The Allure of the Automobile (page 4)
Built in 1959, this one-off Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray race car was commissioned by GM's Design V.P. Bill Mitchell. It foretold the styling - and the name - of the second-generation 1963 Corvette. This prototype was mounted on the chassis of the 1957 Corvette SS development mule. The Sting Ray racer weighed a mere 2,200 pounds and rode on a 92-inch wheelbase. It looks larger in photos because it is so low.
Italian designer Ercole Spada and the panel beaters at Carrozzeria Zagato gave the British Aston Martin sports car a new and alluring Italian look with the Zagato. Only 19 aluminum-bodied examples of the DB4GT Zagato were made - each on a special lightweight Aston racing chassis. This Aston was very fast with a 314 horsepower double overhead cam straight-six engine pulling a mere 2,800 pounds of curb weight. Top speed was said to be 160 mph.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT Competition SWB (Short Wheel-Base) Berlinetta was designed for racing. This lightweight Ferrari with an aluminum alloy body won the GT class and finished 3rd overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1961. Its three-liter, 280 horsepower V-12 engine could propel the 2,800 pound car to speeds of 165 mph on straight stretches.

copyright 2011 - Joseph M. Sherlock - All applicable rights reserved

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