Image: Duncan Hamilton & Co
With three 24 Hours of Le Mans podiums out of five starts, this Mirage GR8 has racing pedigree to back up its astonishing good looks.
In its 90-year history, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has only been won by two specialist constructors, and one of them is Mirage. Mirage had been backed by the Gulf Oil Corporation since the late ’60s, but they really stepped things up a notch for ’74 and produced the Ford Cosworth DFV-powered open-top GR8. In ’75, they won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a GR8 driven by Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell.
In the same race this car, chassis 802, muscled its way into a podium spot, securing third place for Vern Schuppan and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud. Despite this incredible success, Gulf withdrew their support after the 24 hour race, and the cars didn’t compete again in ’75.
Harley Cluxton III then bought the team and ran the cars at several events, with his primary focus on Le Mans. This gave the cars another chance to stretch their legs down Mulsanne and gave 802 the chance to improve on its ’75 result in 1976. Jean-Louis Lafosse and Francois Migault drove it to second that year, a feat it would repeat in ’77, then driven by Schuppan and Jean-Pierre Jarier.
It would see the streets of Circuit de la Sarthe twice more, in ’78 and ’79, but its development had slowed and 10th in ’78 was its final mark on the ledger.
The car looks to be in great condition and is up for sale at Duncan Hamilton & Co. Head to their official site here for the full details.
Images via Duncan Hamilton & Co
This Lovely Le Mans Legend is No Optical Illusion: Mirage GR8 For Sale is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.