Motorsport has evolved a long way from just being entertainment to a very responsible and mature sport. Most motorsports these days encourage and instill moral values and driving values to their viewers. One major addition to motorsports over the past few years has been the safety car which has proven to be one of the greatest things to ever happen in motorsports.
The concept of a safety car has been very effective in saving the lives of many race drivers ever since its inception. The main aspect which makes these safety cars cool is the fact that they indeed have to be fast like the cars or bikes involved in the respective motorsports. And the safety car by itself garners lots of attention for its exotic looks and performance. Let us take a look at some of the coolest motorsport safety cars.
1. Mercedes-AMG GT R – Formula 1
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team has taken the sport by surprise by conquering both multiple drivers and constructors championship over all these years. Their dominance in the sport Formula 1 has stirred lots of questions about the sport’s competitiveness.
Mercedes-AMG has also been the safety car and medical car provider for Formula 1 for quite some time now. The current Formula 1 safety car is the Mercedes-AMG GT R (see what CarIndigo thinks about the car) which is the absolute best performance coupe that Mercedes-AMG has made to date. The GT R packs in a 4.0 – liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that puts out 585 hp which along with a fully redesigned suspension aided with the sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s and added boost to its torsional rigidity.
2. BMW M2 – Moto GP
Moto GP has had a strong relationship with BMW for the past few years. It has been evident from various events where BMW chose a Moto GP race to unveil some of their exotic performance cars. Moto GP has also shown its love for the German manufacturer by using their M division cars as the official safety cars for all their races. One of the recent Moto GP safety cars was the new BMW M2 which is the best little performance coupe. The M2 produces 365 with its turbocharged six-cylinder engine which takes it from 0 – 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds along with a top speed of 155 mph. The M2 is also highly focused on safety as it features a roll cage, harness, light bar, and a fire extinguisher on the inside.
3. BMW M5 – Moto GP
We still are not completed with BMW and Moto Gp. There is yet another BMW M car that serves as the Moto GP safety car. This time, it is the BMW M2’s big bad brother, the absolutely insane beast, M5. Everyone in the automotive industry knows about this car for its amazing performance and driving dynamics. The BMW M5 has got everything with a monstrous 4.4 – liter twin-turbocharged V8 under its hood along with all the optional M performance parts as standard on this Moto GP safety car. This includes the likes of a carbon fiber diffuser, carbon sills, carbon kidney grille, carbon mirrors, and lots more.
4. Porsche Panamera GTS – BTCC (British Touring Car Championship)
The British Touring Car Championship as the name suggests if predominantly for the front wheel is driven tourer cars which have around 300 hp. The safety car that leads this pack is surprisingly more powerful and comes from a legendary sports car manufacturer. We are talking about the Porsche Panamera GTS which by producing 434 hp along with its four-wheel-drive system might be a serious contender for the BTCC if it was racing.
5. Volvo V60 Polestar – WTCC (World Touring Car Championship)
Nothing beats a Volvo when it comes to safety and having a Volvo as your safety car is always a great thing. Volvo has cemented its name in the automotive industry as the producer of the safest cars on the planet. All of Volvo’s cars usually have a very strong shell aided with lots of safety features and driver assistance technologies. It is however not very powerful as the Volvo V6 Polestar just has a modest 345 hp but this Volvo is all about safety. The V60 Polestar is packed with lots of safety features which includes a dozen airbags, warning bongs whereas the WTCC specific safety car has added a roll cage, rescue kit, and communications tech.
6. McLaren 570S – British GT Championship
A perfect British performance coupe for the British GT Championship is the McLaren 570S. There are of course some cool McLarens on the grid with the likes of 650S GT3 and 570S GT4. But when their objectives are to win the race, the regular 570S serves as the safety car for the entire race. The 570S does not require any massive modification to serve its duty as a safety car as it already comes with a strong carbon monocoque chassis inspired by F1 technology. And like any McLaren, it is powerful and fast, thanks to its 562 hp produced from its 4.0 – twin-turbocharged engine.
7. BMW i8 – Formula E
Formula E, the environment – friendly cousin of the big bad brother, Formula 1 has become quite popular for the past few years thanks to the addition of some major manufacturers. While we do expect a fully electric car to do the pace car and safety duties in Formula E, we are kind of a little disappointed. The BMW i8 is one of the best looking and performing hybrid sports coupe to come out in the past few years. But the fact that it has an internal combustion engine working in the background hurts a little especially being the safety car for Formula E. The i8 has more power than the Formula E cars at 362 hp which is of course the combined output from both the internal combustion engine and electric motor.
8. Chevrolet Camaro – Indy 500
Indy 500 holds the respect for starting the pace car culture in motorsports which has now kind of become the norm these days before any race. It all started back in 1911 when the pace car was introduced to help the cars on the grid to warm up and ready to go. For the past 14 years, the safety car duties for the prestigious Indianapolis 500 has been done by a Chevrolet. Currently, it is the Chevrolet Camaro that serves as the safety car for the Indy 500. The Camaro gets a 455 hp V8 engine under its hood and has been driving by some of the famous faces which includes the likes of Jackie Stewart, Morgan Freeman, and Lance Armstrong.
9. BMW M4 GTS – DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters)
Yet another BMW doing the safety car duties is the BMW M4 GTS for the DTM. The M4 is a brawny and massive monster which, to be honest, feels more connected to the cars on the grid than on any motorsport. The M4 GTS comes with 493 hp and has lots of bodywork to make it safe and fast. The added safety components include the likes of a roll cage, harness belts, and a fire extinguisher.
10. Audi R8 – World Endurance Championship
Audi R8 is the official safety car for the World Endurance Championship. The R8 by itself is Audi’s first proper supercar and surprisingly the best-selling supercar which by itself is a great achievement. World Endurance Championship is a very gruesome test for all cars competing in the race. It also is equally gruesome for the safety car and the Audi R8 fairs really well coping with all the pressures thrown at it. The Audi R8 has a very powerful naturally aspirated V10 engine which along with the industry’s best Quattro all-wheel-drive makes it the best choice for being a safety car in Endurance races.
