Models developed by famous drivers

From Ayrton Senna to Walter Rohrl – the cars that got the Midas Touch during their development

Honda NSX – Ayrton Senna

Photo courtesy of @Senna_unofficial on instagram

Ayrton Senna, regarded by many as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, was heavily involved in the development of the Honda NSX supercar which was launched in 1990. The car was designed by a team led by Chief Designer Masahito Nakano and Executive Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara, and during the final development stages there was considerable input from Senna during testing. He drove the car at Suzuka and the Nürburgring circuits and his feedback contributed to the final design and tuning of the NSX. His role was to assess the chassis stiffness and handling, which he initially concluded as ‘fragile’ and that prompted Honda to refine the suspension. The NSX was the first production car to feature an all-aluminium semi-monocoque, while power came from an all-aluminium 3.0 L V6 engine that featured Honda's VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system. For Senna though, this was a labour of love: he reportedly owned three NSX models, including a red one that he kept at his home in Portugal, and two black ones.

McLaren MP4-12C – Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton

This car was a long time coming. Originally, it was referred to as the ‘12C’ and it marked McLaren's return to building production cars since the legendary F1 model, which ceased in 1998. Work on developing the 12C started in 2005, but it was not until 2009 that it broke cover and then ultimately launched in 2010 as the MP4-12C (the name eventually reverted back to the original 12C). The Woking-based supercar maker then began manufacturing the car in February 2011 following extensive testing with McLaren F1 drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton who provided valuable input that influenced the final design and features of the supercar. Both drivers contributed feedback on aspects like the steering wheel, paddle shifters, and other elements, which McLaren incorporated into the production model.

Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari – Michael Schumacher

Photo courtesy of snaplap.net

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher had been heavily involved in the development of Mercedes-Benz road cars including the SLS AMG, but also on safety systems in his role as development partner for Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive. This area refers to networked assistance systems that relieve driver workload and improve safety. He was also involved in the development of the Ferrari Enzo, where he provided feedback on aspects such as gearshifting, engine performance, and handling.

Lotus Cortina – Jim Clark

You could put Jim Clark in almost any competition car and he would extract the maximum from it. He was peerless behind the wheel, whether he was in a single-seater or saloon car. And it is that innate skill and understanding of how cars handle that ensured the success of the Lotus Cortina – a sporting version of the 1960s popular saloon. While Clark was instrumental in testing and specifying improvements for the Lotus Cortina, he didn't actually develop it - it was designed and developed by Lotus, primarily under the direction of Colin Chapman. However, Clark’s feedback on the car's performance proved fundamental, which influenced its development and upgrades. Clark was there at the early stages of the development of a prototype that featured independent rear suspension, and it was his input that resulted in superior handling and ride in the production version.

Bugatti – Andy Wallace

Andy Wallace, endurance sport car driver extraordinaire and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans, is the official test driver for Bugatti and his feedback has been key to the success of the French hypercar maker. It is fair to say he is at the top of his profession and in his role he has achieved many production car speed records: he broke the 300mph barrier in a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and was also the driver for the-then record-setting speed of 386.4 km/h (240.1mph) in a McLaren F1, which stood for more than 11 years.

Porsche – Walter Rohrl

Walter Rohrl has Porsche in his blood. He once said: “A garage without a Porsche 911 is nothing more than a bleak and barren hole!” Rohrl was not a driver, more a craftsman behind the wheel. He proved that with world championships in rallying as well as motor racing, most notably winning the World Rally Championship twice: in 1980 in a Fiat Abarth and in 1982 while driving for Opel. He also won the GTP +3.0 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1981 with the Porsche System Team and set the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record in 1987 driving an Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2. In the 80s, he began assisting with the development of Porsche sports cars, starting with the Porsche 964 Carrera 4 with all-wheel drive as well as the Porsche 959, Porsche Carrera GT and Porsche 918 Spyder.