Preferred Style of Prototype?

[XJR14/WSC95]

After reading through the favorite race car lists in another thread it seamed to me that the general consensus for the preferred style of car was a closed top prototype. Cars which seemed to come up the most were Lancia Martini LC2, Porsche 917, 956, 962, TWR Jaguars, Toyota GT One, Bentley Speed 8 etc. which has me thinking about the direction the sport is heading. There was talk a while ago about the Audi R9 being closed top and the Lister LMP had been designed with a closed top version in mind. This would be my preferred style for the top class. What is your preference?

[jhansen]

I really go for both. I like several open top spyders like the Audi R8, BMW LMR and the Dallara LMP to name just a few. But several of the closed top coupes are stunning as well. The Bentley Speed 8's are great recent examples.

I think the closed top coupes identify better as sportscars than the open top spyders. But the spyders offer great variety and are probably easier for some of the smaller manufacturers to cope with. Sportscars are all about variety so I say the more the merrier.

[tblincoe]

both are great in their own right, but until the regs give closed-tops a bigger advantage, we're going to see open-tops dominate the ranks for at least the next couple of years

[Brian W Keske]

GTP's; no doubt here.

[vs346]

oh yeah, GTPs definitely for me. some open tops do grab your attention, but on the whole, the GTPs have always sparked my imagination.

[Bentley03]

GTP without question

[Kempi]

If GTPs are the closed top ones that it is for me, too. Just have an Audi R8 and a Bentley Speed 8 sitting next to each other and it becomes obvious.

[cybersdorf]

Yes it's obvious for me, too - I'll take the spyder any day. Racecars don't have roofs.

[Aysedasi]

On the contrary, good looking race cars do have roofs. Dull machines like the R8 don't.......

(But we all know that if we had 5 years of just GTPs, we'd all be pleading with manufacturers to make open cars....... )

[TerryC]

Good question, closed top GTP sportscars do it for me, the Bentley Speed 8 is such a good example. This may have something to do with the inherited genes these current GTPs have from those wonderful cars of the Group C era in which I like very much...

[Bentley Beermon]

GTP's for certain from memory although I am sure I will be corrected the open top BMW in '99 was believed to have no chance, it was between the toyota and the merc and possibly the GTP audi but suprise suprise although it was slower it had less pit stops and the rest is history the Audi gtp was shelved and the open top took over, also another BM was way ahead till way into Sunday but unfortunatley did not make it.

[cybersdorf]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

On the contrary, good looking race cars do have roofs.

Yes, goodlooking touringcars do.

Dull machines like the R8 don't.......

well, this is the "saloon racing" forum so tis's alright to have that opinion. "Taxi!"

[kdr]

my favourite two cars are the toyota gt-one and the bmw lmr...so both is my answer.

[MikeHoyer]

A bit of both, like the 1999 race, some awesome looking cars in that race.

[Foster]

I'd take both in a race. That 99' race that Mike mentioned had some of the best looking cars of recent time, and both spyder's, and GTP were present.

[Kicking-back]

I'll put a foot in both camps too - there are glorious examples of each type.

[Mal]

My first reaction was GTP, but then I thought of the gorgeous 333sp. So I guess its both for me too.

[tblincoe]

i find it interesting that so many people don't like the R8... in person, it has definitely been one of the most beautiful machines i've ever seen. it was the first ALMS car i ever saw in the flesh (coming over the hill at RFK for the DC race and seeing it passing a porsche into turn two is a sight i will always remember) and the graceful and purposeful lines are just stunning to me, especially when it ran under the Audi NA Joest banner.

[gttouring]

lid or not?
well it works very well in either
the Panoz GTR
and the Panoz LMP1 roadster
both are rather fecthing

[MikeHoyer]

Absolutely, I wish I had been into racing back then! I think it was a month after that my interest kicked off...

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by cybersdorf

well, this is the "saloon racing" forum so tis's alright to have that opinion. "Taxi!"

Yep, call that man an M3 without delay - he has Tesco's, Sainsbury's and Waitrose to do this evening!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by tblincoe

i find it interesting that so many people don't like the R8... in person, it has definitely been one of the most beautiful machines i've ever seen. it was the first ALMS car i ever saw in the flesh (coming over the hill at RFK for the DC race and seeing it passing a porsche into turn two is a sight i will always remember) and the graceful and purposeful lines are just stunning to me, especially when it ran under the Audi NA Joest banner.

Yeh, I can understand the first impressions thing. For me it was the Jags and the Porsches from the Group C days. As somone else has already said, perhaps that's why I like closed cars so much.

But I could still never call an R8 "beautiful", even up close and personal in the Veloqx factory.........

[jhansen]

I'm with tblincoe with regards to the R8. When you see it in person and out on the track then you truly appreciate how stunning this car is. I find it more graceful looking than say the Zytek. Yes I'm quite biased I suppose. But then I would say most of its detractors dislike it more because of its record than its aesthetics.

[Dani Filth]

65% GTP
35% spyders

[MikeHoyer]

Originally Posted by jhansen

I'm with tblincoe with regards to the R8. When you see it in person and out on the track then you truly appreciate how stunning this car is. I find it more graceful looking than say the Zytek. Yes I'm quite biased I suppose. But then I would say most of its detractors dislike it more because of its record than its aesthetics.

I would agree wth that actually, it is a good looking car, and I'll support it if it's being driven by the right guys.