Lola T70 MK.3B Coupe

1969 Lola T70 Mk.3B Coupe

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | November 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Imagine this thing in your rearview mirror on a race track. Pretty scary. Now imagine it sneaking up behind you on the highway. Either is possible: it’s got a license plate mounted out back.

Let’s start at the beginning: the first T70 debuted in the mid-1960s as an open-top sports racing prototype. The Mk II Spyder came later and preceded the Mk 3 coupe. A slightly revised Mk.3B debuted in 1969 and featured front-hinged doors instead of the gullwing doors of the regular Mk 3.

Some of the Mk.3Bs were actually converted to road cars by Sbarro, who would soon after produce a run of replicas. That’s where things start getting confusing. This car was converted to road spec by Sbarro prior to their production of replicas, apparently. Funnily enough, there is another car with this same chassis number floating around (RM sold it in Paris 2014). That auction catalog initially advertised it as a Lola Mk.3B and laid out the early history of this yellow car. Then, shortly before the auction, they added a line that said “After further research it has come to light that this Lola T70 was built by Sbarro; it is very unlikely that this car was ever raced by Chuck Parsons” – which negated the entire history of their car they had written after it.

This car was reconstructed by Lola guru Mac McClendon in the 2010s. It’s powered by a 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8. The comments on the Bring a Trailer auction seem to be full of reading comprehension issues. Yeah, this car has had pretty much everything on it rebuilt or replaced (as has pretty much every race car of this era), but as someone wise said over there “a continuous history as being a particular car is what makes it original… more than the parts currently on the car.” Not to mention, if Mac McClendon says it’s the real deal… who are you to argue.

The other great bit of wisdom from a BaT commenter on thinking about cars like this: “The idea of the car is what matters; each replacement part occupies the same space as the original, and so to our mind the car is original even if none of the component parts are — the car has occupied the same space since 1969, and therefore remains the original car.

Think about what this represents from 1969. It’s right there with a Miura or McLaren M6GT in terms of late 1960s supercars. It might not be as pretty as a Miura, but it’s more purposeful, and probably faster.

Bidding ends in a few days. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $275,000.

Late-1990s Newman/Haas Cars

Late-1990s Newman/Haas Cars

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Lincolnshire, Illinois | October 29, 2022


1996 Lola T96/00

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We’ve talked about the Newman/Haas sale before (but we may have forgotten to say what a shame it is). Anyway, let’s jump into the cars. This is the era. The black Havoline/Kmart-liveried Michael Andretti cars. The pinnacle of CART.

This car, chassis HU 14, is a Lola T96 (we’ve featured a T95 before). It is currently without an engine, but in period had a Ford-Cosworth V8. The competition history here includes:

  • 1996 Milwaukee Mile – 1st (with Michael Andretti)
  • 1996 Road America – 1st (with Andretti)
  • 1996 Molson Indy Vancouver – 1st (with Andretti)

Michael also used it in five other races that year on his way to second in the championship. It’s being sold without reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $70,000.


1997 Swift 007.i

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

For the 1997 season of the CART PPG World Series (man, remember those TV graphics?), Newman/Haas switched from Lola to Swift as a chassis manufacturer. Swift Engineering is based in Southern California and supplied chassis to Newman/Haas for a few years.

This 007.i would’ve been originally powered by a Ford-Cosworth V8 but is currently sans motor. The team used six examples of the 007.i in the ’97 season, four of which are in this sale at no reserve. Competition history for this one, #005, includes:

  • 1997 Surfers Paradise – 3rd (with Michael Andretti)
  • 1997 Gateway – 11th (with Andretti)
  • 1997 Mid-Ohio – 8th (with Andretti)
  • 1997 Molson Indy Vancouver – 18th (with Andretti)

He also used it in two other races that year. It’s now selling at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $53,200.


1998 Swift 009.c

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Newman/Haas continued with Swift into the 1998 season, which saw drivers Michael Andretti and Christian Fittipaldi doing most of the driving. This chassis, #004, would’ve been originally equipped with a Ford/Cosworth V8, but it is currently just a roller.

This car competed in seven of the season’s 19 races, including:

  • 1998 Rio 400k – 5th (with Michael Andretti)
  • 1998 Michigan – 6th (with Andretti)
  • 1998 Road America – 18th (with Andretti)

It’s selling at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,200.


2000 Lola B2K/00

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

So I know I said “cars of the late-1990s” but 1. we’ve already featured Newman/Haas’s 1999 entry, the Swift 010.c and 2. 2000 was very much a part of the late 1990s.

The team switched back to Lola chassis for the 2000 season after a few years with Swift. They still employed both Michael Andretti and Christian Fittipaldi this year. Their engine supplier was Ford/Cosworth, with an XF V8. This car has no engine at the moment.

This car, chassis HU 07, competed in 12 of 20 races that year, including:

  • 2000 Homestead-Miami – 7th (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2000 Twin Ring Motegi – 11th (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2000 Mid-Ohio – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2000 Fontana – 1st (with Fittipaldi)

You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $39,200.

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | ???? | October 29, 2022


2004 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B01/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The McDonald’s-liveried Champ Cars of Sebastien Bourdais are some the final iconic cars from that era of American motorsport. Campaigned by Newman/Haas Racing, the cars would clinch four consecutive championships with Bourdais and propel him to Formula 1.

2004 was the first season after they dropped the CART name. Officially, it was called the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. The Lola B02 chassis made up most of the field (the rest were Reynards). Every car was powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 that could make over 900 horsepower and rev to 15,000 rpm.

This chassis was initially delivered to Newman/Haas in 2001 and used that season. It was then placed into storage before being pulled out and updated for the 2004 season. The competition history for this chassis, 01-14, includes:

  • 2001 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 20th, DNF (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2001 Grand Prix of Portland – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 3rd (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Toronto – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Road America – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Las Vegas – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Quite the career en route to Bourdais’ first championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $168,000.


2005 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B05/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B05 was Newman/Haas’ 2005 competitor, although they retained the successful B01 just in case. The 900-horsepower, turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 remained unchanged. This chassis, HU 01, achieved the following:

  • 2005 Milwaukee Mile – 6th (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2005 Portland Grand Prix – 2nd (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Cleveland – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of San Jose – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Molson Indy Montreal – 4th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)

Add to that: another championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $201,600.


2006 Lola-Ford-Cosworth B02/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B02 was actually the company’s 2002 CART chassis, and that’s when Newman/Haas took delivery of this one. It was updated over the years and used through the 2006 season, which is the specification it is in today.

Again, it is powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. The competition history for this chassis, HU 03, includes:

  • 2002 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 3rd (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix Americas – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2003 EuroSpeedway Lausitz – 1st (with Sebastian Bourdais)
  • 2003 Cleveland Grand Prix – 3rd (with Bruno Junqueira)
  • 2003 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2003 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Long Beach Grand Prix – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Denver – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Montreal – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterey – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2006 Milwaukee Mile – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Toronto – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Montreal – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Road America – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Bourdais scooped up the championship in 2006, making it three in a row. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $196,000.


2007 Panoz-Cosworth DP01

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

2007 was the final season of the Champ Car World Series. They had just one constructor: Panoz with their DP01, all of which were powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. Output was up to 950 horsepower.

I think it’s safe to say Bourdais was a championship favorite going into the season. He piloted this chassis in 10 races during the year, including:

  • 2007 Vegas Grand Prix – 13th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Houston – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Toronto Grand Prix – 9th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 San Jose Grand Prix – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Belgian Grand Prix – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Bavarian Grand Prix – 7th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

He was pretty dominant in this chassis, and really, throughout his entire Champ Car career. He would win the final Champ Car championship in 2007. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $235,200.

Lola T70

1965 Lola T70 Mk I Spyder

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | June 24, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

The T70 was a popular Can-Am car for privateers in the 1960s with over 100 examples produced. Built by Lola in a few different variations (Mk I, Mk II spyder, and Mk III coupe), the T70 was often found fitted with a big American V8. It was a race-winning formula, with drivers like Dan Gurney, Walt Hansgen, and 1966 series champion John Surtees all driving them in period

This chassis, SL70/3, was the first T70 built and was sold new to John Mecom, whose team livery is still on the car today. It ran a number of races that season, including:

  • 1965 12 Hours of Sebring – 52nd, DNF (with John Cannon and Jack Saunders)

Walt Hansgen crashed it at Mosport, and the original Ford engine was removed. It was later restored and part of Mac McClendon’s collection until the 2000s. It currently has a 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8 fitted out back, and that monster is rated at 573 horsepower. The pre-sale estimate is $310,000-$430,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Lola T-90

1966 Lola-Ford T-90

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, Florida | August 13-14, 2021

Photo – Gooding & Company

The mid-1960s were a time for change at Indianapolis. The mid-engined revolution was in full swing by ’66, and the previous year was the first time that a majority of the field was made up of rear-engined cars. The British cars were back in force in 1966, with Lola leading the way with their Ford-powered T-90.

Three T-90s were built, and all three were on the grid at the 1966 Indy 500. This is one of two powered by a 4.2-liter Ford quad-cam V8. Fuel injected, it makes about 425 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, 90/2, includes:

  • 1966 Indianapolis 500 – 6th, DNF (with Jackie Stewart)
  • 1966 Langhorne 150 – 3rd (with Al Unser Sr.)
  • 1966 Fuji 200 – 1st (with Stewart)

As most old race cars do after their time on track is finished, this car passed around between a few owners. In this case some of them believed this to be the ’66 500-winning car of Graham Hill. The current owner bought it under that assumption in 1995. After much research, it was discovered it was not. In 2017, the car was restored back to its Bowes Seal Fast Special livery that Stewart ran in 1966.

It’s got a pretty interesting history and the 100% right look of an early rear-engined Indy car. The pre-sale estimate is $1,000,000-$1,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale. Also… can we take a second to ponder the insanity that Stewart finished SIXTH and was still not running at the end of the ’66 500? The fifth-place finisher wasn’t running either. Talk about attrition…

Update: Not sold.

Lola T296

1976 Lola T296

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

Eric Broadley’s Lola Cars was a long-time race car manufacturer based out of the U.K. They built open-wheel and sports cars between 1958 and 2012. In the 1970s, one of their big focuses was prototype sports cars, which included fantastic-looking racers like this one.

The T290 series was introduced in 1972 and was produced for a few years in six different variants. In all, 108 examples of the series were built, including this T296, which was made for the 1976 season. It features an aluminum monocoque and was built to accept four-cylinder engines.

This was the first of eight T296 examples produced and was purchased new by Mader Racing Components. It’s competition history includes:

  • 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans – 52nd, DNF (with Georges Morand, Christian Blanc, and Frederic Alliot)
  • 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans – 40th, DNF (with Morand, Blanc, and Eric Vaugnat)
  • 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans – 48th, DNF (with Vaugnat, Daniel Laurent, and Jacques Boillat)

It’s competitive career ended after the 1980 season, but before the decade was out, the car was active again on the historic circuit. It featured a Ford-Cosworth engine in-period, but is now powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter BMW M12 inline-four. This car a green card into almost any historic automotive event, and it can now be yours. Click here for more info.

Three Open Wheel Cars in Monterey

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 15-17, 2019


1997 G-Force-Oldsmobile GF01

Photo – Mecum

We’re starting here with Arie Luyendyk’s 1997 Indy 500-winning car. I have an unpopular opinion (influenced heavily by nostalgia) that the 1996-1998 Indy 500s were the greatest. I was up there for Fan Fest (or whatever it was called) as a kid and fell in love this era of open wheel cars. Between Arie and Buddy Lazier, I’m not sure who had a more profound impact on my love for the 500.

G-Force was founded in 1991 by Chip Ganassi and Ken Anderson, and they began building cars for the Indy Racing League in 1997. The car above was the very first GF01 constructed. And it was a beast. Powered by a 4.0-liter Oldsmobile Aurora V8, this GF01 took pole and the win at Indy in 1997 (other GF01s swept the podium). The competition history for this ex-Treadway Racing chassis includes:

  • 1997 Indianapolis 500 – 1st (with Luyendyk)
  • 1997 Texas 500 – 1st (with Luyendyk)
  • 1998 Las Vegas 500 – 1st (with Luyendyk)
  • 1999 Las Vegas 500 – 1st (with Sam Schmidt)

The car was restored by Treadway Racing in its ’97 500 racing livery and is just missing onboard telemetry and an ECU to make it functional. Indy 500-winning cars don’t change hands often, which makes this pretty special. Oh, by the way, the second-place car from ’97 is also offered at this sale. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $440,000.


1995 Lola-Menard T95/00

Photo – Mecum

In 1995, the Indy 500 was still part of the CART season. We’ve actually featured another Lola T95/00 with Indy history, but it was Cosworth-powered. This car is “Menard”-powered, which mostly means it features a turbocharged 3.6-liter Buick V6 built by-and-for Team Menard.

This Menard-entry in 1996 ended up winning the pole with Scott Brayton behind the wheel. Unfortunately, he was killed testing a back-up car in practice a few days after securing pole. Menard pulled Danny Ongais out of a nine-year retirement to run the car. He was 53-years-old on race day. This car’s competition history includes:

  • 1996 Indianapolis 500 – 7th (with Danny Ongais)

Both of Brayton’s pole-winning cars (1995 and 1996) are being offered at this sale. I chose this one because of its amazing Glidden/Menards livery (and Campbell Hausfeld, a company local to me)… although the other Quaker State/Menards car is quite attractive (and a photo of a similar-liveried car hung on my bedroom wall as a kid). Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $150,000.


1967 Gerhardt-Ford

Photo – Mecum

Here’s something a little older. Fred Gerhardt’s Fresno, California-built open-wheelers were all over the USAC circuit in the late 1960s. They were a competitive chassis that ran many races between about 1965 and 1971. Somehow, it is said that Gerhardt only built 11 examples. I think the “in 1967” part of that sentence was missing from the catalog.

This example is powered by a rear-mounted Ford 4.2-liter DOHC V8. It was purchased new by Walter Weir, who entered the car in the ’67 500 for F1 driver Lorenzo Bandini, who died at Monaco a few weeks before Indy. Thus, the competition history for this car includes:

  • 1967 Indianapolis 500 – 28th, DNF (with Al Miller)
  • 1968 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, (driver unknown)
  • 1969 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, (driver unknown)
  • 1971 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, (with Bill Puterbaugh)

It has had several owners since and has been restored. It’s eligible for historic events and can now be yours! Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $115,000.

1989 Larrousse F1

1989 Lola-Lamborghini LC89

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Larrousse Formula One was an F1 team founded by Gerard Larrousse and Didier Calmels in 1987. Based in Paris, the team used Lola chassis through 1991 and switched to Venturi-branded chassis for 1992. Their final two seasons, 1993 and 1994, they used cars designed in-house.

This car, LC89 chassis number 03, was a Lola-built car powered by a 3.5-liter Lamborghini V-12 capable of 600 horsepower. The engine was unreliable and 1989 was a disaster for the team, failing to qualify for or finish a majority of the races that year. The race history for this chassis includes:

  • 1989 US Grand Prix – 26th, DNF (with Philippe Alliot)
  • 1989 Canadian Grand Prix – 14th (with Alliot)
  • 1989 French Grand Prix – 11th (with Eric Bernard)
  • 1989 British Grand Prix – 16th (with Bernard)
  • 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Michele Alboreto)
  • 1989 Belgian Grand Prix – 20th, DNF (with Alboreto)
  • 1989 Italian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Alboreto)
  • 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix – 11th (with Alboreto)
  • 1990 US Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Aguri Suzuki)
  • 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with Suzuki)

In addition to those races, it also failed to qualify for a few races, including the 1989 Mexican, Spanish, Japanese, and Australian Grands Prix. The car has been on museum duty for quite a while and is missing and ECU and some engine internals. Otherwise, it should sell for between $180,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.

An F1 Car for the Street

2009 Lola F1R

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | December 7, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

So wait, in what world is this car street legal? The U.K., that’s what world. A little background: Lola Cars was one of the most famous constructors of race cars between 1958 and 2012. They didn’t technically build or sell this car, but it’s based on their stuff and was built by their employees.

To explain: someone (presumably with a lot of disposable income) bet the engineers at Lola that they couldn’t build a street-legal Formula One car. Race car designers aren’t people that like to say “No” to a technical challenge, so they actually ended up doing it.

It started with a Lola chassis from 1996 or 1997 and most of the body panels that came with it. The engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter Cosworth straight-four making 370 horsepower that is driven via a five-speed manual transmission. It has lights, an increased ride height, parking brake and “fenders” over the open wheels.

The car is essentially brand new, having covered only 25 miles since its completion – probably because, as cool as it is, it is probably a little terrifying to ride between two tractor trailers while in this thing. This one-off supercar should bring between $68,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update II: Sold, Silverstone Auctions, July 2018, $69,277.

1995 Lola Champ Car

1995 Lola-Cosworth T9500

Offered by Motostalgia | Indianapolis, Indiana | June 12, 2015

Photo - Motostalgia

Photo – Motostalgia

Lola was one of the main Indy Car/Champ Car chassis producers in the 1990s. This car was actually from the CART series – which, in this time period, was fantastic. American open wheel racing in the 90s was a really bright spot in racing history… well, at least through 1995.

The T9500 was Lola’s 1995 entry and this particular combo has a Cosworth XB V-8 – a turbocharged V-8, actually, making in excess of 750 horsepower. This car has Indy 500 history, including:

  • 1995 Indianapolis 500 – 31st, DNF (with Eddie Cheever)
  • 1996 Indianapolis 500 – 10th (with Scott Sharp)

This was actually an A.J. Foyt racing team car, which can’t hurt the value. It’s a pretty cool machine, although I’m not sure what you’d do with it (unless you’re some kind of daredevil that likes taking 750 horsepower open wheels cars to track days). Anyway, it should cost its next caretaker/pilot between $210,000-$250,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this sale’s lineup.

Update: Sold $93,500.