Although the material on this page (photographs and/or Downloads) is offered freely for download, all items remain the copyright of Lola Heritage or Lola Cars (except where indicated) and may not be further distributed for profit or personal gain. If you wish to use any of these items for public display (e.g. web site, books or magazines etc.) please contact Lola Heritage first.
Jo Bonnier raced the T290 in the 1972 European 2-litre Championship before his tragic death at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Guy Edwards/David Hobbs works T290 at the Brands Hatch 1000 km. where they won the 2-litre class. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
Chassis HU01 was converted by the Bonnier team to take the V8 Ford DFV.
The front of HU01.
The DFV installation in HU01 using the tubular frame from the T280 design.
The T290 was fitted with outboard rear brakes and in Japanese 2-litre racing...
...the Mitsubishi Colt engine with the Hewland gearbox fitted...
...neatly into the T290.
J. Roucolle/J. Zago at the Monza Classic. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
The Michael Gans T290 at the Silverstone Classic. (Picture courtesy of Jon Bunston)
Michel Baudoin at the Imola Classic in his T290. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
THE LOLA T290
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
Jo Bonnier raced the T290 in the 1972 European 2-litre Championship before his tragic death at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Following on from the success of Lola's previous 2-litre designs, the T210 and the T212, for 1972 their new car was the T290, a design that was a collaborative effort between Bob Marston, and two up-and-coming young designers, Patrick Head and John Barnard. As was Lola's practice, it was very much an evolutionary progression from the two earlier models with a new aluminium monocoque chassis employing a front suspension comprising double wishbones, coil springs over dampers and an anti-roll bar, at the rear reversed lower wishbones, top links, twin radius rods, coil springs over dampers and anti-roll bar were used. The monocoque terminated at the roll hoop and a tubular steel frame was attached to the tub and changing the frame for different designs allowed for different engine/gearbox combinations to be fitted. For example a change of frame allowed the car to be fitted with the V8 Cosworth DFV and it became the T280 model. For 2-litre engines the choice was usually between the new Cosworth engine based on the Chevrolet Vega block and the slightly less powerful but more reliable Cosworth FVC. In Japan the Mitsubishi Colt-based engine was also used.
Once again a Lola 2-litre sportscar was a winner, whilst not having quite the success of the T212, losing out in the European Sportscar Championship to Abarth and Chevron, the T290 was still a solid class winner in the World Championship for Makes, British and French Sportscar Championships, Interserie and Can-Am, indeed it was still winning in the latter category in 1983.
Year(s) of Construction: 1972
Total Built: 32
The unmistakable background of the Targa Florio with the fourth placed T290 of Antonio Zadra and Enrico Pasolini racing through the streets.
T290 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | SCCA B Sports Racing Championship | Pete Harrison | Lola T290 |
| 1976 | SCCA B Sports Racing Championship | Carl Thompson III | Lola T290-Ford |
| 1979 | Can-Am Under 2-litre Championship | Tim Evans | Lola T290-Ford |
T290 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1972
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st April | Snetterton - Anglia Television Trophy | Guy Edwards | Opening round of British Sportscar Championship - First win for T290 |
| 2nd April | Nogaro | Jean-Louis Lafosse | |
| 3rd April | Nürburgring - VII. Int. ADAC-300-km-Rennen Nürburgring um den "Good Year"-Pokal | Guy Edwards | Opening round of the Interserie Championship - Winner 2-litre class |
| 16th April | Brands Hatch – BOAC 1000 Kms | Guy Edwards/David Hobbs | World Sportscar Championship round - First in 2-litre class (7th overall) |
| 1st May | Magny-Cours | Gérard Larrousse | |
| 21st May | Targa Florio | Antonio Zadra/Enrico Pasolini | World Sportscar Championship round - First in 2-litre class (4th overall) |
| 11th June | Circuit de la Sarthe - 24 Heures du Mans | Barrie Smith/René Ligonnet | Winner S2.0 Class |
| 18th June | Mainz-Finthen - Internationales HMSC-Flugplatz-Rennen | Roland Heiler | First overall and winner of the SRP2.0 Class |
| 9th July | Vila Real - XIX Circuito de Vila Real, Campeonato Nacional de Velocidade (Táca VII Centenário de Vila Real) | Claude Swietlik | First Overall and Winner of the S2.0 Class - Entered by Ecurie Bonnier |
| 16th July | Hockenheim - Südwest-Pokal-Rennen, Int. ADAC-Solitude-Rennen | Roland Heiler | Round 5 of the Interserie Championship - Winner 2-litre class |
| 3rd September | Nürburgring - 500Kms | Jean-Louis Lafosse | Round 7 of the European 2-litre Championship |
| 10th September | Mainz-Finthen - 6. Internationales Pheinhessisches DMV Flugplatz-Rennen | Fredy Grainal | Winner of the SRP2.0 Class |
| 17th September | Montlhéry - Coupes de l'AGACI | Jean-Louis Lafosse | |
| 1st October | Hockenheim - ADAC-Preis von Baden-Württemberg und Hessen | Jörg Obermoser | Round 9 of the Interserie Championship - Winner 2.5-litre class |
| 1st October | Nogaro - Grand Prix de Nogaro | Derek Bell | Sports Car Race - Winner Heat 2 |
| 8th October | Montlhéry - Montlhéry (U.S.A.) - International | Barrie Smith | |
| 15th October | Rouen - 1000 km de Paris | Jean-Louis Lafosse/Jacques Coulon | Non-Championship event - Winner S2.0 Class |
| 25th November | Road Atlanta - SCCA | Pete Harrison | Road Race of Champions (B Sports Racing class) |
The Guy Edwards/David Hobbs works T290 at the Brands Hatch 1000 km. where they won the 2-litre class. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
1973
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18th March | Montlhéry - Coupe ASASIF (Challenge, Jean Behra) | Jean-Louis Lafosse | Round 2 of the French Sportscar Championship |
| 25th April | Monza - Trofeo Filippo Caracciolo, 1000 Km di Monza | "Pooky"/Giancarlo Gagliardi | Round 4 of the World Sportscar Championship - First in 2-litre class (4th overall) |
| 25th April | Nogaro | Jean-Louis Lafosse | Round 3 of the French Sportscar Championship |
1974
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th May | Int. AvD/ISCC-Flugplatz-Rennen Sembach, Kaiserslautern | Alfred Kunze | Non-Championship Sports Car Race |
| 3rd August | Benguela | Tony Birchenhough/Roger Heavens | Sports Car Race - Chassis a T290 updated to T294 spec. |
1975
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd February | Int. ADAC/MCS-Rundstreckenrennen Hockenheim "Preis der Stadt Stuttgart", Hockenheim | Helmut Bross | Non-Championship Sports Car Race - First overall and Winner SRP 2.0 Class |
1976
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th October | Road Atlanta - Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic | Carl Thompson | Road Race of Champions (B Sports Racing class) |
1977
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th June | Laguna Seca - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Dave Johnson | Can-Am Championship - Round 1 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
1978
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23rd July | Road America - SCCA/Citicorp Can-Am | Dave Johnson | Can-Am Championship - Round 6 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
1979
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th June | Mid Ohio - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Tim Evans | Can-Am Championship - Round 4 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
| 22nd July | Road America - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Tim Evans | Can-Am Championship - Round 6 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
| 2nd September | Trois Rivieres - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Tim Evans | Can-Am Championship - Round 8 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
| 14th October | Laguna Seca - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Tim Evans | Can-Am Championship - Round 9 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
| 28th October | Riverside - Citicorp Can-Am Challenge | Tim Evans | Can-Am Championship - Round 10 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
Chassis HU01 was converted by the Bonnier team to take the V8 Ford DFV.
1983
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th June | Mosport – SCCA Labatt's Can-Am | Roman Pechmann | Can-Am Championship - Round 1 - Winner of the Under 2-litre Class |
2007
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th February | Sebring | Phil Daigrepont | |
| 27th April | Road Atlanta | Phil Daigrepont | |
| 20th July | Road America - Kohler International Challenge | Phil Daigrepont |
2009
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th-13th September | Silverstone – Silverstone 1000Kms | Bobby Rahal | Classic Endurance Racing – Round 5 - First overall and Winner of the Prototype 2 Class |
| 16th-18th October | Circuito Automòvel do Algarve - Algarve Historic Festival | Phil Daigrepont | Bobby Rahal Master Touring '70s/Proto '70s - Race 2 - First in "Redman" class |
2015
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18th April | Montjuich Park Catalunya Classic Revival | Michael Gans | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Winner Class MAR |
| 5th July | Donington Park Masters Festival | Michael Gans | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - First overall and Winner Class MAR |
| 8th August | Nüburgring Old Timer Grand Prix | Gans/Wolfe | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Race 1 - First overall and Winner Class MAR |
| 9th August | Nüburgring Old Timer Grand Prix | Gans/Wolfe | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Race 2 - First overall and Winner Class MAR |
| 30th August | Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix | Michael Gans | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Winner Class MAR |
| 28th October | Dijon Motorscup Lola T290 | Michael Gans/Andy Wolfe | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Winner Class MAR |
2016
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th September | Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix | Michael Gans | FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship - Winner Class MAR |
| 9th October | Motorscup-Dijon | Richardson/Gathercole | 200km de Dijon - Race 1 - and Winner Class SP3 |
| 9th October | Motorscup-Dijon | Richardson/Gathercole | 200km de Dijon - Race 2 - and Winner Class SP3 |
The front of HU01.
The DFV installation in HU01 using the tubular frame from the T280 design.
The T290 was fitted with outboard rear brakes and in Japanese 2-litre racing...
...the Mitsubishi Colt engine with the Hewland gearbox fitted...
...neatly into the T290.
J. Roucolle/J. Zago at the Monza Classic. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)
The Michael Gans T290 at the Silverstone Classic. (Picture courtesy of Jon Bunston)
Michel Baudoin at the Imola Classic in his T290. (Picture courtesy of Peter Collins)