Monday, January 3, 2011

Top Gear – 1968 Dodge Charger R/T


Top Gear: Richard Hammond took classic 1968 Dodge Charger R/T out on road test. This is a sporty version known as the R/T was fitted with improved suspension, heavy-duty brakes, dual exhaust, and the 440 six-pack engine. Optional war paint could be added in the form of rear deck lid “bumble bee” stripes.

Lola T70 built for Sports Car Endurance Racing

Lola T70 #1, originally uploaded by Nigel Smuckatelli.

The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960's. Developed by Lola Racing Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing. In 1966, the open-cockpit Mk II version with a Chevrolet V8 engine was an entry in the CanAm series, winning five of six races during the year. In 1967, the T70 raced again but only won one race, outpowered by the newer McLaren made cars.

Despite its short-lived success in the CanAm series, the T70 was quite popular, with more than 100 examples of the vehicle being built in 3 versions. The first version, besides the original factory car, was the open-roofed Mk II, joined by the Coupé-version Mk III, and a slightly updated version, the Mk IIIB. The T70 was replaced in the CanAm by its lighter, stronger predecessor, the Lola T160.