When cars first appeared, they developed a speed of 30 km / h that was simply fabulous for those times. It seemed something supernatural then, but now such a figure seems ridiculous, worthy of a bicycle. After all, modern mass-produced cars are able to accelerate to 150-200 km / h completely freely, without any alterations.
But there are also special racing models for which such speeds are very small. They can accelerate up to 400 km/h. Naturally, they are produced in very limited quantities and are available only to very rich people. Yes, and you can only ride them on smooth roads. Therefore, such cars serve more as symbols of prestige, and are not used for racing.
Such models are able to show what really fast driving is. Consider the coolest racing cars in the world today.
This hypercar began to be produced in 2-13 and is still being produced, of course, in very limited quantities - only 7 pieces per year. This is the development of Lebanese specialists from W-Motors, although many other auto companies have provided their developments.
The car has a 3.7-liter engine, and a twin turbo provides it with 750 hp. With. power. Lykan Fenyr Supersport can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds, and its top speed is limited to 395 km/h. Despite such an impressive figure, however, this is not the fastest racing car in the world, although it is in the top ten.
The bodywork uses titanium and carbon fiber parts, and the trim includes diamond inlay, genuine leather and gold thread sewing. Therefore, very rich people, such as Arab sheikhs, buy such models - the cost of the first models was more than 3 million dollars.
This is an American supercar, which was produced in 2005 - 2009, but is still included in the lists of the best racing cars. This car is equipped with a 750-horsepower twin-turbo engine, and can hit a hundred in just 2.8 seconds. The highest recorded speed of this model is 399 km/h.
This model was originally developed as a racing model, therefore it does not have such a rich finish as the previous one. Everything here is geared towards maximum speed - a carbon fiber body, a movable driver's seat for optimal weight distribution, etc.
The Swedish-made hypercar began production in 2016 and is still in production. This is just a monster, equipped with a 5-liter engine capable of delivering 1100 horsepower. With.
As a result, Koenigsegg Regera can accelerate to hundreds in 2.7 seconds, and the maximum speed is limited to 410 km / h. Undoubtedly, this model is one of the most powerful racing cars in the world, although not the first among them.
Another American supercar, which showed a maximum speed of 421 km / h in tests. In general, it was planned to accelerate this car to 430 km / h, but cooling with a volume of 6.4 liters did not allow this figure to be reached.
This model has a long history and has gone through several generations with many modifications. Not all of them have been released.
This car is unusual in that it is an electric car. It was first presented to the public in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show. It was a response to the Croatian auto company of the American model Tesla Roadstar and personally to Elon Musk.
Each wheel of this machine is equipped with its own electric motor, and their total power is 1408 kW, or an incredible 1914 hp. With. This incredible power accelerates the sports car to hundreds in a measly 1.85 seconds, and its maximum speed reaches 415 km / h. This is the fastest electric car in the world, and in terms of acceleration, it has practically no competitors at all.
A well-known brand car is among the fastest. The 16-cylinder engine produces 1479 horses and accelerates the car to hundreds in just 2.5 seconds, and the highest speed can reach 420 km / h, and then it is specially limited with the help of electronics. This is done in order to prevent overheating of the engine and rupture of tires.
At the same time, it is perhaps the most beautiful racing car in the world. Its design stands out from the rest with its swiftness and power. She looks chic, which is not surprising at a cost of more than $ 3 million.
This French hypercar is equipped with a 16-cylinder engine capable of delivering 1200 horsepower. He dials a hundred in 2.5 seconds. In 2010, the Veyron Super Sport model entered the Guinness Book of Records with an average speed of 431 km / h, but was stripped of the record due to the fact that it is a production model with a disengaged speed limiter. Then, after long trials and disputes, the record was nevertheless approved.
This American hypercar was a contender for breaking the record of the previous model - Bugatti Veyron. He managed to reach 435 km / h, but he still did not get into the Guinness Book of Records, because the average result of at least two races was required, and this was a single one. In addition, for the car to be considered serial, the production of at least 30 copies is required, and the Henenessey Venom GT was released in a boxed version.
Nevertheless, Henenessey Venom GT holds several recognized records, for example, acceleration to 300 km / h in just 13.63 seconds.
The Swedish hypercar, equipped with an 8-cylinder 5-liter engine, has several records. This is the world's fastest production car, accelerating to 445 km / h. This is a car with a record acceleration to 400 km/h in 33.87 seconds. And it is the fastest car on a public highway, capable of accelerating to 456 km/h.
This is, the production of which only began in 2019. The car will be equipped with a 7.6-liter engine with a capacity of 1600 liters. With. It is planned that this will allow squeezing out a record 482 km / h, but real races have not yet been carried out. In total, it is planned to release 24 copies of this monster, which has a real chance of becoming the fastest car in the world.
As you can see, now the fastest cars are already close to the bar of 500 km / h, and yet a few years ago, even 4 hundreds were considered a fabulously large figure. In terms of acceleration speed, the electric car became the record holder. Technology does not stand still, and it is quite possible that soon we will learn about overcoming the next high-speed frontier.
There are many great racing cars in the world. From time to time, a car appears that inspires the world of sports for many years to come. The glory of the exploits of these cars and the racers who drove them remains for centuries. Films are made about them, I write novels, they betray historical facts by word of mouth. In the long history of motorsports, there have never been race cars that were innovative, excellent, beautiful or iconic.
Formula 1, DTM, Rally - each of the different types had their own iconic cars, ingenious inventions of engineering thought have no boundaries. We present to the readers of the site 10 cars, which, as we assume, are the most legendary in the world of racing. Rating them, we consider useless, it is impossible to compare them, since their value is directly related to different disciplines of motorsport.
Let's leave everything as it is, just state the facts and present the Top 10 most legendary of all time in alphabetical order.
Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2
In the early 1980s, Audi largely dominated rally racing with its various versions of Quattro racing cars, despite the fact that the A1, A2 and Sport Quattro were formidable cars for their rivals, the Sport Quattro S1 E2 was the crowning achievement of Audi's rally efforts.
Powered by a 2.1 liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine producing 470 hp, the S1 E2 was a true overgrown monster of the legendary Group B rally that managed to elevate the art of rallying to a new level. As if this were not enough, the madmen from "rocked" their ward to 600 hp. Probably a sign from above was the Group B ban, which did not allow this rally heavyweight to enter the competition.
Auto Union Type C/D Hill Climb and Type C Streamliner
In the mid-30s of the 20th century, Auto Union (which included) led a successful Grand Prix program in which Type A, B, C and D racing cars participated. These cars were unusual for that time due to the mid-central engine location. Cars Type A, B and C came with a 16-cylinder engine, Type D was distinguished by a more modest 12-cylinder block.
Of the total number of unusual Auto Union, two special Auto Union Type cars stand out. First of all, it was a completely faired model. Built around the Type C, the Streamliner was over-designed to get the most out of the 560 hp Type C engine. on public roads), the Streamliner reached 400 km/h, and that was in 1937!
The following year, the same crazy engineers decided to build a racing Type D with a Type C engine for hill-climbing racing. To make sure all the gigantic power went to the pavement, the car was equipped with a set of twin tires that were installed on each side at the rear of the car.
Chaparral 2J
In the wild world of Can-Am racing, Chaparral has redefined the standard approach to getting the upper hand on all competitors. On previous models of the company's racing cars, massive aerodynamic wings were used for this, in the future, the engineers decided to have fun to the fullest. Chaparral came up with an ingenious way to get optimal downforce, regardless of the speed at which his new 2J car was moving. He "stuck" to the canvas with the help of vacuum.
Two fans were installed at the rear of the car, powered by the snowmobile's engine, and sucked in air from under the bottom of the car. The skirts on the sides of the car were constantly located one inch from the ground thanks to the special design of the suspension. The 2J had really good downforce. It outperformed many of its competitors in this, but the 2J was horribly unreliable and was subsequently banned from racing for one year.
Ford GT40
The history of racing is constantly evolving, and at every stage of development, we can see our superheroes among the cars. Some we will never forget, probably never. One of them became. The supercar was conceived after an unsuccessful attempt by Ford to acquire Ferrari. The GT40 was built to knock Ferrari out of their own game of endurance racing. By 1966, the goal was achieved, with the GT40 finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. GT40 will win over the next three years.
Four different versions of the GT40 were made: Mark I, II, III and IV. The Mark I used Ford's 4.9-liter V8, while the Mark II, III, and IV had the larger 7.0-liter V8. To this day, the look of the GT40 is one of the most recognizable in motorsport history.
Lancia Stratos HF
In the 1970s, Lancia partnered with Bertone to create a new rally car. To get maximum traction to the rear wheels, Lancia came up with an exotic mid-engined layout. At the center of the Stratos HF was a 2.4-liter V6 borrowed from a Ferrari Dino.
More like than a rally car, the Stratos HF proved to be very successful in rally racing. He won the 1974, 1975 and 1976 World Rally Championships. While another Lancia enjoyed even more success in rallying a decade later, it didn't have the same visual impact that the Stratos HF was able to achieve.
Mazda 787B
Over the years, many cars have won Le Mans podiums and only a few have been able to do so more than once. So what makes the 787B so special? This is a classic story of a loser turned winner. First of all, the 787B is the only Japanese car ever to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To this day, the much more powerful Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan or Honda have failed to replicate this feat.
Secondly, the Mazda 787B is the only car to win at Le Mans. The four-rotor engine was not only an excellent instrument of victory, but sounded like a heavenly harp. The 787B was not the fastest car at Le Mans, but it won thanks to its reliability and excellent fuel economy, it was economical. Yes, it owed its victory to reliability and economy, power in racing cars is not the main thing.
McLaren MP4/4
In 1988, arguably the best racing duo in Formula 1 history was formed. This was the year that Iron Senna joined Alain Prost on the team. In the same year, Honda became McLaren's engine supplier, installing a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine in the new McLaren MP4/4.
To say McLaren dominated the 1988 season would be an understatement. Of the 16 races that year, McLaren took 15 pole positions and won 15 races! Senna, Prost and newcomer to McLaren, Gerhard Berger, will continue winning races over the next few years. But none of the Marlboro-coloured cars that will follow after the M4/4 will dominate the race so much.
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is an unusual car, because it has been successful in two. Originally designed for endurance racing, the 917 has entered many races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 917 cemented its success by winning the legendary race in 1970 and 1971, but 1972 gave the racing car an unpleasant surprise when the Le Mans rules changed, which automatically made the 917 obsolete.
Instead of relegating the car to the back of racing history, Porsche is turning its attention to the Can-Am racing series. By adding a turbocharger to its big V12, the 917 produced about 850 hp. and surprisingly won the new 1972 championship. In 1973, the engine was enlarged and now the 917 could "produce" 1500 hp. The car completely dominated the next season, but Can-Am's rule change in 1974 once again pointed to the Porsche 917's place in racing history.
But in the memory of the fans, he did not move to a landfill, on the contrary, he went to the Museum of Glory. Many consider the 1973 Porsche 917 to be the most powerful racing car ever built.
Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail
The Pike Peak International Hill Climb competition is amazing. In Pike Peak racing there are essentially no hold-alls, competitors can compete against each other as they please. The competition allows drivers, engineers and manufacturers to push the limits of automotive engineering and technology. From 1992 to 2011, the mountain climb was dominated by Nobuhiro "Monster" Taima, who won the tournament nine times, including six in a row, from 2004 to 2011.
As an idea conceived in 1995. The car was named Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail, the car became the owner of two turbocharged 2.5-liter V6 engines - one installed in the front, the other in the rear of the car. Total power - 981 hp Power went to all four wheels. , created all the downforce known to mankind, the Escudo was a monster made to control a monster. It may not be the fastest car ever to storm a hill, but it is simply one of the craziest stormtroopers.
The cementing foundation of the legacy was the inclusion of the Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trail in the Gran Turismo franchise.
Tyrrell P34
How to get more grip while racing? Very simple - add wheels. Along with the oversized rear wheels, the Tyrrell P34's main distinguishing feature was its four small front wheels. This strange at first glance move not only was able to reduce drag and increase the front contact patch, but also allowed to "acquire" additional braking power.
Prepared for the 1976 racing season, the six-wheeled mutant proved its racing competence with 10 podium finishes. He even won the Swedish Grand Prix that year with an impressive Tyrrell finish of 1st and 2nd. In 1977, the car took a dramatic backseat, and advances in aerodynamics made the six-wheel design redundant from the 1978 season.
Six wheels have become the hallmark of the Tyrrell and made it one of the most recognizable cars in motorsport, however, they could not make it the most productive.
Until recently, electric vehicles were perceived, first of all, as city cars, which can be conveniently and cheaply driven only from home to work and back. But automakers are gradually expanding these horizons. And there are already quite a few electric and hybrid sports cars and even racing cars. Pro top ten of which will be discussed in this review.
Toyota TS040 Hybrid Race Car - hybrid racing car from Toyota
The most recent example of a racing car with an electric motor was recently presented by the Japanese company Toyota. The Toyota TS040 Hybrid Race Car was created specifically for racing in the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship series, the goal of which is no longer the sports principle of “faster, higher, stronger”, but the development of modern energy-saving technologies.
The Toyota TS040 Hybrid Race Car is based on the Toyota TS040 racing car that will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A 3.7-liter fuel engine, as well as an electric motor, will give the hybrid a total output of 989 horsepower.
Nissan ZEOD RC - electric car to participate in the 24 hours of Le Mans
And if Toyota released two separate TS040 cars for different competitions, launching a car with an internal combustion engine for the 24 hours of Le Mans, then a year ago Nissan created not even a hybrid for endurance racing, but an electric car - Nissan ZEOD RC. He is expected to hit the track in 2014.
Nissan is one of the world's "locomotives" in the electric vehicle market. She created a unique technology to charge 80 percent of the battery in just 30 minutes. And it is to popularize her achievements that she plans to exhibit the Nissan ZEOD RC at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Of course, she can't count on winning. But even the very finish of an electric car in endurance competitions will be a huge marketing breakthrough.
Monster Sport E-RUNNER - racing sprinter from Mitsubishi
It turns out that the Pikes Peak auto racing in Colorado has had separate races among electric cars for several years. But if earlier they were attended mainly by mass-produced cars with an electric motor, then for the last two years Mitsubishi has been creating special models of electric vehicles specifically for these competitions. And in 2013, the Monster Sport E-RUNNER from this manufacturer won the race by a wide margin.
Pikes Peak is an international auto race, the essence of which is to climb Pikes Peak mountain as quickly as possible along a 20 km long road with 156 turns and a vertical drop of 1439 meters. The track record is 8 minutes 13 seconds. The Monster Sport E-RUNNER electric car in 2013 completed the task in 9 minutes 46 seconds, taking 5th place in the overall standings of the race.
Nuna 7 - solar record holder
And in Australia, for several years in a row, races have been held among a special type of electric vehicles - cars powered by energy from solar panels installed on them. Luckily, the weather conditions make it possible to arrange such competitions. And in 2013, the 3,071-kilometer race between the cities of Darwin and Adelaide was won by a crew in a Nuna 7 car, spending 33 hours and 3 minutes on it.
The Nuna 7 solar electric car was created especially for the World Solar Challenge by a team of students from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The weight of this car is 190 kilograms, and the maximum speed is almost 100 kilometers per hour.
Lola B12/69 EV - the world's first electric racing car
And the first modern electric car, created specifically for serious, and not special auto racing, was. It was released in 2012 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance competition in 2013. The 850 horsepower engine allows this electric car to reach speeds of 329 kilometers per hour.
However, the Lola B12 / 69 EV could not participate in the 2013 races at Le Mans - its debut at these competitions was postponed to 2014. But the car has proven itself well in many other racing races. And the Drayson Racing team is scheduled to become one of the participants in the Formula E series, a new FIA project starting in September 2014.
Sports electric vehicles
In order not to limit our review to only electric racing cars that can only be seen on the tracks, we decided to tell you about some of the most remarkable modern electric sports cars - production cars already driving on the streets of cities.Inizio EVS is the world's first mass-produced electric sports car
For a long time, electric sports cars presented at car dealerships by various manufacturers remained concepts, released in one or more copies. The world's first mass-produced sports electric car became in 2011.
The cost of this car ranged from 139 to 249 thousand US dollars, depending on the model. Its maximum speed is 273 kilometers per hour, the acceleration time from zero to hundreds is 3.4 seconds, and the cruising range on a single battery charge is 402 km.
The fact is that the doors in this electric car do not open sideways, like in the vast majority of cars, but upwards, which has been a sign of expensive, high-status cars for several decades. Among other characteristics, the Tesla Model X boasts the ability to accelerate to a speed of 100 kilometers per hour in 4.4 seconds, a range of 440 kilometers and a fairly moderate price of 50 to 90 thousand dollars, depending on the model.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG - electric sports car from Mercedes-Benz
The auto giant Mercedes-Benz did not miss the opportunity to enter the electric sports car market. In 2013, the Germans launched a new variation of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG supercar equipped with an electric motor into mass production.
The maximum speed of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG electric sports car is 250 kilometers per hour, the same distance the car can travel on one full battery charge. The cost of this car starts from 544 thousand US dollars.
Audi e-tron - the sports car of the future from Audi
In 2014, Audi fans are looking forward to the start of sales of one of the most controversial modern cars from this manufacturer. We are talking about the electric sports car Audi e-tron.
The Audi e-tron is based on the Audi R8 gasoline engine, which was replaced with four electric engines. They allow the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.8 seconds. The maximum speed of the car reaches 250 km / h, but the manufacturer at the hardware level limited this figure to 200, so that fans of driving do not drain the batteries of their sports car so quickly. The Audi e-tron starts at $200,000.
Porsche 918 is the most expensive hybrid sports car in the world
The most expensive mass-produced electric sports car in the world is the Porsche 918 hybrid car, which went on sale in 2013 in a limited edition of 918 cars.
The use of a hybrid engine with a total capacity of 887 horsepower allows the Porsche 918 to accelerate to hundreds in just 2.8 seconds, and its maximum speed reaches 345 kilometers per hour without any restrictions. True, with all these impressive characteristics, the hybrid from Porsche has a significant disadvantage - its price starts from 845 thousand dollars.
As soon as the production of cars became massive, the manufacturers faced the question of whose car is better. There was only one way to find out - to arrange a race. Very soon, the founders abandoned the use of ordinary cars in speed competitions and began to create single-seat racing cars special for this.
Pioneers of racing can now only be seen in the museum, with wealthy collectors, but in the photo. Racing cars became more and more over time, their speed increased, and interest in them increased. Today, motor racing is one of the most legendary sports on the entire globe.
Race cars are the fastest cars built using the latest technology. By the way, these innovations are then applied in the production of conventional "iron horses". The weight of racing cars should be small, the shape should be streamlined. Therefore, the body of these cars is made from ultra-light raw materials used in space technology. Aerodynamic shapes allow you to minimize the resistance of air masses and develop the highest possible speeds.
The most famous brands of racing cars are Ferrari (Italy), Ford (Italy), Porsche (Germany), Lotus (Great Britain) and others.
Competitions vary, and cars are divided into four main types: for high-speed competitions on short straight tracks - dragsters, sports types, stock and open wheels.
The most popular racing cars with open wheels are Formula 1 and Grand Prix. Designed according to samples close to those established by the International Automobile Federation, Formula 1 cars weighing about 600 kg are based on a monocoque chassis and autonomous suspension. The place for the rider is located in the center, where he should be in a prone position. Immediately behind it is a 4- or 6-cylinder engine with up to 1200 horsepower, capable of reaching speeds of up to 360 kilometers per hour. The fight for the championship is contested exclusively on highways. Whereas the larger, heavier race cars of the Championship class, the Indies compete on oval-shaped tracks ranging from 1.6 kilometers in length. Their top speed can reach 368 kilometers per hour.
American models of the Sprint class weighing about 730 kg with a serial Chevrolet 550 engine are the most dangerous for racing due to their straight and high seating position, but these competitions are the most spectacular. Competitions are held on asphalt or cinder tracks with a length of up to 1.6 kilometers.
Racing small cars with 4-cylinder engines are like miniature Sprint cars. Three-quarter racers are even smaller.
Production cars, unlike the Formula 1 class, are consumer cars modified for racing, which are also popular and are held in many countries around the world. This converted "Iron Horse" of the "Grand National" class in the National Association of stock car racing is the best today.
And which one do you prefer?
Sports cars in the photo and in reality
Sports cars, photos of which we see in magazines, on calendars, on the Internet, are beautiful, bright and super powerful cars. Every self-respecting man from childhood dreams of someday buying such a car. But over time, most understand that such cars are clearly not for our roads.
It is worth distinguishing between sports and racing cars. The first, unlike the second, can ride on city roads. Racing is a car of narrow specialization.
Sports cars, photos of which tickle our nerves, are beauty, sophistication of design, interior comfort and enviable power under the hood. This is not to say that sports cars are in great demand today. This product has always been and always will be very specific. Not everyone can afford to buy a Hennessey Venom GTV, McLaren P1, GTA Spano, Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach or Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. And as for further maintenance - there is no need to speak. Such a machine is not intended for the carriage of goods or a family trip with children. Such a car was created for those who like to take risks and emphasize their status in all possible ways. Sports car - for active, bright and self-confident people.
Racing cars and their vivid photos There is no person who would not know what Formula 1 is. But the true fans of this competition also know each pilot by name, the characteristics of their cars and even the names of the technicians who folded the car. The racing cars in the photo from the new race are super-powerful and super-fast cars that are designed purely for competition.
Racing cars in the photo and video amaze with the speed of acceleration. They are able to reach speeds of 100 km/h in 2 seconds. Do you want even more, 300 km/h on the track? This is possible with the KTM X-Bow, Caterham 7 Superlicht R500, Radical SR3 SL. These are examples of the best cars that have shown the highest results in races in terms of maneuverability, speed, reliability, lightness and at the same time the impossibility of flying off the track. Racing cars are always very bright and beautiful in appearance. They differ not only in the amount of horsepower under the hood, but also in endurance and, of course, in the market price. The most extreme racing car made in England is called the Caparo T1. It has 575 horses under the hood, takes a hundred in 2.5 seconds, weighs 550 kg and costs $480,000 today.
Racing car models that conquered Formula 1
You will not find so many millions of American dollars that alternately cut circles on the Formula 1 tracks anywhere else. The cars that made the history of the competition, today, even after they left the track, are worth a fortune. And all because some models of racing cars turned out so successful that it is impossible to think of a better one. For example, the legendary McLaren M23, which became the champion in this race 16 times, Lotus 72 - 20 wins, Ferrari 500 - 14 wins, Williams FW11 / FW11B - 18 wins and, of course - Red Bull RB6" which in 2011 won 9 wins, in 2012 - 12, and in 2013 - 13 times took first place. The pilots of these machines never knew what defeat or descent from the track is, they confidently marched to their victory. Such models of racing cars have gone down in history forever, simply because they have become an example of an absolutely perfect automotive industry for all the times of the existence of not only Formula 1, but also the automotive industry in general. Today, these racing car models are passed from auction to auction, each time with a louder price tag. Some of them sold like expensive antiques this year for $2-2.5 million.
Racing cars are not cars for weak-willed drivers.
Racing cars are an absolutely unique class of the automotive industry, which is prohibited from being used for public purposes, in the stream of ordinary transport. Racing cars are initially designed and then built for a specific type of competition, taking into account the specifics of the track and the rules of the competition.
Race cars should not be confused with sports cars because they have very different assembly methods. Racing cars for road racing are assembled using separate parts from different manufacturers, and the emphasis is on power and agility. Sports cars, for the most part, are made from start to finish under the same brand.
Racing cars used in Formula 1 are called race cars. They represent the original type of cars that engineers assemble for a specific driver and for the upcoming track. Fireballs annually represent a complex of the most advanced and innovative developments in the automotive industry. Racing cars very often become examples for the introduction of innovations in the production of conventional passenger cars.
