SARD MC8-R

SARD MC8-R

Category	FIA GT1
Constructor	SARD
Technical specifications
Chassis	Hybrid steel aluminum
Suspension (front)	Double wishbone
Suspension (rear)	Same as front
Length	4,540 mm (178.7 in)
Width	1,920 mm (75.6 in)
Height	1,132 mm (44.6 in)
Engine	Toyota 1UZ-FE 4,000 cc V8 Twin turbocharged Mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	Hewland 6-speed manual (1995, 1997) March 5-speed manual (1996)
Power	580 ps @ 6,100 rpm (1995) 580 ps @ 7,000 rpm (1996) 664 ps @ 7,000 rpm (1997)
Weight	1,273 kg (2,806 lb) (1995) 1,061 kg (2,339 lb) (1996) 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) (1997)
Tyres	Dunlop, Yokohama, Michelin
Competition history
Notable entrants	SARD
Notable drivers	Alain Ferté Kenny Acheson Mauro Martini Jeff Krosnoff Pascal Fabre Naoki Nagasaka
Debut	1995 24 Hours of Le Mans
Last season	1997
Races Wins Poles F/Laps 6 0 0 0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

The Sard MC8-R was a modified and lengthened version of the Toyota MR2 (SW20) built for GT racing by Toyota's SARD (Sigma Advanced Research Development) works team.

SARD heavily modified the front half of the MR2s chassis and completely replaced the rear with a custom setup in order to fit a twin-turbo version of the 4.0-liter 1UZ-FE V8 producing 600 bhp (447 kW). ^{[1] [ dubious – discuss ]} This is the first car which only used the frontal chassis of production and was effectively a purpose-built semi-sports-prototype that successfully got GT1 homologation. The MC8-R lacked pace and was very unreliable which made it often finish at the bottom of the race. Competitors such as the McLaren F1 GTR and Ferrari F40 LM outperformed it along with the GT1 Toyota Supra that was also constructed under Toyota Team SARD.

Sard MC8 road car

Since the custom rear chassis and numerous dedicated components will lead to significant differences from the original MR2, a homologation car was constructed. SARD built two MC8 road cars in order to meet homologation requirements, a white car for 1995 and a black car for 1997. Technically, both the cars including the 1UZ-FE V8 4.0L engine albeit it standard tune. Only a few things like the relocated exhaust pipe and tires were modified for road legal use.

The 1995 car disappeared from the public eye within a year of its construction, but resurfaced again on the Japanese collector car website SEiyaa in 2015, two decades after its disappearance. ^[2] The car is currently in possession of a private collector, who has registered the car for road use in Japan. ^{[3] [ dead link ‍]}

For 1997, further aero changes were required hence another homologation car was built. ^[4] Sporting different bodywork, it was mechanically identical to the 1995 car. ^[ dead link ‍] After being seen at a few JGTCC races in 1997 & 1998 and featuring in a few Japanese magazines, it disappeared and was last seen seemly abandoned in a garage yard minus its powertrain ^[ dead link ‍]

1995 and 1996

SARD MC8-R - Alain Ferte, Pascal Fabre & Mauro Martini on the run down from Dunlop Bridge to the Esses behind TWR WSC-95 Porsche - Michele Alboreto, Didier Theys & Pierluigi Martini at the 1996 Le Mans

• The MC8-R participated 1995 BPR Global GT Series which is the first purpose-built semi-sports-prototype that successfully got GT1 homologation which inspired 911 GT1 that kind of homologation specialists which planted a foreshadowing for the cancellation of GT1.^{[ citation needed ]}
• The MC8-R made its first outing in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans piloted by Alain Ferté, Kenny Acheson, and Tomiko Yoshikawa. It retired after 14 laps. Later that year the car attempted the 1000km Suzuka, this time managing to finish 26th overall.^{[ citation needed ]}
• One MC8-R was entered in the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans, piloted by Masanori Sekiya, Hidetoshi Mitsusada, and Masami Kageyama. The team qualified 37th and finished 24th, the second-to-last team of those who had finished.^{[ citation needed ]}

1997

• The team also entered the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans, but driver Olivier Grouillard failed to make it past pre-qualifying. ^{[5] [ dubious – discuss ]} Two cars were also entered in the FIA GT Championship round at the 1997 Suzuka 1000km (one by Team Menicon SARD and one entered by IDC Otsuka Kagu SARD), but neither car managed to finish. It was replaced the following year with the Toyota GT-One.

See also

• Toyota MR2

References

1. "Sard Racing MC8R". Midengine-motorsports.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
2. "１９９４ｙ サード ＭＣ８ ホモロゲｰション" [1994y SARD MC8 Homologation] (in Japanese). SEiyaa Thayer. 2015-02-15. Archived from the original on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
3. "The SARD MC8". Shakotan Today. 2019-09-15. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
4. "need help for my unknown cars and unknown year cars..." AutoPuzzles.com. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
5. "Le Mans Register – 1997". Formula2.net. Retrieved 2010-10-15.