Competition Machines
This was the decade of technology, as manufacturers strove to achieve more performance than ever before. Restricted by regulations, they designed to reduce speeds and danger. Active suspension, active differentials, traction control, and semi-automatic transmissions were among the developments aimed at helping drivers get the most from cars, while twin turbochargers and their intercoolers helped get the most out of the engines.
Porsche 962, 1984
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 2,995 cc, flat-six |
| Top speed | 200 mph (322 km/h) |
A sports prototype designed for races such as Le Mans and the IMSA GTP series, the aluminum-chassis 962 was winning races well into the 1990s.
Benetton-Ford B193, 1993
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,493 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 200 mph (322 km/h) |
Benetton’s answer to the high-tech revolution in Formula 1, the B193 had active suspension and traction control. Michael Schumacher used one to win the Portuguese GP in 1993.
BMW V12 LMR, 1998
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 6,100 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 214 mph (344 km/h) |
This striking roadster was built to win the Le Mans 24-hour race in France. It became the first BMW ever to do so in 1999, and won the Sebring 12 Hours in the United States that same year.
Leyton House-Judd CG901B, 1990
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,496 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 205 mph (330 km/h) |
Leading Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey tried out some advanced aerodynamic ideas on this Formula 1 racer; it had little success, though it did lead for most of the French GP in 1990.
Sauber-Mercedes C11, 1990
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Engine | 4,973 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 240 mph (386 km/h) |
With 950 bhp from its twin-turbocharged Mercedes V8 engine, the C11 dominated the 1990 World Sportscar Championship and continued winning into 1991.
Ferrari F300, 1998
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 2,997 cc, V10 |
| Top speed | 210 mph (338 km/h) |
The F300 was the first Ferrari built under the highly successful pairing of Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne: it gave Michael Schumacher six wins in 1998.
Audi R8R, 1999
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 3,596 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 208 mph (335 km/h) |
Audi’s first Le Mans racer, with twin-turbo 600bhp V8, proved reliable from the start but needed development to match the pace of rivals Toyota and BMW.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo “T-Rex”, 1997
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 5,850 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 215 mph (346 km/h) |
Known by the dinosaur painted on the roof, Jeff Gordon’s car won the 1997 NASCAR All Star race so easily that, even though it was legal, officials asked him not to bring it back.
Williams-Renault FW16B, 1994
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,493 cc, V10 |
| Top speed | 210 mph (338 km/h) |
Damon Hill won six Grands Prix in 1994 in the FW16B; he would have won the World Championship if a brush with Michael Schumacher hadn’t taken him out of the last race.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 2000
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 5,850 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 215 mph (346 km/h) |
The hugely popular NASCAR racing series features composite silhouette bodies resembling road cars, such as this Chevy, mounted on full race chassis with tuned V8s.
Williams-Renault FW18, 1996
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,000 cc, V10 |
| Top speed | 210 mph (338 km/h) |
The dream team of Patrick Head and Adrian Newey developed another world beater in the FW18, giving Damon Hill a World Championship title in 1996.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
