Sports Car Reviews from Classic to Modern

                         A Beautiful Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

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                                 Featured Sports Cars  

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHT

                                             2002 Noble M12 GTO                                                           This 2000-05 sports used a Ford 310 bhp, 2.5 litre, V6 linked to two Garrett T25                 turbochargers which gave it a top of 165 mph and 0-60 in 4.1. This mean                     looking motor was spotted during a 2015 Bahn-Stormer Sunday at Goodwood

                          See  Racers in the Spotlight  Near End

DAILY CHOICE

                                             1936 Riley 12/4 Special                                                         Designed for racing, sprint, and hill climbs, this 2-seater used a 52 bhp, 1.5 litre,               OHV S4, with twin SU's, and a top of nearly 90 mph. An excellent example                      would fetch around £40,000. The shot was taken at the 2015 Shere Hill                                                     Climb in Surrey. A beautiful machine

                                         2003 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo                                                      Built by Lotus, it used a 197 bhp, 2 litre, turbocharged S4 with a 151 mph top               and 0-60 in 4.7 secs. Seen here at the 2015 Shere Hill Climb in Surrey. A real                                                                       looker

                                                   Bristol Fighter                                                                      This 2004-11 UK 2-seater supercar used a modified 525 bhp, 8 litre V10,                       from a Dodge Viper, with a 210 mph top and 0-60 in 4.0 secs. Only 13                                 were built. The turbo variant had a 225 mph top. This imposing                                          machine was seen at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed

                              See  Racers in the Spotlight  Below

                             CLASSIC CAR IN THE SPOTLIGHT              

                                                   SPECIAL FEATURE                                                                                                    (My Show Pics)

                                                  Triumph TR3A                                                                      Surrounded by classics, this very smart 1957-62 example made a worthy                         subject for this close-up. Using a 2 litre S4, it had a 106 mph top and 0-                                                        60 in 11.4 secs. Very desirable

                                                 1970 Triumph TR6                                                           1-2-3…bonnets up…TR's as far as you can see. This model still sports the 150                                                          bhp engine. A great sight

                                           from Classic to Modern

THE 1940's

     By the end of WW2, many European sports car manufacturers looked to the US as a means of generating sales since the home markets had, in many cases, been almost wiped out.

     Furthermore, affluent post-war Americans were developing a taste for the sports car which they had acquired whilst in Europe during the war.

     In the late 1940's, among the many sports cars of note were the following:  

                                                       Jaguar XK120 

Classic cars of distinction from the 1940's included:

• Healey Silverstone - 1949
• Allard J2 - 1949
• Ferrari 166 Inter - 1948
• Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 - 1947
• HRG 1500 Aero - 1945

THE 1950's

     During the 1950's, the economy in the US was growing rapidly, which generated additional demand for sports car ownership.

     By now, a multitude of British and European models were being showcased for both home and export markets. 

     In the late 1950's, among the many sports cars of note were the following:

                                                          Porsche 356 

     Other manufacturers, who were very active in the 50's, included such memorable names as:

                                 Alfa Romeo, Bristol, Maserati and Morgan

     In the latter part of the 1950's, the import of European sports cars into the US was now widely accepted, and they now represented a permanent feature of the US car scene.                                                                                      

Classic cars of distinction from the 1950's included:

• Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa - 1958
• Ferrari 410 Super America - 1957
• Jaguar D-Type - 1954
• Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa - 1956
• Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato - 1959
• Jaguar XKSS - 1957
• Porsche RSK Spider - 1957
• Ferrari 250 GT - 1959
• Aston Martin DB3S - 1956

THE 1960's

     In the 1960's, one of the features of the market for classic cars in the US was that of specialist models, which incorporated a number of features copied from their European rivals.

     Typical examples included the Ford Mustang and Corvette Stingray.

     Some of the most memorable sports cars produced in the 60's included the following:

                                                         AC Cobra 

Classic cars of distinction from the 1960's included:

• Ferrari 250 GTO - 1962
• Alfa Romeo Guilia Duetto - 1967

THE 1970's

     The oil crisis of the 1970's created a shift away from "gas-guzzling" cars to the more fuel-efficient. 

     Although this had an effect on the sales of certain cars, sports car development was maintained, with some exciting new models, including:

                                                 Ferrari Dino 246 GT 

Classic cars of distinction from the 1970's included:

• Lamborghini Miura P400SV - 1971
• Ferrari 365 BB - 1973
• De Tomaso Pantera GTS - 1971
• Maserati Bora - 1979
• Ferrari 512 BB - 1976
• Lamborghini Coutach LP400S - 1977

THE 1980's

     The 1980's started on a sad note with the demise of the MGB and Triumph TR sports car. 

     However, some of the most significant sports cars of the 1980's included names that will always be remembered with pride:

                                                 Porsche 964 Turbo

Classic cars of distinction from the 1980's included:

• Ferrari F40 - 1987
• Ferrari 288 GTO - 1984
• Porsche 959 - 1987
• Lamborghihi Countach 5000 QV - 1985

THE 1990's

     To draw my summarised roll of honour to a close, consider those that featured prominently in the 1990's, a further period of affluence which, once again, created new demand for the sports car. 

     Although they may not be regarded as classics, the following nonetheless constituted an important milestone in sports car memorabilia:

                                                    McLaren F1 LM 

THE EARLY to MID 2000's

                         A sample of the offerings from the new Millenium

                                              and to finally conclude.....

RACERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

                                                   2015 SCG 003                                                                     This third racer from Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus used a 530 bhp,                     Honda 3.5 litre, twin turbo. The street version, costing $2.6million, had                       a 200 mph top and 0-60 in 3.2 secs. Seen here during the Michelin                                Supercar Run as part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Wild

                                           1959 Daimler SP250 Dart                                                        This 1959-64 2-seater used a 140 bhp, 2.5 litre V8 with a 124 ph top and 0-60                    in 8.9 secs. A rare sight on the track. Seen here at the AC Owners' Club                                                 2015 Clubman's MSA Sprint Meeting. Nice

                                                  1959 MGA                                                                         This gorgeous classic was driven by Dave Good during a Group 5 Race at the                  2015 Jefferson 500. A 1.6 litre Mark 2 had a top of 101 mph and 0-60 on                                                         13.7 secs. A sight to behold!

 

                                                     Porsche 962                                                                        This 1984-91 racer secured an overall win at the 1987 Le Mans 24 when                        fitted with an improved 3 litre engine. This dramatic image was taken at                          the 2015 Historic Sports Car Racing Classic 24 held at Daytona. Nice!

                                          1998 Jaguar XKR Sports                                                               This eye-catching Jag used a 370 bhp. 4 litre. supercharged V8, with a                          155mph top and 0-60 in 5.2 secs. Seen here during a 2015 Bahn-Stormer                                          Sunday at Goodwood. Snappy colour scheme

                                         Jota Sport Zytek-Nissan LMP2                                                    This 2012 UK racer used a 450 bhp, Nissan 4.5 litre V8 on a Zytek chassis. In                 2014 Jota Sport gained a class win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Seen here at                                    the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. A mean machine

                                                   2002 BMW Z8                                                               This 1999-03 coupe used a 394 bhp, 4.9 litre, 32 valve V8, with a 155                 mph top and 0-60 in 4.5 secs. This great shot was taken during a 2015                                Bahn-Stormer Sunday at Goodwood. What a slick racer

                                        Recent Racers in the Spotlight

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