Vol 36 MarginaliaIllustrations by TobatronIndy–Charlotte DoublePhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronIn 1999, Tony Stewart practically passed out on pit road after his first attempt at the Double: a 1100-mile marathon to complete the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He tried again in 2001, finishing both races on the lead lap, and is still the only driver to accomplish this feat.Cizeta V16TPhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronCizeta Moroder, a sports-car supergroup established in the Eighties with an electronic-music pioneer, created the first production V-16 since the Thirties. It was essentially a transverse pair-up of V-8s conjoined in a single block. Only 10 of the Gandini-designed V16T cars were built, each with a longitudinal gearbox that formed a T shape with the engine, thus the name.Ruf with Twin SteeringPhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronBuilt during the oil crisis of 1973–74, this dual-control Ruf Porsche 911 kept apprentices busy when business dried up. The company had a right-hand-drive shell and left-hand-drive parts available, so Alois Ruf Sr. proposed a 911 with two functional cockpits because, as he told Ruf Jr., "we might as well do something just fun."1982–86 Maserati BiturboPhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronAdvertisementAdvertisementOnly the second-most ignoble machine of Maserati's Alejandro de Tomaso era (hello, Chrysler TC by Maserati), the Biturbo was the first production car with twin turbochargers, one for each bank of its V-6 engine (2.5 liters in the U.S. and 2.0 in Italy). A two-barrel Weber carburetor and a primitive boost regulator were no match for the car's notoriously dodgy build quality.Bugatti Type 59/50BPhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronBugatti showed up at the inaugural Bugatti Owners' Club International meeting at England's Prescott Speed Hill Climb course in 1939 with a twin-rear-wheel Type 59 to harness its supercharged 4.7-liter Type 50B straight-eight, likely the most powerful engine it had ever built. With factory driver Jean-Pierre Wimille at the wheel, it came in second, running the course in 46.69 seconds.1993–2000 Aston Martin VantagePhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronAston Martin strapped two Eaton M90 superchargers to the Vantage's 5.3-liter V-8 (one for each cylinder bank) to make 550 hp, a staggering number in the Nineties. The V600 package from Aston Works Service pushed horsepower to 600, getting within range of the mighty McLaren F1. Now that's Eaton good in the neighborhood!1987–90 Nissan Pulsar NXPhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronFor buyers torn between hatchback and wagon, the N13-generation Nissan Pulsar NX offered both. The quirky T-top changeling had a removable hatch that could be swapped for the short-lived optional wagon-like SportBak canopy, a conversion dreamed up by Nissan's U.S. design studio for trend-chasing consumers who demanded everything all at once.Terry and Bobby LabontePhoto credit: Illustration by TobatronAdvertisementAdvertisementBorn eight years apart, the Labontes are the first brothers to both win NASCAR Cup Series championships. They started in quarter-midgets, and the younger Bobby was working as a fabricator on Terry's cars when Terry won the Cup in 1984. Terry won it again in 1996, and Bobby clinched his own in 2000.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State