The Weirdest Race Car Designs
Racing in America has evolved by leaps and bounds over the decades. From high-performance Formula One speedsters to beautifully crafted box cars, there is no shortage of high-octane performance vehicles cruising around tracks throughout the world.
The cars you're about to view may not be what we currently watch during Sunday race days but they sure did break the mold. From one race car that looks like two missiles attached at their center to another that was quite literally flipped on its head, these are some of the strangest race cars to ever be invented and hit the track.
The Golden Submarine Was Built For Safety And Speed
The Golden Submarine was designed by Fred Offenhauser and Harry A. Miller and was built in 1917. The car was built for Barney Oldfield, a developer of carburetors based out of Los Angeles.
The goal of this beautifully designed race car was to offer a speedster that was also capable of protecting the driver during accidents. Oldfield set out to create the vehicle after a good friend, Bob Burman, was killed during a race. The car is a powerful vehicle its time, with its 4.7-liter engine helping it to win 20 races.
The Ferrari 25O GT SWB Breadvan Was Definitely Interesting
The Ferrari 250 GT SWB Breadvan was a 1962 model based on the 1961 car of the same name, minus the "Breadvan" moniker. The vehicle was built to compete with the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO during the 24 Hours of Lemans.
The Breadvan came into existence when engineer Giotto Bizzarrini hired Count Giovanni Volpi to rework the Ferrari 250 GTO. Volpi had a contentious relationship with Enzo Ferrari after he hired former Ferrari employees to work at ATS. The final product was a strange-looking Ferrari with a lightweight body and chassis and a 286 bhp Tipo 168 engine with Testarossa-type heads.
Rover BRM
The Rover-BRM was a gas turbine-powered prototype that debuted in the 1960s. The vehicle was developed in a partnership between Rover and British Racing Motors. The car was unique at the time as it offered a gas generator with a compressor-driving turbine.
Rover started working with gas turbines during vehicle manufacturing for World War II and had developed several road-ready prototypes. The company eventually entered the Rover-BRM into the Le Mans. The race was offering a prize to the first gas turbine car to finish 3,600 km during the 24-hour race. The car finished and then competed in 1963, 1964, and 1965 Le Mans.
Chaparral 2J "Sucker Car"
Jim Hall has no problem pushing the limits of car design, even at the top of his game. Case in point, the Chaparral 2J "Sucker Car."
This odd-looking vehicle features two engines, including a Chevy V8 that powered two fans to manipulate airflow behind the vehicle. The manipulation of airflow led to the creation of the "sucking" movement that helped name the vehicle. The vehicle managed to pick up some wins before opponents argued that its dual engine design broke racing rules.
BMW H2R: A Clean Energy Wonder
We admit that the BMW H2R actually looks pretty futuristic. It was also a record-breaking vehicle when it debuted with its V12 engine. What made this strange-looking race car so special? It was powered by liquid hydrogen and incredibly fast.
The BMW H2R could travel at more than 300 mph and the "cockpit" is located right in the middle of the car for a solid driver experience. This vehicle was discontinued after 100 were manufactured.
Nissan DeltaWing
Not all strange-looking race cars on our list debuted decades ago. The Nissan DeltaWing first showed up in 2012. The DeltaWing was fast and it looked like a fighter jet with the performance that matched.
Sadly, Nissan and the team at DeltaWing ended up in a court battle over intellectual property rights and this odd but well-performing vehicle was shelved. We doubt this will be the last rocket on wheels we end up seeing on the race track.
BMW 320i "Art Car"
The 1970s had its own art renaissance in the United States. BMW took advantage of that renaissance with help from the likes of Andy Warhol. Combining BMW design with artistically crafted cars was a thing that actually existed and it's where the BWM 320i "Art Car" was founded.
This particular car was combined with the work of pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. The artist said the car's design was "a depiction of the road, showing the car where to go." The car also had some impressive performance and finished ninth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans event.
Smart Fortwo
In 2011 the Smart Fortwo attempted to redefine what a race car looks like by putting one inside the body of a sub-compact hatchback. It sounds absurd but there were plenty of these cars driving around the United Kingdom when they debuted.
Like a scene out of a really weird Fast & Furious movie, car fans started adding spoilers and wings to this automobile, making it one of the most oddly modified cars we've found to date. As an added bonus, they were actually fairly capable race cars in their own right.
