RE: Homolorated! | GT1 sportscars
Discussion
Lotus gt1 was a failure because it was developed with the lotus esprit v8 (this is why the road car has a lotus v8). Unfortunately 2 weeks before the cars were due to race new regulations to the GT class basically outlawed the lotus v8 engine meaning that had two weeks to put the chevy engine in them and the cars suffered major reliability issues because of it.
lotuslover69 said:
Lotus gt1 was a failure because it was developed with the lotus esprit v8 (this is why the road car has a lotus v8). Unfortunately 2 weeks before the cars were due to race new regulations to the GT class basically outlawed the lotus v8 engine meaning that had two weeks to put the chevy engine in them and the cars suffered major reliability issues because of it.
I think the Esprit had the V8 in 1996.I recall one of the mags took a, then new and largely unknown, Noble M12 to an event which I think from memory was in the south of France. It was parked up amongst a host of exotica and directly beside an Elise GT1, and was generally accepted as looking special enough to be in their company
Addymk2 said:
I saw presumably that yellow TWR XJ220 on the A34 near Newbury around 10 years ago now.
I nearly binned my car into the central reservation I was so shocked. Epic presence on the road
At the LeMans Classic a few years ago, and after a fairly heavy night avec du vin, I got woken up by one of these idling about 20 feet from my head, parked on the back road to Arnage beside Blue Nord. They prove fairly effective as an alarm clock! I nearly binned my car into the central reservation I was so shocked. Epic presence on the road
Good article with some great cars. I do think the McLaren F1 is unduly lauded to a degree, particularly with it's Le Mans win being more farce than anything. Still, a nice looking car.
The Panoz Esperante GTR-1 deserves a mention here for being such a striking and fabulous machine. The concept of a massive, brutish V8 up front may seem a bit old fashioned but the look and sound of the car was sensational.
The Panoz Esperante GTR-1 deserves a mention here for being such a striking and fabulous machine. The concept of a massive, brutish V8 up front may seem a bit old fashioned but the look and sound of the car was sensational.
BIRMA said:
The Lotus GT1 is a nice looking car, I managed to pester the owner of this one at a big Lotus Gathering at Donnington to remove the rear cover so everyone could have a good look. Fabulous piece of kit.
I thought the owner said it was a modified version of the V8 in my late V8 Esprit.
When were these photos taken?I thought the owner said it was a modified version of the V8 in my late V8 Esprit.
Edited by BIRMA on Saturday 25th April 10:14
Edited by BIRMA on Saturday 25th April 10:17
Edited by BIRMA on Saturday 25th April 10:22
Edited by BIRMA on Saturday 25th April 10:23
Haven't seen any updates on the Elise GT1 road car since around 2010 so it'd be great if these are recent.
Addymk2 said:
I saw presumably that yellow TWR XJ220 on the A34 near Newbury around 10 years ago now.
I nearly binned my car into the central reservation I was so shocked. Epic presence on the road
Won't be that one because that one is a standard XJ220 with the TWR front and rear clips. The strip down the side is the key to noticing.I nearly binned my car into the central reservation I was so shocked. Epic presence on the road
Presume you would've seen the real deal car.
F1GTRUeno said:
When were these photos taken?
Haven't seen any updates on the Elise GT1 road car since around 2010 so it'd be great if these are recent.
Just checked my photo album it was August 2011, it was the Club Lotus gathering at the Donnington main hall, the car was in the foyer.Haven't seen any updates on the Elise GT1 road car since around 2010 so it'd be great if these are recent.
lotuslover69 said:
Lotus gt1 was a failure because it was developed with the lotus esprit v8 (this is why the road car has a lotus v8). Unfortunately 2 weeks before the cars were due to race new regulations to the GT class basically outlawed the lotus v8 engine meaning that had two weeks to put the chevy engine in them and the cars suffered major reliability issues because of it.
Didn't outlaw it, just castrated it and destroyed the chance of competitiveness, same with Porsche.In an attempt to stop the 911 GT1 running away with things like it did the last three races of 1996, they scuppered anyone using turbos and bowed to anyone with a big NA engine.
The ACO didn't hence why Porsche were competitive at Le Mans but nowhere else.
This is the era I grew up with so naturally I bloody love all the cars made.
Off the top of my head here's the list of roadgoing to race variants. Starting off with the earlier cars based off 'normal' road going cars then going to the proper homologation specials, roughly in order of the year they raced
Jag made the XJ220 into a race car thanks to TWR with the XJ220S road car and the XJ220C race car in 1993 although the class wasn't known as GT1. It raced again in privateer hands in the GT1 class in 1995
Dauer/Porsche played games and homologated the 962 for the road as the Dauer 962LM in 1994
Venturi 400GT had it's own racing version that then became the 500 and 600LM (sometimes known as SLM)
EB110SS became the EB110LM
The Venturi Cup combined with the 911 Cup and Ferrari Challenge to create the BPR GT series in which the following raced
Ferrari F40 became F40 GT/LM/GTE
Lotus Esprit V8 became the Esprit GT1
Viper GTS became the GTS/R and originally raced in GT1 - they later brought out a GTS/R road car to celebrate success much like McLaren
McLaren F1 - normal roadcar homologated the GTR, then the GT homologated the long-tailed 1997 car. People think the LM was a homologation car but it was made after the 1995 Le Mans to celebrate the success.
Marcos LM600 - original was blue and has now been changed to orange and sports race car bodywork. Later dropped down to GT2 with the Viper and Storm
Lister Storm - there were pictures of the road car wearing the curvier bodywork that the race cars used one year but they only made 4 road cars in total so it's likely it was just for homolgating that years car. Later dropped to GT2 with the Viper
Porsche 911 GT2 - raced in GT1 at first but then dropped down to GT2 as Porsche decided to go extreme on the rule book
Ferrari F50 became F50 GT - never got to race as Ferrari pulled it with everyone else going for homologation specials. Was said to be faster around Fiorano than the 333SP though and that was normally faster than a GT1 car so why they pulled it I don't know.
The start of the real homologation specials was with the 911 GT1 - three variants made: 1996 car with 993 headlights, 1997 'Evolution car' with 996 headlights then the clean slate 1998 car with 996 headlights. 2 96 cars made, 22 97 cars made (could be a full 25 run though) and 1 98 car made.
McLaren F1 GT
Lotus Elise GT1 - homologated with the V8, originally blue and wingless but then changed to dark grey/black and with a wing.
Nissan R390 - 1997 homologation with short tail was a red car that was converted to the 1998 long tailed blue car.
Panoz Esperante GTR-1 - road car originally lime coloured, then repainted reflex purple for 1998 and now restored to lime
Mercedes CLK-GTR - 1997 car with the V12 that the Zonda has
Mercedes CLK-LM - 1998 car with the V8
LM on the left, GTR on the right
Toyota GT-One - one road car made with the famous 'empty fuel tank can be used for luggage' excuse. Basically an LMP
Bitter GT1 - Hezemans family converted two Elise GT1 chassis to look like this with a Viper V10 with the hope of winning in 1998, didn't work.
The British series had a few more home made specials such as
TVR Speed 12 - the Project 7/12 or original Speed 12 ran in GT1 regs then the updated model ran to GT2 spec IIRC
Sintura S99 - they dressed up the race car with numberplates and the like and the FIA gave it homologation
Pulse GT1 - there's a thread on here about it being restored
Harrier LR9/C
Off the top of my head here's the list of roadgoing to race variants. Starting off with the earlier cars based off 'normal' road going cars then going to the proper homologation specials, roughly in order of the year they raced
Jag made the XJ220 into a race car thanks to TWR with the XJ220S road car and the XJ220C race car in 1993 although the class wasn't known as GT1. It raced again in privateer hands in the GT1 class in 1995
Dauer/Porsche played games and homologated the 962 for the road as the Dauer 962LM in 1994
Venturi 400GT had it's own racing version that then became the 500 and 600LM (sometimes known as SLM)
EB110SS became the EB110LM
The Venturi Cup combined with the 911 Cup and Ferrari Challenge to create the BPR GT series in which the following raced
Ferrari F40 became F40 GT/LM/GTE
Lotus Esprit V8 became the Esprit GT1
Viper GTS became the GTS/R and originally raced in GT1 - they later brought out a GTS/R road car to celebrate success much like McLaren
McLaren F1 - normal roadcar homologated the GTR, then the GT homologated the long-tailed 1997 car. People think the LM was a homologation car but it was made after the 1995 Le Mans to celebrate the success.
Marcos LM600 - original was blue and has now been changed to orange and sports race car bodywork. Later dropped down to GT2 with the Viper and Storm
Lister Storm - there were pictures of the road car wearing the curvier bodywork that the race cars used one year but they only made 4 road cars in total so it's likely it was just for homolgating that years car. Later dropped to GT2 with the Viper
Porsche 911 GT2 - raced in GT1 at first but then dropped down to GT2 as Porsche decided to go extreme on the rule book
Ferrari F50 became F50 GT - never got to race as Ferrari pulled it with everyone else going for homologation specials. Was said to be faster around Fiorano than the 333SP though and that was normally faster than a GT1 car so why they pulled it I don't know.
The start of the real homologation specials was with the 911 GT1 - three variants made: 1996 car with 993 headlights, 1997 'Evolution car' with 996 headlights then the clean slate 1998 car with 996 headlights. 2 96 cars made, 22 97 cars made (could be a full 25 run though) and 1 98 car made.
McLaren F1 GT
Lotus Elise GT1 - homologated with the V8, originally blue and wingless but then changed to dark grey/black and with a wing.
Nissan R390 - 1997 homologation with short tail was a red car that was converted to the 1998 long tailed blue car.
Panoz Esperante GTR-1 - road car originally lime coloured, then repainted reflex purple for 1998 and now restored to lime
Mercedes CLK-GTR - 1997 car with the V12 that the Zonda has
Mercedes CLK-LM - 1998 car with the V8
LM on the left, GTR on the right
Toyota GT-One - one road car made with the famous 'empty fuel tank can be used for luggage' excuse. Basically an LMP
Bitter GT1 - Hezemans family converted two Elise GT1 chassis to look like this with a Viper V10 with the hope of winning in 1998, didn't work.
The British series had a few more home made specials such as
TVR Speed 12 - the Project 7/12 or original Speed 12 ran in GT1 regs then the updated model ran to GT2 spec IIRC
Sintura S99 - they dressed up the race car with numberplates and the like and the FIA gave it homologation
Pulse GT1 - there's a thread on here about it being restored
Harrier LR9/C
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Saturday 25th April 17:32
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Saturday 25th April 17:36
MCBrowncoat said:
pablo said:
Why only six? This was a fantastic era of racing, despite racing against the faster LMP900/675s, the GTs were brilliant races within a race. I loved the breadth of racing but there are a few omissions, and for me, a GT car is the classic front engine rear wheel drive format. The Viper was probably the most iconic of all GTs simply for not being a 911 and for winning it’s class three times in a row at Le Mans.
I may stand corrected but I don't think the Viper or Corvette were ever GT1 cars were they?There was also this:
http://www.lambocars.com/diablo/diablo_gt1.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ubbarez-A&fe...
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Saturday 25th April 17:55
BIRMA said:
The Lotus GT1 is a nice looking car, I managed to pester the owner of this one at a big Lotus Gathering at Donnington to remove the rear cover so everyone could have a good look. Fabulous piece of kit.
I thought the owner said it was a modified version of the V8 in my late V8 Esprit.
I believe the road car did have a version of the 918 (with around 550bhp) and the race cars were supposed to, too until the usual last decisions meant them having to re-jig everything for the ZR1 lump.I thought the owner said it was a modified version of the V8 in my late V8 Esprit.
That particular car was repainted from its LRG colour as per your pictures to Azure Blue a little later in its life.
Cold said:
I believe the road car did have a version of the 918 (with around 550bhp) and the race cars were supposed to, too until the usual last decisions meant them having to re-jig everything for the ZR1 lump.
That particular car was repainted from its LRG colour as per your pictures to Azure Blue a little later in its life.
It was homologated with the 918 as the Lotus GT1 TurboThat particular car was repainted from its LRG colour as per your pictures to Azure Blue a little later in its life.
https://historicdb.fia.com/car/lotus-gt1-turbo
I believe it originally only had the standard 350bhp of the normal 918 but it was tuned up later in life by the current owner (Graham something IIRC).
It was originally black, then blue and now it's carbon/black again. Don't think it was ever LRG. The wing from the racing car was added when it was restored by the current owner in the mid-late 2000s along with the tune up.
Hasn't been seen since 2011 as per those photos. No idea what's happened to it.
F1GTRUeno said:
It was homologated with the 918 as the Lotus GT1 Turbo
https://historicdb.fia.com/car/lotus-gt1-turbo
I believe it originally only had the standard 350bhp of the normal 918 but it was tuned up later in life by the current owner (Graham something IIRC).
It was originally black, then blue and now it's carbon/black again. Don't think it was ever LRG. The wing from the racing car was added when it was restored by the current owner in the mid-late 2000s along with the tune up.
Hasn't been seen since 2011 as per those photos. No idea what's happened to it.
Yes I think his name was Graham, I did have a long chat with him over dinner at an evening gathering during the Club Lotus event, unfortunately my memory is crap and I can't remember what he told me about the car. I'll have to find the rather nice A5 glossy card which details it, if I find it i'll post it up here as it will no doubt be of interest.https://historicdb.fia.com/car/lotus-gt1-turbo
I believe it originally only had the standard 350bhp of the normal 918 but it was tuned up later in life by the current owner (Graham something IIRC).
It was originally black, then blue and now it's carbon/black again. Don't think it was ever LRG. The wing from the racing car was added when it was restored by the current owner in the mid-late 2000s along with the tune up.
Hasn't been seen since 2011 as per those photos. No idea what's happened to it.
BIRMA said:
Yes I think his name was Graham, I did have a long chat with him over dinner at an evening gathering during the Club Lotus event, unfortunately my memory is crap and I can't remember what he told me about the car. I'll have to find the rather nice A5 glossy card which details it, if I find it i'll post it up here as it will no doubt be of interest.
Absolutely if you could, thank you for the response and what you've shared already.EDIT - Graham Morris
http://archive.dailysportscar.com/subscribers/news...
Another of the British specials that I forgot about.
The Quaife R4 GTS
https://www.carmrades-blog.com/all-articles/2018/4...
The Quaife R4 GTS
https://www.carmrades-blog.com/all-articles/2018/4...
F1GTRUeno said:
This is the era I grew up with so naturally I bloody love all the cars made.
Off the top of my head here's the list of roadgoing to race variants. Starting off with the earlier cars based off 'normal' road going cars then going to the proper homologation specials, roughly in order of the year they raced
Great selection just one omission & that's the Saleen S7.Off the top of my head here's the list of roadgoing to race variants. Starting off with the earlier cars based off 'normal' road going cars then going to the proper homologation specials, roughly in order of the year they raced
Mod edit - Don't quote all the photos
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