GTP Cool Wall: 1990 Life L190

1990 Life L190

  • Total voters
    101
  • Poll closed .
White & Nerdy

White & Nerdy

4,209
United States
Wasilla, AK
1990 Life L190 nominated by DK

N7J6BPt.jpg


Stats:
Production: 1990
Style: 0-door roadster
Engine: 3.5L naturally aspirated ??? 3-bank W12 (estimated 450 HP & ??? lb-ft), 3.5L naturally aspirated ??? V8 (rated ??? HP & ??? lb-ft)
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Layout: Mid-engine, Rear-drive
​
DK
The Life L190 is widely regarded as the most pathetic car to ever attempt to get onto the Formula One grid. Its chassis was already a year out of date when they came to Phoenix for the 1990 US Grand Prix, having been commissioned by an Italian team called FIRST, who never made to F1.

The L190 was supposed to show off its 3.5L W12 engine, but unlike a conventional W-shaped engine, which has 4 banks of cylinders, Life's "F35" engine had 3 banks of four cylinders. Theoretically, it was meant to be as compact as a V8, but delivering the same amount of power as a V12.

How wrong they were. Their engine was estimated to produce only 450hp. Compare that against the ~700hp that Ferrari, Honda and Renault's engines were producing, and you can see where this is going. It had the durability of a chocolate teapot, and could barely complete a handful of laps before something went wrong. Couple its feeble power with a 530kg weight (making it one of the heaviest cars on the grid), the Life L190 could manage no better than 6th place during pre-qualifying, but was always at least 14 seconds off pre-qualifying, and was slower than F3000 cars at the same tracks. Its most embarrassing moment came at Imola, when driver Bruno Giacomelli took over 7 minutes to complete a lap, at an average speed of just over 40km/h.

By the Portuguese Grand Prix, Life had given up on their own engine, and fitted a V8 from Judd instead. In a perfect example of their incompetence, the engine cover couldn't fit, and they failed to set a lap time. When they arrived at Jerez, the Judd V8 still couldn't save them from being 18 seconds off pre-qualifying pace. With no W12 to show off any more, Life did not make the trip to Japan and Australia for the end of the season, and their life support (pun intended) was switched off.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
This thing was such a bad F1 car that it couldn't even complete a lap. Having a car as bad as that does have some coolness about it.
 
Ah, the only W12 ever to have entered Formula One, and what a monumental failure it was. Not only were they behind in terms of speed, but safety as well with the extremely exposed cockpit and monocoque that had as much flex in it as a wobble board.

However, there's something about this awful car that makes me really want to own one. For that reason, sub-zero.
 
I...I gave it a "Sub-Zero". The fact that it's so bad makes it somewhat interesting. More interesting for the mind than most F1 cars that relatively managed to become the midfielders in a particular season, at least.
 
Too many question marks. Uncool.

Apparently, it was also nowhere near successful.
 
Last edited:
TheCracker
Automatically SU by default because racecar.
Click to expand...

As said here (someone who actually follows the rules imagine that), and even if it was to be given a pass...it's one of the worst freakin f1 cars ever. I mean don't be smart and follow the way most groups do a W12 no you have to be "unique" and do a triple bank that hardly worked and when it did didn't make nearly the power needed to compete in touring cars at the time much less F1.

/end rant

AudiMan2011
Worst F1 car ever. Send it to hell.
Click to expand...

Not the worst I would say, that seems to be a tie between a few of them, but it is easily there for the tie.
 
A race car that failed to even start a race, and a concept that failed spectacularly. There's nothing cool about being remembered as Formula 1's definitive rolling roadblock.
 
Last edited:
This car is sooo pathetic it manages to be Cool :lol:

Reading the story of this little pile of junk gave a good laugh :)
 
Piss poor planning promotes piss poor performance sums up Life Racing Engines.

Also a small look of life at the back of the grid of Formula 1 in 1990.

 
A racecar that isn't particularly good looking, or advanced, or fast. A team so unprofessional that they let the engine run without oil as a sign of protest to the team's manager.

I sort of see why people are voting it as cool as something ironic...but I'll go with my gut. Seriously Uncool. Done, next!
 
In retrospect I shouldn't have voted. I didn't know anything about this car until I read some of the responses and googled it. Went with meh, but now that I know more, still going with meh. Meh team, meh racecar, meh history. Will most likely be forgotten in automotive history.
 

Latest Posts

Back