A sports sedan (also known as super saloon or sports saloon in
British English)[1][2] is a subjective term for a
sedan car that is designed to have sporting performance or
handling characteristics.[3]
History
The term was initially introduced in the 1930s. Early examples include the Sports Saloon versions of the
Rover 14[4][5] and
Rover 16.[6][7]
From the 1960s, the term sports sedan was increasingly applied by manufacturers to special versions of their vehicles that allowed them to enter production cars in motor races. These cars contained modifications not usually permitted by the regulations, which therefore required cars to be
homologated typically by selling them in minimum numbers to the public. Some of the earlier examples were the
Alfa Romeo 1900,[8]Renault R8 Gordini,[9]Triumph Dolomite,[10] and
Lotus Cortina.[10][11]
In the twentieth century, sports sedans used a
manual transmission and
rear-wheel drive. However, as other transmission types and drivetrain layouts have become more widespread for sedans in general, sports sedans have also used these. While many sports sedans use notchback designs,
fastback, and
liftback variations are not unheard of, with rarely a smaller
hot hatch with three-box/liftback design crossing into this territory compared to large liftbacks.
North American usage
The term "sport sedan" was initially used in North America for luxury import sedans (i.e.
BMW,
Audi, and
Mercedes-Benz). These cars prioritized
handling more than the domestic luxury sedans (i.e.
Cadillac and
Lincoln), which were more focused on comfort. However, since the 2000s, the domestic brands have begun producing sports sedan models such as the
Cadillac CTS and
Lincoln LS.[12][13][14]
Another term sometimes used to describe sports sedans in the US is
muscle car, but that normally refers to V8-powered two-door
coupe American cars.[15]
^"saloon (noun)". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^"saloon". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^"Best sport sedans in America". Autoblog. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2021. 'Sport sedan' doesn't have a strict dictionary definition, but we have assembled here our favorite cars with four proper doors and a trunk, not a hatchback.
^"Rover Speed 14". classicandsportscar.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.