This selection of rare, unique cars are not often seen on the road. With some that have only one ever produced to others that are very expensive, bordering on being extravagant, they all have a wide array of traits and technicalities that only an expert driver can maneuver. In case you are lucky enough to come across one and want to coast them down the road, especially if it’s in Dublin, a Driving Lesson Dublin by a great driving instructor, will ensure you don’t miss the chance of handling them well.
The Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car
The Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car was launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The concept was an evolution of the Carrera GT that precedes it, with added electric motors on the front and rear axles producing a combined 218 hp. In addition to this are a 500-horsepower 3.4-liter V-8. The two seated power car combines 70 grams CO2 per kilometre emissions and a fuel consumption of 3.0 litres/100 kilometres (94 mpg imp). The car is fitted with 500 bhp V8 plus three electric motors totaling 215 bhp acceleration the car has superb acceleration, as it can move from a standstill to 100 km/h in just under 3.2 seconds, with a top speed of 320 km/h (198 mph).
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This unique Porsche 918 car embodies great features which are detailed in the press release of the vehicle. The press release states “The combination of racing car dimensions, clearly structured design with perfectly balanced surfaces, and innovative details all round creates an overall pattern of aesthetic, perfectly balanced harmony in design full of power and dynamics”.
The Porsche 918 car is an efficient sport car with low-emission drive technology, Range Manager for navigation, three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel- all creating a superb car with an excellent design.
The 1942 Oeuf Electrique (electric egg)
Running on just three wheels and batteries the car was very unique in its gasoline reliant generation as it was solely dependent on batteries, paving the way for the advent of electricity based cars. A prominent artist who dived into automobile engineering, Paul Arzens worked as a painter and designed railway locomotives before moving on to cars. The bubble is made of hand-formed aluminum and curved Plexiglass, a novel material at the time. The body of the car alone was 60kg, after the addition of the battery and others, it amounted to 350 kg, allowing for a range of 100 km (63 miles) at 70 km/h (44 mph) or at 60 km/h 37 mph if two people were on board.
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The Blastolene Special (The Tank Car)
The name “the tank car” was given to it because of its tremendous size and engine. The AV-1790-5B is a 1792 cubic inch engine that was originally used in a tank, a 1950s 51-ton M47 Patton Tank. The car had the power supply to cover over 80 miles when its 800 gallons are filled to the brim. The Blastolene Special also has a 190-inch wheelbase, with 3/4 of the car being in front of the driver. This car has an engine that red-lines at 2,900 rpm, this twin turbo, 30L V12 produces an estimated 1,600 horsepower and an even more impressive 3,000 lb/ft of torque. This powerhouse manages to take the car from 0-to-60 in just 6.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 140+ mph, with the quarter mile being done in 14.7 seconds at 93 mph.
1951 GM La Sabre
The 1951 GM Le Sabre is the pioneer car with features that have become mainstream in the American car industry. It was the first car to sport fins and a wraparound windshield, the car came with a moisture detector that would automatically raise the convertible’s top if it rained.
The vehicle was designed after an airplane; front bumpers, and aircraft/rocketship styling themes throughout, echoing its muse, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, from the jet-like snout at the front to the flame-spitting tail fins at the rear. The LeSabre was powered by a 225 cubic-inch aluminum block V8 with two superchargers. It achieved 335 hp at maximum speed.
Rolls-Royce 102 EX
Powered by electric and gas motors. The car is fitted with 96 snappily-titled lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese-oxide cells arranged to mimic the shape of the absent V12 and gearbox. The total capacity is 71kWh, with a peak current at 850 amps delivered at 338 volts. Three chargers sit on top of the pack to allow for three-phase charging; a full charge takes between eight and 20 hours depending on supply. There’s a five-pin socket that glows and flashes as it works in the hatch in the C-pillar vacated by the fuel filler, and an induction-charging plate underneath that will allow you to charge up by driving over a similar plate in the heated floor of your garage, doing away with the need to ever stick anything the side of your car. High-voltage cables run back through the space vacated by the prop shaft, but because they need less space the floor of the car is now entirely flat. Two 145kW AC motors sit above the rear axle and drive it through a single reduction gear and an open differential.
The car is excellent to drive, easing through with no noise and an environmentally friendly source of transport.
1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne
Made by an aircraft designer Gabrielle Voisin, this car boasts some features of aeroplanes. The Knight engines included: inline four; inline six; V8 (prototype); V12 – 7.2 liter, 1921 (prototype); inline twelve and a seven-cylinder radial (prototype).The car has tapered front end and curved, teardrop-shaped body with integrated trunk, a design similar to the cabins of an aircraft.
Lamborghini Egoista
A powerful single seat vehicle. The driver-centric vehicle has a powerful V10 engine. Its 5.2 liters of displacement can output up to 600 horsepower. The engine resides directly behind the driver in a mid-engine format. The car is very light weight.
2006 Dodge Viper ASC Diamondback
Made up of carbon fiber, the car is one of the finest of the most fast muscular cars. The car has boasts of 61 horsepower, individual trumpeted air intakes, each with their own port throttle, 8.0-liter V10 engine
1959 Cadillac Cyclone
The car has a car-crash avoidance system. When the car senses an approaching vehicle, the radar antennas embedded in the twin nose cones notify the driver by mimicking animal sounds, a feature way ahead of its time. The ’59 Cyclone had other ingenious features as well. The panoramic windshield gave the operator full 360° views. Constructed of clear plastic, it was attached to the power-operated rear canopy, which rose up to give driver and passenger access to the vehicle. When closed, the canopy cinched against the independently mounted windshield for protection from the elements. The driver could speak to persons outside the vehicle without having to raise the canopy, thanks to a built-in two-way speaker system. The muffler and exhaust system were located in the engine compartment, with the outlets just ahead of the front wheels. And, at a height of only 44 inches, the Cyclone presented a narrow profile when speeding down the highway.
1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt
With smooth curves inspired by streamliner trains. The Chrysler has power windows, using hydraulic powers to move them. The fully retractable hardtop and button-operated pop-open headlights were also seminal design features that did not emerge in vehicles until a long time after. The body was comprised of aluminum and the roof was a retractable, electrically controlled hardtop. The car was not operated by a door handle but rather by buttons .The car has a leather interior.
While we may not have any of these unique cars in our gallery, we have other cars in excellent conditions in car hire for driving tests in Dublin. And to be assured you can maneuver any of these cars, a confidence boosting pretest lesson will help assess and improve your expertise.
