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76-593: The McLaren MP4-12C , later rebranded as the McLaren 12C , is a sports car produced by the British carmaker McLaren Automotive . Manufactured between 2011 and 2014 and designed by Frank Stephenson , the MP4-12C was available as both a coupe and a retractable hard-top convertible , the latter known as the "Spider". McLaren started developing the 12C in 2005. The company used prototypes from other carmakers as test vehicles for

152-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),

228-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,

304-456: A full racing season in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship, and its GT drivers tested the car on its Dunsfold test track, the same test track as used in the Top Gear BBC television show. McLaren released several promotional videos for the MP4-12C in the lead up to the racing season, including one of Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton driving the car at locations in the U.S. Compared to the road car,

380-484: A maximum speed of 333 km/h (207 mph). The car's transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch manufactured by Graziano called the SSG. Its fuel economy rating is 279 grams per kilometre (15.8 oz/mi), while its average fuel consumption is about 18.5 miles per US gallon (12.7 L/100 km; 22.2 mpg ‑imp ). The centre console of the 12C is equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen that controls

456-523: A power output of 453 kilowatts (607 bhp) and a torque output of 600 newton-metres (440 lbf⋅ft). McLaren debuted the 12C Spider in July 2012. The production of the 12C ended in April 2014, following a manufacturing period of three years during which more than 3,400 units were manufactured. It was succeeded by the 650S , with which the 12C shares most of its components. The McLaren Formula One team has used

532-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,

608-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like

684-512: A production car since the F1 , which ceased production in 1998. To develop the upcoming sports car, McLaren used modified versions of existing vehicles from other manufacturers as test mules . The first prototype , called the MV1, was a Ferrari 360 that featured a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine and side vents for additional cooling, which were incorporated into the production model. A second prototype,

760-567: A revised front end and rear bumper, larger vents and diffuser and a modified rear wing. Power was also increased by 75 horsepower. Mclaren only made 10 units of the MP4-12C HS. In January 2016, a 12C HS painted in F1 Vodafone Racing Team colours reportedly commissioned by Ron Dennis was offered for sale at Mecum's Kissimmee auction with 203 miles. It had an estimate of $ 1,300,000 – $ 1,600,000 and didn't sell. The same F1 Vodafone Racing Team

836-492: A two-piece front rotor . The 12C uses a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine codenamed "M838T", which was produced by Ricardo PLC in West Sussex, England . It produces a power output of 453 kilowatts (616 PS) at 7,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) and a torque output of 601 newton-metres (443 lb⋅ft) at 3,000   rpm, sufficient to give the car a 0–97 km/h (0–60 mph) acceleration time of 3.1 seconds and

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912-465: Is a Nature Reserve created by a reforestation that happened during 1950s. Part of Salento , Nardò is located in the north-western area of the province, by the Ionian Sea . The municipality borders with Avetrana ( TA ), Copertino , Galatina , Galatone , Leverano , Porto Cesareo , Salice Salentino and Veglie . Traces of human presence in the area dates from Palaeolithic times. The settlement

988-522: Is a sports car with the body style of a two-door coupe . It has dihedral doors , and it has a rear-wheel drive layout with a longitudinally-placed mid-engine . The 12C features a double wishbone and hydraulic suspension , the latter referred to as the ProActive Chassis Control. The car uses rack-and-pinion and electric power steering . The standard front brakes of the car feature a four-piston fixed calliper configuration, paired with

1064-449: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and

1140-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in

1216-430: Is particularly rich with palaces, churches, chapels and other architectural details shaped accordingly to the principles of Lecce 's Baroque style. Indeed, the city is a significant example of this art movement along with Gallipoli and Lecce . The stretch of coast wet by the Ionian Sea is split into small inhabited fractions such as Santa Caterina, Santa Maria al Bagno, Sant'Isidoro and Porto Selvaggio. The latter

1292-514: The 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship season being run by Hexis Racing . Tag Heuer produced a limited (1,000 units) series of Carrera MP4-12C Chronograph wrist watch inspired by the MP4-12C sports car. The watch was unveiled in 2011 TAG Heuer Mastering Speed Exhibition at Halle Secheron in Geneva. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed,

1368-511: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,

1444-534: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over

1520-601: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as

1596-713: The CRS Racing team. The MP4-12C was the first car to compete in sportscar racing for the company since the F1 GTR . It received its début with a single car entry for the Spa Francorchamps round of the British GT championship. This was followed by a three car entry in the 2011 Spa 24 Hours . Another car was also entered in the GT cup of the 2011 Macau Grand Prix , driven by Danny Watts . In March 2012, McLaren readied 25 MP4-12C GT3 cars for

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1672-509: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This

1748-462: The Meridian entertainment system and phone functionalities. The car also features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity options. The vehicle features ultra-low-profile Pirelli tires, with 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch wheels at the rear. On 10 July 2011, the MP4-12C set the second fastest lap around Top Gear 's test track , posting a time of 1 minute and 16.2 seconds. The car

1824-410: The "MP4" prefix as its chassis designation since 1981. This acronym stands for "McLaren Project 4", which originated from the merger of Ron Dennis ' organisation, Project Four Racing , with McLaren. The "12" in the name refers to McLaren's internal "Vehicle Performance" index, which evaluates cars based on four key criteria: power, weight, emissions, and aerodynamics . The "C" in the name signifies that

1900-564: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States

1976-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among

2052-486: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after

2128-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by

2204-495: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as

2280-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro

2356-497: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with

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2432-526: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Nardo Lies on a lowland area placed at south-west of its Province , its border includes part of the Ionian coast of Salento . For centuries, it had been one of the central cities of the Byzantine Empire , until 1497, when the ducal House of Acquaviva acquired it under their domain. During those years it became

2508-674: The Arctic and Sweden , high-altitude conditions in South Africa and endurance testing on various circuits and roads in Europe. The head of testing for the programme, Geoff Grose , noted that the development team established bases at Idiada in northern Spain and the Prototipo facility near Nardo in Italy, where they conducted 24-hour testing sessions as well as 18-hour sessions from 8   am to 2   am

2584-593: The MP4-12C GT3 produces less power with only 493 bhp (368 kW; 500 PS) due to homologation . The car features a bespoke six-speed gearbox that is 80 kg (176 lb) lighter than the road car's seven-speed, developed with Ricardo. The steering wheel is sourced from the McLaren MP4-24 Formula 1 car. The car took its first victories in the world at the two races of the Circuito de Navarra round of

2660-599: The MP4-12C was unveiled online in September 2009, with its physical debut occurring at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2010. Following McLaren's investment of £ 50 million into its production facility at Woking, Surrey , which could build approximately 4,000 cars annually, the official manufacture of the MP4-12C began on 2 February 2011. David Cameron , the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , officially opened

2736-811: The MV2, was a modified Ultima GTR used to test the braking system and suspension components. A third prototype, the MV3, was another modified Ferrari 360 used to test the exhaust system. McLaren subsequently developed two in-house prototypes, the CP1 and CP2, which featured a " MonoCell " monocoque and were used to test heat management and performance. McLaren produced over fifty experimental prototypes and tested in various regions to evaluate their performance in different environments. The testing locations included hot weather conditions in Bahrain , Arizona , and Nevada , cold weather conditions in

2812-460: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include

2888-565: The Renaissance in the city. In 1647 the city rebelled against the Spanish domination, but the viceroyal troops suppressed the riot with heavy terms. The area around Nardò produces red and rose Italian DOC wines . The grapes are limited to a harvest yield of 18 tonnes/ha with the finished needing a minimum alcohol level of 12.5%. The wines are primarily composed of 80-100% Negroamaro with Montepulciano and Malvasia Nera permitted to fill in

2964-594: The Year" at the Middle East Motor Awards the same year. The 12C Spider is a convertible version of the MP4-12C with a retractable hardtop. Because the coupe was designed from the outset with a convertible version in mind, no additional strengthening was needed for the Spider and it weighs only 40 kg (88 lb) more than the coupe. McLaren has worked to keep the Spider's top speed 204 mph (328 km/h) close to

3040-552: The building on 18 November 2011. The 12C incorporates a carbon fibre structure called the "MonoCell". Compared to traditional riveted alloy structures, the MonoCell's weight is reduced and its stiffness is improved. The design's cost-effectiveness, swift production and flexibility made it suitable for adoption in other McLaren models. The company invested £127.7 million into the MonoCell. Manufactured by Carbo Tech in Salzburg , Austria,

3116-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for

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3192-523: The car features a carbon structure. In 2012, McLaren dropped the "MP4" part of its name, simplifying it to "12C". McLaren began developing the 12C in 2005. In June 2007, the magazine Autocar reported that the McLaren's upcoming sports car would be independently built by the company, stating that this would give the company "a chance to re-establish [its] credentials at the top-end of the market". The upcoming sports car would mark McLaren's return to producing

3268-526: The carbon fibre structure weighs 80 kilograms (176 lb). The advances in carbon fibre fabrication reduced the time required to produce a MonoCell from 3,000 hours for the F1 and 500 hours for the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren , to four hours for the 12C. The development of the MonoCell also created approximately 100 new jobs, both in the construction of the new facility and in the production of

3344-473: The coupé's 207 mph (333 km/h) top speed and up to 196 mph (315 km/h) is possible roof down. Meanwhile, the dihedral doors of the coupé are retained. In March 2012, McLaren released pictures of five 12C HS taken in front of the McLaren Technology Center. The HS stands for High Sport. The 12C HS has different wheels and revised aerodynamic features inspired from the 12C GT3 such as

3420-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although

3496-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including

3572-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In

3648-467: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,

3724-516: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in

3800-556: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and

3876-459: The main cultural hotspot of Salento , seat of many Universities, Academies, literary and philosophical studies: it was given the name of Nuoua Atene litterarum . With almost 32.000 inhabitants and 190 squared kilometres of land, it is the second largest and most populated city among those in the Province, right after Lecce , and also one of the most culturally active towns of Salento . The Old Town

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3952-507: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)

4028-526: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since

4104-448: The monocoque. Carbo Tech went on to manufacture the MonoCell for McLaren cars for over eight years, making this the world's largest carbon fibre order for series-produced cars. Working with McLaren Automotive in taking this fundamental engineering step in carbon-fibre engineering and production will, we believe, enable carbon technology to establish itself ever more in motor-vehicle production. — Karl Wagner, Carbo Tech CEO The 12C

4180-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1

4256-403: The next day. In 2008, Frank Stephenson was appointed as the lead design director of McLaren, becoming chief of the project late in its development. Stephenson made some adjustments to the design of its headlights , front bumper, and interior elements. His contributions were mainly small alterations, as the overall design of the car was already well-established at that point. The final design of

4332-783: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899

4408-537: The past three years. To style the X-1, McLaren used ideas from a 1961 Facel Vega , a 1953 Chrysler D'Elegance Ghia , a 1959 Buick Electra , a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and a 1971 Citroën SM . In December 2010, McLaren announced that they would produce a small number of MP4-12C cars in order for them to compete in the FIA Group GT3 . McLaren stated that they would provide maintenance for the cars and begin racing in 2012 with

4484-451: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911

4560-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in

4636-545: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired

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4712-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as

4788-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as

4864-623: The thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise

4940-499: The upcoming project. The 12C marked McLaren's return to producing a production car since the F1 , which ceased production in 1998. The 12C debuted online as the MP4-12C in September 2009, and McLaren began series manufacturing the car in February 2011, at the company's facility in Woking, Surrey . The 12C has a carbon fibre composite chassis and a turbocharged V8 engine that generates

5016-473: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type

5092-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with

5168-671: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won

5244-609: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in

5320-702: Was developed and tested by McLaren on the Top Gear test track as part of their product development, long before its appearance on the show. It was 1.1 seconds slower than the Ariel Atom 500 and 2.4 seconds slower than the Pagani Huayra . The MP4-12C lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 28 seconds. The MP4-12C won the Middle East " Car of the Year " Award as "Best Supercar" in 2012 and overall "Car of

5396-434: Was founded by the Messapi around the year 1000 BC. The Romans conquered it in 269 BC and built the Via Traiana through it. After the fall of the Western Empire it was under the Byzantines and the Lombards . In 1055 the Normans captured Nardò. Their heirs were ousted by the Angevines in 1266. In 1497 the Aragonese gave it to Andrea Matteo Acquaviva , whose son Belisario was the first Duke of Nardò, and promoted

5472-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture

5548-449: Was offered again in January 2017 at Mecum's Kissimmee auction with an estimate of $ 950,000 – $ 1,200,000 where it still didn't sell. The McLaren X-1 is a one-off sports car based on the McLaren 12C and built by McLaren Special Operations (MSO). It was displayed at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance . According to Paul MacKenzie, MSO Programme Director, the X-1 has been developed for

5624-678: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for

5700-662: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as

5776-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of

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