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It's a sad time for Le Mans at the moment, what with Audi's perennial playmate Peugeot bowing out and Porsche's entrant still a couple of years off. But here's something to smile about: Morgan is back.
The British carmaker took class honours at the 1962 Le Mans 24hr race in the Morgan Super Sport (pictured above), and is looking to emulate that 50-year-old victory this year.
However, banish all thoughts of a man in driving goggles nailing a sportscar prototype Morgan 3 Wheeler down the Mulsanne straight. Awesome as that would be, the company is actually teaming up with OAK Racing and will enter just a single Morgan LMP2 racer, based on the OAK-Pescarolo cars, manufactured at OAK's constructor department based at the Technoparc des 24 Heures in Le Mans.
Top Gear drives the Morgan 3 Wheeler
Charles Morgan, genial Morgan chief, said: "Whilst Morgan sports cars enjoy a great history we have also gained a reputation for pioneering new technology, and I believe LMP2 represents a superb proving ground in which to develop innovative new methods."
OAK President Jacques Nicolet was keen to stress why he wanted to team up with the nice chaps from Morgan. He said: "With them I feel the same passion that has inspired me since childhood, as well as the ‘family spirit' that I hope I have been able to create at OAK Racing.
"Who better than Morgan to embody the gentleman drivers' spirit needed for LMP2 competition," he added.
Let's hope OAK fares better than last year, when its LMP2 racer retired in the early hours of the morning...
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
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fyuwcherboi commented on this article
at 12:27 pm on 20 January 2012
So it's not a Morgan at all then. Just a Pescarolo with a Morgan sticker on. It always gets me how these once great 'teams' can just suddenly arrive with a World beating car in their first year and then vanish again. ie Bentley, MG Racing etc. Any team can go to the likes of Lola and wave a few used notes at them to supply a car. Slap your badge on the nose and 'Wow!, SsangYong have a new LMP1 car!'
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StigsIrishCousn commented on this article
at 02:27 pm on 20 January 2012
Hadn't heard that Peugeot was out but they certainly made use of the publicity and technology in their road cars. Even though it won't be a "real Morgan" hopefully they will use the tech in their cars too.
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dangt3i commented on this article
at 02:30 pm on 20 January 2012
"we have gained a reputation for pioneering new technology", wasn't Jeremy going on about how old their tech is? It is good to see a new entrants.
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Nat77 commented on this article
at 04:17 pm on 20 January 2012
All P2 OAK's will be named Morgans so you'll see cars at Le Mans, in the WEC, ALMS and ELMS.
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Nat77 commented on this article
at 04:19 pm on 20 January 2012
BTW, it's just been announced Lotus will return to P2 with JPS liveried cars.
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