Amelia Island 2023
1956 Austin-Healey 100 M 'Le Mans'
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$184,800 USD | Sold
| Amelia Island, Florida
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- Rare and highly sought-after, factory-equipped Austin-Healey 100 M “Le Mans;” one of just 640 produced
- Equipped with its numbers-matching chassis, engine, and body
- Wears an older rotisserie restoration to its original specification of Florida Green over Ivory White coves with black trim and white piping
- Factory-optioned with “Le Mans” performance modifications, namely a louvered bonnet with leather strap, larger S.U. carburetors with cold-air intake, high-compression pistons, and high-lift camshaft
- Accompanied by a 100 M “Le Mans” Registry Certificate of Membership and British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate further confirming it is a genuine, factory-built 100 M
The 100 M “Le Mans” was introduced in 1955 as a higher-performance version of the Austin-Healey BN2, featuring larger carburetors and a high-lift camshaft, as well as high-compression pistons and a number of other upgrades that increased engine output from 90 to 110 horsepower. It was also equipped with an upgraded anti-roll bar and a louvered bonnet secured by leather straps. While some BN2s were retrofitted with performance parts to obtain 100 M-like performance, only 640 examples of the 100 M were built by the factory in 1955 and 1956, making them among the most sought-after of British sports cars and cherished by the few lucky enough to own one.
This 1956 Austin-Healey 100 M “Le Mans” is a factory-built example completed on 12 April 1956 and delivered new to the United States. The car was purchased in the late 1960s and remained under single-family ownership over the next five decades. In the 1990s, the family treated the car to a multi-year rotisserie restoration. Accompanying the sale are hundreds of pictures and invoices documenting each step of the restoration, which included a full rebuild of its numbers-matching, 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder engine.
The car was refinished in its striking factory finishes of Florida Green over Ivory White coves with black interior trim and white piping. A Victor Derrington-type, wood-rimmed steering wheel and Lucas driving lights were fitted for a period competition look. Since its restoration, the car has been displayed at numerous concours d’elegance including Cobble Beach, Concours d’Elegance of America, and Amelia Island, where it won Best in Class.
The sale includes a tool kit, a 100 M “Le Mans” Registry Membership Certificate, extensive pictures and invoices documenting the restoration, and a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirming this car as a genuine, factory-built 100 M. Fully documented as a factory-built 100 M “Le Mans” and finished in its striking original colors, this car presents the rare chance to acquire one of the most unique British sports cars ever built.
