The five coolest cars from the Members’ Meeting Favourite Moments live stream

Porsche 917K

We couldn’t really leave the 917 off could we? And we’re not picking a particular car here, as there are a few at our Members’ Meeting. It’s got a flat-12, it comes in some quite-frankly legendary liveries, and it properly started things off for Porsche at Le Mans. The K is the version of the 917 that finally worked, after the initial version was less than usable. The K’s short tail and wedge-y design are what people think of straight off when they think of a 917. And in Gulf livery it is the sportscar for many. Steve McQueen driving one helped, of course, but the fact that it sports a flat-12 engine just makes the mixture even more intoxicating.

Bugatti Type 57G Tank

This is a Bugatti, honest. The ‘tank’ is one of the most amazing looking machines that’s ever raced. Under its massive bodywork (hence the nickname) is a type 57S engine, but with unique body panels. In 1936 the French federation decided that Grand Touring cars were allowed into the French GP. Bugatti designed the Tank in response to those rules, and promptly won the race. And then the following Le Mans 24 Hours. Three cars were built and only one remains, owned by the Simeone Foundation in Philadelphia.

For us the most amazing thing about the Tank is how wonderfully incongruous it looks among the field of the Grover Williams Trophy, surrounded by delecate pre-war Bugatti racers. But out of all of them it remains probably the most successful, and one of the few cars that can say it ever won a Grand Prix and a sportscar race.

McLaren F1 GTR longtail

This is the car that made me fall in love with sportscars. The McLaren F1 was never meant to be a racing car, in fact the famous tale goes that Gordon Murray was almost violently set against it ever racing. But race it did, and win Le Mans it did. But soon other cars started arrive in the GT1 ranks. The purpose-built racing cars like Porsche’s 911 GT1 and Mercedes’ CLK GTR. Eventually it all ate itself with the likes of the Toyota GT-One (TS020). But in the middle period, after Mercedes and Porsche arrived, it was an incredible series to watch. McLaren had to modify the F1 to try and keep up, turning it into the longtail. The name that has spawned the nomenclature for every super-hot Macca since. This particular car battled the Mercedes in the GT series wearing the iconic Fina livery. Even today it looks menacing and fresh, but at the same time achingly beautiful. To see it on track at Goodwood was one of those truly special moment you don’t forget.

Shadow DN5

More people should know about the work of Tony Southgate. He was involved with a quite extraordinary number of iconic sportscars (Jaguar XJR-9, Jaguar XJR-12, Ferrari 333SP, Toyota TS010…), but early in his career he was very much Formula 1 focussed. After working for BRM he switched to American team shadow and worked on its stunning Can-Am cars before designed this, the DN5.

The DN5 was not only successful – it finished on the podium multiple times – but it was beautiful. And kitted out in Shadow’s always-awesome black gloss livery it looked incredible. The high-airbox era is a high point for Formula 1 aesthetics. And for us the DN5 is the very height of that design.

Ferrari 250GT Breadvan

Alright, so you’ve heard of the Breadvan before. We’ve even written about it before. But this weekend this Ferrari puts on a special show in the hands of one Emanuele Pirro. We’ve included it here because of the incredible battle it has in the Moss Trophy, but also because of how epic this 250GT SWB sounds, it’s mighty V12 screaming away as Emanuele battles with a pair of E-types. We were lucky enough to have one of our onboard cameras running live with him for the weekend, to bring you that perfect V12 soundtrack.

Photography by Adam Beresford, Nick Dungan, Drew Gibson, Matt Ankers and Jochen Van Cauwenberge.