Racing

Land Rover DEFENDER CHALLENGE by Bowler Motorsport - Borders Rally Season Finale 1223

Land Rover DEFENDER CHALLENGE Race Series Wraps Epic 2015 Season, Crowns Winner!

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The Land Rover Defender might be concluding series production after more than 50 years, but its loyal following around the world is still burning bright. Nowhere more so than in rainy, chilly Britain! Land Rover enlisted the rally experts at Bowler Motorsport to launch an all-Defender rally series in the UK this year, with dozens of race teams bringing their semi-pro skills up to scratch with their race-prepped Bowler Defenders. The final stage sounds like it was a thrilling conclusion to a season full of adrenaline, sweaty helmets and wet race shoes. Crashes were common but typically bruised egos more …

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2016 Dodge VIPER ACR 8

2016 Dodge VIPER ACR – First Real-Life Photos Show Insane Aerokit

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Just drove the 2016 Viper GT on track and am still in V10 nirvana. But there is a new king in the Viper range: the road-legal American Club Racer. Seeing the car in person is a jaw-dropping experience — this exterior is the coolest supercar since the TVR Sagaris! Huge new fender vent slashes, a underbody fully shrouded with air channels, and a nose and tail treatment more aggressive than even the wildest tuners can make real. Let alone make for sale as a $20k option!   2016 Dodge VIPER ACR PREVIOUS   Welcome to the fastest road-legal Viper of …

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2015 SPECTRE Villain CX75 10

SPECTRE Jaguar Laps GP Circuit with Felipe Massa on HD Video + 88 New Photos

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    A hypercar that is NOT available to purchase is suddenly the hottest on the planet? Perhaps! The SPECTRE Jaguar C-X75 is on a world tour both promoting the James Bond film and the Jaguar brand alike. It is a thrill to watch this stunning machine in action — as we saw through the back-streets of Roma in the film. But what can the car really do in theright hands? With the right open sweepers and world-class racetrack? Cut to Williams Martini Racing star Felipe Massa coming down the steps from his helicopter and over to this hypercar hero …

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RM NYC 2015 - 1986 Ford RS200 - Final Road-Legal Group B Rally Star 21

Group B Debrief – 1986 Ford RS200 – Road-Legal Rally Legend Up For Sale

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Imagine if suddenly all the power-cap rules for a major racing series were abolished overnight. A mad rush of skunkworks projects would be fast-tracked, with racecars zinging out their red-hot turbochargers through the World Rally Championship stages just 18-months later. Porsche, Ferrari, Lancia, Ford, and Audi all dove into the Group B program with both feet. The results on track were mixed for many of these cars: the lack of power cap rules meant that intagibles like chassis control, visibility and reliability were paramount for winning rallies in the short Group B time on the global stage. The excitement of …

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1955 Carlo Mollino Record Car Model by Stola 7

1955 Carlo Mollino Record Car Model by Stola S.p.A., 2006

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Really an exceptional group of vehicles heading to auction at RM Sotheby’s New York event next month. Lots of 1950s icons to share, but this is one of the highlights. A few reasons. First, this exotic streamliner prototype flashes both back and forward in time: these aero ideals applied to vehicles for the first time in the mid-century, when aeronautics took massive leaps forward thanks to the atrocious WWII battle needs. Engineers swapping back to the car business brought their knowledge with them. Wind tunnels were a new piece of tech, yet complex simulations were still decades away from determining …

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1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti 12

1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti

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They do not come any finer than this. 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti New York – Driven By Disruption 10 December 2015 Lot 224 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial by Scaglietti To be auctioned on Thursday, December 10, 2015 $5,000,000 – $6,500,000     *Premium Lot – Bidding via Internet will not be available for this lot. Should you have any questions please contact Client Services. 170 bhp, 1,984 cc DOHC inline four-cylinder engine with two Weber 40 DCOA/3 carburetors, five-speed manual transaxle, tubular steel chassis, independent front suspension with transverse leaf springs, De Dion rear axle with parallel …

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1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II 6

RM NYC 2015 – 1959 BMW 507 Roadster Series II May Be Most-Valuable BMW with $3M Highball Estimate

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If this absolutely magnificent BMW 507 clears its pre-sale estimate of between 2.3 and 2.6 million, it will become one of — if not the — most valuable BMW of all time. The top five list from premier auction house RM Sotheby’s is exclusively 507 Roadsters, with the top sale earning $2.42M at Amelia Island 2014. With the presentation and provenance of this rare cabrio, we’d be surprised if the total sale was under $3-million.      Top 5 BMWs of all Time from RM Auctions Lot 152 | 2014 – Amelia Island – The Pray Collection 1958 BMW 507 …

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RM NYC 2015 – 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Sportabteilung Gullwing Seeks $7M

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One of the rarest Gullwings in the world?  One of only four race-prepped W198 300SLs, featuring the upgraded NSL engine with 240HP? A surviving competition car that placed second in the 1956 Tour de France, and driven by Sir Striling Moss? Oh yes. For the first time in more than 25 years, an authentic ‘Sports Department’  Sportabteilung seeks a new home. RM Sotheby’s will sell the special Merc at their December event in Manhattan. No internet bids, riffraff! 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Sportabteilung Gullwing RM Sotheby’s New York – Driven By Disruption 10 December 2015 Lot 223 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL …

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Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Mugello - World Debut of F12TdF Special, 488 GT3 + FXX K Sightings 30

Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Mugello – World Debuts of F12 TdF Special, 488 GTE + FXX K Sightings

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Ferrari just wrapped up its weeklong extravaganza for the World Finals of the Ferrari Challenge one-make race series  — and crowned the huge week by debuting the new F12TdF in front of the packed crowd of 50,000-plus tifosi at Mugello circuit. The new F12 Tour de France special model wears new aero, extra power and track-optimized handling settings. This makes running around the ultra-quick circuit with 599XXs, FXX K’s and even F1 cars a natural habit for the limited-run 2016 model — despite the F12 TdF being street-legal worldwide. In real-life photos, the F12TdF is quite striking, with design elements …

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BTR Veloster Turbo

Blood Type Racing Makes 500HP Hyundai VELOSTER Turbo R-Spec for SEMA 2015

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Blood Type Racing delivered a Best of SEMA concept last year in its 800HP Genesis Coupe (photo gallery below). Stunning ideas and execution made that hemoglobin-hued showcar so special, we’d be scared to drive it on the highway — let alone sideways on a racetrack! BTR earned a pretty high honor for its incredible 2014 efforts: another slot in the Hyundai official SEMA customs roster. This year brought a pretty big challenge, however, for the Blood Type hoons: a Veloster Turbo R-Spec as the starting point. The Veloster is a challenging tuner platform for a variety of reasons, but none …

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Hyundai SEMA 2015 – Genesis Coupes From ARK and TJIN Are 1200HP of Sideways Bliss

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Two Genesis Coupes are among the six-pack of official customs from Hyundai for the 2015 SEMA show. While the results from ARK Performance and TJIN are quite distinct, interesting similarities are present and notable between the two.  Most critically, the standard-equipment 3.8-liter, 350HP V6 is boosted up to quite extreme power levels via supercharged induction. TJIN runs a Vortex V4 supercharger with Bisimoto ECU tune, but few other mechanical mods to the engine internals. A ballpark output from this conversion is around 475 horsepower. Clearly enough to make the Genesis Coupe a powerhouse, of course, and one that looks divine …

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1969 DeTomaso Mangusta by Ghia 18

RM NY 2015 Preview – 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta by Ghia Is Flawless in Sunburst Orange

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DeTomaso was one of a very talented group of ex-Ferrari men who broke out and founded their own dream supercar companies in the early 1960s. Like ISO, Siata, Bizzarrini and Lamborghini, the mid-1960s were sweet to all these new marques. Export markets to the US and elsewhere were all-new possibilities for the firms, and increases in sales were achieved for almost all the brands. Only a few really made it past the tumult of the early 1970s Arab Oil Embargo and new crash/emissions rules coming into force in America, by now dwarfing Europe in overall sales volumes for supercars. Lamborghini …

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1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti 1

RM NY 2015 Preview – 1956 Ferrari 290MM Racecar Piloted by Fangio and Phil Hill

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Not just a surviving Ferrari racecar from the golden era of the 1950s, but one that looks as fresh today as it did 60 years ago! This Ferrari 290MM is headed for sale at the RM Sotheby’s New York gala on December 10th, where it is expected to be among the high earners in a growing and mighty impressive list of classic-car icons. Ballpark beyond “buku-bucks” for the estimate? Well, let’s assume a bare skeleton of this car after a burnedout wreck would be worth $5-million. Then we have actuality: it is near-perfect  (+$5M) — was driven in numerous famous …

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Renaultsport RS01 6

2015 RenaultSport RS01 Blasts Around Jerez Circuit in New Video and Photoset

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Fresh videos and photos of the Renault RS01 racecars blasting around Circuit Jerez this week in Spain! And crucially, a look under the hood of this mid-engine stunner — confirming the well-known rumors that the 3.8-liter engine under that back canopy has GT-R origins. [Actually, Renault confirmed this right from the start: see tech specs included below video.] What a prospect. Imagine not just a true mid-engine racing GT-R, but actually a pure speed-demon with bespoke CF chassis and bodywork, racing suspension and all that power to just the back wheels! Just the thought of such a machine is enough …

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1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato 25

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato May Fetch $20M at RM NY 2015 Auction

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1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato RM Sotheby’s NEW YORK, NEW YORK | An exclusive exhibition and sale located on Sotheby’s 10th floor gallery 10 December 2015 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato Chassis no. DB4GT/0186/R Engine no. 370/0186/GT Photo Credit: Patrick Ernzen ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s In the early 1960s, Aston Martin and Ferrari were in a heated battle for supremacy in the World Sports Car Championship. It seemed as if every season brought about a new, race-ready vehicle to ensure each company’s victory, and the teams were consistently fighting each other for first place. Competition was just …

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Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo Debuts New Nose, Color and Wheels

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The NC2020 will star at Nissan’s packed exhibit for the Tokyo Auto Show starting in late October — with a few all-new details to captivate showgoers. An all-new satin red finish is the clearest change from the original Goodwood concept in its smokey silver. This shade is called Fire Knight and is a deeper and more sinister shade than the Nissan LMP1 in its GT-R race red. Other tweaks versus the first outing for the NC2020? Dark wheels with a sharper blade look to its five spokes, plus a cleaned-up nose with more sculptural and prominent V-motion grille bar. This …

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2016 Volvo S60 POLESTAR TC1 7

Bad-Ass Volvo S60 POLESTAR TC1 Racer Taking Fight to WTCC in 2016 With Cyan Racing

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How awesomely evil does Volvo’s new WTCC car look — and sound!  Volvo just signed on for the 2016 World Touring Car Championship with its Polestar TC1 racecar — which is a highly upgraded version of the street machine. Now pushing out close to 600HP and wearing an all-new widebody aero kit, the S60 TC1 will compete with Polestar Cyan Racing next season (2016) and for at least two more years after that. What is Cyan Racing?  It is the new name of the Polestar motorsports team, which remains independent even after Volvo announced a takeover of the Polestar brand …

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1989 Porsche 962 Miller High Life Racer 12

Mecum Kissimmee 2016 – 1989 Porsche 962 Miller High Life 24H Daytona-Winner

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The 959 might hold most Porsche glory for taking turbocharging to the next level of performance. But in truth, the turbo racing engine was fine-tuned into a world-beater in the Porsche 962. This particular example is a racing-winning stunner with a unique Miller livery — shimmery in eighties gold  and green over white with Porsche Andial title sponsorship. The magesty of the 962 is that it was the ultimate evolution of the wedge race profile. Decked out in ductwork and extra intakes all over the bodywork, the 962 and its open-backed design was optimized for 250-mph-plus runs down the Mulsanne …

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2016 Aston Martin VULCAN meets Avro VULCAN Bomber 6

2016 Aston Martin VULCAN Meets Legendary Avro Vulcan Namesake

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More than a few days late on this news, but it is too good to skip! Aston Martin’s ultra-high-performance flagship just had a meet and greet with its namesake, the Avro Vulcan nuclear bomber!  The Vulcan of the RAF has kept Britain and the world safe from the threat of nuclear weapons for the last 50 years, but will retire this month to the annals of history. And in doing so, this nuclear deterrent will enter the hall of fame for long-range strategic bombers. The beauty of the aircraft and its innovative, ahead-of-its-time delta wing design are icons for all …

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2016 SHELBY GT350 Ford Mustangs Snapped in Flesh at Petit Le Mans

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Very soggy day of racing at Petit Le Mans this year.  On the infield OEM stands, the rain also meant the 2017 Ford GT was covered up. Days of checking on her — hoping for a glimpse — were in vain.  This time. Just too wet out for a pure concept car. Pure sexy but on the roads very, very soon? The new Shelby GT350!  Wearing the silver snake badge in the wild new grille and nose, the GT350s here are a road car in new Ford Performance signature blue.  The bright orange/red stunner with white racing stripes is a …

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RENNtech 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 SPEC

Concept Flashback – RENNtech 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 SPEC.R Hybrid Pikes Peak

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Renntech won the Mercedes SEMA 2010 tuner challenge, and was awarded a little present as a result! Another iteration of the concept — but this time as a real rally car! All the enhanced aero is needed when climbing up to 14,000-feet at Pikes Peak International Hillclimb — when the KW springs and new NITTO grip setup are also helpful. The powertrain is a RENNtech-tuned V6 pushing 350HP, an increase of around 80 ponies versus the atmospheric petrol. Non-turbo at Pikes Peak is challenging, so the SPEC.R Hybrid adds a jumbo PHEV battery under the rear floor. Finally, custom graphics …

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Flawless 917K Launches Porsche Racecar Resto and Race Mgmt Services

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    Caveat on the header image!  Porsche is not resto-modding its priceless racing icons.  Just a bit of photoshop fun for the header graphic — melding 917K with 2016 Cayenne quad LEDs. The Gulf-Porsche 917K LeMans-winner must be one of the most iconic racecars of all time. Celebrated and hated in equal measure by track opponents during its competitive reign, the stunning champion is now a universal all-star at classic races like the Mitty Reunion at Road Atlanta every Springtime. Porsche knows its classic racecar owners love nothing more than tracking and competing hard — so is rolling out …

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2016-Peugeot-DKR16-Rally-Racer-10

Peugeot DKR16 Gets Floored Redesign: Group B Fury in 200 New Images + Tech Specs and Dirty Video!

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Reviewing this nearly all-new 2016 Peugeot Dakar racer almost brings tears to a racer’s eye! And the blatt of the V6TT making 800Nm of torque is just the immersion to make your month. Will this make Peugeot and Red Bull’s year down in Chile in January? You’d be a fool to bet against this breathtaking prototype from the far future. Check out this animated evolution in GIF form showing the huge change in scale, proportions and stance for the newly-renamed Peugeot 2008 DKR16 racer. As we scroll through the past year, the original 2015 spec became the 2015+ configuration for …

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HONDA PROJECT 2&4 POWERED BY RC213V AT FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW 2015

Best of Frankfurt 2015 – Honda Project 2&4 Concept – Floating Seats Promise Surreal Track Pleasure

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Updated 9.16.15 With 35 New Photos Check out the Honda Project 2&4 up close and in detail!  This is one of the most outrageous concepts from Honda in years. Not just Honda, any manufacturer, really. And this is not just some track car, either, as we surmised below. By engineering the 2&4 with outboard seating, the drive experience should also blend the joy of two-wheeling. But with the cornering pace of a four-wheeled vehicle. Not having any panels, doors or bodywork anywhere to your left shoulder, hip or pedals will be a revolution on the road. Far more exposed than …

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2015 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is Ready to Race

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The thrill of leading a race is a core Bugatti trait. Along with stratospheric pricing for any Bugatti new or old, the firm has always built itself on being the fastest. The best. The ultimate in automotive engineering, design and haute couture is about to have a new rival. An in-house rival for the Veyron glory, world records and completed production run. All 450 Veyrons have been configured, customized, personalized and delivered to owners around the world, however. So what is next? This concept Vision Gran Turismo debut today in Frankfurt shows the core speed fundamentals underneath the showcar. This …

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600HP 2016 BMW M6 Competition Coupe Salutes Hardcore GT3 Racecar + Coming to USA!

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Almost all the curb appeal, but a fifth of the price? Yep, the new M6 Competition Edition is a faithful recreation of the all-new GT3 racer. No word on US availability of this machine, but pricing around $110k will be a snip versus the half-mil for the privateer racecar. Actually, the embossed cabin emblems prove that the M6 Comp Coupe will be coming to America. 2016 BMW M6 Competition Edition   BMW M6 Coupe Competition Edition. The new BMW M6 Coupe Competition Edition to be presented by BMW M GmbH at the 66th Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) from 17 – 27 September 2015 raises …

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2015 Bugatti Vision GT in 60 Stunning Images – RWD Atmospheric W16 for LeMans 2016?

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The thrill of leading a race is a core Bugatti trait. Along with stratospheric pricing for any Bugatti new or old, the firm has always built itself on being the fastest. The best. The ultimate in automotive engineering, design and haute couture is about to have a new rival. An in-house rival for the Veyron glory, world records and completed production run. All 450 Veyrons have been configured, customized, personalized and delivered to owners around the world, however. So what is next? This concept Vision Gran Turismo debut today in Frankfurt shows the core speed fundamentals underneath the showcar. This …

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RM Hershey 2015 Preview – 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead Coupe

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This feels timely. But is outre and fabulous on its own, even without Dawn intro…! This 1950s Cloud is just lovely. It shows how far Rolls-Royce has come, but the luxury standard continuing uninterrupted. In example? A giant air conditioner unit up front in this ragtop, plus rear table trays in matching burl walnut. 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead Coupe RM London 2015 London 7 September 2015 Lot 160 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupé Adaptation by H.J. Mulliner To be auctioned on Monday, September 7, 2015 Sold for £218,400 Chassis no. SNH14 Engine no. SN139 Body no. 6213 …

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RM London 2015 - 1974 Abarth 2000 SE 027 6

RM London 2015 – 1974 Abarth 2000 SE 027 Is Ultimate Soapbox Fantasy Racecar

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If the debate between Huracan and Miura might be clearly won by the new model, the same is not true for track cars. Imagine actually driving a snorting, rorting racecar to your local track, racing a few hot laps til afternoon, then rumbling home. The design and ultra-short wheelbase of this 1974 Abarth 2000 SE makes it pin-prick accurate. And fiesty. 280-horsepower from a LM-spec four-cylinder? Yep. Rearing to go! RM London 2015 – 1974 Abarth 2000 SE 027 RM London 7 September 2015 Lot 127 1974 Abarth 2000 SE 027 To be auctioned on Monday, September 7, 2015 Sold …

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2015 Honda Project 2&4 Concept – World Premiere of 14000-RPM Baby NSX

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  Much as the world (and especially Japanese K-car buyers) love the S660 roadster, the sports potential of that mid-engine roadster is limited. Limited by power caps, safety rules and exhange rates — the S660 is not a global halo car, and definitely not a mini-NSX. What about the latest in Honda engine tech, paired with an open-wheeled racing design fresh from 2025? Now that would be something! Running the ultra-potent RC213V MotoGP bike engine, the Project 2&4 is ultra light and ultra simple. Ultra fresh sci-fi looks are just part of its charm, however. The real thrills will come …

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2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupé Edition 1 + 2016 DTM Racecar 1

2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupé Edition 1 + 2016 DTM Racecar Preview

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Can you tell that the Mercedes-AMG racing team has been eager for a new C-Class Coupe!? Just days after the reveal of the new C63-S Coupe, we have our first look at the 2016 DTM racecar. Even without being a fan of this hardcore German touring car series, you know that the BMW 4 Series, Audi A5 and Merc CLK are locked in a three-way battle for checkered flags, flashbulbs and column inches. The new C63 DTM car is almost a perfect mirror image of a custom C63 Coupe Edition 1 model to be produced in limited numbers, and only …

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RECON MC8 By Potter and Rich 17

RECON MC8 Is 1000HP Audi R8 V10 Plus with LMS Carbon Reskin and GT3 Aero

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  This is our first intro to English supercar boutique Potter and Rich — but they are making a strong impression even across an ocean! The latest P&R custom is dubbed the RECON MC8 — and is a wildly ugraded Audi R8 V10 Plus. Ten are planned for sale to customers, with a laundry list of racing upgrades and custom details. Most importantly … the RECON MC8 is a racecar for the road!  Anyone with eyes or ears will know that as the beast rumbles past. A supercharged and strengthened V10 engine comes from McChip-DKR in Germany, while the shouty …

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2015 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo World Premiere – 300MPH Fantasy LM Racer Is Close To Reality

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The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo bowed this morning — as a stunning masterpiece, of course! The full-scale prototype will be on the Frankfurt show stand mid-month, where this racing-focused redesign of the Veyron SS Vitesse will fill in for a next-generation Bugatti reveal. A Veyron-shaped machine is currently in hot and cold weather testing at the moment — quashing rumors of a Bugatti SUV or limousine as the Veyron replacement. This shared overall mid-engine look is all that we know from the test cars dubbed Chiron in some auto mags. In this regard, the currently-testing Bugatti is likely to be …

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2016 BMW i8 FIA Formula E Pacecar – Wireless Charging + M8 Mods Roadmap?

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BMW has re-signed as the official safety and medical car provider for the second-ever Formula E race series! The 2015/2016 series will feature a number of electric BMW’s on track for assistance and support duties, including bikes and an X5 eDrive. The i3 will be a medical support vehicle as well. But the really fast laps demand a fast safety and pacecar, of course! And here is the perfect machine, the PHEV BMW i8. And not just any i8, either. A few interesting tidbits about this pacecar are extremely promising. Wireless charging and a huge chassis upgrade that may point …

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Revised Peugeot DKR 2015+ Battle-Testing New Engine/Suspension Setups Ahead of Dakar 2016

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No person (or rally race) should be treated like ‘a means to an end.’ But when that ultimate goal looms larger than anything else in sight, you tend to focus on the main event. All others are just prep work. And so it is for the refreshed Peugeot 2008 DKR 2015+ racecar. That 2015+ coding is the internal tag for the heavy upgrade work done by the racing boffins at Peugeot Sport. The DKR was our clear favorite to win the Dakar rally in 2015, but lost out to the brutally fast MINI Countryman race squad, who are shooting for …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan JUKE Nismo RS Manual

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Imagine a core group of Nissan GT-R engineers, drivers and designers set loose on the Nissan Juke NISMO. Task? Take the quickest and most performance-focused crossover, and make it truly track-tight in every way. That is how the Juke Nismo RS came into this world — with astounding results. The speed, style and drive experience of the Nismo RS is absolutely incredible versus its $28k competitors — and even versus pricier cars like the AMG GLA45, WRX or Mustang EcoBoost. The Juke Nismo RS is incredibly focused from first sitting in its racing Recaro hard-back bucket seats. A pair of …

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2015 BMW 3

Update1 – 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R Concept Makes Race-Ready Debut at Pebble Beach

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Updated 8.16.15 with 22 new photos At this very hour last year, we were limping away from the BMW Pebble Beach mansion after a party celebrating the M5 Jahre 30 Edition and Vision Future Luxury. A day of roaming the Pebble Beach grounds left our feet blistered and bloody — but the Nikon SD card full of fantastic photos. This year, we are covering the events from afar — feet intact and dress shoes safely stowed in closet. It is cars like this new Hommage R concept that make us wish were spending $1000 a day to not drive any …

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©2015 Sam Cobb

2001 BMW M3 GTR Race and Road Cars Attending Autobahn Concours in Monterey

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BMW is mining some fairly recent greatest hits for the Autobahn Concours in Monterey this week. As you probably know, Pebble Beach Concours often dominates the headlines of the Monterey Bay’s automotive week, but it is just one of more than a dozen locales and events throughout Carmel and the town of Monterey itself. The M3 GTR racecar in stars and stripes livery has just completed a wheels-up restoration, and is a proud member of the BMW racing legacy. The road variant of this killer racecar will also be in attendance. What might these cars signal for the future BMW …

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RENAULT SPORT R

2015 RenaultSport R.S. 01 Racecar Headlines World Series Renault at Silverstone Next Month

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Renaultsport is revving up its fanbase this month ahead of the World Series of Renault race weekend extravaganza at Silverstone in early September. F1 cars, Clio Cup cars and 115 years of Renaultsport racing legends will be proudly attending this petrolhead woodstock. The UK debut of the RS01 racecar is perhaps the most exciting new detail for this fun event: the global racing series is part branding, part driver development and part technical R&D. The RS01 features in 30 or so new photos ahead of the big race — shown below along with details on the $12 tickets to join …

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1960 Chevrolet CERV I Prototype 1

RM Monterey 2015 – 1960 Chevrolet CERV I – Zora’s F1 Dream Prototype

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If there were two words more taboo than ‘racing’ at General Motors in the 1950s, they would be: open-wheeled and mid-engine. Despite all evidence to the contrary, the world’s largest automaker was a big prude when it came to racecars and production exotics. Safety pressure from DC was woven into the product planning and board rooms with an iron lock. But the late 1950s opened many doors. A total ban on racing sponsorship or factory participation was fading fast. Moral leaders and crazy think-tanks of the day were losing their grip on culture thanks to mass media and tectonic advancements …

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1971 Abarth Scorpione Prototipo 5

1971 ABARTH Scorpione Prototipo is Rear-Engine Rallycar for RM London 2015

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    Abarth built a series of fascinating race concepts between the 1950s and the mid 1970s, usually somehow based on a Fiat 500 but often completely redesigned. This Scorpione Prototipo was a very contemporary take on a quasi-factory rally car. The glasshouse and overall proportions of the vehicle are far more advanced than any Cinquecento, with a complete repackaging into a two-seat GT car with its engine in the trunk. Theoretical competition in racing would come from cars like the Alpine A110 or the Lancia Fulvia. The Abarth 1300 badge in back next to the circular punch-drilled ventwork is …

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2015 Mazda LM55 Vision GT Tops Goodwood With 787B LeMans Legend + GT6 Updates

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  Twin glory spires at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year are capped by the LeMans-winning Mazda 787B and the 2015 Mazda LM55 Vision Gran Turismo — two kindred spirits together in the metal publicly for the first time. This is a huge year for Mazda. The lineup is stronger than ever, while the new MX-5 and all-new CX-3 compact SUV are creating more buzz than ever for the Japanese sportscar brand. The Central Sculpture and OEM title sponsorship for Mazda at Goodwood is a big vote of confidence in their growth strategy. Typically this high-dollar placement has gone …

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2010 Red Bull X1 26

2010 Red Bull X1 Launched Gran Turismo As Ultimate MMO R&D Engine

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As we look to the future of disruptive, breakthrough innovations in racing — it helps to start with a blank sheet of paper. This is counterintuitive, of course, versus the typical half-step of evolution among all species — racecars included. What is needed to deliver the TV ratings and championship trophies all race series crave? Speed, beauty, drama and technical innovation. There must be balance between outright speed, sound and safety. In short, a revolution is needed to put put racing into hyperdrive. The world championship Red Bull and Vettel pairing from 2010 provided a clever look at priorities of …

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F1 Canadian GP Auto Racing

2019 McLaren-Honda F1 Racer Rendered With Gorgeous Closed-Cockpit Canopy

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  Andries Van Overbeeke’s third set of future F1 car designs is his most intriguing yet — thanks to a subtle tweak up top and a revolution down below. Up top in the Overbeeke F1 McLaren-Honda we have a closed cockpit for the first time. No F1 car has run enclosed in the history or the event. Shaped like a fighter jet canopy, this forward-hinged cockpit promises smoother aero at high speeds and enhanced safety in any accident. F1 cars have typically been open for practical reasons. Venting exhaust fumes at first, then allowing drivers to be ejected or extracted …

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LeMans Legends from Porsche 65

LeMans Legends from Porsche – Sweet 16 Becomes Magnificent 17 With New 919 Win

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        Porsche just swept LeMans, crowning its 17th racecar with the most-coveted trophy on the auto racing circuit. What cars came before? Porsche has competed and succeeded at Le Mans since the early 1950s, but only entered the highest echelons of competition in the mid-1960s. Shut out of victory by the Ford GT40 Mark II’s winning streak from 1966-1969, Porsche did the impossible with its massive 1970 victory. Let’s take a walk back through Porsche LeMans Winners, starting from the most recent in 1998. But first, the all-star group and the people behind these wins. Porsche LeMans …

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Porsche LeMans 2015 Victory 9

LeMans 2015 Video: Porsche 919 Hybrid Takes One-Two Victory!

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  Ladies and gentleman, the day has come! Porsche reclaimed overall LeMans victory 45 years since its first in 1970 and last in 1998. The 919 Hybrid was so fast it passed even LMP2 cars (and more than a few LMP1 cars) like they were standing still on the track. A stunning feat of brilliant engineering, driving and motorsports — together pushing the 919 to a decisive victory in first and second place.   2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid   One-two for the Porsche 919 Hybrids in Le Mans Stuttgart. Mission accomplished: Porsche has achieved its 17th overall Le Mans victory …

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2015 Torino Design WildTwelve Concept

SHOCK! 2017 Ford GT Will Race LeMans 2016 – HD Track Test Video + 75 Photos

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Alternative headline grabbers?   FTW! New Vmax Bomber! Shock & Awesome! Stormin’ Normandy! Ford Libs LeMans for 6th Time in 2016? Now on to this heartwarming news: the 2017 Ford GT supercar will race in Le Mans next year, the 50th anniversary of the Ford GT’s first win in 1966. Since 1944, we add 1967, 68 and 69 to reach five overall American trips to Le Mans, France. Le Sarthe for Ford means nothing less than agony, ecstasy and a lasting legacy. The 2016 24-hour race one year from tomorrow will mark a high water mark in Ford Performance’s return …

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2016 Honda RC213V-S USA 10

2016 Honda RC213V-S MotoGP Champ Coming to Select USA Owners By Year-End!

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It is very, very rare that a pure racer of any kind is offered to the public for sale. Heck, for most racing teams, even divulging key mechanical specs can be an act of high treason. But after two MotoGP World Championships, the impossible is now confirmed: Honda will sell the bike in the US market. Ever-so-slighty tweaked to add license plate brackets, the looser safety rules for two-wheelers make this a genius move by Honda. This is beyond performance flagship or halo model. The RC213V-S is a knockout blow to all other superbikes.  Pricing and availability are not yet …

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LeMans 2015 Spotters Guide to All Racecars c/o Nissan GT-R LM Nismo – Truly Innovative Excitement?

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Innovation That Excites. Sound familiar? Of course it does. This Nissan tagline raises half an eyebrow when attached to cars like the Altima or Versa. Arguably neither innovative nor exciting, it is almost like calling Taco Bell haute cuisine. It just is not in any way. Categorical denial of tagline principles! But the new 2015 LMP1 car from Nissan is actually hugely innovative and hugely exciting. It is the newest entrant in the top class to compete with the Ultra-boring Audi Sport R19s, Porsche 919 and somewhat dull Toyota Gazoo TS040. The GT-R LM NISMO is also a total wildcard …

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RM Monterey 2015 Preview – 2013 Ferrari 458 Challenge Evoluzione

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Ferrari Challenge cars are brutal, hardcore and seriously extreme. If your senses have been dulled by supercars as daily drivers, these cars are a harsh wakeup call to the terror and glory of a true racecar. It is extremely rare to see one with the most current technology come up for sale, and this 458 Challenge Evo is basically brand new. It just returned to the US from Maranello, where it was upgraded to the quickest ‘Evo’ form with new mechanicals and aero updates via all-new nose and tail. Before that voyage, it only had a few hours of total …

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404MPH via 2590HP! SRT Tomahawk X Tops Raceable Trio of S, GTS-R and X Models

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Stunning reveal today for the SRT Tomahawk Vision GT car for Gran Turismo. The details are as great as the sweeping airfoils all around the Tomahawk’s graphene glass and bodywork. Three variants of this ultra-futuristic supercar prototype are engineered and raceable at different levels of the game. All with record-setting levels of theoretical performance! A mid-mounted, wide-block V10 engine provides primary thrust, with the front axle on-demand AWD. Performance will be obscene. All run a combination of wide-block V10 plus hydaulic AWD and active aero. The Tomahawk S comes in with 1007-horsepower, while the GTS-R is race-optimized throughout. The white …

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World Endurance Championship

LeMans 2015 – Toyota TS040 Hybrid Gets New Nose, More Power and New Suspension Setup

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  What the TS040 lacks in outright drama, it clearly makes up for with outstanding engineering and bulletproof reliability. Le Mans 2014 was one of the three World Endurance Championship races that the TS040 Hybrid did not win — but the team cleaned up by going 5 in 8 overall during the 2014 season. This dominance was enough to score Toyota the World Championship titles for the car as well as its drivers — which is certainly an impressive feat. The newly-renamed Toyota Gazoo Racing team wants to keep the winning glory in this 2015 season with the ultimate crowning …

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2015 SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo Teases Extreme Mid-Engine Hypercar

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  First look at the upcoming 2015 SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo! This latest installment of the VGT series is a fantasy concept created and engineered for racing in Gran Turismo on PlayStation — but is also a solid look into the dream wishlist of the SRT performance and design teams. Only a few official images so far, but what we see is a stunning track car that features adaptive aerodynamics with a massive rear wing, side flap air brakes, and numerous other delicious details. Five giant exhaust pipes in the center of the Tomahawk’s tail hint at some kind …

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Nissan GT-R LM NISMO Testing in Sebring

LeMans 2015 – Nissan GT-R LM NISMO Stuns On Track With Vacuum Aero!

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Update: Observers of the GTR-LM at NCM Motorsports Park in Kentucky have confirmed the sound of high-power electric vans at speed around the track — answering a fundamental question posed below. __ Well, I’ll be damned! The shocking design and tech solutions of the all-new Nissan LMP1 car continue to mystify in the runup to LeMans 2015. The tech specs are out and included here, along with a fascinating video revealing one of the GT-R LM NISMO’s big secret weapons: vacuum aero. Nissan shows these full-length channels in the design in the below video, describing how the full-length piping helps …

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Ferrari Bringing FXX-K + 488GTB and More to 2015 Goodwood FOS in New Concours Strategy

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Ferrari is the most-collectible car brand of all time. Vehicles from the company’s storied past have owned the top-ten vehicle value charts for at least the last 20 years — with that dominance set to continue indefinitely. Especially considering the brilliance of the current range! As the dominant force in supercars, racing and exotics — Ferrari can be choosy about the events it attends officially, and the coolness of the cars they bring along to show. Case in point? The FXX K has not been seen again in public since its debut at Yas Marina the other month. The F12 …

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2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid Adds Black and Red LeMans Liveries in 917K Salute

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Porsche is extremely eager to show how fast and reliable its 2015 919 Hybrid is in the marquee endurance race of the year: LeMans. Just 18 days from now, a trio of Porsche 919s will battle a mad pack of Audi R19 racecars, the secretive 2015 Toyota LMP1 update, and an all-new contender: the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo. This front-drive Nissan is a real wildcard in the tech blueprint adopted by the other big three: rear-mid-engine with electric front-axle AWD. The Porsche 919 Hybrid looks extremely similar to last year’s car, but features dramatic updates under the skin. The core …

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2015 RIMAC Concept_One EV Hypercar 4

1088HP RIMAC Concept_One eHypercar Nearing Production + Now Raceable in DRIVECLUB

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Three massive tech leaps have lowered the barriers to hypercar creation dramatically: — affordable cad-cam and engineering software — small-batch carbon fiber chassis and panel creation — electric propulsion to deliver the power of race-car gasoline engines, but with all companies essentially starting from the same block. Years of experience are no longer (as big of…) an advantage for EV supercars Without any of the above, designing and creating a car from scratch easily required banks of computer servers and million-dollar industrial panel stampers. Therefore, the time is right for startup tech companies all over the world to take the …

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2015 Porsche 911 GT3 R vs. GT3 Cup vs. GT3 RSR – Visual and Specs Comparison

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Porsche has three core racing 911’s for 2015: the brand-new GT3 R, the GT3 Cup and works racing 9911 RSR. All three are now on the 991 platform now that the GT3 R is updated from its previous 2013-2014 iteration. Only the GT3 R and GT3 Cup are offered for sale, with pricing ratcheting up to multiples of the traditional Carrera GT3 road car. The Cup comes in around $250,00 while the new GT3 R is priced for customer racing teams at euro $430,000. If the RSR were for sale today, it would likely come in around $800,000. In terms …

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2016 Aston Martin VULCAN in 40 New Photos from Dubai and Manhattan

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Updated 5.10.15 The 2016 Aston Martin Vulcan has been a real showstopper since its surprise reveal in Geneva. Replacing the One-77 as the ultra-fast brand flagship, the Vulcan will be a track-only wonder when it arrives to its 25 ultra-wealthy owners. But boy is this car hard to photograph in auto show environments! Its gloss-black lower aero treatment is delicious and highly advanced, but washes out in most indoor light. So in-person viewing will be extra important to clinch prized deposits. To that end, the Vulcan swooped into Dubai recently to be the local showroom’s electro-magnet… drawing in the great …

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Racing Icons Series – 1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 Daytona Is Legendary Bubble-Top Targa

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Part Five of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Welcome to one of the most beautiful racecars of all time: the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Daytona. Wearing the fabulous bubble glass windshield of the Periscopo T33, but a long-tail aero treatment and even a targa top — the Daytona is like a dream come true for vintage racecar aficionados. One interesting T33 detail is that the car has none of the imposing and heavy-roof feel of the Porsche 917 or Ford GT40. Where those cars are all giant A-pillars and letterbox visibility, the Alfa is chopped like a speedster …

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Racing Icons Series – 1969 Alfa Romeo T33 Sports Racer

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Part Four of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Proof that beauty and open-air thrills are critical elements of a million-dollar sale? Yes indeed! Even with pure-bred racecars like this Sports Racer Tipo 33 from Alfa Romeo, the most important details are often obvious to classic-car shoppers and spectators alike. Even though this Sports Racer was not one of the quickest T33 Alfa’s on the world’s racetracks, it is clearly the most desirable today versus its younger siblings — and arguably more visually sublime than its fabulous hard-top older brothers. The reason for this is clear: there is still …

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1970 Alfa Romeo TT3 Spider 9

Racing Icons Series – 1970 Alfa Romeo TT3 Spider Was Lightweight Short-Tail Special

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Part Three of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series   1970 saw the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 Spider evolve into a much shorter and much more brutal track attacker. Switchable noses include the lamp-free style shown here. A fairly brutal and chopped style appears at the front and rear of this Alfa racecar, with less of the glamourous design of the Sports Racer 33 that came before it. The changes worked on the racing circuit – with this Spider earning numerous race wins and ranking between Porsche and Ferrari in the top three points for the Le Mans season. …

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Racing Icons Series – 1972 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT3 Wears Stunning Batmobile Tailfins

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Part Two of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series   Here is a fun walk back in time — exploring and celebrating the evolution of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 open-air racecars. We’re huge fans of the swoopy and wild designs of the hardtop T33’s from the mid-196os. These advanced prototype racers went head-to-head with legends like the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 908 and 917, among many others. But the legend of the T33 continued well into the 1970s. This open-topped TT3 from 1972 shows a really battle-hardened racing hero. Still wearing its striking Autodelta racing livery and …

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Racing Icons Series – 1975 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT12 Made 500HP at 11k RPM!

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  Part One of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Here is a fun walk back in time — exploring and celebrating the evolution of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 open-air racecars. We’re huge fans of the swoopy and wild designs of the hardtop T33’s from the mid-196os. These advanced prototype racers went head-to-head with legends like the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 908 and 917, among many others. But the legend of the T33 continued well into the 1970s, adapting to new racing rules and new tech innovations to make one of the quickest Alfa Romeo racecars of …

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf Mirage Lightweight LM Racecar – Most Valuable American Car Of All Time?

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When it comes to racing greats and the all-time automotive hall of fame, this Gulf GT40 is certainly in the top ten. This exact car was the first to win a race wearing the now-legendary Gulf racing livery. Until this GT40 crossed the finish line in first place at Spa, these iconic powder blue and marigold colors were just another racing stripe. This GT40 is also the most valuable American car ever sold at auction, and likely ever made. It is unlikely that any other American car has changed hands privately for a bigger sum. (But is the GT40 even …

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875HP, 1.7s 2015 Peugeot Vision Gran Turismo Is LMP1 Contender With Hypercar Beauty

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As you already know if you have played Gran Turismo, the most intense parts of the game have to be earned. You have to build your skills and trade up from little nothing-powered Miata’s up the power and speed ladder. Toward the top of the performance spectrum, you are racing in LMP1 cars and beyond. The vast majority of concepts seen so far in the Vision GT collection fall into two categories: a racing-upfit version of a normal production car (ie the VW GTI SS) and a pure fantasy take on future racing (ie Chevrolet 2X Chaparral VGT). The latest …

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1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS Racing + Exclusive SLS-R Speedster Renderings

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This is a cool one. As you may know, Mercedes had a spotty record of hanging on to rare classics among the hundreds of models the company has produced. This applies double for the racecars – which are often either lost to track damage or to privateer teams. Either way, gone from the safety of the MB Museum. Such was the case for a pair of American-commissioned racing overhauls to a pair of 1957 300 SL’s. While Mercedes retired from racing for 1956-forward, the SL was still a plum basis for a race-winning track car. A priciple named Jim O’Shea …

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1947 Cisitalia 202 SMM Nuvolari Spyder 2

1947 Cisitalia 202 SMM Nuvolari Spyder Was Racing Streamliner with Tailfins!

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A surviving 1947 Mille Miglia racecar, one of three works vehicles raced that season? Yep. One of less than ten cars in the MOMA New York permanent collection? Yessir. Tail-fins more than a decade before this look would sweep automobile-dom? Mhmm. Stunning. 28 total Nuvolari Spyders are thought to have been produced, so collecting any at less than half a million is a shrewd move. 1947 Cisitalia 202 SMM Nuvolari Spyder   Villa Erba 25 May 2013 Lot 110 1947 Cisitalia 202 SMM ‘Nuvolari’ Spyder by Carrozzeria Garella To be auctioned on Saturday, May 25, 2013 Sold for €425.600 Chassis …

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LeMans Homologation Specials - 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR SuperSport 30

LeMans Homologation Specials – 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR SuperSport

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The CLK GTR has an altogether less impressive record than the McLaren F1 GTR and Porsche 911 GT1 it was designed to beat. The CLK GTR was the most eagerly-sought road model, however, with 300 buyers trying to own one of the 25 road cars to be produced by AMG and the re-established M-B factory racing team. Re-established? Mercedes took the ultimate in gentlemen’s intermissions from LeMans after the tragic accident of 1955 killed dozens of spectators. A car out of control and taking flight before a huge crash was too similar to the 1930s Silver Arrows accidents, wherein famous …

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LeMans Homologation Specials - 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo Strassenversion 2

LeMans Homologation Specials – 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo Strassenversion

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A brief overlap in racing rules took place between 1996 and 1998 — as the World GT race series was acquired by FIA and folded into LeMans and the World Endurance Challenge proper. Previous rules for the GT cars like the McLaren F1 GTR stated that the car had to technically be available for customers to buy and use on the road. This rare piece of legislation led to road versions of the ultimate racecars of the time, including this Porsche 911 GT1 and the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR. The Porsche 911 GT1 was by far the most successful racer of the …

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1986 Toyota Celica IMSA GTO 1

Racing Hero – 1986 Toyota Celica IMSA GTO Is a Rear-Drive Boost-Monster

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There is something about this purpose-built Celica racecar that feels like the best of all worlds: rear-drive with a rear-mounted transaxle, a 2.0-liter Toyota “T” turbo engine detuned from 600HP to 450HP, and a grip setup to shame any other race series. This beautiful carbon-skinned racecar is hiding tires wider than a NASCAR racer, yet is as low as any modern hypercar. We just love its relative simplicity versus the tech-overloaded racecars of today. One purpose: be faster than anything else ever made… but only with the right driver aboard. This car earned $242,000 when sold in 2014. 1986 Toyota …

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RM Villa Erba 2015 - 1960 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta Competizione SWB Alloy by Scaglietti 1

RM Villa Erba 2015 – 1960 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta Competizione SWB Alloy by Scaglietti

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Sometimes, an auction description just rings through your head like a cash register at the grocery store — each additional word creating a “cha-ching” sound that you know will add a million dollars to the sale price. This 1960 Ferrari (cha-ching) 250GT (again…) Berlinetta (brrring) Competizione (super cha-ching) might top $20 million when sold this summer at Lake Como for the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale. One of 45 aluminum-skinned 250GT’s made in 1960, this car rolled out the SWB ‘passo corto’ chassis for extra maneuverability on tight tracks or winding roads. It also chopped around 100 pounds from the …

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2.3s, 1020HP 2015 ULTIMA Evolution Is Quickest Car In World?!

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As McLaren GTR models, Porsche GT3 and Ferrari XX cars show — there is a huge business for track-focused and track-only supercars. Stripped of production frippery and shod with racing shocks and rubber, these cars are undoubtedly more intense and more focused on track. But what if you went the other way entirely? Instead of beefing up a production supercar for racing, how about adding some comforts to a pure race-car? The result is the very new 2015 Ultima Evolution Coupe and Spider. Three power outputs of Chevrolet Racing V8’s are available, with the top dog delivering a massive 1020 …

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RM Andrews 2015 Preview – 1962 Chevrolet Corvette RPO Big Tank Gulf Oil Race Car

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Talk about important Corvettes, and this beauty is on the top of many lists. A late first-generation model, this is one of the special RPO order code cars, of which only 240 or so were made in 1962. The upgrades are thorough for a race-prepped car right from the factory:including the 37-gallon ‘Big Tank’ for endurance racing. This actual car raced in numerous International events before going into the time capsule until recently. How much? Brace yourself: the estimate says the sale price could hit $2.8-million.   1962 Chevrolet Corvette RPO Big Tank Gulf Oil Race Car The Andrews Collection 2 …

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Original 1932 Ford Roadster Is 'Dry Lakes' Bonneville Speed Racer 3

Original 1932 Ford Roadster Is ‘Dry Lakes’ Bonneville Speed Racer

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It is hard to emphasize how rare it is to find a surviving, unrestored race-car from the glory days of dry-lake hotrod racing. This primer-grey example is a documented example with fantastic speed parts intact and a charming contrast orange look for its minimal roll bars and frame rails. Completely open-wheel and sans hood, this ’32 Ford has was a hero then for its massive speed, and is a hero today for making it six decades intact, unchanged from its pre-1950 state. The Roadster earned $180,000 at the Gooding Amelia Island auction, which was well below its estimate but likely …

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Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car 18-tile

Update1 – Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car Pushes 900HP from 7.4-Liter V8!

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Updated with High-Res Photos. Thanks Fred!   450 cubic inches. 7.37 Liters. That is the size of Tanner’s new V8 Formula Drift car from Rockstar Energy and Nitto Tire. Juiced with nitrous, this engine puts out a stunning 900-horsepower. Those dimensions feel familiar and might show some NASCAR roots for the hottest VW Passat of all time. Unburstable engines are an asset in the delicate but brutal world of drift driving, with its stump-pulling torque just a side benefit of all that displacement. Check out the teaser video below to hear it in action!  Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car …

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Hyundai ENDURO and RM15 Concepts for Seoul Show Rally Style + Race Pace

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Hyundai’s home motor show is going on right now, and the firm has brought a pair of cool concepts to showcase the potential for future racing Veloster models. The Veloster is already the prime chassis focus for the Nurburgring 24H crew at Hyundai’s German R&D and design center. This is because the car is a fairly wide and low hatchback with style to battle the VW Scirocco. To date, the powertrains have been led by the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivering around 200 horsepower yet still needing work to get sprint times below 6.5 seconds. The 2015 Veloster is fairly heavily …

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2015 Subaru BRZ STi Concept Widebody Packs 400HP Super GT Turbo!

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The most important question with this stunning new BRZ STi concept is: have they finally added a turbo!? Yes and no. Yes it is a turbocharged racing engine from the Super GT race series, but no it is not a turbo version of the standard BRZ boxer engine. Grrrr! But do not fret — the below info pack from Subaru promises more STi products and models in the US market in the future, which is very promising. In the short term, this likely means a broader catalog of upgrades as  the aftermarket accessories. But in the medium and long term, it …

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LANCIA Rally Reunion - Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015 52

LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015

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What else to say about this incredible quartet of rally heroes!? Please enjoy these 52 photos from one of the best rally legacies of all time.   LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1975 Lancia Stratos Rally Car

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As fantastic as the Stratos production models were, the rally car is in another league of intensity. Giant fender flares, hugely oversized tires and a raised ride height make this exotic wedge look as ready for off-roading as was possible. Considering it is essentially a hypercar, the idea of whipping through the forest, drifting so wide that the side windows look forward is almost unreal. Terrifying levels of power, extremely limited grip and flyweight dimensions mean the Stratos was a next-level machine in the world of rallying. The Stratos won the newly-formed WRC for three years in a row from …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1983 Lancia 037 Group B Rally Hero

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The Lancia 037 is a rare standout among the four all-star Lancia rally cars reunited for the Amelia Island 2015 Concours. Rare because unlike the others, this machine ditches almost all sense of road-car in favor of an extreme supercar package. In proportions and width, this mid-engine, rear-drive turbo monster is what happened when the Lancia and Abarth racing teams start from a blank sheet of paper — engineering an all-star from the ground up. As one of the first cars anywhere to use carbon-fiber composites, the “zero-three-seven” was named after is project code in the Abarth speed labs. The …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Rallye Car

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The Lancia Rally legends series? Not just winners in the racing arena, but also the historical influencers and taste-maker charts. If the Delta Integrale inspired the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX, what did this Lancia Fulvia spur to life? None other than the also-important BMW 2002. Important groundwork was laid here for the rear-drive Stratos, which would dominate the first few years of the official WRC race series with its lightweight panels, ultra-compact design and supercar performance — optimized for the dirty, dusty and ice-covered rally race routes. 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Rallye

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Meet The 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V WRC-Winner in 60 High-Res Photos!

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In the World Rally Championship record books, no single vehicle or manufacturer has been more dominant than the Lancia Delta. Winning the championship from 1987 through 1992, this tops every winning streak by other big hitters: Subaru, Peugeot and Citroen included. Being able to meet the actual race-winning vehicle is special in any circumstance, but to be able to photograph and document the vehicle in detail is beyond special. It is inspiring to see the Lancia Delta in its full Martini Racing livery, even today almost thirty years later. Inspiration from the Lancia Delta Integrale formula spanned the globe after …

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1956 Maserati 300S Wins Amelia Island 2015 Stirling Moss Award

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We find this Maserati 300S to be instantly lovable, perhaps even more-so than the Ferrari 290MM of the previous article. The nose feels lower, more shapely and more humble in the nose design. The simple drilled vent circles are delightful, as is the Maserati trident emblem sunken within the oval primary intake. Just subtle, but clearly focused on winning races versus style contests. Ironic that this very look would make it so special more than 60 years later. 1956 Maserati 300S Best in Class – Cars of Stirling Moss 1956 Maserati 300S Lawrence Auriana – Greenwich, CT

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1956 Ferrari 290MM Wins Amelia Island Concours 2015 Chairmans Trophy

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It is easy to see why this 1956 290MM earned an award for itself on the lawn of Amelia Island Concours 2015. Deeply beautiful, powerful and wearing a few tasteful motorsport style accents: the wheel-tips and white spots for number markings reinforce how race-ready this legend still is today. 1956 Ferrari 290MM    Amelia Island Concours 2015 The Chairman’s Choice Trophy FOR THE CAR FOUND MOST APPEALING BY THE CHAIRMAN 1956 Ferrari 290MM Pierrey Collection – London, England

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1957 Aston Martin DBR1 Animated Flyaround + 50 Photos

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      The most beautiful Aston Martin of all time? Almost certainly.   1957 Aston Martin DBR1          

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster Is Magnificent

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PART TWO: The Roadster The BMW 328 Mille Miglia roadster seem here came before the coupe. It was a stepping-stone between the production 328 cabrio and the Touring Coupe seen in the second half of this page. The goal was as ultra-light reskin in alloy that would reduce drag, enhance stability at speed, and deliver outstanding performance to take on the best racecars in the world — and win. But the side benefit of the 328 Mille Miglia redesign? This roadster is one of the most beautiful silhouettes ever made. 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster   Imagine a single …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1939 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe

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Imagine a single racecar that won the its Nurburgring debut race, the Tourist Trophy, Mille Miglia and RAC Rally. A car so advanced and streamlined, its giant exhaust system is the only portion of the underbody that is not wrapped in lightweight alloy. Even the taillamps are integrated into the lower body with custom alloy stalks, and a license-plate housing that wraps that plate around its ultra-smooth rump. A coupe so sexy and sensual in person, we are embarassed to report that it is a clear favorite for top-ten cars of all time. Like the Mercedes-Benz 540K Streamliner shown at …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6

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The journey for Porsche to LeMans glory starting in 1970 is almost a textbook case of incremental evolution. A new trait here works, so it sticks. A few things lost in the name of ultimate high-speed glory. Seeing the 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 beside a close descendent, the 1968 908K, makes clear how carefully Porsche was refining its alloy spaceframe racecar during the 1960s. They really knew they were on to something with the ultra-low boxer engine masses, mounted right behind the driver for optimal handling. The 2.0-liter six of this racecar shares much of its fundamental design with …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1968 Porsche 908K Short-Tail Coupe Is One of Two Survivors

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This Le Mans racer from Porsche is part of a 200-mph dream: Fast cars, evolving in hyperspeed. The 908 was an adapted version of the 907 – but altered to fit an all-new 3.0-liter boxer eight-cylinder engine. We believe this is chassis 908-019 (or perhaps 908-011) – which is thought to be one of two surviving short-tail 908 Coupes outside the Porsche Museum. The 908K stands for short-tail, which was ideal for tighter tracks versus the long-tail for the Le Sarthe LeMans track itself. This machine was a transition phase for the Porsche race crew. A rule change for 1969’s …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1971 Porsche 911 East African Rally Car

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One of the five factory-prepped 911s that raced the 1971 East African Rally, this 911 is pretty outstanding in its creamy white paint. A thorough upgrade, as you can see, includes front and rear rhino bars that are fully integrated into the chassis of the car. But overall, aside from modest aesthetic tweaks, extra lighting, higher ground clearance and sponsor stickers — the mechanicals of this 911 appear to be completely stock. Just proof of the 911’s world-beating package? Perhaps! Our favorite detail? The grab handles on the exterior of the car — mounted on both C-pillars. Not exactly sure …

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Amelia 2015 Customs – 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT – Rally Rescue Pickup Truck

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A surprise and delight to see thrumming up the Ritz Carlton driveway for the Amelia Island Concours? This extremely cool, one-off pickup truck Porsche. Originally a 914-6 GT, the rear of the truck has been lengthened, the suspension upgraded to full safari rally specification, and the Dakar-ready racing equipment added. What might fit in this rather compact pickup truck bed? You name it!  Wheels, tires, Porsche engines, and perhaps even an injured road-warrior in a pinch. The wide-body style and fenders bring a dramatic width extension to accommodate big off-road rubber and those hardy new suspension components. With almost no …

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Panoz DeltaWing 9

Amelia Island 2015 – Panoz DeltaWing LeMans Racer + Esperante GT

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Panoz was well-placed at the Amelia Island 2015 Concours, with their first-gen DeltaWing racecar and the production Esperante GT. One is an incredible leap into the future of aerodynamics, speed and endurance racing brilliance. The other… a hopeless anachronism based on a 1995 Ford Mustang GT. Sorry for the harsh words on the Esperante. The contrast of this thing with the Garage56 racecar from LeMans and the ALMS series just feels like a car from a different planet than a 20-year-old reskin of a 20-year-old Mustang. Panoz DeltaWing Panoz Esperante GT

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2016 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG003C and SCG003S – Specs, Pricing and 135 Photos!

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The name SCG003 name might be a mouthful, but its performance will be an earful, and its design is a sumptuous eyeful! Welcome to the next chapter in hardcore performance. The ultimate in hypercar power and track pace – competing with exotica like the W Motors Lykan Hypersport, Pagani Huayra, Koenigsegg and Bugatti. The 2016 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG003 is a duo of custom-designed race-winners — both on the track and on the street. The SCG003C stands for Competizione, while the SCG003S is for the stradale — or street. Grand ambitions for this mid-engine, carbon-fiber masterpiece. A truly stunning design …

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1956 Maserati 200SI by Fantuzzi – Longnose Factory Race Team Prototype

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The first-ever Maserati 200 SI made, a works development prototype and raced by a dozen of the biggest names in 1950s racing? Yes, yes and yes! This 200 ‘Sport Internazionale’ is one of the most special cars ever to wear the Maserati trident. The one-of-a-kind works racer is most distinctive due to its unpainted exterior. The aluminum and alloy panelwork is on proud display, along with racing history from every angle. Chassis #2401 did not meet its (unknown) reserve price in the 2015 Gooding & Co. Amelia Island auction. Rumored to bring more than $5-million, it looks like the bidding …

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Gooding Amelia 2015 - 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR

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Coming in on the low side of its pre-sale estimate of $1.2 to $1.5-million, this 911 RSR is extremely desirable, special and fascinating in person. The RSR is such an extreme makeover of the factory 911, it is almost hard to believe how many core parts the two do, in fact, share. Even so, this racecar’s on-track provenance and perfect condition makes it a stellar investment as well as supercar. On the authenticity charts, the visible fiber-glass in the front widebody wings is particularly cool to see. 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR Gooding …

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1975 Ferrari 312T F1 Car 14

1975 Ferrari 312T and 1976 312T2 Are F1 Legends With Monster Rear Tires

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  These two Ferrari F1 cars were an incredible addition to the Amelia Island Concours for 2015. Hailing from 1975-76 and 1976-77, the 312T and later 312T2 represented a game-changing redesign by Ferrari. Raced by Nikki Lauda and scoring numerous race wins, the 312T is more outrageous to modern eyes thanks to its gigantic periscope of an air intake. Both machines have the almost eye-poppingly huge staggered tire setups of the era, putting tiny front rubber with a very narrow sidewall up front, but huge drag-racer-like slicks on the back. The ratio of front to rear tires is ostensibly 1 …

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1967 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale In 50 Stunning New Photos

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This 1967 Alfa Tipo 33 Stradale was huge news at the time. With rarity Imagine a full-on racecar going into production!? 2.0-liter V8 engine in the middle, bubble glass canopy.The 33 Stradale is credited as the first-ever production car with dihedral ‘butterfly’ doors, a real racing treat in a road car. The design is ethereal with otherworldly panel simplicity and beauty. The only shutlines to speak of are the front and rear clamshells. Stellar covered lamps in flowing glass. Simple, delicate front shield grille. Magnesium wheels with simple drilled holes inside. Unlike the Ford GT40 or Porsche 908 of its …

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