GT Racing 97

This was the first game I ever bought. I remember that I had to wait for weeks before Dad would let me install it on his laptop. That day was a glorious day. I played that game through and then again. I remember playing in the car on Dad's laptop once while we were tavelling on a holiday.
For its time, the graphics were quite good. The car models were 3D, or at least they looked 3D, and so were the tracks. Of course nowadays if game was sold with these graphics, I doubt it would have many buyers, if any.

But they serve their purpose, and you can't expect too much for a game that was made in the mid 1990's.
The soundtrack was probably one of my favourite parts of the game. There were some rocking tracks on that CD. They suited the backdrop of the game very nicely, adding to the intensity and overall fast-paced feel of racing along highways in a car that looked like a Lamborghini Diablo.
All of the cars in the game are modeled on real super cars, however none have their real names, probably due to copyright laws. Some of the models include the McLaren F1, Corvette ZR1, Lamborghini Diablo and Porsche Carrera. And playing in the championship mode you can buy upgrades for your car, such as a stronger chassis, more powerful engine, or even a new car (which is more like your typical 'life' in most arcade games).
Your cars take damage in most parts of the car, and while it may not be rendered on the vehicle, it does affect your performance, and if your car takes too much damage, it blows up and you then use up one of your spare cars (or a 'life'). This makes an interested point of the game because it shies the player away from crashing into your opponents and focusing more on your driving style.
The tracks take place in many different countries, such as Argentina, Canada and of course the US, and are all Point A to Point B style, with time checkpoints along the way. If you run out of time, you have to race again. It's a very typical games style like those racing games you find in game arcades. Unfortunately there isn't any traffic to dodge, but there is the occasional jump and other obstacles on the roads.
If you're looking for a cheap, fun arcade road-racer and don't care about fancy uber-3D graphics too much then this might be what you're looking for.