Pilbeam Racing Designs
Encyclopedia
Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British
company which designs and constructs racing cars
, based in the Lincolnshire
town of Bourne
. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.
for several teams, having latterly been Chief Designer for BRM
(also based in Bourne), producing the P201. An early project was the BRM P67 from 1964. Pilbeam also worked on the Lotus
7X Clubman's car. He designed the LEC Formula One car for David Purley
to race in 1977.
, dominating the 1980s and early 1990s; they were the choice of 17 British Hill Climb Championship
winners between 1977 and 1996, powering such drivers as Andy Priaulx
and Roy Lane
.
The company has also produced sportscars, initially working on the Pacific Racing
BRM P301 project in 1997, then entering Le Mans in 2001 with a car of their own design; and has designed a number of touring car
s for manufacturers such as Vauxhall
and Honda
. Pilbeam's main market these days is in LMP2 prototype racing
. The only team that runs the MP93 LMP2, is Pierre Bruneau which has taken their MP93, with a Judd XV675 powerplant, to three podiums in the Le Mans Series in 2006. On October 19, 2006 an announcement was made stating that Pilbeam will be building a new MP93 for Embassy Racing
.
Pilbeam also aided in the design of the Lotus Sport Exige
, and currently builds cars for the VdeV Championship.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company which designs and constructs racing cars
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
, based in the Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
town of Bourne
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.
Early career
Previously Pilbeam worked in Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
for several teams, having latterly been Chief Designer for BRM
British Racing Motors
British Racing Motors was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945, it raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 Grands Prix and winning 17. In 1962, BRM won the Constructors' Title. At the same time, its driver, Graham Hill became World Champion...
(also based in Bourne), producing the P201. An early project was the BRM P67 from 1964. Pilbeam also worked on the Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
7X Clubman's car. He designed the LEC Formula One car for David Purley
David Purley
David Charles Purley, GM, was a British racing driver born in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. He participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at Monaco on 3 June 1973...
to race in 1977.
Hillclimb cars
Pilbeam cars have been exceptionally successful in hillclimbingHillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, dominating the 1980s and early 1990s; they were the choice of 17 British Hill Climb Championship
British Hill Climb Championship
The British Hill Climb Championship is the most prestigious Hillclimbing championship in Great Britain. Hillclimbing in the British Isles has a rich history and this event has been held every year since 1947.All British Champions have been British...
winners between 1977 and 1996, powering such drivers as Andy Priaulx
Andy Priaulx
Andrew Graham Priaulx, MBE is a British racing driver from Guernsey. He is a European Touring Car Championship champion, three times World Touring Car Championship champion and the only FIA Touring Car champion to win an International level championship for four consecutive years...
and Roy Lane
Roy Lane
Roy Lane was a British racing driver. He is best known for his great success in hillclimbing, having won the British Hillclimb Championship on four occasions in a career spanning more than three decades...
.
Sports cars
Pacific Racing
Pacific Racing was a motor racing team from the United Kingdom...
BRM P301 project in 1997, then entering Le Mans in 2001 with a car of their own design; and has designed a number of touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
s for manufacturers such as Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. Pilbeam's main market these days is in LMP2 prototype racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
. The only team that runs the MP93 LMP2, is Pierre Bruneau which has taken their MP93, with a Judd XV675 powerplant, to three podiums in the Le Mans Series in 2006. On October 19, 2006 an announcement was made stating that Pilbeam will be building a new MP93 for Embassy Racing
Embassy Racing
Embassy Racing was a British auto racing team founded by Jonathan France in 2003. Initially created as a conjunction with Xero Competition in the British GT Championship, the team expanded to become an independent team and began to win races in British GT before the team took a sabbatical year in...
.
Pilbeam also aided in the design of the Lotus Sport Exige
Lotus Exige
The Lotus Exige is a two-door, two-seat sports car made by Lotus Cars. It is essentially a coupé version of the Lotus Elise, a mid-engined roadster in production since 1996....
, and currently builds cars for the VdeV Championship.