Guide price: £45000 - £55000. <p> </p><ul><li>This is the only 'F1R' ever built and is fully road legal in the UK</li><li>Built  by Lola race engineers around a (circa) 1996 Lola chassis utilising new parts listed by Lola</li><li>2.0-litre turbo-charged Cosworth YB (370bhp) unit mated to a G50 five-speed manual gearbox</li><li>Adjustable wings and ride height. As close as you can get to driving a single-seat racer on the road.  </li><li>This extraordinary vehicle represents a unique opportunity for any motorsport collector.</li></ul><p> </p><p>A group of design and race engineers at Lola, headed by Russell Annison, were discussing whether it was possible to build a Formula 1-style car that could be UK road registered. This hypothetical road car had to embody the excitement, visual cues, and sense of theatre of a traditional Formula 1 racing car, whilst still addressing the practical road issues involved. Realistically, the only way to be sure that it was actually feasible was to have a go. Being race engineers they had a better chance than most of making it work and set about the project with enthusiasm, however, it was almost 15 years before the Annison F1R rolled down a UK road.</p><p>The F1R was built around a (circa) 1996 Lola chassis (which may have come from the company's aborted 1997 F1 project) utilising new parts listed by Lola including the forward chassis, rear chassis, roll hoop assembly, suspension uprights, wishbone assy’s, steering wheel , nose cone, body panels, radiator ducts, wiring loom etc. It was built and assembled by Lola engineers to the highest standards with customary attention to detail and is an amalgamation of various racing vehicle technologies, using conventional components where appropriate. All service items are readily available.</p><p>Although during this period of Formula 1, normally aspirated engines of 3.0-litres capacity were used, it was felt that for road use a 2.0-litre turbo-charged Cosworth YB unit would offer the optimum balance. The four-cylinder Cosworth was mated to a G50 five-speed manual gearbox for simplicity of use, while the ready availability of parts ensures easy ongoing maintenance. The engine is presently tuned to deliver a healthy 370bhp, but adjusting the turbo can substantially increase this.</p><p>Ground clearance was one of the most obvious areas of consideration, and the car runs with an increased ride height which is adjustable between 50-75mm. As with any F1 car, the aerodynamically critical surfaces and wings generate increased levels of downforce as speed rises. Both front and rear wings are adjustable. The net result is a car that quite possibly provides the closest sensation of driving a single-seat racer on the road.  </p><p>To say it is eye-catching on the road is somewhat of an understatement. The owner reports that the car is “good in traffic, very easy to drive, and offers tremendous performance when required - it even has a 'handbrake' to comply with UK regulations”. Our vendor is 5’11 and 14.5 stone and can drive this car with ease and at 70 years old can still get in and out comfortably. Huge fun. </p><p>The F1R is offered in effectively 'as new' condition, having covered only some 25 miles and been stored in a climate controlled environment The maintenance programme includes starting and warming up to operational temperatures every month and its last outing was for its annual MoT test. Every single instrument works as do all the lights, indicators etc. Stack ST8130 display dashboard. It is offered with a DVLA V5C document giving the first date of registration as 13th October 2009 and is accompanied by a full history of all the parts used including receipts, engine builders spec, gear ratios etc, and many spares. A former Lola race engineer and the car's current owner are more than happy to assist with advice. </p><p>This is the only 'F1R' ever built and is fully road legal in the UK, having passed the government SVA tests. Coming to sale at a fraction of the price such a car would cost to commission today, this extraordinary vehicle represents a unique opportunity to any motorsport collector.</p><p> </p><p> </p>