notched up a total of 250,000 sales, many of them open-tops, over a period of nearly 30 years, ending in 1981.