Although we do get our fair share of sports car races over in the States, the popularity of this type of racing, compared to, say, NASCAR, makes it just a blip on the radar. European sports car racing is way more popular. At Goodwood we got a chance to see some great examples of race teams and manufacturers who, over the years, have taken some of their best sports cars and fiddled with them enough to take them racing. OK, in some cases these were definitely not the company’s finest vehicles, but for one reason or another they were converted to race duty and were none the worse off for it.
The cars that were displayed or run at Goodwood represented a very eclectic mix of this theory. We saw everything from Sir Stirling Moss driving a Mercedes SLR (complete with scorch marks where the abbreviated exhaust pipes spit on the body) to Lyn St. James behind the wheel of the land speed T-Bird, from Richard Petty’s IROC Camaro to a Ferrari 250 GTO. The list was staggering and included the resurrected Jaguar XJ13, last week’s GT1-winning Aston Martin DBR9 and the older DBR2, Jaguar low-drag coupe and D-Types, Priaulx’s 320Si, McLaren F1, Ferrari F40 LM, Daytona Comp, and 512 BBLM, and the Koenigsegg CCGT. Huge gallery, just click one of the pics.
Featured Gallery
General Motors used the Chicago Auto Show to introduce the world to its latest concept vehicle, the Corvette Stingray, which will be featured in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie on June 26th. According to GM, the vehicle is nothing more than a styling buck that was influenced by the original 1959 Stingray racer.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- Chevy Corvette Stingray Concept Car
- Chevy Corvette Stingray Concept Photos
- 2009 Chevy Corvette
Director Michael Bay spotted this Chicago Auto Show concept while he was touring GM, looking for inspiration for the first Transformers movie. Don’t expect this concept to spawn any sort of production vehicle, which, needless to say, is a shame.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- Chevy Corvette Stingray Concept Car
- Chevy Corvette Stingray Concept Photos
- 2009 Chevy Corvette
The SHO must go on. SHO me the money. It’s SHO time! We’ve heard them all during the months of speculation leading up to this moment. Without further ado, Ford released the Taurus SHO at the Chicago Auto Show. That’s right, Ford has decided to revive the moniker once affixed to the sports sedan that wowed the automotive world way back in 1989.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- 2010 Ford Taurus SHO
- 2010 Ford Taurus SHO Photos
- 2009 Ford Taurus
Ford is working on rehabilitating the Taurus name with a significant redesign that debuted last month, but this Chicago Auto Show concept ups the ante. Using that sedan as its canvas, the new SHO may also restore respect to a name that has fallen too far. A 365-hp twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, all-wheel-drive and plenty of upgrades is a good place to start.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- 2010 Ford Taurus SHO
- 2010 Ford Taurus SHO Photos
- 2009 Ford Taurus
Nissan used the Chicago Auto Show to put a price tag on the 2009 Cube: $13,990. That’s what the 1.8 model equipped with a manual transmission will set you back when sales begin in early May. Four versions of the Cube will be offered: the 1.8, 1.8 S, 1.8 SL and the 1.8 Krom.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- 2009 Nissan Cube
- 2009 Nissan Cube Photos
- New Nissan Models
We got our first look at the 2010 Kia Forte at the Chicago Auto Show and we are pleased to say that it looks even better in person as it does in photos. The replacement for the Spectra will feature a 2.4L inline-4 with 173 horsepower and up to 25/34 mpg in SX trim, while the LX and EX offer a 2.0L inline-4 with 156 horsepower and 26/36 mpg. Pricing has yet to be announced.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- 2010 Kia Forte
- 2010 Kia Forte Photos
- New Kia Models
As with other recent examples of the co-branded truck, the new 2010 F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition is largely an appearance package, but certainly a striking one. This Chicago Auto Show debut is the 14th time that Ford has created a Harley edition pickup. Aside from the unique visual elements, this model features most of the goodies you can find on the top-end Platinum edition F-150.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition
- Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition Photos
- 2009 Ford F-150
Ford’s commercial-focused boxy van goes on sale later this year, with a 2.0L four cylinder Duratec gas engine paired up with a four-speed automatic transmission. Ford has also confirmed that the Transit Connect will be the basis of its new electric van to be offered starting in 2010. Ford plans to release the Connect to dealers this summer with a starting price of $21,475. This was one of our favorite unveils at the Chicago Auto Show.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- Ford Transit Connect
- Ford Transit Connect Photos
- New Ford Models
Hyundai pulled the wraps off its R-Spec version of the Genesis Coupe at the Chicago Auto Show, a concept focused on the tuning market. The highlight is a 210-hp turbo’d inline-four that returns 30 mpg and a top speed of 137 mph. The Genesis Coupe R-Spec will be available mid-2010 with a base price of $23,750, or $3,000 less than the 2.0T Track model.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec Photos
- 2009 Hyundai Genesis
Acura fans have something to rejoice about as the Japanese automaker just released a new model here at the Chicago Auto Show. Before you get too excited, know that it’s not rear-wheel-drive or powered by a V8 engine, but it’s still a nice addition to the line-up. For the 2010 model year, the front-wheel-drive TSX sedan will be available with a 280-horsepower 3.5L V6 engine.
- Chicago Auto Show Coverage on Autoblog
- 2010 Acura TSX V6
- 2010 Acura TSX V6 Photos
- 2009 Acura TSX
All photos © 2007 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.