When the first internal combustion engine cars were introduced in the late 19th century, many people still viewed these inventions as just means of transporting people and luggage more conveniently, replacing horsepower. or steam engines. However, there are still individuals and groups who want to test the limits of whether machines can overcome the limits of technology and humans. Those motivations and urges gradually became the foundation to form one of the most prestigious events in the world until today - Formula One racing (Formula One - F1).
In this article, we will introduce the top 7 legendary race car models in history for your reference.
1. Aston Martin DBR1 (1956)
Aston Martin built the DBR1 race car with the intention of competing in the World Sportscar Championship. The car has achieved incredible achievements in the racing history of Aston in particular and the UK in general. The DBR1 not only won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans season, but also became one of three cars to win the World Sportscar Championship in the same year, alongside two Ferraris.
Not stopping there, the car continued to set records by winning the World Sports Car Championship six times in the 50s and winning three consecutive times on the 1,000 km Nurburgring racetrack.
DBR1's controllers include Stirling Moss and Carroll Shelby. There are only 5 units built in the world and currently the last DBR1 is being sold for more than 22.5 million USD (nearly 532 billion VND).
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2. Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider (1960)
Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider is an extremely famous car among collectors. More specifically, the car once appeared in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".
Only 55 250 GTs were built between 1953 and 1964, including both road and racing versions. Currently, many information sources believe that 36 units still exist.
In the 1960s, the GTO racing version seemed to be the rarest and most expensive car in the world. However, currently, the road version is more sought after, with a price of less than 15 million USD (about 353.7 billion VND).
3. Porsche 917 (1970)
Porsche 917 is one of the models that made the name of the Porsche car brand famous. This is a prototype racing car that won twice at Le Mans, marking Porsche's first victories at the event.
The Porsche 917 does not weigh too much, is equipped with a flat 12-cylinder engine that produces 520 horsepower and can reach 1,500 horsepower when turbocharged.
At Le Mans in 1971, the Porsche 917 set four records, winning the starring role in the movie Le Mans with Steve McQueen.
4. Bugatti Type 41 Royale Coupe Napoleon
For a long time, Bugatti has been a formidable opponent of Rolls-Royce in the large luxury car segment. The Type 41 was built between 1927 and 1933, weighed approximately 3,175 kg and was powered by a 12.7 liter six-cylinder engine, making it one of the largest cars in the world.
Bugatti even planned an upgraded version of the car, with the name Royale Kellner Coupe and a limited number of 25 models for sale to royalty. However, this plan failed because at that time, Europe was facing the Great Depression, which greatly affected the royal family on this continent.
Bugatti has sold 3 of the 7 cars it built, but none of them belong to the royal family. The only person of royal lineage to own the car was King Alfonso of Spain, but he was deposed before receiving the car. Ettore Bugatti kept one, and another was destroyed in an accident, so there are now only six in existence, each with a different design. The Bugatti Type 41 that Ettore owns is the Coupe Napoleon version. This car was later sold to a private tycoon.
5. Ford GT40 Mk I Road Car
To compete with Ferrari, Ford produced at least 25 road cars equivalent to racing cars. Specifically, this number is 31 units for the GT40 Mk I Road Car series, all of which are produced at the Ford Advanced Vehicles factory in Slough, UK. Compared to racing cars, the GT40 Mk I differs only in expensive details such as carpets, fabric door pockets, cigarette lighter and stylish wheels. Although these details made the GT40 not as sought after as the Ferrari 250, however, at Le Mans, the GT40 won the overall victory over the 250.
6. McLaren F1 LM (1998)
McLaren built seven road-going versions based on the F1 racing car to commemorate first, third, fourth, fifth and thirteenth places in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The F1 LM is built on the legendary F1 chassis with racing-specific components, including carbon ceramic brakes, an aerodynamic package and an unrestricted engine that produces 671 horsepower while weighing only about 1061.8 kg, helping the car achieve speeds that even surpass conventional racing cars when running on standard tracks.
Although it is planned to paint the entire car in papaya orange, which is Bruce McLaren's racing color, two F1 LMs were shipped in black for The Sultan Of Brunei.
7. Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
Currently, Mercedes-Benz's 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe model is only left in very small quantities, being auctioned for between 40 million and 50 million USD (about 943.4 billion to 1179.2 billion VND). Even one of the two 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe prototypes produced in 1995 with bird-wing doors was sold for more than 140 million USD (about 3,301.9 billion VND).
In particular, Mercedes sold 1 out of 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes to fund a scholarship program for students in the fields of environmental science and decarbonization. The car was named after its inventor and chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut. It was also a notable car in the development of Mercedes, pushing forward its technical potential in the 1950s.
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