A famous British sports car, made in Birmingham, that sold for a record £843,000 at auction has been shown off in its fully-restored glory.
The 1953 Austin-Healey Special Test Car, which was involved in a crash that left dozens dead at Le Mans, was displayed by auctioneers Bonhams having undergone months of restoration work.
Having appeared in various motor races in the period 1953 to 1955, including two Le Mans 24-hour races, the Austin-Healey remained untouched from 1969 to 2011 before owner Jack Scott offered it for auction.
The auction in December 2011 led to a European collector and committed enthusiast paying a record price for an Austin-Healey, with the car being restored by Steve Pike, of Marsh Classic Restorations, in Australia. The car, made at Longbridge, will feature at various events in the UK this year.
Number-plated NOJ 393, the car is one of only two surviving special test cars from 1953, when it raced for the first time at Le Mans. It also took part in the tragic 1955 race when the Mercedes 300SLR driven by Pierre Levegh crashed into the back of it, with his car being flipped into the air and breaking up, with bits hurtling into a packed section of crowd.
A total of 83 people were killed, including Levegh, and more than 120 injured. The Austin-Healey was damaged but its driver, Lance Macklin, escaped serious injury.
