Austin-Healey From 1955 Le Mans Tragedy Fetches $1-Million

Nauman Farooq
by Nauman Farooq
One of the darkest days in motorsports is arguably June 11, 1955. On this day, at the Le Mans 24-hour race, on lap 35, Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR hit the back of Lance Macklin’s Austin-Healey 100 Special, and was sent flying into the crowds.

When all the smoke and dust cleared, 83 spectators had died and an additional 120 people were injured. Levegh had also lost his life in this tragic accident.

The damaged Austin-Healey was kept by the French authorities for 18-months, but was eventually returned to the Donald Healey Motor Company for repairs. Miraculously, this car returned to racing and it competed well into the 1960’s.

And now this infamous race car has found a new home. Bonhams Auction House has just sold this race car at their Weybridge Auction in Southern England, and despite the cars condition being described as a “barn find,” it still managed to fetch $1-million.

According to Bonhams, its last owner had bought the car in 1969, and it remained untouched until now.

[Source: Reuters]

Nauman Farooq
Nauman Farooq

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