Sports cars technological history

Home » Sports Cars Technological history

Year	Technical comments
1969	FIA limits engine capacity for Sports cars in 5 lt, and for Prototypes in 3 lt. Porsche 917 was introduced as a larger engine (4.5 lt) development of Porsche 908
1968	FIA started to sets limits and stopped free technical development of racing cars. First one was engine capacity at 5 lt. First appearance of Cosworth DFV 3 lt, V8 32valves engine in sports car racing in Ford F3L P68 prototype, with high revs (9000rpm) and low reliability. Porsche introduced Porsche 908, the first racing car that was developed entirely in a Wind Tunnel. Gas turbine engine was used in a USA Howmet TX
1967	Ferrari 330 P4 introduced 3valves/cyl engines. American engines reached 7 lt (!), for Chaparral 2F, Ford GT40 Mk IV and McLaren M6. Porsche continues to build light small engine prototypes
1966	New light materials (plastic and aluminium) chassis/body with small engine for Porsche prototypes and Sports cars. First wankel engine used in NSU 56 Spider
1965	New independent suspension for Shelby Cobra 427, along with a large 7 lt engine. Another English chassis with large USA engines for Lola T70 and McLaren M1A, both mid-engined
1964	Introduction of Ford GT40 Mk II with large engine centrally located. Large engine from USA in Italian chassis for Iso Grifo A3 Corsa
1963	Ferrari P was introduced as first mid-engined Ferrari prototype
1962	Large engine capacity in a light English made chassis/body for Shelby Cobra. Aluminium body for Jaguar E-Type Lightweight
1960	Lotus 19 introduced the first centrally located engine sports car as a new era after WW2
1957	The Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) banned manufacturers from using race wins in their advertising and giving direct support to race teams,[15] as they felt it led to reckless street racing. This forced manufacturers to become creative in producing race parts to help racers win. Race teams were often caught trying to use factory produced racing parts that were not really available to the public, though many parts passed muster by being labeled as heavy-duty "police" parts. Car manufacturers wanted to appear compliant with the ban, but they also wanted to win.[1]
1952	Jaguar C-Type introduces for the first time disk brakes front and rear.

References

1. American manufacturers ban from racing