Spa Classic preview with Nissan R90 and Jaguar XJR-16, and new Zagato Maserati ...
This weekend, the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit will once again host the annual Spa Classic. Organised by Peter Auto, the event boasts all the familiar grids with the Historic Group C Championship as the icing on the cake. Among the cars due to line up is one of the mighty Nissan R90CKs, which were raced at Le Mans in 1990. Built for Nissan by Lola and powered by a roaring twin-turbo V8, the R90 was among the fastest cars of its generation. This was underlined by Mark Blundell, who claimed pole position at Le Mans in one 25 years ago. Although a repeat of that feat is unlikely this year, Nissan will race at Le Mans again this year. However, the new cars are not quite as good looking as the pair of Nissan R90CKs featured today. One of these will race at Spa this weekend, joined by the ultimate development of the model, the R91CP.
Another great Group C / GTP machine to take to the track this weekend is the sole surviving Jaguar XJR-16. Finished in the less famous but nevertheless very stunning Bud Light livery, it defended Jaguar's honour in North America during the 1991 season. Facing the very well funded Nissan and Toyota teams, the six cylinder engined machine was nevertheless driven to four outright victories by Davy Jones. He used the featured example for every one of these wins and in more recent years, it has become a set fixture in the Historic Group C Championship.
Another major event being held this weekend is the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. In addition to the classic cars that will fill the Villa d'Este hotel's gardens on the shores of Lake Como, there will also be several world debuts. Among them is this menacing Maserati Mostro, designed and built by Zagato. Powered by a Maserati V8 engine, this race-bred Coupe is inspired by the unique Maserati 450S Coupe raced at Le Mans by Stirling Moss in 1957. Zagato will produce just five examples of the Mostro, all of which are already spoken for.
Enjoy the links:
1991 Jaguar XJR-16 - Images, Specifications and Information
2015 Maserati Mostro Zagato Coupe - Images, Specifications and Information
1990 Nissan R90CK - Images, Specifications and Information
If you should see a man walking down a crowded street talking aloud to himself, don't run in the opposite direction, but run towards him, because he's a poet. You have nothing to fear from the poet - but the truth.
(Ted Joans)
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Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen
