Vehicles and sports have always gone hand in hand, and since it only happens every four years, it's only fair that Olympic cars pay homage to the Olympics, isn't it?

Besides Olympic cars, it's common for vehicles to pay homage to other sporting competitions, such as the World Cup, for example.

Surely, as a good Brazilian, you must be enjoying the Olympics and cheering for the Brazilian athletes, but we ask you: have you come across an Olympic car around?

With the aim of providing insider information, our experts are presenting today some versions inspired by the Olympic Games.

If you've never seen an Olympic car, take some time out of your day to check out the models that tried to win medals with the athletes. 

Ready to go?

There are a number of Olympic cars. 

Some are quite beautiful and pleasant, while others have undergone minor changes to "simply" receive the title of Olympic vehicle.

Although many people believe that vehicles with special and themed editions are something new, this is not true.

Themed vehicles have been common for a long time; after all, it's a marketing ploy by automakers to try and make a little extra money. 

We'll now show you the ones that were most successful and popular with the public! 

The first of the Olympic cars is the 1984 VW Voyage Los Angeles, which was created to honor the Olympic Games held in that American city that year. 

The sedan of that era featured a special blue paint job and a range of unique equipment not found in conventional models. 

Inside, the model received a steering wheel from the Passat GTS, Recaro seats, and carpeting in the trunk. 

On the outside, the model featured front and rear spoilers, square fog lights similar to those on the Santana, a gradient windshield, alloy wheels, green tinted windows, and side stripes. 

However, contrary to what one might expect, sales stalled.

Some say that the cars stuck in dealerships were repainted so they could get rid of the inventory. 

Another point about the Voyage Las Vegas is that Volkswagen only produced 10% units out of the number of vehicles it wanted to make. 

Due to low production and demand, the vehicle has become a rare model and has a high resale value. 

In 1992, General Motors created a special edition to commemorate the Olympics, and the car chosen was the famous Monza "shark".

The series came with decorative side stripes in red and yellow, alluding of course to the Spanish flag, and with the model name printed on them.

The Monza Barcelona was sold in Argenta silver and also came equipped with exclusive 14-inch alloy wheels. 

The mirror caps were the same color as the car body. 

Inside the cabin, there was a red frame around the Chevrolet bowtie emblem on the steering wheel, with hollow headrests and a special sound system setup that included four speakers and antennas. 

The special edition was based on the SL version and was offered with two engine options: 1.8 and 2.0 gasoline or alcohol engines with electronic fuel injection, something unusual in the market for its time. 

In 1996, the Olympics returned to the USA, and with the games came more Olympic cars on the market, with VW investing in a series commemorating the event. 

At the time, the German automaker invested almost US$$ 5 million solely to create the limited editions of the Gol and Parati "bolinhas" (round-shaped models). 

The exterior design was rather understated, with no major differences from conventional models. 

The name of the special edition was on the rear fenders and trunk lid, in horizontal red and white stripes adorned with an Olympic torch. 

The 14-inch wheels were made of steel and featured a unique design and a set of wider tires. 

The Gol and Parati Atlanta models received headlights with double reflectors. In addition, the mirror caps were the same color as the vehicle and had a distinctive look. 

A gradient windshield and green tinted windows were other features present in the series. Inside, there was different upholstery on the seats and a three-spoke steering wheel taken directly from the sporty Gol GTI. 

The Olympic series of the Hatchback and station wagon also featured two engine variants: 1.6 and 1.8, both with electronic fuel injection. 

Four years later, more precisely in the year 2000, the Olympics returned, this time in Sydney, Australia! 

And once again, the VW Gol was chosen to have a special Olympic series. 

This time, the version's name wasn't the host city, but rather the most coveted medal for those competing. Thus, among the Olympic cars, we had the first one alluding to the Olympic gold medal. 

The Gol Série Ouro was equipped with a 1.0 16V engine and had the most sophisticated equipment of the time, in addition to side decals alluding to the Olympics. 

And it was precisely in that Olympics, with the golden car, that Brazil won six silver medals, six bronze medals, and no gold medals. 

In 2004, the Polo was the most modern model Volkswagen had to offer at the start of the new millennium.

Thus, the automaker wasted no time in using its prized possession to reissue the gold series!

This edition was themed around the games being held in Athens, the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games. 

Limited to just 2,160 units, the Polo Ouro featured the unforgettable double round lens headlights, rear spoiler with integrated brake light, 15-inch alloy wheels, and turn signals with white lenses. 

Tinted windows and side moldings in the vehicle's color completed the visual package. The features were even more exciting than the Gol Ouro. 

Finally, the model also had air conditioning, power steering, electric windows, driver's seat with height adjustment, and an alarm. 

From 2004 to 2016 we had a gap in the Olympic car program. Until the games came to Brazil.

Because, as the sponsor of the first Olympic Games held in Brazil, Nissan acted quickly. 

Thus, in 2016, it launched the March Rio. The compact car, produced at the factory in Resende (RJ), had a production run of only one thousand units, with numbering engraved on the front grille. 

The Rio Games logo was printed on the back, and the name Rio 2016 was on the sides in orange. 

So, the same tone was present in details such as mirror caps, large front grille, and front and rear bumpers. 

Furthermore, the car also featured a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Based on the SL version, the March Rio 2016 only had a 1.6 16V engine with 111 horsepower. 

But the equipment improved the cost-benefit ratio. The model included: digital air conditioning, rearview camera, electric power steering, multimedia center with GPS, touchscreen, and steering wheel controls. 

So, as you've seen, Olympic cars are nothing new. 

This year, probably due to the pandemic, we didn't have any special floats, but for the next games, those in Paris in 2024, there's a good chance we'll have some kind of Olympic-themed edition again. 

But now that you've seen some Olympic cars, how about discovering some incredible and rare examples?

To see a list of rare cars from the best brands in the global automotive industry, just click below!