Le Mans 1955: the Austin Healey 100S, a car with a tragic past

Bonham’s auction house has sold a 1955 Austin Healey 100S for €970,000, the car that caused the most serious accident in motorsport history at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Over the years the car has changed hands countless times, after being repaired and restored by Donald Healey Motor Company. Healey’s original restoration is the only one the car has ever had, as it has remained in its current state since 1969, the year its previous owner bought it.

On that fateful day, this same Austin Healey, driven by Lance Macklin, acted as a catapult for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR driven by Pierre Levegh, which could not avoid the British car, whose driver had swerved left to avoid another car entering the pits. The result was 84 dead and 120 injured, including Levegh himself.

We have seen this accident many times over the years, but recently it has been compiled from various footage shot from different angles (some seen for the first time now), which you can watch below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEk85gKJN6k

Via | Highmotor