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Supercars represent the very pinnacle of automotive performance and technology. But they’re also products of romance and passion, embodying the pride and expertise of the manufacturers who create them.
Many periodic leaps in progress have been inspired as much by rivalry and a desire to stay one step ahead of the competition as they have by innovation or technology transfer from motorsport. Part arms race, part soap opera, the machines that emerge inspire endless fascination.
There’s been a parallel struggle taking place in the world of speaker design. From the horn, to the box, to the dock, to the lozenge, speakers have changed in size, shape and functionality. And now we have the next leap forward: Dynaudio Music, a highly evolved speaker that learns your music tastes and adapts its sound to fit its surroundings.
The audio specialists at Dynaudio are every bit as obsessed with performance as the engineers behind the world’s most extreme road cars, so to mark the launch of its intelligent wireless speaker range, they asked us to document the birth of the modern supercar. Let’s turn the clock back half a century to the Sixties, and a handful of Italian perfectionists who were about to change everything...
To find out more about Music, Dynaudio’s new range of intelligent wireless music systems, click here.
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Lamborghini Miura (1966)
Before the Lamborghini Miura there were fast cars. But by common agreement this was the first supercar. Its debut at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show sent shockwaves through the establishment. Why? Because it was the first production sports car with a mid-engine layout. Lamborghini had announced itself as a force to be reckoned with, and the mould for the supercar had been set.
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Lamborghini Countach (1974)
Lamborghini’s follow-up to the Miura was arguably just as influential, albeit different both stylistically and technically. The V12 engine went from a transverse to a longitudinal position – the ‘LP’ in the original LP400 designation – for improved handling and balance. But it was the futuristic, wedge-shaped styling and dramatic scissor doors that truly defined its image.
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Porsche 911 Turbo (1975)
Porsche’s dedication to pioneering new technology in motorsport and then bringing it to road cars remains hugely influential. And it began here, with the 911 Turbo – the fastest mass-produced car at the time. Turbocharging enabled relatively small engines, like that in the 911, to develop the power of much larger ones – a philosophy that has become ever more relevant in the modern era.
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Ferrari 288 GTO (1984)
The dramatic power gains offered by turbos was not lost on Ferrari and, in 1984, it
released the 288 GTO with its first turbocharged engine. The relatively small 2.8-litre twin-turbo V8 delivered its 400hp [395bhp] in wild bursts of speed, while the weight-saving, Kevlar-reinforced panels signalled how keen Ferrari was to push the technical boundaries of road-going supercars. - Slide of
Ruf CTR Yellowbird (1987)
Although recognisably based on a Porsche 911, Ruf’s CTR Yellowbird made the headlines in its own right in 1987. Clocking 213mph at Nardò was impressive enough, but it was the Yellowbird’s performance around the Nurburgring that sent shockwaves around the industry. Always on the edge, there’s barely a second when the RUF isn’t sideways or about to be sideways. The Nardò and Nurburgring are now accepted rites of passage for any supercar, with the Yellowbird’s performance around both the stuff of supercar legend.
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A highly evolved music system
Just as supercars have evolved, so too have music systems. Dynaudio Music is the exciting next step. It learns your music tastes and creates made-to-measure playlists at the touch of a button. Smarter still, its RoomAdapt technology assesses where it’s been placed in a room via a built-in microphone, and uses advanced digital signal processing to constantly adjust its tonal characteristics to deliver the best performance possible.
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Ferrari F40 (1987)
An evolution of the 288 GTO, the F40 came closer than any supercar before it to offering the driver a sense of what it would be like to use a racing car on the road. Ferrari’s unapologetic obsession with saving weight meant the interior was pared back to the absolute basics – plastic windows, bare composite panels – and the resulting car weighed as much as an average supermini, while boasting 478ps [471bhp] (a conservative figure compared with the reality, by all accounts).
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Porsche 959 (1987)
Hitting the market around the same time as the Ferrari F40 and offering similarly dramatic performance, the Porsche 959 couldn’t have been more different in character. It was luxuriously trimmed, but nonetheless pushed technical boundaries by pairing a downsized, hard-hitting turbocharged engine with a highly advanced variable four-wheel-drive system. In its day, the 959’s smooth styling and emphasis on technology offered a dramatic counterpoint to the minimalist thrills of the F40 – and its technical influence on the cars Porsche is building remains hugely significant to this day.
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Honda NSX (1990)
The Honda NSX’s modest power output of just 280ps [276bhp] and relative affordability might make it a surprise entry in this story. But its influence remains significant. Honda was typically forward-thinking in using advanced aluminium spaceframe technology to keep weight down while ensuring the NSX retained plenty of real-world practicality. Expectations were changed as a result: Ferrari and other supercar builders were no longer able to get away with making their cars difficult to live with or drive. Meanwhile, celebrity endorsement from Ayrton Senna was the icing on the cake for the NSX.
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Bugatti EB110 (1991)
The EB110’s technology and performance set new standards – even during the early-90s’ supercar arms race. At a time when anything over 500bhp was out of the ordinary, the EB110’s quad-turbo V12 delivered 560ps [552bhp] from the outset and was quickly tuned to provide over 600bhp for the SS version that followed. This was put to the road by four-wheel drive, the car comfortably exceeding 200mph and combining new standards in luxury and speed in a manner replicated by modern-day Bugattis.
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Jaguar XJ220 (1991)
The Jaguar XJ220 is arguably the first true British supercar. The original plan for V12 power and four-wheel drive was controversially swapped for a turbo V6 and rear-wheel drive, much to the disappointment of early deposit holders. They needn’t have worried. Under its sensuous styling, the XJ220 packed a real punch, delivering well over 500bhp and hitting 217mph at Nardò in the hands of a very brave Martin Brundle.
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McLaren F1 (1992)
Many argue that the McLaren F1 remains the high-water mark in supercar development. Having pioneered carbon fibre tubs for Formula 1 cars, McLaren then did the same for supercars. Gordon Murray’s fixation with weight-saving, detail and innovation resulted in a car that weighed little over 1,000kg but came complete with a distinctive central driving position and gold-plated engine bay. The raw 6.1-litre, 550ps [542bhp] BMW V12 engine at its heart delivered performance unequalled to this day, a car with a raised rev limit hitting 240mph. It still holds the record for the fastest naturally aspirated supercar.
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Ferrari F50 (1995)
Following the traditions of the 288 GTO and F40, the Ferrari F50 made no pretence at being anything other than a technical showcase and exclusive edition for the brand’s preferred customers. The F1-derived, free-revving 520ps [513bhp] V12 motor was bolted directly to a carbon fibre tub and acted as a structural component of the chassis – exactly like a racing car. The suspension was also F1-inspired, using computer controlled, push-rod operated dampers able to vary their settings according to the conditions and driving style.
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Pagani Zonda (1999)
The history of the supercar has seen many bold attempts by new players in the market, though few have survived for the long-haul. Pagani changed perceptions of what was possible in terms of performance, price and pure craftsmanship. After leaving Lamborghini, founder Horacio Pagani went it alone and built a carbon-tubbed supercar powered by a Mercedes-AMG V12. But it was the bespoke quality of everything – from suspension components to switchgear – that set it apart. The Zonda is arguably the first of a new generation of ‘hypercars’, pushing the boundaries of personalisation and performance.
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Porsche Carrera GT (2003)
With the 911, Porsche had a dominant hold on the ‘mainstream’ sports car market. But every now and then it builds something special – a technical showcase to prove that it can also operate in the very highest circles of the supercar world. For many, the Carrera GT is the perfect intersection between the traditional era of naturally aspirated engines and manual gearboxes, and the modern one of exotic materials and lightweight technology. Built from carbon fibre and using a screaming V10 engine from an aborted motorsport programme, the Carrera GT is beautiful, monstrously fast and famously challenging to drive.
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Meet the driverless speaker
The idea of a ‘driverless supercar’ is somewhat absurd – after all, driving it is most of the fun – but that’s not true of a music system. You’re better off letting a music system do the hard work for you. That’s why Dynaudio has created the ‘driverless speaker’. Through its ingenious Music Now algorithm, Music learns your listening tastes and creates smart playlists automatically. No directions needed: Music already knows where you want to go. All you have to do is press a preset button.
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Bugatti Veyron (2005)
Bugatti is a brand that’s showered with superlatives. When Volkswagen took it on, it set itself the ambitious goal of building a car that wouldn’t just beat existing supercars but create a category all of its own. For starters, it broke the 1,000hp threshold, thanks to a mighty 8-litre, 16-cylinder, quad-turbo engine of incredible power and sophistication. Without skimping on the luxury and opulence synonymous with Bugatti, the Veyron then redefined performance benchmarks, blasting through 250mph to become the fastest car in the world by some margin. A car of excess, pure and simple.
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Ferrari LaFerrari (2013)
The name may have provoked a few sniggers but LaFerrari’s position as one of the ‘holy trinity’ of hybrid-assisted supercars places it at the vanguard of a huge technical leap. When Ferrari went hybrid-powered, it was following the influence of F1. LaFerrari adopted KERS style regeneration and electric motors to boost the power of its already astonishing 6.3-litre, 800ps [789bhp] V12 motor. Combined, the systems deliver a total of 963ps [950bhp] for a top speed just shy of 220mph and explosive acceleration across the board.
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Porsche 918 Spyder (2013)
In both its racing cars and its road-going products, Porsche is forging ahead with hybrids and electrification. The 918 Spyder was a bold statement of intent about how future sports cars may drive. With more emphasis on the electric side than other hybrid supercars that launched at the time, the 918 Spyder can operate effectively as a full electric car. But when that motorsport-derived V8 fires up, it’s all supercar, the combined power output of 887ps [875bhp] delivered in one seamless crescendo. In true Porsche style, it then proved the worth of its technology by becoming the first series production car to break the seven-minute barrier around the Nurburgring.
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McLaren P1 (2013)
McLaren’s take on the hybrid supercar was subtly different but no less dramatic. Like the others, it had a powerful petrol engine at its core. Specifically, a 3.8-litre turbo V8 supplemented by electric power for a combined output of 916ps [903bhp] – good enough to hit 0-300km/h [186mph] in 16.5 seconds, 5.5 seconds faster than a McLaren F1. Though the P1 had a limited EV ability, in this case electric power was more about pure performance, complemented by a typically McLaren emphasis on aerodynamics. In its shape-shifting Race mode, the P1 could convert itself from usable daily road car into something truly circuit-focused.
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Ford GT (2017)
With hybrid supercars taking performance into a new realm, it’s nice to see Ford bringing the supercar back down to earth, relatively speaking. ‘Racing car for the road’ is a commonly used description for such cars but rarely, in truth, strictly accurate. It is in the GT’s case. Ford set out to build a car that could win its class at Le Mans and also work as a road-going supercar. As such, there’s a pleasing combination of rawness and relative simplicity about the new GT – albeit one underpinned by the cutting-edge materials and aerodynamics that have characterised the supercar’s evolution from the Sixties to the present day.
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What’s next?
After the flurry of activity surrounding hybridisation, there’s a sense the supercar world is preparing itself for the next technological leap. Mercedes-AMG is working on a new ‘Project 1’ using F1-influenced hybrid power, while the Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin Valkyrie promises next-level aero performance to offer the cornering speed of an LMP car in a road-going machine. Then there’s McLaren, with its electrically-powered P1 successor, provisionally called BP23, reprising the central driving position pioneered in the F1. One thing’s for sure, the supercar is showing no signs of slowing down.
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For more information about the Dynaudio Music range of intelligent music systems, click here.
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