Trouble for lola?

[Grand_Fromage]

As far as I'm concerned, Lola stopped being Lola when Eric Broadley sold it to Martin Birrane in 1999.

To his credit, Martin has ploughed millions into the company, and did save it from fading into the history books, but it has always seemed to me as if he was treating it like a rich man's plaything rather than a genuine enterprise.

[Nordic]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103257

Its been finally put to sleep.

(but will rise again as the name Lola, as are the IP rights are still owned by Birrane)

[geoffd]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103257

Its been finally put to sleep.

(but will rise again as the name Lola, as are the IP rights are still owned by Birrane)

It's a shame, but predicatable given than Birrane kept hold of the best bits, and they weren't included in the sale (unless of course he bought it).  So, will we see a new Lola, or will this be the end of them for good?  I wonder what (if anything) the existing Lola runners will use in 2013.  Both Rebellion and Dyson have spent a lot of time, effort and money getting their cars competitive, but unless they can get spares from somewhere else there's no point in running a Lola chassis next year sadly.

[Grand_Fromage]

Perhaps someone might do a 'Pescarolo' the B12/80 and give the design a new lease of life. Birrane owns the rights, so I guess his property developer instincts might not let the current cars just fade gently into the history books.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103257

Its been finally put to sleep.

(but will rise again as the name Lola, as are the IP rights are still owned by Birrane)

It's a shame, but predicatable given than Birrane kept hold of the best bits, and they weren't included in the sale (unless of course he bought it).  So, will we see a new Lola, or will this be the end of them for good?  I wonder what (if anything) the existing Lola runners will use in 2013.  Both Rebellion and Dyson have spent a lot of time, effort and money getting their cars competitive, but unless they can get spares from somewhere else there's no point in running a Lola chassis next year sadly.

[Nordic]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/industry-lola-set-to-continue-under-new-ownership/

Good news?

[Grand_Fromage]

As far as I understand it.. that means that the name has a new owner, but the old Lola is still moribund. The composites business is the only remaining operative arm of the business that has a vestige of direct lineage to Eric Broadley via Martin Birrane. A brand as important as Lola is unlikely to be allowed to vegetate, but like many other names in the automotive world, it will probably be bought, sold, used and abused over the coming decades.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/industry-lola-set-to-continue-under-new-ownership/

Good news?

[Boorish Grobian]

Along the lines of Lotus?  Agree with GF, Lola ceased to be Lola when Eric Broadley sold the company.  Some iconic names should simply be allowed to remain fondly in our memory, and not get resurrected every five or ten years by some wealthy fool, or Asian corporation.  Brabham was another name that should have been allowed to ride off into the sunset gracefully, not dragged through the mud the way it was.
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