What is the greatest race car of all time?

Just doing some bench racing--and, yes, this is fodder for an upcoming Classic Motorsports story.

Lotus 72

Can-Am Porsche 917. It not only destroyed the competition, it destroyed the race series.

Stu

68 Sunoco camaro

Shelby daytona

What's the definition of great? Most wins, longevity, impact on the race series, beauty, or something else?

I've always thought the Ferrari 250LM was one of the prettiest. Not to mention the 250 GTO.

Other mentions are Maserati 250F, Ford GT40, Cobra Daytona coupe, Porsche 904, Porsche 917. At the other end of the scale you've got to give the giant killer Austin/Morris Mini Coopers a lot of credit as well as Triumph Spitfire which has won a lot of SCCA production class championships plus the Spit LeMans coupes looked cool.

Audi R series at Le Mans.

Shelby Cobra

Unless you are looking for the winningest car of all time...

Which a quick search says is the M3..

I have to agree. The 917 was so different and fast, it totally ruled. Obviously any racing group would have to make it illegal A.S.A.P.!

In terms of game changers- r32 skyline. Dominated jgtc series, they penalized it and it still swept, then they allowed the other makes severe advantages and it STILL walked away with multiple 1,2,3 consecutive finishes (and that was even with the 911 in the series) . It is termed "Godzilla" for THAT reason. Not because of the power it potentially Made.

Porsche 917.

I'm not a Porsche guy, but it is hard to argue with the 917. I guess it may depend on the criteria of "greatest". (certainly isn't the Camaro) Maserati 250? ...great but greatest? Which F1 car won 15 of 16 races one season? or am I not remembering things right?

Another vote for the Lotus 72.

Maserati 250F from the 50's. Won a championship for Fangio, first F1 drive for Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby, and numerous other great drivers. Was competitive in F1 for at least 5 years.

Nick_Comstock wrote: Lotus 72

I agree! The Lotus 72 is truly a gorgeous car and is in a tie with the Can Am Porsches & Chapparel sucker cars.

If Porsche 917 isn't the answer, I'm going to need to seriously reevaluate everything I know to be right and wrong in this universe.

Mazda 787B. Probably not the right answer, I just think it sounds better than any other car past or present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxXtpMngivM

Ferrari F2002 F1

Don't think I need to explain why.

In reply to lenhart06: I'll bite, why???

Sorry. I changed it to the Ferrari F2002. Can't argue about the success of either chassis (F2001/F2002) but F2002 with Schumacher behind the wheel was simply brilliant. Second on my list is the McLaren MP4/4! Senna/Post dominated!

Another vote for Porsche 917.

Second choice, Ford GT40.

Hard not to include the 911... At one time, only the best of the best were invited to compete against each other...

This one is easy, while there are lots of good picks already the answer is "Formula Ford" because they allowed thousands of would be race car drivers a chance to get in a single seater that lapped at pace no road car driver could imagine. The class also made racing driver schools possible. My pick for a single car would be a Swift as those made the first big leap in level of performance.

  Tom

But that's like claiming that autocross is the greatest motorsport because it allows thousands of folks driving their wife's car to wear a helmet and claim that their racing.

Easy entry level just doesn't equate to greatness . . .