163 - 1971 AVALLONE A11

1971 AVALLONE A11 • One-of-a-kind model • Shares many similarities with Lolas from the same era • Restored by Autotune, a renowned British specialist. • Impressive track record • A piece of Brazilian motorsport history In 1971, a regulation banning the import of Sport-Prototype cars into the Brazilian Divisão 4 championship went into effect, restricting competition to locally manufactured vehicles only. Seeing this opportunity, former European Formula 5000 driver and Brazilian promoter Carlos Avallone—then Lola’s South American representative—approached the British manufacturer to design a multi-tubular chassis intended for production in Brazil. Thus, the Avallone A11 was born. The car featured a powertrain combining components from the Lola T70 and Lola F5000, housed in a body inspired by the Lola T222 that competed in Can-Am. Avallone would later produce several versions, equipped with Chrysler, Ford, or Chevrolet V8 engines paired with Hewland DG300 transmissions. Built in 1971, the A11 shown here made its racing debut in 1972 driven by Marcelo De Paoli, powered by a Chrysler engine. In 1973, it was sold to the Motoradio Team, under whose colors it would enjoy its finest moments. Driven by Francisco Lameirao, it had a particularly successful season, winning three races—including the one at Interlagos—and securing third place in the Divisão 4 championship, Brazil’s equivalent of the Can-Am series. After many years of disuse in Brazil, the car was imported to the United Kingdom in 1994. In 2007, Autotune—a British specialist in Can-Am-style open-wheel cars, particularly McLarens—acquired it after it had been abandoned for many years. A major restoration project was then undertaken to restore it to its former glory. The current owner purchased it from Autotune in 2009, as the restoration was nearing completion. Once the work was finished, the car was imported to France in 2012. After participating in a few events behind the wheel, its owner decided to take it out of service following a V8 engine failure. In 2024, the car underwent a refurbishment that included, notably, the installation of a new Chevrolet V8 engine. Since it has not returned to the track since that work was done, it will require a tune-up before it can return to the racetrack. A historic car, the Avallone A11 is among the first race cars designed and produced in Brazil. As the first Avallone to make a name for itself in the Divisão 4 championship, it now represents a rare opportunity for a collector wishing to reconnect with the golden age of sports prototypes and recapture the spirit of Can-Am at events such as Classic Days or Sport et Collection. 1971 AVALLONE A11 DIVISÃO 4 • One-off model • Shares many similarities with the Lolas of the same era • Restored by Autotune, a renowned British specialist. • Impressive track record • A cornerstone of Brazilian motor racing In 1971, a regulation came into effect banning imported sports prototypes from the Brazilian Divisão 4 championship, restricting competition to locally manufactured vehicles only. Seizing this opportunity, former European Formula 5000 driver and Brazilian promoter Carlos Avallone—then Lola’s South American representative—approached the British manufacturer to design a multi-tubular chassis intended for production in Brazil. Thus was born the Avallone A11. The car featured a powertrain combining elements of the Lola T70 and the Lola F5000, clad in bodywork inspired by the Lola T222 that had competed in Can-Am. Avallone went on to produce several versions, equipped with Chrysler, Ford, or Chevrolet V8 engines mated to Hewland DG300 gearboxes. Produced in 1971, the A11 shown here made its competitive debut in 1972, driven by Marcelo De Paoli and powered by a Chrysler engine. In 1973, it was sold to the Motoradio Team, under whose colors it would enjoy its finest moments. Driven by Francisco Lameirao, it had a particularly successful season, winning three races—including the one at Interlagos—and thus securing third place in the Divisão 4 championship, the true Brazilian equivalent of the Can-Am series. After many years of disuse in Brazil, the car was imported to the United Kingdom in 1994. In 2007, Autotune, a British specialist in Can-Am-style open-wheel cars—particularly McLarens—acquired it after it had been left exposed to the elements for many years. A major restoration project was then undertaken to restore it to its former glory. The current owner purchased it from Autotune in 2009, just as the restoration was nearing completion. Once the work was finished, the car was imported i