Probably showing my total lack of knowledge here but a relative of mine owned an old lotus race car(Europa?) probably from the 60s? The profile of this beauty of a car reminds me of that but this Prince has a more curved feel.
1966 Prince R380
The Prince R380 was a legendary Japanese race car that competed in the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix. It was developed and built by Prince Motor Company, which later was merged into Nissan, to compete against the dominant Porsche 906. The R380 was designed for endurance racing and featured advanced technical specifications for its time.
https://nostr.build/i/3160f4d3b71f45cfab4f059c6124a8dd77058553f5c56a5a65848bce3793ede8.webp
The R380 had a sleek and aerodynamic design, with a low-slung body and a distinctive red and white color scheme. It was powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-six engine that produced 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. This engine was mated to a five-speed manual transmission and could propel the car to speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.
https://nostr.build/i/8efc557f381da070d98d84ab8cec0a0535f680f24b7e1a317c26df9716ba5c65.webp
In the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix, the R380 dominated the field, with two cars finishing first and second overall. The winning driver was Motoharu Kurosawa, who set a new course record of 1:57.55. The other R380 was driven by Yoshikazu Sunako, who finished just over a minute behind Kurosawa.
https://nostr.build/i/c51617e14ccb57ff16c73a062b8f200e1ed4ef3888a773ccf9a32beb32df253f.webp
The success of the R380 continued in the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix, where it won again with Kurosawa at the wheel. This victory cemented the R380's place in Japanese motorsport history and established it as one of the most successful race cars ever built by Prince Motor Company.
https://nostr.build/i/b11f1ac06d24133d67827771d68e814dad539e7a6d631c83804f8d95e289784e.webp
The Prince R380 showcased impressive engineering and highlighted the skill and ingenuity of Japanese car manufacturers during the 1960s. Its advanced technical specifications and outstanding track performance played a pivotal role in positioning Japan as a dominant force in the global motorsport arena, and its victories continue to serve as a source of inspiration for car enthusiasts worldwide. #racing #racingcars #cars #carstr #grownostr
Discussion
You're correct the 1966 Lotus Europa had a similar profile to the R380, just as the aforementioned Porsche 906 above in the post. It was a style at the time in terms of aerodynamics. Will include some comparison pics below of other race cars from the same time period and you can see see how similar in design they are to the Prince.
1966 Lotus Europa
1966 Porsche 906
1966 Ferrari 330 P3
They are definitely of a similar profile. Was one of them the first, like was it a sudden new style, that was copied by others or just an aerodynamic evolution from the race cars that preceded it?