Here at Jalopnik, we love an underdog story. Whether it’s the Jamaican bobsled team entering the Winter Olympics for the first time or Daniel LaRusso learning to overcome his karate-fighting bullies, we’ll always come out in favor of an underdog. But while the world of sport and movies is full of these types of tales, what automotive underdogs are out there?
That’s what we want to uncover today, so we’re asking you for your picks of the greatest automotive underdogs of all time. So, what have you got?
Sure, we all know the story of upstart automotive company Ford taking on industry behemoth Ferrari at Le Mans in the 1960s, but there are plenty more automotive underdogs worth shouting about. Sticking with the racing theme, you might still have fond memories about the rags to riches story of the 2009 Brawn GP championship win, which saw the ashes of the Honda F1 team go on to claim both the Formula 1 drivers and constructors titles.
Away from the race track, there are all the cars that were developed to take on titans. Things like the 1961 Pontiac Tempest, which took on America’s muscle car might more than seven decades ago, or who can forget Morgan, which has been quietly doing its own thing for generations now.
Then there are stories of fledgling supercar companies like Koenigsegg and Pagani, which launched with the soul ambition of outshining automotive legends such as Lamborghini and Bugatti. Clearly a very successful pair of underdogs in their own right.
So, if you look back through automotive history, what automotive underdogs stand out to you? Head to the comments section below to let us know your picks for the best automotive underdogs of all time and we’ll round up some of the best answers later this week.