We all know the story of Mazda's famous 787B, the 900hp rotary-engined endurance monster which claimed Japan's first outright Le Mans win in 1991. What many don't realise, however, is that it wasn't the manufacturer's first 24 hour victory at La Sarthe; that came seven years earlier when the Mazda-Lola T616 took the top step of the podium in the C2 class.
Like its bigger brother, the T616 was rotary powered, although its 9,000rpm twin-rotor engine produced just 300hp, a far cry from the 900hp which the quad-rotor 787B was capable of when not tuned down to its more reliable 700hp for races. Still, it was enough to give the T616 a fighting chance against a field of more heavily favoured rivals, allowing the #68 car to finish in 10th place overall and take that historic class win, while the #67 came home twelfth overall and third in class.
Having been raced until the early 90s, the cars were then bought by Jim Busby and Rick Knoop, two of the drivers of the #67 car in 1984, who decided to restore them. They have since taken part in historic races and motorsport gatherings around the world, including two trips to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and it's not hard to see why.
With its broad shoulders and spaceage sloping cockpit, the T616 is the epitome of the 80s racer; there's nothing quite like it. Although don't spend too long on the profile shot, lest its Wacky Races-esq wheel to body proportions put you off. Still, you won't care how it looks when you're seated in the sparse cabin, with just the steering wheel, a handful of dials and a few switches to distract you from what must be one of the purest driving experiences going.
Of course, owning historic race cars can be equally troublesome whether they're from the 80s or are 80 years old, but these Lolas do have a couple of advantages over most. The first is the full restoration which both machines underwent just eight years ago, meaning they should be ship shape, and the second comes in the form of one of the most extensive collections of spares we've ever seen. From the two spare motors - including the original 1984 Le Mans winning unit - to extra wheels and tyres, spare body parts from which to mould an unlimited supply of replacements, and more mechanical pieces than you can shake a gear stick at. What more could you need?
Well, just the money to buy one really. Or both, preferably. And of course a friend to race against. Whatever the new owner does with their purchase, though, they'll have an incredible piece of motorsport history on their hands. Hopefully they'll have an inclination to continue sharing these fantastic cars with the rest of us as well.
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