When you decide to name a car after a legendary race course, you'd better make damn sure it's not a slouch. Fortunately, the Vencer Sarthe is worthy of its namesake. Named for the famous Circuit de la Sarthe Le Mans race course and inspired by sports cars from the '80s Le Mans era, this Dutch-built supercar is powered by a 6.3-liter supercharged V8 outputting 613 hp, and features a six-speed manual gearbox, automatic rear spoiler, two-tone leather interior with Alcantara inserts, a lightweight carbon fiber body, and a Torsen limited-slip differential to help get the power to the road — because unlike a lot of modern racers, there are no computer assits to be found here.
As only the second sports car developed entirely in-house at Mercedes' sports division AMG, the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT has some lofty standards to live up to. It'll arrive in both standard GT (456hp) and GT-S (503hp) variants, featuring lightweight aluminum construction and a newly developed AMG 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine that's hand-assembled by a master engine builder. That engine, when combined with the seven-speed dual clutch transmission, is good for a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 193 mph on the GT-S, and like any Mercedes, both models sport an extensive list of Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive assistance systems that help them perform as well on the streets around your house as they do on the race track.
It might seem hard to believe, but it's now been 25 years since the Mazda MX-5 — better known as the Miata — rolled off the assembly line and onto roadways. Now in its fourth generation, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 aims to continue the tradition of top-down motoring. Incorporating the company's Kodo design language, the body is low and wide, but is also more compact than any MX-5 to come before it, and as a result is more than 100 kilograms lighter than its predecessor. No details on engines or transmissions are available, but the company does say it'll be using its Skyactiv technologies to increase fuel efficiency and power, and if you're thinking about buying one, you're probably not that worried about horsepower anyway.
The modern-day Nissan GT-R is certainly impressive, but if you want to know its heritage, you need to start here. This 1972 Nissan Skyline GT-R is one of just over 1,100 GT-R coupes made between '70 and '72, powered by a 160 hp, 1,989 cc inline six engine. Forefather of the Godzilla series of GT-Rs, it also features a five-speed manual transmission, front disc and rear drum brakes, and nearly all of its original pieces, thanks to a loving restoration. Even the original wheels and steering wheel are included — even if they're not currently installed — and with only 42,000 km on the odometer, this is as close to a "new" specimen as you're going to find.
