A Ford Fusion from NASCAR. Un Audi A4 del German Touringcars Masters.
A silhouette car is a racing car whose external appearance resembles that of a street car, but whose chassis and engine differ completely from that of the latter. The three major divisions of NASCAR, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and the Top Race, the Stock Car Brazil and the V8 Supercars are currently disputed with silhouette cars. Since Group B and Group 5 regulations required a small number of approved units, many of those cars were also silhouettes.
The main advantage of using silhouette cars instead of prepared street cars is that it avoids technical limitations of the original car, such as too weak a chassis or an engine compartment too small to fit a more powerful engine. It also allows the use of different motor and traction configurations. For example, the Ford Mondeo of the Top Race is rear-wheel drive, when the street model is front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
The lack of technical constraints also allows cheaper manufacturing methods to reform the street model, such as tubular chassis and plastic or fiberglass body panels. By retaining the model's original appearance, it creates a stronger bond with viewers than a car with a generic appearance.
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