Despite the advent of electrification and ongoing improvements in the autonomous driving arena, several automobile manufacturers continue to produce cars that bridge the gap between racing and the road. Carmakers do this by manufacturing ultra-high-performance variants of their standard models that are both roads legal and capable of achieving lap times on the track. These vehicles also tend to be at the top of their respective model ranges in terms of price and are generally built-in in small quantities to maintain their status.
The racing specials hold great importance for top car manufacturers today; these help them separate their highest performance series from the road versions.