Ten days ago, we mentioned a project from Peter Bailey to build an LMP2 for the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours.  A unique project since it’s entirely a South African effort. The boss of Bailey Edwards Cars Company told us a little more on the avancement of the Bailey LMP.

Peter Bailey takes us back to the start of project, which began in January 2009. “My factory has been producing Replica Historic cars GT40. P4 ferrari, T70, B19 and 917lm cars for a few years now”, he said. “Not all customers want ‘old cars’ hence the need for something modern and at South Africa Affordable prices. We are talking 250 000 euros for a complete car with 450hp engine and Ricardo Sequential Pro-Shift gear box. The costs here are a lot less here than Europe.”

It can be seen that the Bailey LMP would correspond perfectly with the LMP2 that the ACO would like to have running in the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours.  And the Sarthe is one of the hopes for Peter Bailey.  “The goal of the project is to be at Le Mans in 2011. There are other goals of sportscar racing in this country, which needs a new prototype design car.” Intrigued by this statement, we ask him to elaborate. “There are two premier championship classes running at the moment. Riley and Scott designed space frame V8 super car championship cars, also a Shelby Can-am single seater class that runs these 20 year old cars.These will sooner or later be replaced with something something more modern.”  He wouldn’t tell us more, but why not imagine a mini one-make championship that would allow Peter Bailey to reduce the costs of his prototype?  Wait and see.

Back to the Bailey LMP, a proud-looking closed prototype.  “The coupe was entirely designed in CFD,” Peter Bailey said, “then verified in a  small scale wind tunnel at leading University (Wits University).”   Six people are currently working on the project, with the design coming from Greg Bailey with help from Wiet Huidekoper.  The latter, a german, is  an aerodynamics specialist with lots of experience including the Porsche GT1 and Dallara LMP, and technical director at Opel when they were in DTM.  The car will be built entirely in South Africa and will have a 100% South African driving squad.

Proof that project is going well, the car is due to make its first laps in October 2010.  “The 2011 rules have been released, so apart from a few small changes, they are pretty clear,” Peter Bailey said.  “We will launch the car in July, in South Africa. We are in LMP 2 which is specially for Small maunfactures and privateers. But maybe LMP1 in a few years time!”

Rainier Ehrhardt