Group C/GTP aesthetics

[KA]

The discussion in the 'Interesting facts about Daytona Protoypes' thread turned up some opinions on the appearance of some Group C/IMSA cars. (apologies if we've done this one recently!) - so what were your personal high/low points in the GpC years?

Personally the Lancia LC2, WM, Jag XJR11 & 14 come to mind as some of the best looking- and there were some really ugly creations in C2- remember the Sthemo or the Thibault Chevron-ROC

Any more offers?

[cybersdorf]

The Tiga GC289 looked nice.

[Nordic]

The re-modelled DeCadanet that ADA ran was a horror, as where most Tigas, and the URD BMW.
On the up side C2 also gave us the Ecosse, Alba AR6 and Gerbhardt all to my eye at least good looking.
High points in C1 or GTP, the BASF Sauber C?, Grp 44 Jag, Kremer 917 and the Nimrod.

[Fab]

As I mentionned it previously, the early ones were perfectible, and some were really ugly IMHO (Ford, Rondeau).

The late ones (Jaguar, Sauber, Mazda, or the 962s) were splendid...

[Dani Filth]

the LC2 was the best i've seen

[ascarracinguk]

worst....rondaeu....best....pretty much anything else....i liked the mustang probe, xjr 9/12/14 and the mazdas

[Aysedasi]

I loved those Silk Cut Jags, particularly and well-liveried, I think the 956/962 was a great looking car - just think of the Shell cars that ran at Le Mans in 1988 - simply gorgeous.

Someone mentioned the URD - I actually quite liked that little car!

[bigh]

For me, the best looking grid has to be this one. Apart from the cars looking just fabulous, everything else just seemed to fall into place. The sunshine, the jags, the pits and crowd etc..
H

[bigh]

another...

[Pilgrimage]

Also the Rothmans liveried 962's were smart looking motors.
Personal favs: - Silk Cut Jags of '88 and Silver "arrows" Sauber mercs of '89.
I also liked the Astons of those years- the engine note whilst sitting on a straw bale on the mulsanne (before fences) at 2am will be something i never forget (much like the Panoz of recent years).

[Fab]

Originally posted by bigh
Apart from the cars looking just fabulous, everything else just seemed to fall into place.

There's some years... 1999, 1978, 1972...

[bigh]

You're right there Fab.
While we're on about aesthetics, what on earth happened to the graphics on the TVRs this year? Two very nice looking cars made to look like a couple of tractors by some cack handed sponsor. They could have looked marvellous if the shapes of the cars had been utilised with some sort of harmony. IMHO, of course.
H

[Fab]

You didn't like the Dewalt livery ? I found it pretty exotic, and I like yellow cars, well, more precisely, I liked those ones... the red/blue (or black ?) one at Spa was a little bit 'sad', but, as you say, it's a personnal feeling... that's why we can say that the cars loved by anyone are really a success...

[KA]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
-I think the 956/962 was a great looking car - just think of the Shell cars that ran at Le Mans in 1988 - simply gorgeous.

...or Richard Lloyd's Canon 956, or the Joest New Man/Taka-Q black & yellow.....- another favourite has to be the 'Spirit of America' 962 Joest ran at Le Mans one year (86?) with the stars & stripes livery.

[PascaLM]

Most of G.C were fine because of aerodynamics studies for 6kms Hunaudières.
The Rondeau M482 wasn't very pretty because of its high downforce shape, but the M382 was OK.
The URD had a shoe box Cx (Fab, "un Cx de boîte Ã* chaussures"?).
Some were not very good looking : March 82, Bardon DB 1 (1986).
Most of G.C were pleasant to see : 956/962, XJR9, Mazda '86-'91(with the noise !), Tullius's Jags, Nissan '89 - '90 ...
To me , two cars reached a kind of perfection : Sauber C11 and Jaguar XJR14.

[gttouring]

as pointed out in the DP thread, there is that ratio,
the aesthetics is much better, and power was certainly there.
notice the body work ahead of the front wheels, the curve and gentle slope of the front fender. Dp's are truncated and blunted- just anote for comparison

[Gt-One]

I became a sportscar fan in 1991 when I first saw Le Mans live on tv. So my personal favorite has to be the Mazda 787b. Second to that was the Mercedes C11 with one M. Schumacher driving.

[Fab]

Originally posted by PascaLM
un Cx de boîte Ã* chaussures

I'll say 'shoebox's air penetration', but don't even take it for a translation, just an interpretation !

[rdjones]

I have seen Group C car race twice this year once at Silverstone and once at Donnington and I have to say they look spot on, still after all these years.

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by Fab
There's some years... 1999, 1978, 1972...

Not everything was quite right on two of those events (looking at the race as a whole)

1972 saw Jo Bonnier get killed, and in 1999 there were those infamous Mercs...

[pirenzo]

I like those little Rondeau's (though i've never actually seen one in the flesh)

The Lancia LC2, i think Fab is right there, it looks nice, but it's missing something (Ayse would know what it is)

Those Saubers were pretty sweet too. I'm not madly keen on the 956/962, or the Jags particularly.

[Chevyguy]

Man, the Toyota Eagles not only looked, but were invincible. I like the Shell Porches as well.

[Es Nes]

es heart

the only way ill get a picture of that car there

[pirenzo]

hehe. Es powers through Schwalbenschwanz with his 800bhp Toyota GTP. I wish

That car looked better in it's white/blue livery IMO

[Es Nes]

yeah, but, theyll be realesing them soon for f1 c ... there are public beta test threads over at rscf