FESTIVE FOUR

The cars James drove at Goodwood

ALFA ROMEO 155 V6 TI DTM 1993

The most successful DTM car ever, winning 12 out of 20 races in its debut season and spoiling the German manufacturers’ party on their home turf. Its 2.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 goes all the way to 11,500rpm, and develops more than 415bhp. Carbon body, four-wheel drive and the coolest exhausts in the history of touring cars.

ALFA ROMEO 1750 GTAM 1970

The ‘Am’ bit means American, because it’s based on the US version of the Giulia GTA coupe, with nd fuel injection and brawny riveted-on ’ibreglass arch extensions, making it more purposeful if less pretty than the original GTA. The inline four was bulked out too, to 1985cc and 210bhp, and it walked the European Touring Car series in 1970.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R FK2 2015

Short-lived but it burned bright, becoming the fastest front-driven production car around the Nürburgring. Thrilling pace and perfect gearshift, but double-vision-inducing ride quality. Its 2.0 306bhp turbo engine punched to 168mph, but the new FK8 tested in this issue is faster still, and better rounded to boot.

HONDA NSX 2016 three

Nine gears, four driven wheels, electric motors (two of them on the front axle) and a twin-turbo 3.5 V6 make the reborn NSX fantastically complex, but fantastically simple to drive. On a bumpy, tricky road it’s a supercar that won’t leave you sweaty-palmed, while covering ground quicker than most.