MG-Lola EX257

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MG-Lola
20 Lola EX257.jpg
EX257
Production period: 2001-2002
Class : race car
Body versions : Monoposto
Engines: Petrol engines :
2.0 liters
(331–368 kW)
Length: 4590 mm
Width: 1990 mm
Height: 1080 mm
Wheelbase : 2700 mm
Empty weight : 691-711 kg
successor MG-Lola EX264

The MG-Lola EX257 (sometimes simply called MG EX257 ) was a Le Mans prototype that Lola Cars International made for MG to compete in the 2001 Le Mans 24-hour race . The car enjoyed moderate success for many years, also in the hands of private drivers.

It was Lola's only car built according to the LMP675 (Le Mans) regulations and it was also known as the B01 / 60 . The last EX257 in the original design was withdrawn from racing in 2007.

development

After the MG brand regained its strength at the beginning of the 21st century, it was decided to reintroduce the brand to motorsport, for example in the touring car championship and sports car races . MG was successful in the Le Mans 24-hour race many decades earlier, but was never able to achieve overall victory. At around the same time, the ACO changed the regulations for Le Mans and introduced two different prototype classes , in each of which an overall victory could be achieved. One of these classes, called LMP675 , required the use of smaller engines and lighter, more agile vehicles that could also compete with the heavier and more powerful vehicles in the LMP900 class.

After MG saw a possibility of being able to compete with a production-based engine in the LMP675 class, instead of having to use an engine specially built for racing in a size that MG never manufactured, the management decided to move into the new class get involved with the help of Lola Cars International. In 2000 Lola had already built two racing cars, the B2K / 10 and the B2K / 40 , but these did not comply with the new LMP675 regulations. Lola therefore had to build a completely new prototype with a lower weight and a smaller motor according to the LMP675 regulation. Since the B2K / 40 was more in line with these new rules, many details were adopted from it for the new car, which Lola baptized the B01 / 60. The design of the front fenders of the B01 / 60 was almost the same as that of the B2K / 40, but the slightly raised nose of the car was designed very differently and had a large, square airbox shaped like an MG grille. The side pods were also designed completely differently and had flowing lines to improve the aerodynamics on the inside and outside of the car. A large, single air intake opening was attached to the top of the vehicle slightly to the side of the cockpit and housed the intake port of the turbocharger . As with the Audi R8 , a single roll bar stood behind the driver instead of taking up the entire width of the cockpit. At the rear, the air deflector was mounted low on the landing gear in order to increase the maximum speed that can be achieved. After all, the EX257 was very light and only weighed 690 kg when it was launched (675 kg was the regular minimum weight).

MG turned to Advanced Engine Research (AER) to design an engine and Garrett for a turbocharger . The new 2.0 l R4 engine MG XP20 (AER designation P07 ) used some elements of the MG series engines and came to about 500 bhp (368 kW), which was throttled by an air flow limiter that the ACO had installed to adapt different engine concepts.

Modifications

In 2003 the Intersport Racing Team felt the MG machine's performance was too poor for the American Le Mans Series . The team transplanted a naturally aspirated Judd KV675 V8 into the car, which replaced the MG XP20. This made it necessary to remove the large turbo intake manifold, instead an intake manifold was installed behind the cockpit. This car - which, since it had no MG engine, was only called Lola - had a short career with some racing successes ahead of it.

Racing history

The new MG-Lola EX257 entered a competition for the first time in 2001 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with two cars from MG Sport & Racing Ltd. were reported. The new cars showed their potential and finished 14th and 17th in the overall classification of the qualification, which were the two best times in the LMP675 class. However, the problems of the LMP675 class soon became apparent in the race: Although they were fast despite their small engines, these engines were too loaded and proved to be not as reliable on long journeys. After only 30 laps, one MG was eliminated due to problems with the exhaust system. A few hours later the second car had to give up due to an oil leak, so that MG was eliminated very early.

The EX257 was first offered to customers in 2002. Two US teams, KnightHawk Racing and Intersport Racing seized the opportunity, each bought a chassis and used it in the American Le Mans Series for the entire season. Improvements to the EX257 allowed for greater reliability, which was evident in the Sebring 12 Hours when Intersport won the LMP675 class and finished 7th overall, while KnightHawk finished third in the LMP675 category. The rest of the 2002 season , the two EX257s dominated the series and achieved four more class wins. KnightHawk took the season's win in the LMP675 category, just one point more than competitor Intersport. A third EX257 owned by Dyson Racing also took part in the final four races of the season ; he finished fifth in the series, despite having only participated in a handful of races.

In Le Mans, the MG team again competed with their two EX257s. Their reliability had also increased and both cars stayed in the race longer than in the previous year. Transmission problems caused one car to fail after 129 laps, but the second car did well until the engine failed in the final hours of the race. The American KnightHawk team also took part in the race, but their car went up in flames in the night.

After the MG team had not managed to finish the Le Mans race with even one car in two years and the MG Rover Group also had financial problems, they withdrew from racing. But Lola continued to sell the cars to customers and, together with AER, also offered technical support. In the American Le Mans Series, KnightHawk Racing gave up, but Dyson Racing took over and now fielded two EX257s. Dyson and Intersport finished all races as class winners of the 2003 season. In addition, Dyson won the Infineon Raceway with the EX257 for the first time since the Le Mans prototypes were classified as an overall victory with an LMP675 vehicle. Dyson eventually emerged as the season winner in the LMP675 class. Before the last championship run, the Petit Le Mans , Intersport decided to replace the turbocharged MG engine with the Judd KV675 V8. That decision forced the team to make engineering changes to their vehicle (now referred to as the B01 / 60), but they were successful as the team won the LMP675 class. Although this was a perfect season for the EX257, there were still problems at Le Mans. A single Intersport car could not finish the race and retired after just 102 laps with engine failure.

In 2004 the ACO decided to completely revise its Le Mans prototype regulations. As a result, from the three victorious prototype classes LMP900, LMP675 and LMPGTP, only the category now called LMP1 remained. While the newly created LMP2 should be inferior in terms of performance. In order to continue to show full starting fields, older prototypes with adjustments were allowed to continue to compete in the following years. The ACO now sorted LMP675 vehicles with aluminum chassis into the LMP2. The remaining prototypes were in the LMP1 class, including the carbon- made EX257. In Europe, Ray Mallock Ltd. (RML-Group) the name MG in the new Le Mans Endurance Series . The car did well in the short season; he was able to finish all races and achieved 5th place as the best result, which also meant 5th place in the team season championship. In America, Dyson Racing continued with its two cars, while Intersport reported the car powered by Judd. The good results of the previous year could not be repeated, however, as Dyson was now in the same class as the dominant Audi R8 . Although Dyson was able to achieve an overall victory against the Audi at the Mosport International Raceway , the team only achieved second place in the championship. Intersports vehicle did not provide the desired performance compared to more modern LMP1 vehicles and could only score in two races. Both teams, RML-Group and Intersport took part in Le Mans, but again neither car could finish the race. Intersport's car was involved in an accident, while RML suffered engine damage in the final hours of the race.

The EX257 from Autocon Motorsport 2006

After the disappointing performance of Intersports B01 / 60, the car was no longer reported in 2005. So there was only the Dyson team with two cars in the American Le Mans Series and the RML Group in the European Le Mans Endurance Series. But RML had made massive changes to their car after last season. The vehicle was now largely identical to the newly developed Lola B05 / 40 and was now called MG-Lola EX264. As a result, the car has now been classified in the LMP2 class, while Dyson's unmodified car remained in the LMP1 class. Dyson won two of the ten championship races, but could not prevail against the Audi R8. So Dyson was runner-up in the team championship. In Europe, RML did better in the LMP2 class, including a win at the Istanbul Park Circuit . RML finished second in the LMP2 Team Championship behind Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport. MG's biggest win came at Le Mans, where the EX264 won the LMP2 class in its first race. This victory was repeated in the following year (2006). In 2007 RML was also able to win the LMP2 championship in the European Le Mans series with the MG-Lola AER EX264.

During the 2006 season , Dyson Racing decided the old EX257 was no longer competitive and bought a new Lola B06 / 10 . Dyson sold the two EX257s to two teams, Hycroft Racing and Autocon Motorsport , which participated to a limited extent in the American Le Mans Series. Highcroft achieved the best result of the season with a 3rd place in the overall ranking of the Petit Le Mans. In 2007 the end of the EX257 was in sight. The last original vehicle was in action for Autocon Motorsport in the American Le Mans Series at the beginning of the season. After the third race in Long Beach but the team decided for a new Creation CA06 / H .

Undercarriages

This is a list of the owners of each of the EX257 or B01 / 60 chassis. No. HU-01 from Intersport and No. HU-03 from RML have been modified for the installation of a Judd-V8. No. HU-05 was planned, but was never built.

No. year team engine Racing series
HU-01 2001 MG Sport & Racing, Ltd. MG-AER Le Mans test
2002 Intersport Racing MG-AER ALMS
2003 Intersport Racing MG-AER ALMS
2003 Intersport Racing Judd ALMS & LMES
2004 Intersport Racing Judd ALMS & LMES & Le Mans
2005 Intersport Racing Judd Sebring test
HU-02 2001 MG Sport & Racing, Ltd. MG-AER Le Mans
2002 MG Sport & Racing, Ltd. MG-AER Le Mans
2003 RML MG-AER ALMS & LMES & Le Mans
2004 RML MG-AER LMES & Le Mans
HU-03 2001 MG Sport & Racing, Ltd. MG-AER Le Mans
2002 MG Sport & Racing, Ltd. MG-AER Le Mans
2003 Intersport Racing (Leasing) MG-AER ALMS
HU-04 2002 KnightHawk Racing MG-AER ALMS & Le Mans
2003 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2004 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2005 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2006 Autocon Motorsports MG-AER ALMS
2007 Autocon Motorsports MG-AER ALMS
HU-06 2002 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2003 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2004 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2005 Dyson Racing MG-AER ALMS
2006 Highcroft Racing MG-AER ALMS

Web links

Commons : MG-Lola EX257  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files