1956 Austin-Healey 100 M ‘Le Mans’
British sports car racing success directly inspired this rare factory performance model. Two modified Austin-Healey 100s finished 12th and 14th overall at the 1953 Le Mans 24-hour race, prompting the factory to create the 100M for enthusiasts seeking similar performance.
Only 640 factory-built examples were produced between 1955 and 1956, making this one of the most collectible British roadsters ever made. The distinctive louvered hood secured with a leather strap immediately identifies the model, along with its folding windscreen that could be lowered completely flat for racing.
The 162-cubic-inch (2.6-liter) inline four-cylinder engine produced 110 horsepower (compared to 90 in standard models) through modifications including larger 1¾-inch SU carburetors, a high-lift camshaft, high-compression pistons, a special inlet manifold, and a cold air box. Top speed reached nearly 120 mph with the windscreen folded down.
The four-speed manual transmission featured overdrive on second and top gears. Independent front suspension used double wishbones with coil springs, while the rear employed a live axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs.
Source
