13 of the best looking race cars ever made

“I always thought the Ford GT40 was a stunner, with its purposeful stance and swooping curves. Really, any of the paint combinations looked great on it, but the orange-on-blue livery was my favorite.”

It’s as American as apple pie, and pretty to boot.

Suggested by: regnis78

“The Richard Petty ‘70 Plymouth Superbird.

“Aerodynamics made the Wing Cars such winners, they were banned—too cool. The Petty Blue paint makes this one pretty while doing so.”

A big wing and a droop snoot, what’s not to love?

Suggested by: the1969dodgechargerfan

“I have to include the Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe. It was built as a racecar; intended for the Carrera Panemerica. It never got to actually race because of the 1955 Le Mans disaster. It sure was pretty thought.”

Someone’s got expensive tastes.

Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

“I have so many, but I’ll take the high road and pick a car that was considered ugly, but so ugly, it’s actually beautiful, and is now an iconic car in Porsche History.

“The Porsche 917/20 was an attempt by Porsche to make a 917 as aerodynamic as a 917LH for the long straights at Le Mans, yet handle the turns like the K, or short tail. They enlisted Charles Deutsch of the French R&D company SERA to develop the aero, and in the end, it’s numbers were actually quite impressive. However, who wasn’t impressed was the sponsor of the car, Martini-Rossi. In fact, the head of Martini refused to have their sponsor applied to the car, and so the factory decided to paint it in its famous butcher meat cut livery.

“The car would qualify 2nd for a 3hr. pre-race at Le Mans (DNF) and qualify 7th for the 24hr. race (DNF - accident) But even though it was only used for those two races, it’s become a legend among Porschephiles, to the point in 2018, Porsche applied the livery to one of their Porsche GTE’s , and in the end, they won their class (and 15th overall) while battling with it’s sister car adorned with the Rothmans-like livery for top honors.”

I guess “so wrong, it’s right” can be reworked as “so ugly, it’s beautiful.”

Suggested by: jeffreyconover

“The BAT 7 was briefly used as a race car. There’s a lot of purpose-built racers I could list, but the BAT cars are so beyond the level of just about every other car on the planet, I had to pick it.”

With its jet-age stylings, the BAT 7 had a drag coefficient of 0.19, which is less than you’d find on a Bugatti Chiron.

Suggested by: garland137

“The 1967 Eagle Weslake Mark 1 or T1 Formula 1 car. No garish advertising, just a V12 missile on wheels.”

All race cars should really just be V12s on wheels, right?

Suggested by: elgordo47

“If there was a betting line for this, it would be a toss up between either the 250 GTO or ‘literally anything else.’ Respect the GOAT.”

I assume you’re nominating the Ferrari 250 GTO, this is what it sounds like you’re doing?

Suggested by: ibelle42

“Did it have to actually race, because the Furai was fully functional, built on an existing racing platform used by the factory team, and wore the right sponsors and numbers.

“It even did a few laps at Laguna Seca before immolating during a photoshoot.”

If it looks like a race car, sounds like a race car and goes like a race car, then it’s a race car.

Suggested by: potbellyjoe

“Whatever I just picked out of the Emerald Aisle at National. Love the one you’re with.”

It sure will be the fastest race car ever, but will it always be the prettiest?

Suggested by: agb5

“The 1959 Corvette Stingray Racer

“Based off of Pete Brock’s (Famous for designing the Shelby Daytona Coupe) sketches when he was just a 19 year old designer working at GM.

“It was designed to be a state of the art race car. But in June 1957, the all-powerful Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) banned U.S. automakers from supporting performance or motorsports activities and from building, selling, or advertising performance products. And when Bill Mitchell, a strong performance and racing enthusiast, was told that the ban would kill Chevrolet’s still struggling Corvette two-seater, he reportedly said, “I’m not going to let that happen.”

“When the AMA ban lingered, he decided to turn the car into a prototype racer that he would own himself and campaign out of his own pocket to publicly test its design with no clear connection to Chevrolet or GM.

“Expertly piloted by Dr. Dick ‘the Flying Dentist’ Thompson, Mitchell’s Stingray scored a fourth-place finish in its Marlboro, Maryland, Raceway debut on April 18, 1959, and an SCCA national championship the following year. It was then retired from racing, upgraded with a 327-cubic-inch V-8 and a passenger seat (among other changes), and became a concept car, which Mitchell joyfully drove on weekends. It also served as a test bed for a four-speed manual transmission, a de Dion rear suspension, and extensive usage of aluminum.”

Thank you for listening to my TED talk.

Suggested by: knyte

“The Jaguar J13, I don’t know too much about it and apparently there’s only 1 real one in existence, but my lord is it pretty, look at that engine!”

We did it, we found the right answer.

Suggested by: darthspartan117

“The 250 GT Drogo has always been one of my favorites.

“But honestly, I prefer the Drogo Breadvan. Look, I’m a giant weirdo, okay?”

It combines my three favorite things: Ferraris, bread and vans. Of course it’s on the list.

Suggested by: hankelwankel

“Maybe I’m dating myself, but no race car has ever bewitched me like the Porsche 917.”

It’s important to date yourself, because if you can’t love who you are then how can you expect someone else to love you?

Suggested by: nitch4250