Motor racing, admittedly, is a great way to promote the performance traits of an automotive brand. This year’s constructors’ champion in Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz, is certainly reaping all the positive PR points from its dominance in the series. But if you think about it, the German carmaker isn’t selling formula cars. What races around the world’s most iconic racetracks isn’t available to the public.
In this regard, we can say that the most credible form of motorsports is one that makes use of actual cars sitting on showroom floors. To be specific, one that runs completely stock vehicles—meaning unmodified cars that real-world consumers can get their hands on when they go and buy a unit. The basic premise is this: If a stock car can handle the more rigorous demands of a race, then it must be very good. And when said race is an endurance one, the reputation of a stock car (if it crosses the finish line many nonstop hours later) becomes all the more enhanced.