Strange as it may seem, sports cars have been and are being made in Russia, yes, but of course few have seen them, much less driven them. Also in Soviet time they were made by both large auto giants and small ones sports club and other single enthusiasts. These cars were original analogues of European “ Alfa Romeo”, “Aston Martin”, “Porsche” and others. And so let's get to the fun part.
1911 "Russo-Balt S24-55"
Initially, the Russo-Balt company was engaged in the production of railway equipment. At the dawn of the twentieth century, the company's management decided to start producing cars. It was at Russo-Balt that the first Russian sports car was made. The basis for it was the serial passenger model"S24-35". It was equipped with boosted up to 55 hp. engine with a displacement of 4.5 liters. It was the world's first engine with aluminum pistons. The innovation was kept in the strictest confidence. By the standards of that time, the car was fast at 116 km/h. And in 1912, Andrei Nagel, who participated in the Monte Carlo Rally, showed very good results in the prestigious competition. good result 9th place in the general classification. From St. Petersburg to Monte Carlo he was supposed to travel with his partner Mikhailov, but he broke his arm with the starting handle right at the start - the engine backfired. Such incidents happened often before the introduction of electric starters. Be that as it may, Nagel single-handedly drove the car to the Cote d'Azur and became one of the main heroes of the Monte Carlo Rally. In 1913, the only copy of the Russo-Balt S24-55 was converted into a purely racing car with a streamlined body. The car performed successfully in various competitions, but then disappeared in the confusion of the revolution and the Civil War.
1913 “La Buire-Ilyin”
At the IV International car exhibition In 1913, a small sports car debuted in St. Petersburg. Its two-seater body resembled a cigar, for which it immediately received the nickname “Havana.” The car had “dual citizenship”. Chassis and motor - French company“La Buire”, and the body was manufactured by private order from the Moscow carriage and automobile factory of P. Ilyin. the small company was the Russian dealer of La Buire and often built exclusive bodies for these cars. Havana had nothing to do with auto racing. It was a car for high-speed country walks and parades along city streets.
1932 "NATI-2"
The Scientific Automotive and Tractor Institute (NATI) was the forerunner of the current NAMI. He was studying technical developments V automotive sector. In 1932, its specialists sharpened six prototypes of the NATI-2 small car. all cars had different bodies. One sported a sporty two-seater roadster. For its time, NATI-2 was a fairly advanced car. The basis was the spinal frame. Economical four-cylinder engine(1.2 l.) developed 22 hp. Suspension rear wheels– independent, which was then rare in small cars. Alas, in a workers' and peasants' country, sports cars were considered a bourgeois whim. And the NATI-2 roadster went to scrap metal
1937 "GAZ-A Sport"
This car was made by enthusiast Anton Girel. He was quite an old man and had memories of the brief heyday of Russian motorsport in pre-revolutionary times. It was they who pushed him to create a sports car. Girel took the GAZ-A as a basis, which was then the most popular passenger car in the USSR. All work was carried out at one of the motor depots in Leningrad. The design of the GAZ-A Sport was partly naive. So a small aerodynamic fin stuck out in the chassis - a completely useless thing, since the car was slow-moving. Despite boosted to 55 hp. engine, the car could only reach 129 km/h. By European standards, this is a ridiculous figure for a sports car. However, by the standards of the USSR, this is an all-Union speed record, which was officially registered by Anton Girel.
1937 "GAZ-TSAKS"
The GAZ-A Sport, made in Leningrad, caused another “duel” between the northern capital and Moscow. In the official capital they also decided to create their own sports car according to the resolution of the Central Council car club sports (CAKS). The project was headed by engineer V. Tsipulin. He also took the mass-produced GAZ-A as a basis, but its design was seriously redesigned. The suspension has become stiffer and much lower. Under the panels of a specially created streamlined body hid a souped-up engine. TsAKS entered this car into racing more than once. When she drove to the starting point, her headlights and fenders were strengthened, and immediately before the race they were removed. The car was driven by A. Kulchitsky, a well-known tank tester in those years. He was known as a brave man, but he could not reach speeds of more than 130 km/h - for some reason the engine worked intermittently. It's amazing that GAZ-TSAKS survived the war. In the 40-50s, the car could sometimes be seen on the streets of Moscow. Then his traces are lost. In any case, the car far outlived its creator - Tsipulin was shot in the same 1937.
1939 "ZIS-Sport"
One of the most serious sports cars created in the USSR. In terms of temperament, it competed with the road-going Bentleys and Mercedes of those times. The elegant two-seater car was designed by a group of young ZIS designers led by A. Pukhalin. The design was developed by the artist Rostkov. ZIS-Sport was made specifically for the anniversary of the Komsomol. At the House of Unions, where the celebration took place, the car was literally carried into the hall by hand before the opening. The basis of the ZIS-Sport was the executive chassis of the ZIS-101A. The engine with a displacement of six liters was boosted to 141 hp. The engine was very long (eight cylinders in a row) and very heavy. To improve weight distribution and load the drive wheels, the two-seater cockpit was moved far back. The car turned out to be squat and fast. In 1940, during testing, it reached a speed of 162 km/h, which was a serious indicator for the 30s. After the end of the war, the ZIS-Sport rotted in the factory backyard for many years, and then it was written off for scrap metal.
1950 “Victory-Sport”
The two-seater sports car was designed by A. Smolin, a former designer at an aircraft factory. Hence the “passion” for the duralumin from which the body is made. The official (according to the drawings) name of the model was GAZ-SG1. There were three of these cars made. Each one is based on serial “Victory”. Under the hood was a Pobedov engine, whose displacement was increased to 2.5 liters and power to 70 hp. In 1951, the engine was equipped with a supercharger, and it began to produce 105 hp. The speed of the Pobeda-Sport compressor reached 190 km/h. It was in this car that Mikhail Metelev became the first USSR auto racing champion in 1950.
1951 "GAZ-Torpedo"
Under this name this sport car appeared in many publications. Its real name is GAZ-SG2. The index shows that the model became the successor to the Pobeda-Sport and was designed by the same aircraft engineer Smolin. The supercharged engine developed 105 hp. The speed ceiling of the GAZ-Torpedo exceeded 191 km/h. When designing his second-generation sports car, Smolin no longer relied on the supporting frame of the Pobeda. He designed a completely new, beautiful cigar-shaped monocoque body. The car weighed 1,100 kg. Fortunately, this car has almost survived to this day, and now the GAZ Museum is busy restoring the GAZ-Torpedo.
1951 "ZIS-112"
The appearance of the car created a real sensation. By appearance it was not inferior to the best American “dream-cars” (“dream-car” - translated means “dream car” - this is how conceptual developments used to be called). The design of the car belongs to the artist Rostkov, the author of the above-described ZIS-Sport. Yes and general design the car is also the work of his hands and mind. The chassis of the serial ZIS-110 limousine was taken as the basis. They also borrowed a huge engine from it - eight cylinders, six liters of displacement. Various tricks were used to increase the power to 182 hp. The maximum speed of the ZIS-112 amazed everyone - 205 km/h! However, attempts to use the car in circuit racing were not successful. The car, as engineers say, turned out to be a “tadpole”: the nose is too heavy and the tail is too light. Therefore, the coupe easily slipped into a skid. To improve handling, wheelbase soon they were shortened by a whole meter. The removable hard top was also later abandoned - during the 300-kilometer race, there was nothing to breathe in the cockpit. The only copy of the ZIS-112 has not survived to this day.
1951 "Moskvich-403E-424E Coupe"
The capital's automaker, known to most of us under the name AZLK, was originally called MZMA - Moscow Plant subcompact car. In 1951, six samples were prepared on it promising model"Moskvich". One of them was a two-seater sports coupe. Intended for the car new motor working volume 1.1 l. and power 33 hp. The monocoque body frame was retained from the previous 400 model, but all the outer panels were new. IN mass production this car didn't work. The factory workers, remembering that their first model “400” was a copy of the “Opel Cadet”, sarcastically dubbed the experimental new product “Sergeant”. The sports modification of “Sergeant” has started racing more than once. The maximum speed of the car reached 123 km/h. Three years later it was converted into open car with a very low body.
1954 "Moskvich-Sport-404"
The sports car made its racing debut in the spring of '54. During its construction, the lower part of the body from the 1951 Sergeant was used. The car was equipped with an experimental engine model “404” (1.1 l, 58 hp). In 1959 it was replaced by more perfect motor“407G” (1.4 l., 70 hp). The first version weighed 902 kg and reached a speed of 147 km/h. After installing the new engine, driving a sports Moskvich could reach 156 km/h. This car won the national automobile racing championship in 1957, 1958 and 1959.
1957 "GAZ-SG4"
The next generation of GAZ sports cars created by A. Smolin. Four copies of SG4 saw the light at once. The car had an advanced design. Note the supporting body made of aluminum (as on modern production Audis and Jaguars!), aluminum crankcase final drive and boosted to 90 hp. GAZ-21 engine. one of the engines was equipped with an injection system with electronically controlled! The car reached speeds of up to 190 km/h. In 1963, the USSR championship was won there. In 1958, GAZ sold three SG4s and two earlier SG1/56s to the Moscow taxi fleet No. 6. Until 1965, all five cars could regularly be seen at circuit races, where the taxi company's sports team participated.
1961 "KVN-2500S"
Six such cars were manufactured according to V. Kosenkov’s design. One of the models - KVN-3500S - was equipped with a forced engine from the representative GAZ-12 (3.5 l. 95-100 hp). The rest of the cars were absolutely identical, bore the designation KVN-2500S and had engines from the GAZ-21 Volga with a power of 90-95 hp. KVNs weighed 900 kg. The maximum speed reached from 185 to 190 km/h. Not a single car has survived.
1961 "Kyiv"
This beautiful coupe was designed and built by the Antonov Aviation Design Bureau. The project was carried out by engineer V. Zemtsov. The car was boosted to 90 hp. engine from Volga. The maximum speed of the Kiev was 190 km/h.
1961 "KVN-1300G"
The next generation of the KVN model, also designed by engineer V. Kosenkov. The light sports car was built based on the mechanisms of the serial Moskvich-407. The forced engine developed about 65 hp, allowing the car to reach speeds of up to 155 km/h. The KVN-1300G won the USSR auto racing championship. In 1963, instead of the Moskvich engine, a Volga engine with a power of 90 hp was installed. IN rear suspension The rigid bridge was replaced by an independent mechanism. Improved handling.
1962 "ZIL-112S"
The capital's ZIL plant produced this magnificent supercar in two copies. Designer V. Rodionov used rare solutions. For example, the rear axle gearbox was made so that the gears in it could be changed “on the knee,” quickly adapting the transmission parameters to the characteristics of a particular race track. And the wheels were also changed quickly thanks to the fastening on a single central wing nut. The source of movement was V8 from executive ZILs. One with a volume of six liters and a power of 230 hp. The other, respectively, is seven liters and 270 hp. Depending on type engine light supercar (weight - 1,300 kg) developed either 260 or 270 km/h. Driving a ZIL-112S, racer G. Zharkov became the national champion in 1956. Both cars have been preserved and are on display at the Riga Automobile Museum.
1962 "Moskvich-407 Coupe"
An experimental sports car, designed by Lev Shugurov, based on the serial Moskvich. There were only two such cars. Under the hood was a forced engine of the “403” model (1.4 liters, 81 hp). For the first time in the history of the Russian automotive industry, two horizontal twin Weber carburetors were installed on this engine. The speed of the sports Moskvich reached 150 km/h. Alas, not a single copy has survived.
1969 "KD"
In the late 60s, a group of enthusiasts from NAMI designed and built five identical homemade two-seater sports cars. All components and mechanisms are taken from serial Zaporozhets. KD fiberglass bodies were manufactured at the Moscow Body Plant, whose director was Kuzma Durnov. The model was named after his initials. The car weighed only 500 kg and had a power of 30 hp. developed a speed of 120 km/h. The design of the KD turned out to be very successful, and the car could be produced in small series - there was a demand for it. But the production of exclusive sports cars turned out to be impossible in the country where the giant automobile plant in Tolyatti was preparing to launch. Of the five CD copies made, several are “alive” to this day.
1970 "GTSCH"
Artists brothers Anatoly and Vladimir Shcherbinin set out to build sports car based on Volga nodes. The car was equipped with a two-seater Gran Turismo type body (hence the name - GT Shcherbinykh). The GTSh was more powerful and faster than home-made products were then required by law. How the brothers registered their brainchild with the traffic police is a mysterious story... The car weighed 1,250 kg. Thanks to a fairly strong Volga engine (70 hp), it could reach speeds of up to 150 km/h. The history of the creation of the machine is interesting. The Shchebinin brothers welded the frame that served as the basis right in their yard. Then they took her to the apartment on the seventh floor, where they glued the fiberglass body. Then the entire structure was lowered from the balcony on ropes to the ground, where the GTSH acquired an engine, chassis, interior and everything else that a full-fledged car needs to have.
1982 "Yuna"
The car got its name from the initial letters of the first and last names of the authors - spouses Yu. and N. Algebraistovs. "Yuna" was a two-seater coupe in the style of the European "Gran Turismo". The car had a classic layout (engine at the front, drive wheels at the rear) and was based on the units of the Volga GAZ-24. Thanks to the fiberglass body, the Yuna was quite lightweight and could reach speeds of almost 200 km/h on the highway.
1983 "Laura"
A couple of copies of this sports model were designed and built by two Leningrad craftsmen, Dmitry Parfenov and Gennady Khainov. Their magnificent work was noticed even by Mikhail Gorbachev, who ordered that they be given a well-equipped workshop for further experiments. “Lauras” are interesting because, despite the coupe body, they had quite spacious interior. Five people can fit there without any problems. A very progressive solution was then considered front-wheel drive. The engine was taken from the VAZ “classic” (1.5 liter, 77 hp). The gearbox was borrowed from the “Zaporozhets”. The car weighed only a ton and reached speeds of up to 160 km/h. “Lauras” were distinguished by rich equipment. There were even electric windows, which by the standards Soviet automobile industry seemed the height of luxury. Both examples have survived to this day.
In 1968, within the walls of the Kharkov Automobile and Highway Institute HADI, under the leadership of the Honored Master of Sports of the USSR Vladimir Nikitin, a grandiose project was being prepared - Kharkov residents designed jet car, which for the first time in history was supposed to reach supersonic speed without leaving the ground, thereby setting an absolute land speed record!
At that time, it was fashionable and prestigious to set records; everyone wanted to be the first. Vladimir Konstantinovich Nikitin is an Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, an unsurpassed racer and a talented designer-inventor who devoted his entire life to creating high-speed racing cars. He said that "Creating a record-breaking racing car It also has great practical significance: by designing and researching new things, we teach tomorrow’s engineers to search for non-standard, original solutions to the problems that they will encounter when they come to design bureaus and research institutes.”
The idea to build a supersonic jet car, or as it was also called, a bolide, was born to Nikitin in the spring of 1968. The news is that “The Russians are striving to create the fastest world car», flew around all corners of the planet and literally stunned Western specialists, and curious students flocked to Nikitin’s laboratory... After all, initially the creation of the car called “HADI-9” was a collective graduation project several HADI students. Each of the graduates developed a specific part of the car: drive, frame, body, chassis, and the leader was Vladimir Konstantinovich Nikitin. At first it was very difficult. Even the excellent knowledge of the students was clearly not enough. But soon senior students from the Kharkov Aviation Institute and the Art and Industry Institute came to the rescue, and the work became more fun. In just a few days, the first model of the future car was made, which passed comprehensive tests in the HADI aerodynamic laboratory. After the first, a second, improved one appeared, then a third. Designers and inventors improved their creation model after model, improving aerodynamic characteristics and simplifying the appearance.
For the first time in the Union - a supersonic jet car!
In the second year of designing the car, Kharkov residents heard rumors that in the United States, “on a land rocket” Blue Flame, Gary Gabelich crossed the 1000 km/h mark. This upset the Soviet enthusiasts a little, but their enthusiasm did not diminish. It took several years to create the car. Finally, in 1978, the Soviet record holder was ready!
Through the combined efforts of students from three Kharkov universities under the leadership of Vladimir Nikitin, a supersonic jet car was created for the first time in the Soviet Union.
Every detail, every component, every unit of HADI-9 was an original design, the fruit of long-term scientific analysis. The supersonic car had a rocket-like fuselage, on both sides of which stood openly, on tubular braces. rear wheels. Twin wheels were installed at the front. The tires are aviation, made to order specifically for this model, and were taken from the MIG-19 turbojet engine. Its length was 11 m, height 1100 mm, and weight 2500 kg. The vehicle was braked using parachutes and air dampers, and the turbine operating mode was also switched to reverse. The nose needle contained electronic system sensors that provided information about the air flow to control the flaps that kept the car on the track and prevented it from flying into the air. The fastest car in the world was supposed to reach a speed of 1200 km/h!
The car resembled an arrowhead or an airplane without wings - similar aerodynamic shapes, smooth contours, a high stabilizer, a pressurized cabin.
This is how one of the magazines of that time described the supersonic car: “It looks more like an abstract image of a pterodactyl: a sharp nose turns into a long predatory needle. This is no longer a car... It's more like an airplane that is designed to glide along the ground. The only difference is that the wings and tail should not help, but should prevent the device from breaking away from the track.”
In 1979, HADI-9 was already tested. And then there was another blow - news came from America that the pilot of a Budweiser car had reached supersonic speed. Later, this information was not confirmed at the official level, but there was no longer any confidence that the Kharkovites would be the first.
HADI-9, or unset records
The first tests of HADI-9 on safe speeds made us feel the enviable potential of this car. However, the “pilots” of the car, declaring that the Kharkov “rocket” would be able to overcome 700-800 km/h, strongly doubted the achievability of the 1000 km/h mark, and even more so the speed of sound - 1200 km/h. The device was lighter than its American counterparts, but noticeably inferior to them in terms of thrust.
What maximum speed was achieved on the HADI-9 remains a secret to this day. Nobody knows about this. It is only known that due to the lack of a suitable track, no attempts were made to set a speed record on it.
The fact is that to adequately test such a car and reach maximum speed, a straight and very flat track about 10 kilometers long was needed. The only place in the USSR where such a route could be built at minimal expense was the salt bottom of the drying-up Lake Baskunchak in the Astrakhan region. But even here the testers faced failure - due to an increase in salt production, all races on this lake were stopped.
Knowing about the difficulties of Kharkov residents, American enthusiasts invited Nikitin’s team to their place in Utah at the famous Bonneville salt lake. And they even promised to bear all the expenses on the condition that the Russians compete with the Americans there. However great show it didn’t happen - it was awkward for Nikitin to fly to America with other people’s money, and for his team it was an exorbitant expense. And his age no longer allowed it - by the time the construction of the “supersonic” was completed, Nikitin was almost seventy. He always set speed records in his cars on his own, without risking anyone’s life. Therefore, not a single record was set on the most famous Soviet “supercar”.
According to rumors, during the filming of the film “Speed” on Lake Baskunchak with the participation of this car, the pilots secretly accelerated the car to 500 km/h. But today it is difficult to understand whether this is true or fiction.
HADI-9 has not survived to this day. During a long stay on the salt lake, he became fairly saturated with brine. Then, due to its uselessness, he was placed on the outskirts of the institute and forgotten. When, many years later, suddenly remembering HADI-9, they decided to preserve it for future generations, instead of the once beautiful “rocket car” they found only a pile of rusty metal. Thus ended the life of the fastest Soviet car, which, unfortunately, was never destined to set a single speed record...
Vladimir Konstantinovich Nikitin born in 1911. Constructor fast cars, world and USSR record holder in auto racing, Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, mentor to several generations of automotive engineers.
Vladimir Nikitin died in 1992, leaving behind several unbroken international and all-Union speed records, as well as a dozen original record cars, most of which are kept in Kharkov, in the museum of the Automobile and Road Institute.
LEGO constructors are one of the most popular entertainment for children and their parents all over the world. Let's consider a series of construction sets from LEGO - Speed Champions. They have become extremely popular lately. The series includes racing cars of the following brands: Porsche, McLaren, Ferrari, which will undoubtedly appeal to boys who love aggressive racing cars. On each box of this LEGO series you can see a description of the characteristics of the real car with a photo.
Let's start with first model– Porsche 911, the box says that the maximum speed of this racing car is three hundred kilometers per hour, and in 2.8 seconds sports car can accelerate to one hundred kilometers. Of course, a car with such characteristics is very powerful. The kit contains three instructions, the first two are for building two cars, the third is for building a car podium. The first car is dominated by white and orange colors. Car stickers are made with precision, just like the real thing. Well, the second car is made in gray and white. The set comes with two motorists that match the colors of the cars. They wear helmets, their suits have inscriptions on them, like real pilots. Since there are no brothers-in-law on our cars, we remove the roof and put our drivers in the car. On the podium there is everything necessary for servicing the car. The kit also includes many different parts to create a more complete picture of the race.
Consider the second model in this series – McLaren P1, from the back of the box you can also see a photo of the real car and its detailed characteristics. The weight of the resulting structure is quite heavy. The car is made in yellow and black colors. The bumpers, of which there are two, are assembled separately and attached to the car. The set contains a large number of stickers that more accurately recreate the image real car. Just like the rest of the cars in this series, the car has no doors; in order to put the pilot behind the wheel, it is necessary to remove the roof, which first appeared only in the Speed Champions series. Driver of this car has a white jumpsuit with an inscription on the back. The kit comes with several extras. The most interesting of them is the wrench. They can actually unscrew the wheel and pull out or insert the disc. This model is good, but does not have as many details as the first model.
The third model of the Speed Champions series is a sports one Ferrari car LaFerrari.
Written on the back of the box specifications a real car. It is said that the maximum speed reaches 350 kilometers per hour, and acceleration to one hundred kilometers occurs in 2.8 seconds. This set includes two detailed instructions and they also contain photographs of all the cars in this series. The car is made in red with a rather low seating position, by the way. this model very narrow compared to others. The car is quite aggressive, like a real super car. As well as in previous models, this kit comes with a variety of different vinyl decals to recreate the look of the car we're used to seeing on the racetrack. The machine is made with precision, describing all the details and curves this version. Our pilot's suit is completely red with the emblem of our car brand. By the way, the wheels in this model can be easily removed, and the spokes on the hubcaps have a star shape.
The new collection “Racing Cars”, as always, surprised its fans. The three models featured here are top sellers from the Speed Champions series. They are completely different, so it is recommended to purchase and assemble each one. Have fun with LEGO.
Car racing is very popular in Western countries. Manufacturing companies traditionally invest part of their profits in order to demonstrate their technological capabilities, and prizes serve as the best advertising for famous brands.
There was no such profession as a speedway designer. There was no need for such spectacular competitions, mass consumer was constantly in cramped conditions. When cars were sold freely, the population did not have money, and as soon as some of the people had the necessary funds, the cars disappeared somewhere, despite the constant increase in their production. And yet there were enthusiasts.
Agitov's first record car
Evgeny Agitov, the first designer of high-speed cars in the USSR, decided to create a car that, no less, could break the record. Design department Gorky Automobile Plant in 1938, it was headed by Andrei Lipgart, he warmly supported this initiative. As a result of the hard work of two talented engineers, a miracle called record car, since there was no point in organizing races due to the lack worthy opponents. The official index GAZ-GL1 stood for “Liphart Racing”. Agitov did not object.
The basis for creating the car was the mass-produced Emka GAZ-M1, but with significant design changes. Initially adding 15 “horses” due to an increase in working volume, and then it was replaced with a more powerful, hundred-horsepower one. Externally, the car became completely different; its aerodynamics resembled a fuselage; it reached almost 168 km/h, which, of course, was a good result, but by no means a record. In 1940, the GL-1 was dismantled in the hope of making something better, but soon the war began, and there was no time for sports.
Our Peltzer “Star” is the fastest!
After the Victory, trophies began to arrive in the USSR, including samples of former enemy equipment. Alexander Peltzer, another designer of high-speed cars, successfully took advantage of this circumstance. In the USSR, based on an engine from sports motorcycle DKW built the Zvezda car. This happened in 1946 in the Central Design Bureau of Glavmotoveloprom, which was created at that time, and was later renamed NAMI. German motor later they replaced it with a domestic one, and five years later “Zvezda-M-NAMI” set nine world speed records in different categories. This achievement was facilitated by the opportunity quick replacement engine to another, with a volume from 250 to 500 cc. see. The car accelerated to 215 km/h (at 350 cc).
"Kharkov" by designer Laurent
In the 50s, when our country entered the international auto federation FIA, Eduard Osipovich Laurent, a talented designer of high-speed cars, showed himself. In the USSR and beyond, this name became famous in 1960, when he accelerated to 286 km/h over a kilometer distance in the Kharkov-L2 car he built with his own hands, which is still considered an unsurpassed achievement.
Laurent's son Valery, also a car designer, broke several more international records with the L-2 and created other examples of high-speed vehicles, such as the Kharkov-L3, the first dragster in the USSR (class racing cars, starting from a standing start and competing over short distances), and “Kharkov-L4” (formula class).
The sixties and seventies were the “golden age” of Soviet factory-built construction. Excellent results The BPS-Estonia car was shown in 1976-1978, driven by V. Barkovsky, its designer. The USSR once again demonstrated its technological capabilities to the whole world. True, in single copies...
Automotive giants around the world endlessly compete in power, speed and other parameters, creating more and more serial record holders, setting more and more new records and developing more and more advanced technologies. In this selection we will introduce you to the main record holders among production cars on this moment. As they say, there is no limit to perfection, and it is quite possible that in the near foreseeable future all of the supercars listed below may supplant new developments. In the meantime, let’s learn a little about our current record holders.
So, first on our list is a supercar, which is currently considered the fastest when accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h - it does it in 2.1 seconds.
A car with a Chevrolet V8 engine producing 1622 hp. built on the basis of the Ultima GTR, but received a more advanced chassis and two turbochargers.
The cost of such a “toy” in 2009 was $3 million.
Originally planned serial production this model, but demand has not met the expectations of its creators and at the moment only a few cars have been sold, which, however, actually makes it a production model.
The next car on our list was the fastest in the world in 2009, reaching 418.6 kilometers per hour on a dry salt lake in Utah.
In 2010, its creators wanted to “step over” the 480 km/h mark, but, unfortunately, the car crashed.
As we know, the record has now been broken by the notorious Bugatti Veyron Super Sport- today it is 431.072 km/h, but Keating can be left on our list at least for its power.
After all, the power of the 7-liter V-8, which is the heart of the Keating TKR, is 1832 hp. with a curb weight of 995 kg!
Thanks to its low cost, Anthony Keating managed to sell a good number of copies of the Keating TKR, and at the moment he continues to improve his creation.
The third record holder is the leader in several “nominations” at once - engine size, torque, acceleration to 200 km/h and acceleration to 300 km/h.
The 2006 Weineck Cobra 780cui is equipped with a V8 engine with a volume of 12782 cm 3 or almost 12.8 liters with a maximum torque of 1760 Nm!
The initial power of this monster is “only” 1115 hp. with a curb weight of 989 kg, but subsequently, for participation in drag racing, the engine of one Weineck Cobra 780cui was boosted to 4500 “horses”!
In first gear you can accelerate up to 160 km/h, while acceleration to “hundreds” will take about 2.2 seconds, to 200 km/h - 4.9 seconds, and 10 seconds after the start the car reaches 300 km/h !
Only professional dragsters can compete with such a result, so the almost production Weineck Cobra 780cui worth $650 thousand is a very tasty morsel for lovers of breakneck speeds and accelerations.
True, it is not known for certain how things are with controllability, because usually in cars with such power, acceleration dynamics and a rather “non-aerodynamic” appearance serious problems with agility)
Another important advantage of any powerful car is its efficiency. brake system…
In this regard, the undisputed leadership is Chevrolet Corvette 2012 ZR1 Centennial Edition, whose braking distances during emergency braking from 100 km/h it is only 28.3 meters!
Moreover, in comparison with the above supercars, the cost of this Corvette is only $130 thousand, practically for nothing)
Of course, we cannot ignore the above-mentioned one, which set a record that has not yet been broken in 2010 maximum speed among production cars - 431 km/h.
More details about this legendary supercar can be read in a separate article, here we only note that the cost exact copies of the record-breaking car amounted to $2.4 million apiece.
Finally, I would like to write about one more extraordinary car- 2011 - creation American company Shelby Super Cars, which has long become famous thanks to the SSC Ultimate Aero TT - the same one that for 2 years held the palm among the fastest cars on the planet.
New supercar, according to its creators, is capable of breaking the current Bugatti record - it was completely designed for this purpose new form body, engine power has been increased, and the car itself has been made as lightweight as possible and equipped with the most modern 7-speed gearbox with a triple clutch disc.
All that remains is to wait for the moment when the company finally decides to challenge the speed and show the world what their new supercar is capable of.
Basically, that's all for now. The list turned out to be small, but we tried to cover all the important categories of records for current supercars. We will monitor the development automotive technology and further!
