Bailey Cars, better known for recreating classic racers like the GT40, Porsche 917 and Ferrari P4, has now unveiled the most high-tech competition car ever built on the African continent.
The Jet Park-based manufacturer, formerly known as Bailey Edwards Cars, made its name over the past eight years by building and selling replicas of some of the most legendary racing cars of the 1960s and '70s, but now aims to compete next year at the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race with its ultra-modern "Lemansza" project.
Built to conform to 2011 Le Mans LMP2 regulations, the new car features a carbon-fibre composite chassis and aerospace technology with materials sourced locally wherever possible. "We've gone this route in an effort to support local industry and make it a proper proudly South African effort," said Peter Bailey who founded Bailey Cars.
Plans are in place to track debut the car at the upcoming Top Gear Festival that runs from March 17-20 at Kyalami where Jeremy Clarkson will drive it - if he can fit in the cockpit. Thereafter the Lemansza will race in the local GT Challenge series as shakedown tests before hopefully entering the LMP2 category at Lemans in France next year.
The car is also available for customer order at a turnkey price of around R4-million. At the moment it's powered by a very powerful 2-litre Mazda turbo motor, but to conform to the ever changing LMP2 rules it will soon get a 340kW V8 from either Lexus or Nissan.
Bailey Cars has opted for a hi-tech online portal for its Lemansza public launch, and interested viewers can follow the project via www.lemansza.tv, or for more information can visit www.baileycars.co.za.