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Long Beach is the next round in the American Le Mans Series and one week later the American Le Mans Series and all of sports car racing will see one of the iconic cars in the new era run for the last time. I'm sure we all shed a tear last year at Lime Rock when the R8 ran its last event (not) however I believe this finale will be tear worthy from everyone here at GTP. The Lola EX257 will parade around a racetrack in a professional event for the last time at the Grand Prix of Houston in two weeks.
The MG Lola EX 257 made all of us look at the newly formed 675 class seriously after a debut that gave us the impression it was a joke class. The EX257 is responsible for the development of that class and therefore the current crop of second tier prototypes we see gracing the ALMS today. It was also that bee in the bonnet of Audi when Panoz and all other prototypes dropped from ALMS competition. As it turns out today, for a couple of years the dead grid we see in P1 was staved off by the great Dysonized Lola EX257 P900/P1 car. The combination of Lola, MG, and AER were the first to take advantage of the great power to weight ratio featured in the LMP 675 class. The engine, originally badged "MG XP-20" a 2.0 litre Turbo that easily produced 450hp and 215mph when combined with the light weight Lola chassis became the weapon of choice in this new class. When Dyson got their hands on the new car and started giving the R8's a run for their money in America IMSA and the ACO made rules changes forcing the little car that could to adapt. And adapt it did. It made it to P1 specifications and through 2005 it played the role of anti-Audi in the ALMS. Last year at Petit the EX257, against all odds picked itself up a podium result despite the best looking grid in P1 in a long time.
I gotta tell you, I sure will miss it. But I'll be glad to see that godawful Jean Richard livery off of what is a beautiful car. No offense Autocon, and thank you for sticking with it so we had the chance to make this thread, but that orange/brown thing looks horrific tugging around the circuit. It doesn't look like it will get the same romantic ending that the R8 got, sadly, as it certainly deserves it. If Speed don't make mention of it in its last race that would truly be a shame.
m.piedgros
The MG Lola EX 257 made all of us look at the newly formed 675 class seriously after a debut that gave us the impression it was a joke class. The EX257 is responsible for the development of that class and therefore the current crop of second tier prototypes we see gracing the ALMS today. It was also that bee in the bonnet of Audi when Panoz and all other prototypes dropped from ALMS competition. As it turns out today, for a couple of years the dead grid we see in P1 was staved off by the great Dysonized Lola EX257 P900/P1 car. The combination of Lola, MG, and AER were the first to take advantage of the great power to weight ratio featured in the LMP 675 class. The engine, originally badged "MG XP-20" a 2.0 litre Turbo that easily produced 450hp and 215mph when combined with the light weight Lola chassis became the weapon of choice in this new class. When Dyson got their hands on the new car and started giving the R8's a run for their money in America IMSA and the ACO made rules changes forcing the little car that could to adapt. And adapt it did. It made it to P1 specifications and through 2005 it played the role of anti-Audi in the ALMS. Last year at Petit the EX257, against all odds picked itself up a podium result despite the best looking grid in P1 in a long time.
I gotta tell you, I sure will miss it. But I'll be glad to see that godawful Jean Richard livery off of what is a beautiful car. No offense Autocon, and thank you for sticking with it so we had the chance to make this thread, but that orange/brown thing looks horrific tugging around the circuit. It doesn't look like it will get the same romantic ending that the R8 got, sadly, as it certainly deserves it. If Speed don't make mention of it in its last race that would truly be a shame.
m.piedgros
