Rail vehicles are not as far-fetched as it might sound in today’s automotive industry. There are a number of reasons why automakers develop a car that cannot be driven on the street or public roads, at least not without the risk of breaking the law. Some of the projects arise from the wishes of an elite clientele – similar to the production of exclusive series vehicles. In other cases these are track-only Supercar serve as a test bench for technologies that can later find their way into series vehicles. There are little to no regulations to be followed and the engineers really go out of their way to create a mechanical beast so fierce that it can only be unleashed on the racetrack.
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McLaren 720S GT3X
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The incredible McLaren 720S has spawned a few variants, but none are more extreme than the exclusive 720S GT3X. It is a hardcore racer that was built with no regard to regulations as it is not approved for the road. That fact has also allowed McLaren to really push the limits of the supercar’s capabilities.
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The twin-turbo-charged V8 can produce around 710 horsepower, far more than the 500 horsepower of the 720S GT3, the car on which the GT3X is based. There is also a “push-to-pass” system that can temporarily increase this output by 30 hp. There’s no lack of downforce either, thanks to the massive rear wing, elongated splitter, and cleverly positioned diving planes to control the airflow on the sides of the car.
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Aston Martin volcano
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You will find this is no ordinary machine when you learn that it is named after the Roman god of fire. The Aston Martin Vulcan made its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and the automaker only built 24 examples for carefully selected customers, one of which was later converted for road use.
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This fire-breathing monster is equipped with a potent, naturally aspirated, 7.0-liter V12 engine that develops 820 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 575 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. The lucky owners had to undergo a special training class from professional racers before adopting the insane machine that can shoot to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds.
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Pagani Zonda R
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Yes, the Pagani Zonda R is a pure racetrack hypercar but still so wild that there are some racetracks it cannot be driven on. The project was reportedly initiated at the request of the late Benny Caiola, Horacio Pagani’s dear friend, and when it premiered in 2009, fewer than 20 units were made with a sticker price of nearly $ 2 million.
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The Zonda R – “R” for “Revolucion” – is made primarily from a blend of carbon fiber and titanium, resulting in a curb weight of just 2,360 pounds. It’s powered by an AMG-derived V12 engine that delivers 750 horsepower, enough thrust to get the car to 60 mph and further to a top speed of 217 mph in less than 3 seconds.
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Lamborghini Essenza SCV12
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In 2020, Lamborghini introduced the Essenza SCV12, an extreme machine designed for the select few who crave the ultimate Lamborghini track experience. Production is limited to 40 units and each is equipped with the most powerful version of the Lamborghini V12; a power plant that produces up to 830 horsepower for a sprint to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds.
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This engine blends seamlessly with various aerodynamic features and technical developments directly inspired by Lamborghini racing prototypes to achieve breathtaking performances on the track. Lamborghini offers the lucky owners the opportunity to store the cars at the company’s headquarters in Italy and organizes track days all year round, during which the limits of the Essenza SCV12 can be fully exploited.
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KTM X-Bow
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The KTM X-Bow can be ridden on public roads in Europe, but it is different when you cross the Atlantic. The American regulators are still not convinced of the safety features, which in their opinion are little more than a glorified go-kart with far too much power for its own good.
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Because of this, it is not street legal and can only be driven on the racetracks, where Audi’s 237 hp 2.0 liter engine has enough grunt to accelerate the car to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.
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McLaren Senna GTR
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In terms of performance, the McLaren Senna is high on the list of the best modern supercars available today. Now imagine that level of performance raised by several notches and you have this one – the McLaren Senna GTR. It uses the same twin-turbo V8 engine as in the Senna, but the power is now around 814 hp instead of 789 hp.
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This massive wing isn’t just for show, giving the car an incredible 2,200 pounds of downforce at 255 mph. This will glue the car to the tracks while it is put through its paces. McLaren says the Senna GTR has the fastest McLaren lap times outside of its Formula 1 cars – there’s no reason to doubt it.
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Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 R
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This hardcore racer will have topped 60 mph by the time you managed to get his full name out of your mouth. It’s as extreme as it gets with a curb weight of just 1,600 pounds, aided by a 420-horsepower 2.5-liter Audi engine.
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It’s the same unit found in the D8 GTO JD70 road vehicle, but the racetrack-only ‘R’ variant is faster thanks to a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shifting. The suspension has also been stiffened significantly to allow for fast cornering that creates more than 2G.
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Ford GT MK II
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The Ford GT MK II costs a whopping $ 1.2 million and will be limited to a production run of just 45 units. It retains the same low profile as the “normal” Ford GT, but you’ll immediately notice the extras like the roof scoop, aggressive rear diffuser and that huge wing.
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According to Ford, this car’s aerodynamic package generates over 400 percent more downforce than the roadworthy Ford GT. It has also lost around 200 pounds in weight so the driver can really feel the limits of the 700 horsepower V6 power plant on the circuit.
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Brabham BT62
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The Brabham BT62 is built around a tubular steel frame and is one of the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engines on the market today. It’s a 5.4 liter powerplant that produces up to 710 horsepower and 492 lb-ft of torque.
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A curb weight of just over 2,000 pounds means an impressive power-to-weight ratio of around 740 hp / ton, which in turn results in stunning hypercar performance. This achievement led to the call for a street version and so the Australian automaker is now offering a street conversion kit for the Brabham BT62 that will make it street legal in select markets.
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Porsche 935
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In 2019, Porsche unveiled the second generation 935, a supercar that just stood on the racetrack and paid homage to the original 935 that won the 1979 Le Mans 24 Hours overall, just one of the many major competitions it emerged victorious from .
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The 2019 Porsche 935 has a distinctive look that includes an elongated profile, a flattened nose, and the lack of traditional headlights. Only 77 units were planned; each equipped with a twin-turbo Flat-6 that develops around 700 hp. It’s enough to blow up the car over 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds.
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Tolulope Akinshete
(350 published articles)
A simple guy with a not so simple obsession with cars!
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