Speed has long attracted people and forced them not to stop there. A little over a hundred years ago, racing at a speed of 30 km / h was called insanity, and today's race cars easily develop 10 times faster rates and even aim at the line of 400 km / h! Of course, it is not easy to buy such cars - most of the racing equipment is available only to the richest people in the world. Some machines are even created in a single quantity, which is a reason for the special pride of their owners. What racing cars of our time are considered the best - we will try to give an answer to this question by making a speed rating.
The Swedish hypercar is a representative of the old school, so there is no smell of any electric motors here. Its main advantage is an eight-cylinder turbocharged five-liter power unit running on E85 bioethanol and capable of developing a fantastic 1360 “horses”. If we compare this figure with the weight of the car (1390 kg), then we get about 1 d.s. per kilogram. This indicator was achieved by the maximum reduction in the weight of the car - even the wheels are made of carbon fiber.
The machine is a record holder in various disciplines. For example, in the exercise 0-400-0, which is available to a very small number of vehicles, because for this you must first join the "400 club". However, in this discipline the Agera managed 36.45 seconds, improving the Bugatti Chiron by more than 5 seconds - an outstanding achievement!
Further more. In tests conducted on US Highway 160, the hypercar in two races showed first 437 km / h, and on the way back - 457. According to the rules, the resulting value is the arithmetic average of these races (conducted to level the influence of the wind), so now the current official speed record for a production sports car is 447 km/h. Up to a hundred, the Scandinavian hypercar accelerates in 2.8 seconds, and its cost is $ 1.5 million.
- Lamborghini Miura;
- Mercedes 300SL;
- Ferrari Testarossa;
- Jaguar XK 200.
Each of the named racing cars of previous years has a historical value that will appear in modern supercars only after a few decades. In addition, it is also impossible to call them the fastest, since there are faster vehicles in the world on which official speed records were set. Therefore, while modern racing cars are expensive toys designed for rare trips to the track.
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.
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.
Since its inception, car racing began to gather hordes of fans around the world. There are not so many of those who did not limit themselves to contemplation and became a professional race car driver - a thin school notebook with a dozen sheets is enough to enumerate. They fully quenched their thirst for high speeds and strong g-forces in competitions, while the rest could only lick their lips. But there were also enthusiasts among them who were ready to spend some of their time, money and effort on creating their own fast car. So, the salt lakes of California served as a testing ground for lovers of high speeds almost a hundred years ago. As we said in the article, by the middle of the last century, this phenomenon had become so massive that it was just right to compare it in scale with professional motorsport. The flight of fancy when building cars was often not even limited by common sense, but today we will tell about the other side of this tuning - copies of racing cars or replicas.
Why is this needed?
There are several reasons for the appearance of racing car replicas. The main one is the desire to touch motorsport and keep for oneself the most important part of it - the car. For example, among football fans, the ball and the uniform of the players who played their triumphant match are valuable; in hockey, sticks and helmets are such attributes. But if serious battles are played out for equipment at auctions, then it is almost impossible to buy a real car. In any case, for sane money. But creating a copy of such a machine is possible even in your own garage.
Such machines are also being prepared for participation in expositions and filming. In this case, budgets sometimes allow the use of genuine copies, but the difficulty in finding them pushes customers to make copies. Finally, this type of tuning is less common than others, due to which the replicas attract much more attention than their counterparts in the "regular" tuning.
Who are we copying?
Of course, we are not talking about recreating Formula class cars or sports prototypes, since they have practically nothing in common with production models. Therefore, the production of such a replica will require many times larger budgets and labor costs.
The "mainstream" of this tuning are the "body" classes of circuit and rally disciplines - WRC, WTCC and the like, as well as "charged" versions and limited series of popular models. The most banal example is to make a BMW 520i look and drive like an M5, and modify a Subaru WRX in the manner of Petter Solberg's rally car. If you're a fan of the 9,000 rpm cutoff and your Honda Civic doesn't have red badges, you'll probably want to turn it into a Type R. As with any style of tuning, there are no hard and fast rules, but we'll only look at typical examples when the final project resembles its prototype as a whole, and not by individual elements.
Where do they meet?
The final appearance and technical characteristics of replicas primarily depend on the goals that are set for them. If the project is destined to visit exhibitions, there is no need to interfere in the technical aspects, keeping the main units in native specification with a corresponding change in appearance and interior. Urban operation of the “artificial race” will require the preservation of the functionality of the cabin and the presence of comfort elements in it. The technique in this case is being finalized in accordance with the wishes and budgets of the owner. Finally, the replica can "beat" on the tracks, not inferior to the original fireballs, attacking the apexes and soaring into the air on the crest of the springboards. But the preparation of such a machine affects almost every element, with an eye to the regulations of the sports discipline for which it is being prepared. Below we will take a closer look at the main techniques used in the creation of such machines.
The technical side of the issue
As we said above, the "technical" is completely dictated by the scope of the car. In the case of rally and ring cars, everything is decided by the class regulations, which allow for quite definite changes not only in the engine and transmission, but also in all other components - from brake pads and tires to the thickness of anti-roll bars. There can be no question of a complete coincidence with the prototype, since the technical requirements change annually. One thing remains unchanged: the car is also focused on the minimum time to cover a given distance with maximum safety for the pilot. For this reason, an automatic fire extinguishing system is installed in all such machines, and an automatic fire extinguishing system is “on duty” under the hood.
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It follows from this that a city or exhibition replica can be even faster and more powerful than a real one - there are no restrictions! But even "vegetable" copies, with full external compliance with the original, must have "adult" brakes, a suspension adjusted to the desired clearance and sports tires. Otherwise, the substitution can be recognized without even lifting the hood.
Outside
Unlike, the concept of which requires the complete preservation of the standard appearance, a modified exterior is a mandatory attribute of any racing replica. Depending on which car and with what accuracy it is necessary to copy, the amount of changes also differs. The simplest scheme is when the race body differs only in a couple of elements: for example, air intakes and spoilers. In this case, you can limit yourself to changing the existing external parts without resorting to replacing them.
Another thing is when an expansion of the body is required. So, to turn the BMW E30 Coupe into the M3 Evo version, it is necessary to reshape the entire rear of the body, replace almost all elements in the front and install hubs with five-bolt wheels instead of the standard four-by-one. Fortunately, some companies have already launched the production of appropriate fiberglass parts, thanks to which tuners are spared the search for rare lots and save a lot of money.
Even more difficult when it comes to building a replica racing car. Indeed, on many of them, the wheels are fastened with a central nut, the glasses are replaced with lightweight polycarbonate ones without the possibility of lowering, and it is difficult to make copies of some parts. Thus, the exterior, being the "cover" of the replica, is often the most difficult stage of construction.
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 number. 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.
