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.
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?
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.
Racing car
a single-seat (monoposto) car designed to participate in car races, including for setting speed records (record-racing and ultra-fast cars - "fireballs").
Foreign firms began to build G. and. after 1900. Classification and technical requirements for G. a. are regulated by the rules of the International Sports Code, adopted in 1962, and its annexes, developed by the sports commission of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
According to the working volume of the engine (l) and its own weight (kg) G. a. are subdivided into groups ≈ racing formulas: 1 (up to 3 l, not less than 500 kg), 2 (up to 1.6 l, not less than 450 kg), 3 (up to 1 l, not less than 400 kg). Formula 4 is also used (motorcycle engine up to 250 cm3), which is not officially approved by the FIA. Record-G. A. with gas turbine engines are allocated in a separate class. The best engines of G. a. formulas 1 have a liter capacity of up to 110 kW / l (150 hp / l) at 12,000 rpm and a compression ratio of 11≈12 and a 4-valve scheme that provides high-speed engine with better cylinder filling. On all G. a. Formulas 1 and 2 use direct fuel injection devices. As a rule, G. and. have multi-stage (five-speed) transmissions. Clutches are usually double disc. Disc brakes, ventilated; the width of the rims of the wheels and tires is greater than that of ordinary passenger cars (more than 400 mm). G. and are made in the USSR. formula 4 of the Tallinn Automobile Repair Plant, sports cars ZIL-112S, record racing "Kharkov-7" and gas turbine cars "Pioneer".
The most famous for the construction of G. a. are foreign firms Lotus (Great Britain), Porsche (Germany), Ford, Italian. Ferrari factory, etc.
The absolute world speed record on land was set on October 23, 1970 by G. Gabelich (USA) on the Blue Flame rocket car ≈1014, 294 km/h. The absolute world speed record for a car belongs to R. Summers (USA) ≈ 658.5 km / h (1965).
Lit .: Beckman V.V., Racing cars, 2nd ed., L., 1967.
V. I. Martyuk.
Wikipedia
Racing car
Racing car- cars designed and built specifically for motor racing - both for mass racing and for setting speed records. Unlike mass-produced road sports cars, racing cars have the most lightweight body, which lacks many important control and safety components. These vehicles are generally not allowed on public roads.
Racing cars, unlike conventional serial cars, were created not for the transport of passengers, but for competitions, to determine the technical capabilities of the car and its driving.
Participation in races requires high speed and aerodynamic characteristics from such cars. Racing cars have a large engine power, low weight, respectively, they can quickly accelerate and reach high speeds, as well as steadily turn around.
Racing cars are produced both by the sports divisions of large automakers (such as Daimler-Benz's AMG) and by small private companies created to build a single model. As a rule, such companies design only the body of the car and some of its components, and the most important and difficult part to manufacture - the engine - is supplied to them by large car manufacturers.
The first attempts to create machines capable of transporting people date back to the end of the 18th century. Long-term research in this area led to the creation of the first car with an internal combustion engine. This significant discovery was made by German engineers Daimler and Benz in 1885, which marked the beginning of the automobile era.
The rapid development of science and technology made it impossible to stand still in the evolution of machines. In addition to the rapidity of cars, designers began to work on other indicators: strength, reliability, ease of control, ease of construction, engine efficiency. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the achievements of racing cars were tested in France, which became the center of motorsport. Speeds increased to 40 km/h, the first records were recorded - 124 km/h.
After the end of the First World War, a new stage in the development of racing cars began. Young Soviet Russia zealously joined the rivalry, where in 1924 the first Soviet car was assembled by the designers of the Likhachev Plant. A whole galaxy of eminent racers appeared, speaking only on domestic cars.
The rapid development of rallies and approaches to their organization occurred in the second half of the twentieth century. Distances during competitions have increased, racing associations have begun to actively operate in most countries. The constant competition between the largest automobile concerns forced to implement new ideas, achievements, developments.
Over the long history of the development of racing cars, many curious cases have occurred, and interesting facts have accumulated:
