Every automaker wants to dominate in motorsports. Motorsports give automakers a platform to showcase their engineering and technological prowess in an environment where they don't have to worry about restrictions typically associated with road-going cars.
Over the last century, there have been many different types of motorsport competitions that have spawned hundreds of race cars, including the FIA GT Championship, the World Rally Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, among others. Of all the race cars ever built, several stand out from the pack due to their racing success, advanced technology, and overall impact on the auto industry. Let's explore some of the best race cars ever created.
10 Ford GT40
After Ferrari pulled out of a takeover deal with Ford in the early '60s, Henry Ford was determined to get revenge on the Italians. As such, Ford decided to hit Ferrari where it hurt the most - motorsports. Ford's plan was simple - to build the ultimate race car that could end Ferrari's streak at Le Mans.
Ford hired the legendary Carroll Shelby to develop the race car, and after a few months of hard work, the iconic GT40 was born. The GT40 turned out to be a huge success, as it ended Ferrari's Le Mans-winning streak in 1966 and repeated it three years in a row.
9 Porsche 917
Porsche has always been among the top dogs in motorsports. The most dominant period for the manufacturer came in the early '70s, largely thanks to the 917.
The 917 was introduced in 1969 and was initially developed for endurance racing. It immediately found success, winning Porsche its first Le Mans overall win in 1970 and repeating it in 1971. Sadly, Le Mans rule changes in 1972 made the 917 obsolete, but instead of retiring it, Porsche turned it into a Can-Am racer.
8 Mazda 787B
The 24 Hours Of Le Mans is undoubtedly the greatest endurance race ever. To win this competition, a car needs to be not only fast and powerful, but also built solidly enough to handle 24 hours of non-stop racing.
In the early '90s, Mazda wanted to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so it built the 787B. Although the 787B wasn't as fast as European race cars from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, it was more reliable than any other car at the competition, which is why it managed to win it all in 1991.
7 Lancia Stratos HF
Lancia has a lot of cars to be proud of, but few of them are as iconic as the Stratos. There's a lot to love about the Stratos, starting with the design - it has a gorgeous wedge-shaped design penned by Marcello Gandini.
What we love most about the Stratos, though, is its racing history. The Stratos is among the most successful rally cars, having won the World Rally Championship three years in a row in the '70s.
6 McLaren F1 GTR
The first road-legal McLaren - the F1 - is considered to be one of the greatest European sports cars ever. When it debuted in the early '90s, everyone fell in love with its design, race-sourced technologies, and blistering speed - it crushed the existing production car speed record.
After the success of the F1, McLaren decided to build a racing version for the FIA GT Championship. The result was the F1 GTR. The F1 GTR shocked everyone when it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans competition in 1995 as it beat more powerful custom-built prototypes.
5 Audi Sport Quattro
The Group B rallying era produced some of the most extreme rally cars we've seen, including the Porsche 959, the Ford RS200, and this - the Audi Sport Quattro. The Sport Quattro pretty much dominated rallying in the early '80s.
There were several versions of the Sport Quattro, but the S1 E2 sits above them all. Powered by a 2.2-liter turbo five-cylinder blurting out 470 horses, the S1 E2 was a Group B beast that destroyed everything in its path.
4 Dodge Charger Daytona
NASCAR was heating up in the '60s, with top American automakers competing for glory. After a disappointing 1968 season, Dodge went back to the drawing board and came up with a high-performance limited edition version of the popular Charger in 1969 - the Charger Daytona.
The Charger Daytona was developed with the sole purpose of winning NASCAR races. It was based on the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T but had an elaborate body kit with a large rear wing to boost aerodynamics. At the heart of the Charger Daytona was a 7.2-liter V8 developing up to 425 hp, making it incredibly quick.
3 BMW E30 M3 Touring Car
The E30 M3 is widely considered to be one of the best BMW models ever. Everyone loves its classic looks, advanced engineering, power, and the fact that it's one of the main reasons why BMW's M division is well respected worldwide.
Another reason why the E30 M3 is iconic is its success in motorsports. The E30 M3 achieved great success in rally championships, touring car championships, and hillclimb championships.
2 Ferrari 250 GTO
When it comes to Ferraris, it doesn't get better than the legendary 250 GTO. The 250 GTO was produced in the early '60s to meet homologation requirements for the FIA's Group 3 GT category, where it would compete against the likes of the Shelby Cobra and Jaguar E-Type.
The 250 GTO was a huge success, winning three Le Mans championships for Ferrari and other renowned competitions. The 250 GTO has become one of the most highly sought-after collector cars today. One reportedly sold for a crazy $70 million at a private auction.
1 Porsche 959 Dakar
In the late '80s, Porsche built the 959 with one goal - to dominate Group B rallying. The 959 looked like a worthy contender, but it never got to compete as Group B rallying was abolished after several fatal accidents.
Porsche had spent a lot of time and money developing the 959, so instead of giving up on the project, they decided to convert it into a Dakar Rally racer. The move worked out great, as the 959 recorded a 1-2 finish at the 1986 Dakar Rally.
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