1975 Mirage GR8

JW Automotive at Slough in England produced the Mirage series of racing cars intended to compete in international sports car races. They were clothed in the colours of the Gulf Oil Corporation and often referred to as Gulf-Mirage. The M1 was created in 1967 by JWA; it was a Sports-Prototype class car and based on the Ford GT40. It was powered by a Ford V8 engine that came in a variety of displacement sizes, up to 5.7 liters. The Ford GT40 used the same engines.

The M1 was a solid and competitive racer with the highlight of its career being the 1967 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Kms race where Jacky Ickx and Dick Thompson piloted chassis number M.1003 to a victory.

The M2 was introduced a year later and intended to contend the Group 6 Prototype 3-Liter class. Though the cars had larger engines than their predecessors, a hefty BRM V12 engine, they were raced sparingly and never secured any racing success. In 1969, the M3 was introduced. Power was from the Ford/Cosworth DFV V8. These, too, saw very little track time.

The success of the M2 and M3 may have been greater, but JWA had focused its attention on building the Ford GT40s.

The M6 was introduced in the early 1970s and powered by Ford/Cosworth powerplants. They raced in the Group 5 Sports Car Class and contested the World Championship for Makes beginning in 1972. The highlight of their racing career was in 1973 at the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Kms.

Gulf Oil continued its sponsorship with the Mirage racing cars from 1967 through 1974.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2007