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Audi R8C Le Mans Prototype
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Building Year : 1999
Engine: 90º V 8 Mid, longitudinally mounted 3.596 liter / 219.4 cu in Twin Turbo.
Gears: Ricardo 6 speed Sequential
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 900 kilo / 1984.2 lbs
Country of Origin: Germany
Unlike the R8R, which performed the bulk of the testing due to being completed first, the R8C had very little time to test prior to the initial group test for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in May. At this group test, the cars unfortunately suffered numerous setbacks and lacked the pace of the open-cockpit brothers. Although they were capable of hitting speeds upwards of 350 km/h (217 mph) on the Mulsanne straight, they lacked the handling ability and overall speed for a full lap. While the R8Rs managed the 8th and 11th fastest times, the R8Cs could only muster 22nd and 28th fastest. The R8Cs mostly suffered from aerodynamic problems, especially in the build-up of air underneath the engine cover. This caused the R8Cs to lose their rear engine covers while at speed on several occasions.
For the race itself, the R8Cs were unable to find much improvement over the month off. Qualifying was more of the same, as the R8Cs managed a mere 20th and 23rd places, while the R8Rs were still 9th and 11th. Unfortunately during the race, both the R8R and R8C suffered numerous gearbox difficulties. One R8C was forced to drop out of the race after just 55 laps, while the second R8C would succumb to gearbox failure after the midpoint of the race. Even though the R8Rs suffered gearbox difficulties, both cars managed to finish the race, taking an impressive third and fourth place.
Following Le Mans, Audi decided that they would concentrate on only one of the two types of cars for the future of their program. The dismal performance of the R8C, along with the exodus from the LMGTP class by most major manufacturers, lead to Audi to develop an open-cockpit car – the R8.
Audi returned to the LMGTP class in 2001 in the form of the Bentley EXP Speed 8. Although similar to the R8C, the EXP Speed 8 shared nothing with the previous LMGTP except for its Audi turbocharged V8. Aerodynamic lessons from the R8C would however be carried over for the Bentley.
Only two R8Cs were ever built, chassis #101 and #102, both raced by Richard Lloyd’s Audi Sport UK. The 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans would be their only competition.
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McLaren GTR Longtail
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Building Year : 1997
Engine: 5.99 liter / 365.5 cu in Mid, longitudinally mounted BMW S70/3 GTR 60º V 12
Gears: 6 speed Sequential
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 915 kilo / 2017.2 lbs
Country of Origin: Great Britain
The McLaren F1 is a sports car designed and manufactured by Gordon Murray and McLaren Automotive. On 31 March 1998, it set the record for the fastest production car in the world, 240 mph (391 km/h).[2] As of April 2009, the F1 is surpassed by only four other production cars in sheer top speed, but is still the fastest naturally aspirated production car.
The car features numerous proprietary designs and technologies. It is lighter and has a more streamlined structure than even most of its modern rivals and competitors despite having one seat more than most similar sports cars, with the driver’s seat located in the middle. It features a powerful engine and is somewhat track oriented, but not to the degree that it compromises everyday usability and comfort. It was conceived as an exercise in creating what its designers hoped would be considered the ultimate road car. Despite not having been designed as a track machine, a modified race car edition of the vehicle won several races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, where it faced purpose-built prototype race cars. Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998. In all, 106 cars were manufactured, with some variations in the design
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Nissan GT-R R35
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Building Year : 2008
Engine: VK45DE Engine Displacement cc 4494
Gears: 6 Speed sequential (Transaxle)
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1100 Kg
Suspension: Double wishbone
Country of Origin: Japan
Nismo, the motorsport arm of Nissan, will be entering the Nissan GT-R in the Super GT race series in the GT500 class for the 2008 season, replacing the Nissan 350Z. The GT500 version of the car has a completely different drivetrain. Unlike the production car, the race car has a 4.5 litre naturally-aspirated V8 instead of the twinturbo V6. It came with a 6 speed sequential manual gearbox and a RWD layout from its predecessor, the 350Z race car.
A prototype was spotted testing around the Suzuka Circuit as well as Fuji Speedway in Japan.
The car itself went on to win the opening race of the 2008 Super GT season at Suzuka scoring a one-two finish for Nissan. The dominant performances in the opening race has led to all GT-Rs being applied a 50 kg weight penalty in addition to the race weight penalty under the Special Adjustment of Performance under the Super GT regulations. In race two, the GT-R repeated their 1-2 result in Suzuka despite the race winning car of team Nismo carrying a 100 kg weight penalty making it only the 3rd team in JGTC/Super GT history to do so. The last time this feat was achieved was 10 years ago by Nismo Skyline GT-R racing under the same number 23. Despite the weight handicap, it did in fact become the champion in this 2008 season through the Xanavi Nismo GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama and Benoit Treluyer, as well as winning 8 out of 9 races driven by 4 different teams using GT-Rs.
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Nissan R390 – GT1
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Building Year : 1997 /1998
Engine: VRH35L 90º V 8 Mid, longitudinally mounted – 3.495 liter / 213.3 cu in – Twin Turbo
Gears: Xtrac 6 Speed sequential
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1098 kilo / 2420.7 lbs
Suspension: Double wishbone – coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Country of Origin: Japan
The R390 followed in the footsteps of the R380 – R383 racers built in the second half of the 1960s. One homologation special road car was constructed as well as three racing cars for the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Liveried in a striking red and black paint-scheme, the new Nissan faced off against the likes of Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren. The R390 was quick straight out of the box with the fastest example clinching fourth on the grid. During the race mechanical problems prevented the three Nissans to live up to their potential and only one managed to reach the finish, considerably delayed in 12th overall and 5th in class.
Even though the R390 was eligible to run in the FIA GT championship, Nissan decided to focus all their efforts on the 1998 Le Mans. Much of the development time available was spent on fine-tuning the machine’s aerodynamics. The biggest difference between the 1997 and 1998 spec R390s was the longer rear end on the later cars. In order to homologate these changes a second road car was constructed. These two were by far the most expensive street cars ever built by Nissan, especially considering the company had absolutely no intention of actually selling them to a customer.
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Porsche 993 – GT1
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Building Year : 1996
Engine: M9680 B 6 – 3.164 liter / 193.1 cu in - Mid, longitudinally mounted – Twin KKK Turbo
Gears: 6 Speed manual
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 998 kilo / 2200.2 lbs
Suspension: Front: Double wishbone – coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar - Rear: five-link, push-rod actuated coil springs
Country of Origin: Germany
The first 993 GT1 racing car was completed early in 1996 and hit the track in March that year. The production of the virtually identical road cars was postponed to the end of the year; the new racing car was in high demand with the company’s many privateers. In the first half of the season, the GT1 only saw testing action and it was not until the 24 Hours of Le Mans that the new racer first saw competition. Entered by the Works, the two GT1s finished first and second in class, and second and third only to the Porsche powered TWR WSC95 prototype. Porsche completed the successful debut season of the 993 GT1 by taking victories in the final three rounds of the BPR championship.
The sport’s governing body, the FIA, had taken an interest in the action-packed series and for 1997 the FIA GT Championship was introduced. This had even more manufacturers interested and quickly Mercedes-Benz announced their intention to enter the championship with a V12 racer. Another problem for Porsche was the FIA’s announcement to restrict Turbocharged engines, leaving the Germans to compete with 50 to 60 bhp less. To counter the new competition and rules, an EVO version of the GT1 car was developed. Now mimicking the new 996 style, the EVO’s body was more aerodynamically advanced. Other changes including a considerable track increase required Porsche to build another batch of homologation specials.
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Mercedes CLK GTR
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Building Year : 1997
Engine: GTR: Mercedes-Benz LS600 5,987 cc (365.3 cu in) V12 LM: Mercedes-Benz M119 6,000 cc (370 cu in) V8
Gears: 6 Speed Sequencial
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1440 kilograms (3168 lbs)
Suspension: Front: Double wishbone - Rear: Double wishbone
Country of Origin: Germany
Mercedes-Benz would use the CLK GTR for the first two rounds of the 1998 season before upgrading to the CLK LM. However privateer team Persson Motorsport would campaign two CLK GTRs throughout the entire season, taking a best finish of second at Oschersleben before finishing the year third in the teams championship.
Initially the CLK-GTR’s V12 engine produced approximately 600 hp (450 kW) before developments during the 1997 season increased this to 630 hp (470 kW). Persson Motorsport’s CLK GTRs remained at this power output as Mercedes-AMG had moved to development of the V8 in the CLK LM.
CLK LM
After conquering the FIA GT Championship, Mercedes-Benz set its sights on competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998, which it had not been at since 1991. However, Le Mans presented a different challenge from that offered in FIA GT, in that the race distances were nearly one tenth the distance covered at Le Mans. Therefore Mercedes-AMG set about altering the CLK GTR in order to meet the new demands required at Le Mans.
First and foremost, Mercedes-AMG decided that the M120 V12 would not be up to the task of running for 24 hours. It was decided instead that Mercedes would actually return to an engine they had used in Group C in the late 1980s, the M119 V8. Abandoning the turbochargers that the M119 had used in Group C and enlarging the displacement, Mercedes-AMG felt that the M119 would have better reliability at speeds while still performing the same amount of power as the M120 due to air restrictor regulations.
Mercedes-Benz replaced their older CLK GTRs with the new CLK LMs and saw greater success. The two cars easily won every remaining race, including six 1-2 finishes. This handed Mercedes-Benz the teams championship again, while Klaus Ludwig and Ricardo Zonta would share the drivers championship.
For the 1999 season, no competitor attempted to enter the GT1 class in FIA GT except for Mercedes-Benz, forcing the FIA to cancel the class, similar to the DTM/ITC two years earlier. Mercedes-Benz thus turned to constructing an all-new car to overcome their failure at Le Mans. No longer forced to build a racing car that could also be a road car, Mercedes-AMG set about creating the Mercedes-Benz CLR.
The CLK LM’s V8 engine produced approximately 600 hp (450 kW), allowing it to reach speeds up to 330 km/h (205 mph) in testing for the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mercedes-AMG claimed a virtual top speed of 335 km/h (208 mph).[citation needed] In total, four racing variant CLK-LMs were constructed and one road-going version was built to comply with the 1998 FIA regulations.
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Chevrolet Corvette C6R
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Building Year : 2005
Engine: 90º V 8 - Front, longitudinally mounted 6.98 liter / 425.9 cu in
Gears: 6 Speed Sequencial
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1100 kilo / 2425.1 lbs
Suspension: Double wishbones, coil springs over adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Country of Origin: USA
After a difficult start, the Pratt & Miller run Corvette Racing have become one of the most successful racing teams of recent years. It all started with in 1999 with the C5-R GT racer based on the fifth generation Corvette. Facing strong competition from the Oreca prepared Vipers, the first victory did not come until halfway through the 2000 season. It was the start of a very strong period, which saw the Corvettes win their class at Le Mans in 2001, 2002 and 2004. In January of 2004, General Motors had taken the wraps off the sixth generation Corvette and we all knew it was only a matter of time before Pratt & Miller would unleash a racing car based on the C6. Exactly one year later, Ron Fellows rumbled the C6.R onto the stage at the Detroit show, alongside the brand new Corvette Z06 it was based on.
When developing the new road going Corvette, the General Motors engineers tried to incorporate as many of Pratt & Miller’s requests as possible. As a result, the C6 Corvette features a slightly longer wheelbase and conventional headlights. The pop-up headlights had been a prominent feature on the Corvette for over forty years, but they proved to disturb the airflow too much. They were also discarded from the road car as they were too destructive for pedestrians in case of an accident. In any case, it gave Pratt & Miller a much cleaner shape to begin with, which would certainly help the Corvette to match the higher top speeds of the competition. Under the body, the C6.R was fairly similar to the all-conquering C5-R with an all aluminium seven litre V8 providing the power.
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Lexus SC430
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Building Year : 2006
Engine: 3UZ-FE - 4,480 cc V8 DOHC 32 valves
Gears: 6 Speed sequential (Transaxle)
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1100 kilo / 2425.1 lbs
Suspension: Double wishbones, coil springs over adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Country of Origin: Japan
In 2006 the SC 430 was entered in the (Super GT) race series in the GT500 class (cars with approximately 500 horsepower). Extensively modified from the factory car, the engine used is a modified version of the SC 430′s 3UZ-FE V8 that was also used in the Toyota Supra race car from previous years.
The new SC 430 based race cars were immediately competitive with former GT500 champion Juichi Wakisaka and no. 2 driver Andre Lotterer driving the Open Interface TOM’s SC to victory at the opening round at Suzuka giving the SC 430 its first victory on its debut race.[28] Juichi Wakisaka and Andre Lotterer also won the GT500 class championship during the same year. In 2007, Lexus SC fully replaces Supras in the Toyota side, a Zent Cerumo SC 430 driven by Yuji Tachikawa was victorious in the GT500 opening round race.[29]
Lexus SC 430 Open Interface GT500 race car.
In 2008, a Zent Cerumo SC 430 driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Richard Lyons won the Fuji 500 race, round 3 of the Autobacs Super GT at Fuji Speedway.[30] In 2009, five SC 430s were entered in Super GT racing in the GT500 class, including the Petronas TOM’s SC 430 driven by Juichi Wakisaka and Andre Lotterer, along with the Eneos SC 430, Kraft SC 430, Dunlop Sard SC 430, and Zent Cerumo SC 430.[31] In 2009, the Lexus Team Petronas TOM’s SC driven by Andre Lotterer and Juichi Wakisaka was the championship winner in the GT500 serie
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Honda HSV – 010 GT
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Building Year : 2010
Engine: 3,397 cc (207.3 cu in) V8 - front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive - +500 bhp (370 kW), +40.0 kg·m (392 N·m –
Gears: Ricardo 6-speed sequential manual
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1100 kilo / 2425.1 lbs
Suspension: Double wishbones, coil springs over adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Country of Origin: Japan
On October 23, 2009, Honda officially announced the end of the mid-engine NSX Super GT’s participation in Super GT racing due to new Super GT regulations that allowed the use of only front engine,rear drive cars. On November 15, 2009, Honda announced that, despite withdrawing the NSX from Super GT competition, it would campaign a car for the 2010 season. Honda revealed that the car it would be based on the cancelled ‘New NSX’ production vehicle. Honda’s decision to campaign a non-production vehicle required it to obtain special permission from Super GT organizer to be exempt from the production homologation requirements for the series. They were allowed to use it on the basis that it was based on a production-ready car, even though said car had been cancelled.
Then, on December 22, 2009, Honda announced the HSV-010 GT as the successor to the NSX Super GT in the Super GT series. Unlike typical Super GT cars, the vehicle is not based on any production vehicle that is made available to purchase by the general public.
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Honda NSX-R GT
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Building Year : 2006
Engine: Custom Honda , water-cooled V6 Normal aspirated (Longitudial-mounted), 3.494 liters, DOHC, 4-valves per cylinder.
Gears: Hewland 6-speed sequential.
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1120 kilo
Suspension: Double wishbones
Country of Origin: Japan
For use in the Super GT (formerly the JGTC), the NSX has been highly modified (as allowed by series technical regulations) with chassis development by Dome, engine development by Mugen, for Honda.
Externally the NSX shape has developed race by race, season to season to the demands of increasing aerodynamic downforce within the regulations. The most notable change is the position of the V6 engine, which is mounted longitudinally instead of transversely as per the roadcar. Similar to the setup used in modern Lamborghinis, the gearbox is located in the center tunnel under the cockpit and is connected to the rear differential by a driveshaft. Engines can either be turbocharged or naturally aspirated, depending on the class and on the rules.
Prior to rule changes beginning in the 2003 season, the Super GT/GT500 NSX was powered by a specially modified version of the C32B V6 engine. Using a stroker crankshaft from Toda Racing, the naturally-aspirated engine displaced 3.5 liters and produced nearly 500 bhp. Beginning in 2003, Honda substituted a highly-modified C30A, augmented by a turbocharger, which also produces up to 500 bhp.
The NSX continued to be used as the works Honda car in the GT500 class, even though it is no longer in production, until it was replaced in 2010 with the HSV-010
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Toyota TS020 – GT One
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Building Year : 1998
Engine: Toyota 3.6 liter 90-degree V8 twin-turbo, mid, longitudinally mounted
Gears: TTE 6-speed sequential manual
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 900 kilo / 1984.2 lbs
Suspension: Independent double wishbone pushrod system
Country of Origin: Japan
Following the end of the Group C era around 1994, Toyota decided to alter its plans in sports car racing by moving to the production-based GT classes for 1995. Toyota decided to approach this in two ways by using two different styles of car for competition. The first was a heavily modified Toyota Supra, referred to as the Supra LM, which would use a turbocharged inline-4. The second entry was a custom built car designed specifically to be a racing car, yet required a small number of production cars for sale in order to meet homologation regulations. This car was modified heavily from the Toyota MR2, and became known as the SARD MC8-R. The MC8-R would use a custom built Toyota turbocharged V8. While the Supra performed admirably in 1995, the MC8-R would appear superior for 1996. With development of high powered supercars for the GT classes at the time, Toyota decided that a car similar to the MC8-R, which was intended as a race car first, would be better suited to continuing Toyota’s development of a GT car. Thus Toyota announced they would skip the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans to be able to develop their new GT car for 1998.
Turning to Toyota’s European arm based in Cologne, Germany, Toyota Team Europe (TTE) and Dallara were charged with development of the new GT car. With taking the one-year hiatus, TTE was able to look at what the competition was developing for the GT class, and exploit it to their benefit. In 1997, both the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR and the Porsche 911 GT1 were dominant cars in their class that exploited loop holes in the rules in place at the time. Each car was a custom built super car of which only a small handful of production cars were built to homologate it. TTE realized that they would actually only need to build a single production car in order to meet homologation regulations, thus allowing TTE to have a car that would never truly be sold to a customer, meaning that any driver luxuries could be left out.
Second, Toyota learned about a loophole which Mercedes-Benz had exploited. All GT based cars were required to have storage space, capable of holding a standard sized suitcase, in order for the car to be considered not only production based, but usable by the public. Mercedes exploited this by putting a small cubby hole into an unused area underneath the rear bodywork, although it was not as easy to access as a normal trunk. Toyota, in their interpretation of the rules, were able to convince Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) officials that the car’s fuel tank, normally empty when the car is scrutineered before the race, was allowable as a trunk space since it could, theoretically, hold a suitcase.
With these loopholes in place, TTE was able to set out in laying-out the GT-One. TTE designed and manufactured the car’s carbon fiber chassis and bodywork in-house, while Toyota supplied an upgraded version of the engine they originally used on their Group C cars, the R36V 3.6 L Turbo V8.
TTE also developed the only two GT-One road cars built, required in order for the race car to qualify as a road car-based Grand Tourer. They were painted red and fitted with a basic interior. One was put into a museum in Japan, the other is displayed at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany.
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Nissan Skyline R33 LM
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Building Year : 1995
Engine: RB26DETT Straight 6 - Front, longitudinally mounted - 2.795 liter / 170.6 cu in Turbo
Gears: 6-speed manual
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 900 kilo / 1984.2 lbs
Suspension: double wishbones
Country of Origin: Japan
The GT-R’s history of racetrack dominance began with its 50 victories scored from 1968–1972, including 49 consecutive wins in the Japanese race circuit. Nissan pulled out of racing shortly after the release of the KPGC110.
The Skyline GT-R soon earned the name "Godzilla", for its "monster" track performance and country of origin. The R32 GT-R dominated JTCC, winning all 29 races it entered in the series, as well as taking the series title every year from 1989-1993.
It took 50 races from 50 starts from 1991-1997 (latterly R33) in the N1 Super Taikyu. The GT-R’s success sounded the death knell of Group A Touring Car racing; with the formula being scrapped soon after. JTCC was similarly blighted by the R32 GT-R, and splintered soon after, leading to the switch to the Supertouring category and also indirectly to the GT500 category of today.
The GT-R’s success in motor racing was formidable, particularly in the annual 1,000 km race at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, Australia, where the winner in 1991 and 1992 was a GT-R (despite receiving additional 100 kg (220 lb) in weight penalties and a turbo pop off valve in 1992, and crashing), and in the Japanese GT series where it has remained dominant for many years. The Skyline GT-R line were retired from the JGTC series (later changed Super GT Series) in 2004. Its successor, the Nissan GT-R, competed and dominated the 2008 Super GT season, winning the GT500.
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McLaren MP4-12C GT (Concept study by Arnold Carter Wong)
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Building Year : 2011
Engine: McLaren M838T 90º V 8 – Mid, longitudinally mounted – 3.8 liter / 231.9 cu/in twin Turbo
Gears: Dual Clutch 7 speed Automatic
Dive: Rear wheel drive
Weight: 1300 kilo / 2866 lbs
Suspension: double wishbones, coil springs, active hydraulic dampers
Country of Origin: Great Britain
The MP4-12C was designed over a five year period almost exclusively on McLaren’s world class computers, which are also used for the manufacturer’s Formula 1 cars. This enabled the engineers to completely develop and even test each element of the car before a single part was constructed. The key word in the MP4-12C’s design is packaging. The designers achieved a fine balance between performance, functionality and driver comfort through superb packaging. The radiators are for example mounted longitudinally alongside the engine to free up space in the nose for luggage and yet also keep the car narrow enough to remain practical. The tight packaging also required every component of the MP4-12C to be bespoke; from the engine and gearbox to the knobs in the interior.
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Tommykaira ZZ2 AW-R (Concept study by Arnold Carter Wong)
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Building Year : 2001
Engine: Nissan Inline 4 - 1998 cc / 121.9 cu in Turbo
Gears: 6 speed manual
Dive: All wheel drive
Weight: 650 kg / 1433 lbs
Suspension: double wishbones, coil springs, active hydraulic dampers
Country of Origin: Japan
Tommy Kaira is a tuner of Japanese cars such as the Subaru Impreza and Nissan Skyline. In 2001, they showed the world a truly exotic and beautiful car: the Tommy Kaira ZZII. Although powered by the same RB26 6 cylinder engine as in the Skyline R34, the ZZII was a true supercar that made even a V-Spec II Nür Skyline look tame. The engine was switched to the middle, and the power was cranked up to 542 horsepower. The ZZII had supercar performance to match that of the Lamborghini Diablo and other European exotics, with a top speed of 210 mph and a 0-60 time of only 3.3 seconds. Not to mention, it was one of the best looking supercars of the early 2000′s.
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Audi RS5 Safety Car
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Building Year : 2010
Engine: V8 in 90.0° vee - 4.2 Litre – 32 Valves – DOHC
Gears: 7-speed dual-clutch (DCT) transmission
Dive: 4 wheel drive
Weight: 1725 kg / 3803 lbs
Suspension:
Country of Origin: Germany
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