Not Everything Is New At The 2015 North American International Auto Show

The 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Not Everything Is New At The 2015 North American International Auto Show
By: Brandon J. O'Brien - Photographs: Brandon J. O'Brien or Brandon T. O'Brien

While the purpose of any "new car" auto show is to promote the various manufacturers new products. At times the manufacturers will use older vehicles to highlight their new offerings. At Detroit where the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is currently taking place there are a number of older, historic vehicles on display along with some that are more current, yet unusual.

Ford GT40 Mk I Road Coupe. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Ford surprised most attendees with their new Ford Performance GT.  Designed primarily for the track to contest the best at Le Mans it will be available, like their previous GT models, for the street. In order to promote this new car Ford had on display two of the previous GT versions.  One of only thirty-one GT40 Mk I Road Coupes originally produced and a 2005 series two Ford GT.

Ford GT40 Mk I Road Coupe. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Ford GT40 Mk I Road Coupe. Image Credit 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Velocity Stacks seen through vent on GT40 Mk I Road Coupe.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Interior of Ford GT40 Mk I Road Coupe. The red button is for the fire extinguisher.
 Image Credit 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Hallibrand wheel with safety wired knock-off as fitted to the GT40 Mk I Road Coupe.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The GT40 Mk I road going versions were available in almost any configuration that the customer wanted. These offered startling performance for the sports car buyer and at $20,000.00 (1966) production was limited.  All the Mk I GT40s are right-hand drive and were powered by a Shelby tuned 289 engine.

2005 Series 2 Ford GT. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

To complete the picture Ford also had on display a Series 2 GT. Produced in 2005 and 2006 Ford only made 4038 units.  Unlike the original this GT is 44 inches tall and about 3 inches wider. It is powered by a 5.4-liter, 32-valve, four-cam, supercharged V8 offering 550 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Initially selling for a little under $150,000.00 these cars were only for the well-healed sport car enthusiast.

Alfa Romeo badge on the 1932 Type B (P03) Grand Prix Car.
mage Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Possibly the best use of  older vehicles was done by Alfa Romeo who brought 2 historic race cars as well as 1 production car. These were used to accentuate their early and very successful history in Grand Prix racing as well as a respected production automobile manufacturer.

1932 Alfa Romeo Type B (P03) Grand Prix racer.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven
Images

The earliest car at the show is one of the fifteen 1932 Alfa Romeo Type B (P03) Grand Prix racers designed by Vittorio Jano. The Type B was the first true single-seat Grand Prix designed car. Powered by a supercharged straight eight cylinder engine it was designed with the long distance races in mind.

1932 Alfa Romeo Type B (P03) Grand Prix Racer. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Introduced in June 1932 at the Italian Grand Prix, Tazio Nuvolari drove the Type B to victory in its first outing.  That year, in the hands of Nuvolari and Rudolf Caracciola the Type B was victorious in 6 races. Altogether, the Type B was victorious in 46 races from mid-1932 to 1935 under both the Alfa Romeo and Scuderia Ferrari (1933-35) banners.

The 1951 Spanish Grand Prix winning Alfa Romeo Type 159 Alfetta.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The other racing Alfa Romeo is the 1951 Type 159 Alfetta.  An updated version of the Type 158 these models won an amazing 47 races out of 54 entered. The car on hand, may be the one that was campaigned by Juan-Manual Fangio during the 1951 Formula One season, winning the first of his five world championships.

1951 Alfa Romeo Type 159 Alfetta.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

1951 Alfa Romeo Type 159 Alfetta.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

One of eighteen built Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

 The final Alfa on hand is the 1967 Type 33 Stradale.  One of only eighteen built between 1967-1969 it was designed by Franco Scaglione.  The new Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe appears to take a lot of design cues from the Type 33 Stradale and Alfa Romeo used that fact in the way they initially displayed both models.

1965 Mexican Grand Prix winning Honda RA272,  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor driven Images

It was a pleasant surprise to see that Honda brought one of their early Formula 1 cars.  On display is the 1965 Honda RA272 Grand Prix racer campaigned by Ritchie Ginther.  This car was raced all during the 1965 season and won the Mexican Grand Prix.

Left and Right  views of the 1965 Honda RA272.  Image Credits: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The simple rear suspension / gearbox set-up on the Honda RA272.
Image Credit: Brandon J. O'Brien  /  Motor Driven Images 

Ritchie Ginthers' office during the 1965 Grand Prix season.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Simple front suspension found on the 1965 Honda RA272.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Very simple rear suspension on the 1965 Honda RA272.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Exhaust manifold on the1965 Honda RA272..
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Front end of the 1975 IMSA Group GT Championship 3.0 CSL.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

On hand to commemorate BMW North America’s 40th Anniversary as well as  BMW Motorsports' first North American wins BMW had, for one day, the #25 BMW 3.0 CSL.  This car was campaigned by BMW during the 1975 and 1976 IMSA GT Championship in the GTO catagory. It has been restored by BMW North America in the configuration it was in when it won the 12-hours of Sebring.

1975 BMW 3.0 CSL as campaigned in the IMSA GT Championship.
Image Credits: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2014 Tudor United Sports Car Championship Corvette C7.R.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Chevrolet had two of their C7.R Corvette Racing cars. The  #4 car is one of the two campaigned in the Tudor United Sports Car Championship in 2014.  The #73 is one of two cars raced in the 2014 24-hours of Le Mans GTE Pro category.

The 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship GTE Pro Corvette C7.R.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

2014  FIA Formula One World Championship winning Mercedes AMG Petronas W05-Hybrid.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

2014 FIA World Formula One Championship winning Mercedes AMG Petronas W05-Hybrid.
Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Mercedes AMG Petronas brought their W05-Hybrid Formula 1 racer. What is not known is whether this is the actual car campaigned or a show car. Either way it was very impressive.

Mock-up of the Porsche 919 FIA World Endurance Championship LMP1-Hybrid.  Image Credits: 2015 Brandon J. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

What appeared to be a mock-up of the Porsche 919 LMP1-Hybrid graced the ground floor during the FIA World Endurance Championship presentration on Tuesday.

2014 Tudor United Sports Car Championship Mazda Prototype. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon T. O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The 2014 Mazda Prototype race car that raced in the Tudor United Sports Car Championship in the Prototype class can be seen in the Mazda area.

There were a few other cars not mentioned here but you will have to attend the show to see what I left out.

If you are in the Detroit area, it is not too late to see these automobiles and others at the North American International Auto Show which runs until January 25th.