Favorite: V8 GT Car

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what is your favorite V8 powered car in Currently racing, which are:

Corvette C5R
Corvette C6R
Saleen S7R
Panoz Esperante GTLM
Mosler MT900R
Morgan Aero 8
Marcos Mantis
Spyker C8 Double 12
Ferrari 360 GT
Ferrari 430 GT
BMW M3 GTR
Lotus Esprit
Maserati Trofeo Light
Cadillac CTS-V
Corvette Z06
Lexus SC430
Ultima GTR
Pontiac GTO.R
 
RACECAR
what is your favorite V8 powered car in Currently racing, which are:

Corvette C5R
Corvette C6R
Saleen S7R
Panoz Esperante GTLM
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In what series? The Marcos (European GT/British GT) is also V8, along with the Ferrari 360 (European GT/British GT).
 
Marcos Mantis, Morgan Aero 8, Ferrari 360, Ferrari 430, Spyker C8, and I'm sure I am missing a few. I suppose Ferrari 360 and 430 covers GT3, and GTC (cup/challenge) cars as well. As for my favorites, it's a three way tie.

Morgan Aero 8 (racing in various National Championships), Spyker C8 (fell in love with it at Sebring '03 and still love it today), and Panoz Esperante GTLM.

m.piedgros

EDIT: Just remembered that there was a V8 powered Dodge Viper (yes V8 Viper) at the Nurb this year so... Dodge Viper can be included as well. Unless one-offs don't count.
 
And there's still V8 Esprits doing the rounds in European GT too...
 
m.piedgros
Marcos Mantis, Morgan Aero 8, Ferrari 360, Ferrari 430, Spyker C8, and I'm sure I am missing a few. I suppose Ferrari 360 and 430 covers GT3, and GTC (cup/challenge) cars as well. As for my favorites, it's a three way tie.

Morgan Aero 8 (racing in various National Championships), Spyker C8 (fell in love with it at Sebring '03 and still love it today), and Panoz Esperante GTLM.

m.piedgros

EDIT: Just remembered that there was a V8 powered Dodge Viper (yes V8 Viper) at the Nurb this year so... Dodge Viper can be included as well. Unless one-offs don't count.
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I didn't know the Morgan and the Marcos still raced and I didn't know the Ferrari GT Cars had V8s so I'll edit the list.

@ Famine: any series, whether its Belcar, LMS, or FIA GT, any of them.
 
I thought the Tuscan was a straight 6...
 
You've got that right "Speed Six Straight 6." We can't forget Pontiac GTO, Ford Mustang, Holden/Vauxhall Monaro, Chevrolet Corvette C6/Z06.R, Chevrolet Corvette C5 WC spec, Chevrolet Corvette C5 GARRA Spec, Mercedes 500SEL (Nurb 24), Aston Martin V8 Vantage (Nurb), Cadillac CTS-V WC and many more. I guess the list should read "any active V8 powered GT cars." Of course, it really depends on how you want to classify GT.

m.piedgros

EDIT: Last gen. Toyota Supra GT500 cars, Lexus SC430 GT500.

EDIT 2: Maserati Coupe Trofeo V8, Maserati Coupe GT3.
 
m.piedgros
You've got that right "Speed Six Straight 6." We can't forget Pontiac GTO, Ford Mustang, Holden/Vauxhall Monaro, Chevrolet Corvette C6/Z06.R, Chevrolet Corvette C5 WC spec, Chevrolet Corvette C5 GARRA Spec, Mercedes 500SEL (Nurb 24), Aston Martin V8 Vantage (Nurb), Cadillac CTS-V WC and many more. I guess the list should read "any active V8 powered GT cars." Of course, it really depends on how you want to classify GT.
m.piedgros

EDIT: Last gen. Toyota Supra GT500 cars, Lexus SC430 GT500.

EDIT 2: Maserati Coupe Trofeo V8, Maserati Coupe GT3.
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I'm classifying the Purebred Racecars, not some cars around, say, the speed Touring Car or Grand Am GT "prep 1" specifications, but cars around Like the LMS or FIA GT specifications(or cars that still race that were built to those specs).
 
What about DTM cars? They run V8 power too.
And the Ford GT in SuperGT!
But my vote goes to the Corvette C6R, with the Saleen S7R on a close second.
 
@ RACECAR: Precisely my point. I could have gone on for ages trying to find all the hidden gems of GT racing.

@ Team666: I hope I didn't throw you off with my post. Cars like Cadillac CTS-V. Though it would technically meet sedan, saloon or touring car profile rather than a proper GT profile, I was just trying to make my point as obvious as possible. Because the CTS-V runs in a GT series here in America I was just illustrating the point that depending on how you classify, or what you classify a GT, you can come up with some crazy cars. See Mercedes 500SEL - Nurb 24 Hours.

m.piedgros
 
dougiemeats
Wouldn't DTM fall into the 'touring car' category? I think RACECAR is leaning more towards 'GT'.

Also, I realized I haven't voted Yet. Saleen S7R all the way.
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Actually, no. DTM is not really touringcars. Infact, they do go up against GT cars in the 24 hrs of Nürburgring. And GT= Gran Turismo, wich AFAIK is italian for Grand Touring. 💡

The TCC class cars are way closer to productioncars than any GT racer.
 
Ford Falcon GT and Holden SS + Monaro run the GT series in Australia - it's not very prestigous but it does exist in some way or another.
 
The Falcon and Commodore are technically touring cars. I classified the Monaro (two door performance coupe = GT) as a GT. Same with A4, and C Class. They have four doors and are not GT cars by definition. I know it is a silly classification but it's a good one. Another silly classification is sports car, I have trouble calling the 350z a sports car because it in fact is a GT. It did not, in its original design come as a convertible-necessary for sports car classification in classic English terms.

Think about the class name in DTM... Deutsche Tourenwagen Meistercraft. They are 100% Touring Cars, just like Aussie V8's. It isn't classified by how close to their road going counterparts the cars are, it's about vehicle size, number of doors, convertible or not etc. Both the Aussie V8 Supercars and DTM spawned out of the failure of Group A touring car regulations in the late 80's early 90's (which I am not going into because I personally like Group A regs). To conclude they are both in fact touring car series and the cars competing therein are touring cars.

m.piedgros
 
I think because it was/is the only Ford GT in professional competition in the world. Pretty pathetic though, stupid classifications by Super GT cause some very serious cars to be restricted, Ford GT, Chevrolet Corvette, Lambourghini Murcielago... it's a little ridiculous.

Cheers,

EDIT: DTM and V8 Supercars are most definitely touring cars.
 
Toronado
There is currently a Ford GT in GT300. It was a big deal a while ago for some reason.
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it was because Ford was activily discouraging it to compete because Ford did not want to tarnish the Legacy of the car it was based on, the GT40.

@ Jonerz: there is actually two ford GTs in the world competing. there's the Super GT car you mentioned and there was a Blue one too. there is a thread somewhere here where Layla's Keeper Mentions this.
 
I believe that would be this car:

112_05sema_ford_scca_gt_prototype_z.jpg


I remember hearing that Nic Jonson or somebody along those lines was supposed to run it. -- And I've also heard it was co-owned by a rockstar, however I do not recall seeing it in action.

m.piedgros

EDIT: Upon further investigation I can't find any evidence the GT has even been homologated.
 
m.piedgros
The Falcon and Commodore are technically touring cars. I classified the Monaro (two door performance coupe = GT) as a GT. Same with A4, and C Class. They have four doors and are not GT cars by definition. I know it is a silly classification but it's a good one. Another silly classification is sports car, I have trouble calling the 350z a sports car because it in fact is a GT. It did not, in its original design come as a convertible-necessary for sports car classification in classic English terms.

Think about the class name in DTM... Deutsche Tourenwagen Meistercraft. They are 100% Touring Cars, just like Aussie V8's. It isn't classified by how close to their road going counterparts the cars are, it's about vehicle size, number of doors, convertible or not etc. Both the Aussie V8 Supercars and DTM spawned out of the failure of Group A touring car regulations in the late 80's early 90's (which I am not going into because I personally like Group A regs). To conclude they are both in fact touring car series and the cars competing therein are touring cars.

m.piedgros
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You´re right about the doors - I didn´t think of that! But before 2004 DTM cars were two door coupés.
But they are called touringcars, as you say, so...
A true GT car do not have a B-pillar, but I can´t say that I know if that is specified in GT racecars.
 
Intereseting point Team666. I can't even think of how the cars like TT and CLK could be classified. I suppose, maybe the chassis on the road car is based on a four door sedan, though I'm not sure of that.

@ TheCracker: I wonder how closely related to the GTO in SPEED World Challenge or (as this example is from GARRA) GARRA. As I understand it, this GTO is a Prep 2 (specification) GT car in GARRA. That Monaro is based in N-GT or GT2 specs so it would be almost incomparable to its road going brother (or its road going cousin the GTO for that matter.)

0254839848437037.JPG


m.piedgros
 
m.piedgros
Intereseting point Team666. I can't even think of how the cars like TT and CLK could be classified. I suppose, maybe the chassis on the road car is based on a four door sedan, though I'm not sure of that.
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IIRC (this discussion has really made me think back!) the DTM regulation holders (ITR) made the decision to go for 4-door saloons, just to differentiate themselves more from the likes of GT racing.
m.piedgros
@ TheCracker: I wonder how closely related to the GTO in SPEED World Challenge or (as this example is from GARRA) GARRA. As I understand it, this GTO is a Prep 2 (specification) GT car in GARRA. That Monaro is based in N-GT or GT2 specs so it would be almost incomparable to its road going brother (or its road going cousin the GTO for that matter.)


0254839848437037.JPG


m.piedgros
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But GT1 cars are even further away from the production models they are based on! I must be misunderstanding you here!
Take a look at the following discussion, and please sort things out a bit. You seem to know a thing or three about this.
Layla&#180
Unfortunately, Jonerz, that's Showroom Stock club racing, lol.

GT cars are usually pretty radically modified. ACO/FIA GT2 cars have onboard air jacks, one way telemetry, centerlock wheels, multi-piston monoblock brake calipers, advanced remote resevoir coilover dampers, widened fenders with deeper air dams, and on and on down the list.

These are cars like the F430GTC, 911GT3RSR, and the TVR Tuscan T400R, highly modified from their production counterparts, to the point that the factory unibody is the only remaining stock component.

GARRA (Grand American Road Racing Association) took one look at the rapid advancement of the GT2 cars and backpedaled the rulebook. 911's are limited to the GT3Cup cars in engine, chassis, and body spec, even going so far as to demand they keep five lug wheels. This is all in the interest of a cheaper, safer race car with a longer shelf life.
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Jonerz
So, with "Prep 2" the cars will or will not be using stock body work? Reading the rules confused me. At one point I started getting the impression the "Prep 2" cars would be similar to Trans Am cars in that they have chassis completely different from their road going counter parts and silhouette bodies that are only supposed to keep certain shapes/similarities to their road going counter parts.

That, compared to "Prep 1" who seem to be essentially N-GT, GTC, or GT3 type cars. It would appear though, as I understand it now, with the "Prep 1" cars given-team is fairly limited. The rules appear to stipulate you get the car and can put your decals on it, put in a custom fitted driver seat and you're off (except for the possibility of ballast weight being added.) This being said, one would assume that this, if not illegal would been seen as a money pit by teams racing in GARRA and would slowly be killed off of the race track by there "Prep 2" contemporaries.

Were "Prep 2" cars being used last year? As I recall the examples that GARRA used to explain "Prep 2" were Nissan 350z, Infiniti G35, Ford Mustang, and Mazda RX-8. The last of which ran I believe the first half of last season.

Was that a "Prep 2" car, and am I getting the right impression? If so, is the "Prep 2" deal the wave of the future or will "Prep 1" cars always be legal?
Kind of like what happened with prototype racing in GA following the advent of the DP's.

If the SRT-10 Coupe is supposed to be a FIA/LM GT2 car wouldn't common sense say "why go through all the trouble of taking a Comp Coupe, making it an SRT-10 Coupe and then either a) making it "Prep 2" friendly or b) making it "Prep 1" friendly when they could just take the already successful Comp Coupe and make it GARRA "Prep 1" friendly?"

Common sense would dictate if Leighton Reese can run his 'Vette in GARRA GT than couldn't anyone run a Comp Coupe in GT? As I understand it Leighton's GT car is the exact same car as his World Challenge GT car with the exception of Tires and maybe a pound or two of ballast here and there.. but ballast would be the only variable.

(Sorry about making common knowledge seem like a real thinking body... that just helps me illustrate my point.)
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Layla&#180
Stock appearing body panels with a few GARRA-approved changes (airdam, wing, rear bumper) are mandated by Prep 2 rules. Also, a Prep 2 car runs an extremely limited engine package. The TRG/Krohn Pontiac GTO.R's, for instance, actually run a nearly stock LS2.

So far, there have been a few different Prep 2 cars competing in the Rolex series. The very first Prep 2 car was the Goldin Bros. RX8. This was followed by the Pratt & Miller prepared Pontiac GTO.R's.

Of which there are four, two campaigned by TRG/Krohn (championship winning cars, now) and two campaigned by Pacific Coast Motorsports. Also, there were several Prep2 Corvettes, a Pontiac Grand Am from Canada, and the Speedsource/Riley Mazda RX8, and the completely different GTO's of team Horizon.

This year, we're looking forward to the arrival of the HLM Crawford chassis Infiniti G35 whose car was at the Daytona test days this past week.

Prep 1 cars will always be legal, especially as one of GARRA's founding tenets is allowing privateers' equipment to stay competitive for years (hence why the DP's will get chassis/aerodynamic updates next year and Sabre will construct all new DP's, but all current DP's will remain legal until 2012).

As far as the Viper is concerned, the Competition Coupe's bodywork would be totally illegal in GARRA competition (the big tunnelback rear end is 100% dissimilar to the street SRT10 Coupe) and the Oreca GT2 conversion corrects this. In the simplest terms, a GARRA-spec version of the GT2 Viper would be a Prep 1 car, very similar under the skin to a Speed World Challenge VCC, but tuned to use Hoosier slicks instead of Toyo DOT's.
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Jonerz
Thank you. Finally in terms I can understand. So, the GT cars have to be [/i]very[/i] similar to a road going car made by the manufacturer? Interesting...
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Team666
^^^That has to apply mostly to GARRA. ACO, FIA, JAF and ITR homologated cars are not really very close to their roadgoing counterparts. Atleast not GT1, GT2, GT500, GT300 and DTM cars. GT3? Pretty close.
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Can be found in it´s entire form here.
 
It's probably worth mentioning that the GARRA GTO.R's and the Stu Hayner driven Speed World Challenge GTO are two VERY different cars, since the Hayner GTO is still a stock unibody.

hayner_sebring.jpg
 
On the DTM issue, I don't think it should really matter. DTM is essentially a spec series, so Mercedes could enter a CLK next year instead of a C-Class and it wouldn't make any difference. The race cars have about as much to do with their road going counterparts as NASCAR cars do.
 
@ Team666: 1) Where do GT1 cars come into it? lol. This is getting a little out of hand. 2) Yes. SPEED World Challenge GT was the series the Ford GT pictured above was intended for.

@ Tornado: First off yes. But, er... at least DTM cars use fuel injection, don't they? Side note: I've been told that DTM cars are most closely matched to Formula 1 cars in terms of the technology in the cars-part of the attraction to the series (at least for me).

To all: The classification has NOTHING to do with how close these cars are to their road going counter-parts. I think the reason it came up was my failure to clearly write a post. The fact that I was wondering how close the GTO.R and GTO WC are to their road going counter-parts (and to each other) was really a thought I typed into a post. My bad guys.

m.piedgros

P.S. Thanks for the answers LK and Team666.
 
Famine
I thought the Tuscan was a straight 6...
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The Tuscan Challenge is a V8, but that has nothing to do with the Tuscan 400R and 440R GT cars which are AJP6 engines, I don't think the Tuscan challenge is racing anymore but if it is, it's a GT car. Other V8 GT carsa are the Nismo GT-R's and the last Toyota Supra that raced in Japans Super GT. I think some of the newer cars in that series are V8's as well.

As for DTM and AVESCO V8's, they are classed as super tourers not GT racers.
 

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