24h Le Mans
Eric Broadley, founder of Lola Cars and one of the most influential racing car designers of the 20th century, died on 28 May. Born in Bromley (UK), Broadley trained as an architect and founded his company in 1958, which he sold to fellow petrolhead Martin Birrane in 1999.
From endurance to Formula One, the Indy 500 to the A1 Grand Prix, the Lola marque was a familiar feature in paddocks around the world from the sixties until the company folded in 2012.
The manufacturer’s first big success was victory at the Indianapolis 500 Miles in 1966 with Graham Hill in the driving seat.
Although, unlike Graham Hill, Lola never won the Le Mans 24 Hours, it can be argued that it contributed to Ford’s success in the French race as engineer Roy Lunn used a Lola Mk6 GT as the basis for the development of the Ford GT40.
Around that time, Lola developed the T70 which raced between 1967 and 1972, first with an Aston Martin V8 engine (Mk II), then a Chevrolet (Mk III).
The T70 never finished Le Mans, even with star drivers such as John Surtees at the wheel. However, the car was a star of the silver screen, albeit in disguise: the Ferrari 512 and Porsche 917 featured in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans were actually Lola T70s.
In 1976, a Lola T380 fielded by Alain de Cadenet finished third overall at Le Mans, behind the Porsche 936 and the Mirage. The manufacturer came fifth the following year.
In the early eighties, Lola designed the T616 (Mazda engine) to compete in Group C and won the C2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1984. After two more races at Fuji and Nürburgring, the T616 retired from competition but beautifully restored models have been gracing classic car races ever since.
Lola returned to Le Mans in 1992 with two T92/10s to see out Group C. In 1999, Birrane, the new owner, brought the marque back to La Sarthe in the shape of the B98/10 and then the B2K/40 which reaped several wins in LMP675 and LM P2 between 2000 and 2005. The RML MG Lola continued the success, but after one last victory in 2007, Lola bowed out, conceding defeat in the face of the Porsche RS Spyder. Lola’s last flourish was a partnership with Aston Martin, racing a B09/60 in LM P1 against Peugeot and Audi in 2009.
All in all, Eric Broadley leaves a remarkable legacy of inspired engineering and will be sadly missed in the field of endurance racing.
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest extends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Photo (Copyright ACO): The Lola T70 - Aston Martin driven by John Surtees and David Hobbs at the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours.
