I don’t know if it’s just a matter of taste, or that classic cars are just flat out more beautiful than cars of the modern era. I have seemed to narrow it down to the fact that they are more sleek, simple and balanced than today’s automobile, most likely due to the fact that these older cars did not have to accommodate all the extensive technology and bulky safety features that we have today. Simply put, the car itself was more basic, allowing for auto designers create a more slender and attractive form. For example, one of my favorites cars of the past is the BMW 3.0CS manufactured in the early 1970′s. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful BMWs ever made, and arguably one of the finest looking cars of it’s time. Extraordinarily balanced design of both curvy and boxy elements, sleek fenders, a canopy comprised of thin pillars that gently rests upon body, and an aerodynamic shape that beckons to be driven. It is also the subject of the famous BMW Art Cars. [Buamai]
It’s my belief that Rally Car drivers are the best racing drivers in the world. Unlike other motorsports, they aren’t driving on a track where they can memorize each turn, they are navigating complex courses of dirt, snow, ice or tarmac only relying on turn by turn pace notes their co-driver is dictating during the race. Mind you, just because they don’t completely know the courses doesn’t mean they are gingerly cruising down these roads. These guys are constantly pushing their vehicles to limit (sometimes in excess of 90 mph) screaming down straights, flying over crests and sliding turns with the utmost confidence. The inaugural rally of the World Rally Championship season is the legendary Rally Monte Carlo held in the rugged mountainous terrain lying just north of the ritzy town, a true tarmac rally with stages running on actual mountain roads. My favorite and most impressive of these stages, are the night stages which they are very few throughout the whole WRC season. Check out the video above to get a flavor of how talented these drivers are. [Photo Courtesy of Bill Butcher]
Famous for using Ford engines and drivetrains in their Italian designed automobile, DeTomaso made waves in the 1960′s and 1970′s with it’s very exclusive and sexy sports cars. Recently, a concept design has been developed to revive the legendary Mangusta model. The very aggressive front end and sharp muscular lines make this design a brute force to be reckoned with. So many concept designs I am seeing lately are so curvy and organic looking, when the greatest sports cars in history have a more simple and angular design such as this. [Driven]
New web series DRIVE has taken to the task of highlighting the legendary Nurburgring 24 Hour race in it’s first episode, bringing the history and character of the track to those who may not know it very well. The Nurburgring spans 13 miles and 154 turns through the rolling hills of western Germany, and is considered the most unique and difficult racetrack in the world, that all auto manufacturers use as the benchmark for their sports cars. With a multitude of elevation changes and variety of turns, this course is basically like driving on a mountain road but at blistering speeds. Take a moment acquaint yourself with the greatest race in the world, on the greatest track in the world. [AxisOfOversteer]
The World Rally Championship back in the day used to showcase a wider variety of cars than just Subarus, Citroens and Fords as it does now. Unbeknownst to some, seeing a Porsche navigating the dirt, snow and tarmac rally courses of Europe was a common sight in the 1970′s. Here we have a great photograph of a Porsche 911S sliding a slick left hander in the Austrian Alpine Rally. Uber-cool. [Driven]
Long ago are the days when one could easily find a simple and compact rear wheel drive sports car with a manual transmission and above average power. Auto manufacturers these days are making cars larger and heavier, with more unnecessary technological innovations and eliminating manual transmissions as an option, essentially losing touch with what real driving enthusiasts want. In an amazingly refreshing change of face, Toyota has released a modern reincarnation of their legendary Corolla AE86 from the 1980′s, considered one best performing Japanese compact cars of all time, and still used to this day in drift style racing. The new version, the Toyota GT 86, borrows a Subaru boxer 4 cylinder engine, six speed manual transmission and a newly rear wheel drive chassis, to focus on the same well balanced character that is found in the old AE86. These ingredients result in a sports car largely unmatched in its class by any other model on the market today.
A great majority of today’s luxury sports cars have evolved from a long tradition of racing, back when more focus was placed on performance rather than luxury, basically making street legal versions of their race cars. To this day many of those manufacturers like Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati still attain that performance, but now have begun to catering to the rich upper class individual, that only really cares about showing off their new shiny toy. However, the one manufacturer that continues to design and build luxury sports cars with a unique style, prestigious luxury and high level of performance while not being overly flashy is Aston Martin. I can attest from first hand experience driving the Vantage, Vanquish, DB9 and the Virage you see above, that Aston Martin is the only luxury car manufacturer making a legitimate sports car. Check out the new Virage above and see for yourself.
I usually don’t pander to flashy Italian sports cars such as the Lamborghini, but this Gallardo might be heading up a road I’d like to travel. Inspired by renowned Swedish freestyle skier Jon Olsson who is famous for outfitting his own Lamborghini for ski trips, German tuner DMC has cunverted their own Gallardo into the Ski Transporter. Equipped with a roof top ski carrier and large front diffuser to increase downforce for better traction in the snow, I could see this thing coming in for handy for flying up the mountain roads to get first chair on the slopes. The sense of utility in this Gallardo refreshingly breaks the mold from Lamborghini’s typical obnoxious aura.
In conjuction with electronic automobile company Epic EV, Delorean Motor Company has announce that it will release an all electric model of the famed DMC 12 in 2013. With 260 HP and a top speed of 125 MPH, this car should live up to its reputation, more specifications are forthcoming. I would NEVER buy an electric car but this one I would consider, because if any car should be electric, it’s a Delorean. [Hypebeast]
For those that are passionate about sports cars, there are pivotal moments in life that drastically alter our relationship with the automobile, and dictate our desired driving experience for the rest of our life. As a weekend valet in Malibu, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of driving some of the most prestigious sports cars in the world from Ferraris to Aston Martins, classic Porsches to vintage Corvettes. However, none have struck me with the pure brut sensation of a true sports car as the the Porsche 930 Turbo Slantnose. At the time, European racing series’ required manufacturers to produce a street version of their race car, and the 930 Slantnose is Porsche’s street legal version of their dominant 935 model. The sheer power that is felt in this car unmatched and it’s extremely pure and precise handling is unfathomable. This is now what I seek in the automotive world, and will demand nothing less from a sports car.
To promote the new race track being built in Austin Texas to host next year’s United States Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Red Bull team is showcasing their race car all around state. Flying down the country roads past farms and pastures, this world class machine is giving the locals a little taste of the high level of racing that is to come. Driver David Coulthard even took the car around some turns on the currently being built track, likely the first and only time you will see a Formula 1 car sliding around on the dirt corners. [TheChicane]
Rally Car driver Ken Block has evolved the traditional Japanese Gymkhana into an elaborate production of Hollywood effects and spectacular driving, tearing through the backlot of Universal Studios. Small, nimble, adaptable and fast, Rally Cars are designed perfectly courses such as this. With the popularity Ken’s videos have been receiving, they decided to go all out for the 4th episode incorporating special effects and staging of Hollywood blockbuster, and even including a cameo of the fellas from Epic Meal Time. [Jalopnik]
