Carmakers typically look to completely different sources with regards to naming their car creations, particularly the limited-series sorts. It’s not uncommon to take inspiration from notable folks. It may very well be folks with robust connections to the carmaker’s historical past or people who’ve influenced the car world in a single type or one other. Right here, we highlight just a few distinctive efficiency vehicles named after folks.
Bugatti Veyron
Sure, Bugatti is known as after the corporate founder, Ettore Bugatti. Nonetheless, do you know that its era-defining hypercar, the Veyron, was additionally named after an individual? Pierre Veyron was a growth engineer, and take a look at driver employed again in 1932 by Jean Bugatti (son of Ettore Bugatti).
Pierre Veyron was additionally an achieved race automobile driver who famously drove to victory in a Bugatti Kind 57S Tank on the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Bugatti Veyron, unveiled in 2004, took hypercar requirements to new heights with 987 hp (1,001 psi), a 2.5-second dash time to 60 mph and a prime pace hovering round 250 mph.
McLaren Senna
This barely road-legal supercar takes its identify from one of many greatest-ever Components One drivers. Ayrton Senna was a 3-time F1 Champion whereas driving for McLaren between 1988 and 1993. His driving model has been described on completely different events as aggressive, uncompromising and, after all, very quick.
In that sense, the McLaren Senna is definitely an extension of the late racer’s DNA, prioritizing operate over type with its design and efficiency. It is without doubt one of the quickest highway vehicles ever constructed by McLaren, and its race-inspired design means it’s simply as succesful out on the race tracks.
Lotus Elise
In February 2022, a Lotus Elise sports activities automobile was delivered to a buyer. The occasion was vital for 2 causes. First, it’s the closing Lotus Elise off the meeting line as the corporate regularly transitions to an all-electric lineup. Second, the fortunate buyer is none aside from Elisa Artioli, granddaughter of the then Lotus chairman and the particular person the automobile was named after.
The Elise was first launched in 1996 and grew to grow to be one of many carmaker’s most iconic fashions, with over 35,000 items offered. The ultimate Elise iteration is the Sport 240, with 240 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. The modest output is nicely balanced by the automobile’s mild weight, and it may nonetheless run the 0 to 60 mph dash in an honest 4.1 seconds.
Enzo Ferrari
The Enzo Ferrari is not any strange supercar. It was Ferrari’s flagship from 2002 till 2013, when the LaFerrari arrived. At its coronary heart was a formidable 6.0-litre V12 engine that generated 651 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque – a heady quantity in its time.
The Enzo Ferrari boasted the very best automotive expertise out there on the time and mixed that with classes learnt from the carmaker’s Components One vehicles to create the final word supercar. Little marvel, then, that it’s named after the corporate’s founder. Ferrari constructed 400 examples, and it stays a extremely sought-after collectible right this moment.
Bugatti Chiron
Just like the Veyron, the Chiron additionally took the inspiration for its identify from a French racing driver. Born and bred in Monaco on the flip of the twentieth century, Louis Chiron was one of many authentic Grand Prix standouts. He owned a Bugatti Kind 35 Grand Prix automobile, with which he gained a number of races.
Louis Chiron was additionally part of the Bugatti manufacturing unit crew and was the carmaker’s number one driver for a number of years. The imperious Bugatti Chiron continued from the place the Veyron left off relating to top-line efficiency. Recognized for its spectacular straight-line pace, the Chiron is the primary manufacturing automobile to crack the 300 mph barrier.
Koenigsegg Jesko
The Koenigsegg Jesko is billed as one of many credible challengers to the Chiron’s 300 mph world report. The hypercar’s identify is a tribute to the corporate founder, Christian Von Koenigsegg’s father. Jesko (pronounced Sure-koh) threw his weight behind his son’s imaginative and prescient and even needed to promote the household residence at a degree to maintain Christian’s desires alive. It was a transfer that paid off as Koenigsegg has firmly established itself within the hypercar area of interest as a number one producer of unbelievable performance-focused machines.
Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss
The late Sir Stirling Moss was a British Components One driver and a member of the Worldwide Motorsports Corridor of Fame. He was a fierce competitor, successful 212 out of the 529 races he entered throughout numerous racing competitions. In 2009, Mercedes Benz acknowledged Sir Moss’ achievements by releasing a limited-edition SLR McLaren supercar named in his honour.
The automobile, missing a roof and windscreen, was styled by Korean designer Yoon II-hun and impressed by the 1955 300 SLR race automobile. In all, solely 75 items of the automobile had been made, with every one priced north of $1 million. That’s greater than twice the worth of an everyday SLR roadster – and it’s much more invaluable right this moment.
GMA T.50S Nikki Lauda
Gordon Murray, founding father of Gordon Murray Automotive, and Niki Lauda had been shut mates. Niki sadly handed away in 2019. To honour the reminiscence of his buddy, Gordon determined to call his automobile after him. The GMA T.50S Niki Lauda is the track-only model of Gordon Murray’s outlandish T50 supercar.
It was unveiled on what would have been F1 World Champion Niki Lauda’s 72nd birthday. The automobile is an excessive interpretation of an all-out observe automobile – light-weight, a great deal of aero and 735 hp from a screaming, naturally aspirated V12. GMA plans to construct solely 25 items, with every priced at about $4.3 million.
Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni
Valentino Balboni is a former chief take a look at driver for Lamborghini. He served the corporate for 40 years earlier than retiring because of Italian authorities work laws. To honour his legacy, Lamborghini determined to call a limited-edition Gallardo model after him.
The Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni is rear-wheel drive solely, and its V10 naturally aspirated engine is paired with a gated six-speed guide. It’s a package deal that provides a extra intense driving expertise than the all-wheel-drive commonplace Gallardo model. The carmaker constructed 250 Gallardo Balbonis, all of which had been shortly snapped up by keen consumers.
Brabham BT62
The Brabham BT62 is a track-focused hypercar with an uncompromising strategy to brute efficiency. It’s little greater than a tubular spaceframe metal chassis constructed round a 5.4-litre V8 that cranks out over 700 hp and 492 lb-ft of torque. The BT62 was initially designed as a track-only automobile.
Nonetheless, a highway conversion package was later supplied by the carmaker after prospects expressed their need to have the ability to drive the car on public roads as nicely. The BT62 shares its identify with the Brabham household. It’s an Australian racing household that features David Brabham, the founding father of Brabham Automotive, and Sir John Arthur Brabham, a three-time Components One champion.
