1996 Champ Car

Posted on July 19, 2023 by classiccarweekly

1996 Reynard 96I

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 17-29, 2023

This is what race cars are supposed to look like. Team Rahal Reynards. The main chassis producers for the 1996 Champ Car season were Reynard and Lola. Team Rahal ran Reynard 96Is for Bobby Rahal and Bryan Herta, the latter of whom drove the Shell-liveried car you see here.

Back in the day, these were powered by a Mercedes/Ilmor 2.7-liter V8. This one is currently engineless. Unfortunately no competition history is provided for this chassis, but the catalog insinuates (a bit disingenuously) that this was the car involved in “The Pass” by Alex Zanardi at Laguna Seca.

Anyway, even without an engine this remains a fine example of the glory days of Champ Car. It has an estimate of $50,000-$80,000, and you can find out more about it here.

1995 CART Champion Reynard

Posted on April 20, 2022 by classiccarweekly

1995 Reynard-Cosworth 95I

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

The 1995 PPG Indy Car World Series was the final season of CART before the IRL opened shop for 1996. Reynard was one of three chassis suppliers for the ’95 CART season, alongside Penske and Lola.

This chassis, no. 04, was campaigned by Team Green in lovely 1990s Player’s livery. Power is provided by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth XB V8. The competition history for this car includes:

1995 Grand Prix of Miami – 1st (with Jacques Villeneuve)
1995 Grand Prix of Cleveland – 1st (with Villeneuve)
1995 PPG Indy Car World Series Championship – 1st (with Villeneuve)

This is an incredibly powerful, fast open-wheel race car from a glorious era of American open-wheel racing. And it gave a future F1 champ his lone Indy Car championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $250,000.

Grand Prix Masters Reynard

Posted on April 1, 2022 by classiccarweekly

2005 Reynard-Cosworth 2KI

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 14, 2022

Grand Prix Masters was a short-lived racing series intended for retired Formula One drivers to compete in what were essentially re-bodied Champ Cars. The series held one race in its first “season” in 2005 and two the following year. All of the cars were Reynard 2KI chassis.

They featured a Cosworth-derived 3.5-liter V8 that made more than 650 horsepower (the engine was actually built by Nicholson McLaren). This particular chassis is owned by Nigel Mansell, who actually won two of the three races ever contested in the series in this car. The complete Grand Prix Masters competition history for this chassis includes (all with Mansell):

2005 Kyalami South Africa – 1st
2006 Losail Qatar – 1st
2006 Silverstone England – 15th, DNF

So, pretty dominant. Although with that DNF, it allowed Eddie Cheever to technically win the championship. Since then, the car has been on display, so it needs a mechanical freshening. It’s being sold at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $60,614.