Sbarro Lola T70 Replica History

Franco Sbarro launched his coachbuilding career with a street-legal replica of the Lola T70 Mk III, the Le Mans endurance racer. He purchased seven genuine Lola chassis (numbered SL-101 through SL-107) and built the remaining examples on bespoke frames, fitting most with a 5.4-litre Chevrolet V8 delivering around 500 PS.

Thirteen examples were completed in total. At least one was fitted with a turbocharged Porsche 911 flat-six, and another received a 4-litre Ferrari V12, demonstrating from the outset Sbarro's willingness to mix and match drivetrains. Chuck Parsons raced SL-106 competitively during the 1969 and 1970 seasons.

The T70 replicas established Sbarro's credibility with wealthy European clients and gave the young workshop both a revenue stream and an international profile, setting the template for the bespoke-on-request business model that would define the marque.