Legendary Endurance Racecars
From the earlier days of the World Sportscar Championship to the inauguration of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2012, endurance races have showcased some of the most challenging circuits. Just think of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans or the 1000 Miles of Sebring. These tracks don’t just deserve any car – they deserve the fittingly named hypercar.
Hypercars are in a class of their own – literally. So, what makes these cars special? If it’s design, performance or just plain cool factor you’re after, look no further than our 10 favourite endurance racing cars from over the years.
What is a hypercar?
As the name suggests, hypercars are a specific class of prototype racing car built especially for high-speed endurance racing. The hypercar class was introduced in 2021 and replaced the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) class.
As these cars are not commercially available, nor are they designed for standard road use, they test the limits of engineering and driver skill. Today, WEC hypercars set the benchmark for automotive brilliance. While the term hypercar may be relatively new, the concept behind designing them for endurance races such as 24 Hours of Le Mans has remained the same.
Top 10 Legendary Endurance Racing Cars
Take a journey through time – and brilliant automotive engineering – with this list of the best endurance racing cars.
1970 Porsche 917
Firmly cementing itself as one of the best endurance entries ever, the Porsche 917 needs little introduction. After the FIA raised engine displacement limits in 1968, Porsche’s head of development, Ferdinand Piëch, got straight to work. The result of his efforts was nothing short of an engineering marvel.
By 1969, the car was ready for the world to see, but struggled with handling issues caused by the 4.5-litre engine producing a robust 588bhp.
After some tweaking to increase downforce, the Porsche 917 was ready to work its magic and went on to win nine of the 10 races in the 1970 World Sportscar Championship. Most famously, the Porsche 917 K – piloted by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood – stunned fans with a winning 343 laps.
1995 McLaren F1 GTR
The McLaren F1 GTR was really a labour of love, born out of raw desire to make a racing variant of the popular McLaren F1 road car. The race team owned by Ray Bellm and Thomas Bscher took a keen interest in the F1 roadster and requested its designer, Gordon Murray, to approve a racing variant.
After Murray agreed to begin development in 1995, the McLaren F1 GTR was ready for the track. Nine F1 GTRs were built to compete in the 1995 Le Mans endurance race and were highly successful, with Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing taking the top spot with 298 laps. The iconic F1 GTR also achieved 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th place in 1995.
1966 Ford GT40
There’s no denying that the Ford GT40 wins based on its sleek shape alone. In this case, looks are not just superficial – the car’s four consecutive Le Mans victories between 1966-69 showed that the American manufacturer had earned a place on the podium. Ford’s efforts to beat rivals at Ferrari clearly paid off, with the GT40 breaking Ferrari’s six-year winning streak in spectacular fashion.
For this reason, the GT40 Mk II variant from 1966 – star of the film Le Mans ’66 – gains the top spot. Fans were on the edge of their seats as the iconic motor achieved 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in the Le Mans race. They were treated to a highly memorable photo finish, with two Ford GT40s passing the finish line at the same time.
1992 Peugeot 905
Peugeot’s transition from rally racers to endurance racing culminated in the development of the 905 in late 1988. By July 1990, the Peugeot 905 was ready for its first championship. Although the 905 had some joy, such as a surprise win at the 1991 Suzuka Circuit, it wasn’t an immediate success. Unfortunately, the hypercar couldn’t finish the Le Mans 1991 race due to reliability issues.
The following year saw the car undergo further development and the upgraded 905 Evo 1B was ready for a second wind. Its revised and highly aerodynamic look impressed on the track. And it went on to bag Peugeot milestone victories at Le Mans and Silverstone on the 1992 World Sportscar Championship calendar.
1991 Mazda 787B
You could say the 1991 Mazda 787B was a real trendsetter. Not only was it the first car from a Japanese manufacturer to win at Le Mans, but it was also the first rotary engine to win the race. The unique powerplant – pioneered by German engineer Felix Wankel – kicked out an impressive 700bhp and, perhaps most famously, produced an incredible soundtrack whilst out on the circuit.
Although the engine was overshadowed by competitors such as Jaguar and Porsche, the 787B’s reliability gave it the advantage to come out on top. Thanks to the incredible performance of the Mazda 787B, twinned with its electrifying, now legendary orange and green livery, the car quickly became a fan favourite.
1988 Jaguar XJR-9
In 1988, the Jaguar XJR-9 made a phenomenal first impression by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona event. The Silk Cut Jaguar racing team had to make even more room in the trophy cabinet, as the XJR-9 was victorious at six of the 11 World Sportscar Championship events in 1988, including wins at Monza, Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
With its 7.0-litre V12 engine producing a whopping 750bhp, it’s no wonder the XJR-9 made waves across the endurance racing world.
Preparations for the Le Mans race meant that the XJR-9 had to be modified slightly, allowing it to cruise to victory and complete 394 laps. Andy Wallace, Johnny Dumfries and Jan Lammers drove the winning XJR-9 which is now exhibited at the British Motor Museum.
1959 Aston Martin DBR1
Aston Martin’s endurance race car might be a little antiquated by modern standards, but the manufacturer’s only car to win at Le Mans was nothing short of brilliant. Being one of the 13 out of 53 starters to actually finish the race, completing 323 laps was no mean feat. At a time when Ferrari and Jaguar were top dogs, the majestic DBR1 showed that it was anyone’s game on the track.
The second DBR1 to cross the line in 1959 came in after completing an equally impressive 322 laps. The determination of the 3.0-litre engine of the DBR1 spoke for itself – with an average speed of 112.5mph, the car broke records for its engine size at the time – and looked great while doing it.
2000 Audi R8
Of the six years where the Audi R8 competed, winning five of them is a major claim to fame. The Audi R8’s debut at 12 Hours of Sebring in 2000 ended in a resounding victory and paved the way to making it one of the most successful prototypes to date.
The R8 had a highly interchangeable chassis which suited endurance racing perfectly by making the most out of pit stops. In as little as four and a half minutes, the entire rear end could be swapped out – a change which was eventually banned. But this did not stop the R8 from achieving further success in later years.
1965 Ferrari 250 LM
Although the Ferrari 250 Le Mans had its debut towards the end of 1964, it wasn’t until the next year that the 3.3-litre V12 engine powered the magnificent Italian design to victory. Unfortunately, 1965 was bittersweet for Ferrari. It was the last time a Ferrari entry won at Le Mans, but the beautifully rounded design of the 250 LM made it all worthwhile.
Even today, the rarity of the 250 LM extends the appeal of this iconic racer. Only 32 were produced, making the car a highly sought-after collector’s model. In 2015, one model sold for an eye-watering $17.6 million at auction.
Toyota GR010 Hybrid
Although this Toyota hypercar is still relatively new, it’s proved itself highly capable on the track. After winning at Le Mans in 2021 and 2022, all eyes are on the GR010 Hybrid to see how it will perform at this year’s race. It gains classic power from its 3.5-litre V6 engine, while the rear axle is driven by a 200 kW battery-powered electric motor.
Not only is the engineering futuristic, but the WEC hypercar also looks the part. Toyota’s role in developing the hypercar class ahead of the 2021 season led to the shape being adapted for the GR010 Hybrid. Its revolutionary design was inspired by the Toyota GR Super Sport concept car for road use, and it performs as well as it looks.
From the early prototype car days of the Aston Martin DBR1 through to the modern engineering in the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, the fundamentals of what makes these machines hypercars remain the same. What Le Mans hypercar entries in 2023 will come out on top? Check out our hour-by-hour guide to learn when to watch the race.
Find out more on the Hertz WEC hub
