The greatest motor racing cars ever made Auto racing is a sport that inspires awe in all of us. This is due in part to the skill of the drivers, but is also due to the fantastic machines that grace tracks all over the world. These incredible machines excite and titillate us with their raw power and amazing speed. These vehicles make our hearts race and this is the primary reason why the sport of auto racing has become one of the most popular sports in the world. Today, we are going to explore these fantastic machines and take a close look at some of the greatest motor racing cars ever made.
1. Jaguar D
Manufacture Years: 1954-1957
Maximum Horsepower: 265 HP
Top Speed: 179 MPH Arguably one of the greatest race cars ever made, the Jaguar D is a factory built racing automobile that lit up tracks all over the world as soon as it was manufactured. Introduced in 1954, this vehicle was considered a major step forward over the Jaguar C that was previously introduced. It had the same inline-6 engine as the Jaguar C, but what made it superior to its predecessor was the addition of technology that was revolutionary at the time. These innovations included aerodynamically efficient bodies and disc brakes.
Though this vehicle was introduced in 1954, it wasn’t until 1957 that the vehicle began dominating the sport of racing. It was during this year that the Jaguar D captured 5 of the top 6 prizes of the 25th Grand Prix of Endurance. Unfortunately, the Jaguar D lost its dominance the following year because of rule changes in the tournament that lowered the maximum engine size from 3.8 litres to only 3.0 litres, thereby eliminating it from future competitions.
2. Ford GT40
Manufacture Years: 1964-1969
Maximum Horsepower: 306 HP
Top Speed: 164 MPH
Introduced in 1964, the GT40 was Ford’s answer to compete with the dominate race cars that were being manufactured by Ferrari at the time. This car was originally powered by a 4.2 L V-8 engine but it had little success. It wasn’t until 1966 that it was changed to a 7.0 L V-8 engine. This allowed it to dominate the 1966 Lemans Tournament. That year it captured the first 3 positions of that race.
3. Porsche 917
Manufacture Years: 1969-1971
Maximum Horsepower: 600
HP Top Speed: 246 MPH
The 917 started its competition debut in May of 1969 and immediately made an impact. Over the course of 21 races, the Porsche 917 would capture 14 titles. It also set a number of records, some of which haven’t been broken to this day. These records include the fastest lap record at the Lemans Tournament, overall distance record and maximum speed record (set in 1971 and clocked at 246 MPH). These records have caused many people to dub the Porsche 917 as one of the best racing cars in history.
These three vehicles are considered by racing and car enthusiasts to be the best racing cars ever made. While these racing cars might enjoy the very top positions on this list, there are many other racing cars that deserve an honorable mention. Other racing cars that deserve credit for their speed and power include the Williams FW14, Audi R10 TDI, Porsche 956, Lotus 78 and the Ferrari F2002.
Will writes for a host of exciting businesses including Dynamic Metals, Dynamic’ source and supply high-grade metals with no minimum order quantities and with absolute commitment to customer service. Metals they stock include Titanium 6AL4V and Steel Alloy 15CDV6 amongst many other metal alloys.