Bruce McLaren’s first sports prototype was the M1A. The team’s first self-designed car, the M1A was another simple space-frame design featuring the Oldsmobile V8 engine via a Hewland transaxle.

Frank Nichols’ Elva Cars was already building its own highly successful sports racers, and he expressed an interest in the new McLaren prototype. The result was an agreement for Trojan (Elva’s parent company) to build a production version: the McLaren-Elva, 24 of which were completed.

For 1965, the design was refined Read More

This is the Formula One Brabham in which — on September 20, 1969 — star Belgian racing driver Jacky Ickx won the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, Ontario.

It is also the actual car in which Ickx finished 2nd in that same year’s Mexican Grand Prix, 3rd in the French, 5th in the Dutch and 6th in the Spanish round of the 1969 Drivers’ World Championship series.

In 1987, Ferrari celebrated their 40th anniversary, and to mark the occasion launched their most uncompromising road car ever — the twin-turbocharged, 471-bhp, 201-mph F40.

Developed by Michelotto, the F40 LM benefited from enlarged twin IHI turbocharger/intercooler units and advanced Weber-Marelli fuel injection, which increased power to over 700 bhp. A corresponding reduction in weight to just 1,050 kg resulted in predictably awesome performance, whilst the car also featured extensive chassis stiffening, race-specification transmission, uprated brakes and extensively modified bodywork.

Making its Indianapolis debut in 1948, this car failed to qualify.

George Connor was able to qualify the car in 6th position for the Indy 500 in 1949, finishing the race with an impressive 3rd overall. Bill Holland drove it at two subsequent AAA races that year at Trenton and Milwaukee. Connor drove the car in two more 500s, finishing 8th in 1950 and 30th in 1951. In 1952 and 1953, Charlie Marant entered the car at Indianapolis, but he Read More

Within the hierarchy of Enzo-era Ferraris, the sports racing barchettas of the mid-1950s are amongst the most significant cars to wear the Cavallino Rampante. The Works-campaigned examples are especially significant, as they often finished at the front of the pack at the most grueling races, piloted by the most talented drivers.

Chassis 0628 is no exception to the rule. It boasts an enviable racing history on three continents with many of the greatest drivers of its decade.

Despite the enormous success of its production-based race cars throughout its history, Porsche rarely developed such models as official factory entries, preferring instead to support them in the hands of privateer customers. One of the notable exceptions occurred in the mid-1980s with the advent of one of Stuttgart’s most celebrated and advanced models, the 959.

Longtime Porsche driver Jacky Ickx clarified his interest in developing a 959-based entrant in the Paris-Dakar Rally. Ickx was already driving Porsche 956 examples to Read More

Elva sports racers — designed by Frank Nichols — enjoyed considerable success during the 1950s and 1960s on both sides of the Atlantic. A Kentish garage owner, Nichols had commissioned a Ford-engined special with which to go racing, and the result, the CSM, was first seen in 1954.

Nichols put his next creation into production under the name Elva. The Elva featured a simple, light and rigid tubular chassis. Major departures from the CSM were the Standard Ten-based front suspension Read More