Marcos LM600
 Cor Euser driving the Marcos Mantara LM600EVO at Hockenheim in 2011 | |
| Category | GT1 and GT2 |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) | |
| Production | 1995 to 2000 |
| Predecessor | |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Steel tube frame |
| Suspension | Double wishbone coil springs over anti-shock absorbers, anti-roll bar |
| Engine | Chevrolet LS V8 naturally aspirated, front mounted |
| Transmission | Hewland 6-speed sequential manual |
| Tyres | Dunlop |
| Competition history | |
| Notable drivers |
|
| Debut | Silverstone 1995 |
The Marcos LM600 is a grand tourer-style race car designed and built by Marcos Engineering. Built to GT1 and GT2 regulations, it competed in the BPR Global GT Series, the FIA GT Championship, and the British GT Championship from 1995 to 2001. The LM600 also contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1995 to 1997.
History
[edit]The LM600 made its competitive debut at the opening round of the 1995 British GT Championship with driver Chris Hodgetts.[1] Conceived as a more powerful iteration of the proceeding Marcos LM400 and LM500 models, the Chevrolet V8-powered car also entered the 1995 BPR Global GT Series and the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans with support from Cor Euser. Hodgetts quickly delivered the car's first win, taking overall victory in the car's third race appearance at the third round of British GT at Donnington Park.[2] In its debut season, despite failing to finish at Le Mans, the LM600 won the GT2 championship of British GT with Hodgetts. At the final round of the championship at Silverstone, a GT1 specification of the car named the LM600S was entered for driver Thomas Erdos.[3] After finishing fourth overall, the GT1 car never appeared in competition again.
With increasing support from Euser, who led the factory race team from 1995 onwards,[4] the LM600 began appearing at select BPR Global fly-away races in 1996. The car took its first international class win at the 4 Hours of Jarama and won again in class at the next race at Silverstone.[5] Despite failing to finish two years in a row at Le Mans, the LM600 won a second consecutive championship in 1996, again winning the GT2 class of British GT with three class wins including one overall win at Thruxton.[6]
Mantara LM600EVO
[edit]During the 1999 season, the Marcos Engineering company was sold to a Dutch consortium led by Euser. Now in full control of the company in addition to the factory race team, Euser moved full production to Venlo in the Netherlands and Dutch car designer Wiet Huidekpoer was commissioned to design a new version of the LM600.[4][7] Named the Mantara LM600EVO, four chassis were built with heavily modified bodywork. Calum Lockie drove the upgraded Mantara LM600EVO to the GT class title in the 2000 British GT Championship, achieving the car's third and final championship.
References
[edit]- ^ "British GT Silverstone 1995 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "British GT Championship Donington 1995 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "British GT Championship Silverstone 1995 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b "2000 Marcos Mantara LM600EVO". Machines with a Mission. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "Jarama 4 Hours 1996 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "British GT Championship Thruxton 1996 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ "Marcos Mantara LM600EVO". www.raceart.eu (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-11-15.