Watch Johnny Herbert Guide Us Around The Lola T70S
The former F1 driver gives us a close look at Lola’s T70 revival, including some interesting technical specs.
The Breakdown
- The Lola T70S focuses on sustainability.
- It uses "natural fiber" bodywork instead of carbon fiber.
- F1 winner Johnny Herbert says its tuned to feel true to the original T70.
Lola is one of the most iconic names in motorsport history. A small chassis maker from England, its cars have won some of the world’s biggest sports car races, and its chassis have formed winning backbones for major automakers seeking victory at Le Mans, Daytona, and Indianapolis. Even with that pedigree, Lola struggled to survive, going bankrupt in 2012 until its revival in 2022. Now, it’s making cars again, starting with the Lola T70S.
It’s a resurrection of an iconic old sports racer, but with fresh parts, which we’ve covered before. But in a recent video released by Lola, and hosted by three-time F1 winner Johnny Herbert, we have more details on its construction. Folks, the word of the day for the T70S is “sustainability.”
In its heyday, Lola was known as a composites specialist, innovating ways of using carbon fiber for racing. The T70S continues this fine tradition with what Herbert describes as “natural” fibers that make up the bodywork. The original T70 used fiberglass, but this natural fiber, which looks dark and carbon-ey, is lighter and stronger than that.
It's likely that a substitute fiber was used in place of carbon, because carbon can be messy and difficult to recycle. Even the coating used to protect the wheels and suspension uprights is made from “sea salt residue” to help protect its magnesium parts from the elements.
We also get a good glimpse of the difference between the T70 and T70S, which look practically identical except for the interiors. The T70S will have two variants: a road car and a track car. The one on display appears to be a road car, because the interior is trimmed with plenty of suede and luxuries. With no word on price or availability, however, it’s tough to say much about the T70S other than a resounding “that’s pretty cool.”
Motor1’s Take: Herbert says the T70S is true to the original in feel and in looks. For that, we’ll just have to take his word for it.
Vintage Racing
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