I remember seeing the predecessor of this format at Silverstone in the late 50s or early 1960s at Silverstone. I think it was being demonstrated for publicity in an event…the same impractical layout for a road going vehicle but better weight distribution for a race car. Indeed at that point the mid-engine car had become the established layout for formula cars but not LeMans type sports cars at that point. I had thought that the car I saw was a McLaren but see that McLaren did not start building his own cars until the mid-sixties or so; which would mean that what I saw was a different mark.
Anyway, I believe that the car must have been a Lola mk6 GT with a Ford V8 engine…possibly the first such mid-engine layout in a GT car. It entered the LeMans 24 hour race in 1963 but did not finish. It was a rushed affair and the only gearbox that was available was too low geared I think which meant high revs on the straights. Otherwise it performed well I read. The winning car that year was a mid-engine Ferrari…but open coup…not GT.
Well…it started a trend and you had to have the mid-engine concept from that time, to win the 24 hour event. The Lola?…well with Ford backing and help it became the Ford GT40. So they all hail from there. Why buy one?...well…nowhere to use such power and ability and many under dust covers, I suggest but from Bugatti on down, better interest than putting your money in the bank perhaps. On a sunny summer day, at a car show…you can be king. Unless parked next to a Morgan of course.
(I replaced my previous entry...my memories and timeline were a bit out...but not that far)
