| Lola celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2008. Very few companies can match Lola’s racing pedigree. For the majority of that time, Lola has been the largest and most successful constructor of race cars, producing winning designs for virtually every category from Formula Ford and Sports 2000 to Formula 1 and Le Mans Prototypes. They have 39 class victories in the American Le Mans Series alone.
Befitting a company with over 50 years of winning technology, the record of Lola’s current-generation LMP2 design – including class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the last three out of five years – underscores Lola’s skill in creating a winning package for endurance racing. Outstanding performance, drivability, and consistency combined with superior engineering, serviceability, and quality continue to make Lola successful on race tracks around the world. Lola won both the LMP1 and LMP2 championships in the 2009 European Le Mans Series.
In 2008, Lola took another step forward with their new LMP2 coupe model. The first customer car of its type, the B08/80 allowed race teams to exploit the coupe format’s potential in a package built around proven components and design features.
The current B09/86 LMP2 Coupe is a one-piece carbon composite monocoque and is certified to ACO and FIA structural standards through 2012. The body panels are lightweight pre-preg carbon composite construction. The suspension is double wishbone with pushrod/rocker-activated coil spring/adjustable damper units all around. The six-speed sequential gearbox is lightweight cast magnesium and is designed to allow complete changes of gear ratios in ten minutes without losing any oil.
Developments over the 2009 racing season include refined aerodynamics with an enhanced lift/drag ratio, revised front suspension geometry and a faster refueling mechanism.
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