Lola Coupe

[Sleeper]

Its been reported in Autosport this week that Lola intends to get its Coupe LMP1 car on the track for testing by September this year. I cant wait to see what it looks like but I expect it will be a bit similar to the B07/10 they currently race.

[1LM1]

Great news. It's just me or the first time on track will happen sooner than expected?

[harvick#1]

I'm starting to look forward toward a coupe style racing again, now only if Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes all decide to make a new GT1/GTP car that would be fantastic I miss the TS090 and R390, but I'm about to build those as models.

but I'd be curious to see if the Category will remain as P1, I think the Peugeot 908 will be a GTP car like the Bentley was from 01-03

[Sleeper]

I'm not sure but I think they class all the top cars as LMP1 now, as there aint much GT about the coupes anymore.

I think Lola started work on this last year as soon as the ACO anounced that they wanted the top class to be all coupes by 2010 (something they seem to have gone back on under pressure from Audi and Courage), so it will be about 15 months of work before it hits the track, my doesnt time fly.

Besides Peugeot and Lola, I think Creation are the only other team doing a Coupe, does anyone know of any others?

Harvick, whats the TS090? I know the TS010 and the TS020, but not the 90.

[harvick#1]

I think I had the numbers mistaken :) it was to TS020 is what I was thinking

[BrentJackson]

Is that car legal for the current ALMS rules? If it is, why not send it over here and run it? That would prove more than endless testing, wouldn't it?

[Sleeper]

Is that car legal for the current ALMS rules? If it is, why not send it over here and run it? That would prove more than endless testing, wouldn't it?
Its a Le Mans spec car so it will be able to compete in the ALMS.

You know you do have to test a car first before you can put it into competition, so you can at least find out whats wrong and whats right about it, besides, Lola would probably have more luck finding a buyer on this side of the Atlantic (just look at the LMP1 grids in the LMS and ALMS).

[Thumper]

Official press release from Lola yesterday (about Monza) includes the following paragraphs:

While Lola’s existing LMP1 and LMP2 cars are winning on the tracks of the world, engineers are busy back at Huntingdon building the first ever customer Coupé prototype.

The all-new design is scheduled to start testing in October. The spectacular design has already been exhaustively tested with Lola’s significant new CFD upgrade which has been developed in conjunction with computer giant AMD.

The Coupe, to be known as the B08/60, is currently in Lola’s state-of-the-art 50% scale on-site windtunnel undergoing more testing and development before the build of the car begins in June. Lola will be issuing further information and images at Le Mans in June.

[Mark in Oshawa]

So we wait. Brent, I agree with you, they could test in the ALMS, without worrying about results easier than in the LMES, but alas, they are in the UK, and it makes little sense to fly over to America to test when they are in racing central in the UK and Europe for sportscars.

[Sleeper]

If a new car model hits the track for its first ever shake down in October, what races is their likely to be for it to compete in, probably only the Laguna Seca ALMS race and the Mil Mihlas (sp?) LMS race at Interlagos. I think their better of testing over the winter and having a team like Dysen or RML run at Sebring.

[harvick#1]

Dyson is running Porsches now, I don't think they will buy a new Lola, unless they know for a fact, it can compete with Audi

[Sleeper]

Saddly this is true, though maybe they should try to get a supply of customer Audi or Peaguot engines.

[harvick#1]

Audi is suppose to be letting Privateers buy the R10 next year hopefully, wonder how many teams will be shooting for that.

plus if anyone has the dailysportscar.com subscription, I guess there is a sneak peak of the car

[BrentJackson]

Whoa, whoa - Privateer R10s? :eek:

I guess the RS Spyders have struck a nerve, haven't they? :D

I wasn't thinking Dyson would buy the Lola Coupe - with Champ Car in its current clusterf--k state, I was more wondering if Carl Haas would be interested. :)