Turn the ignition key and the V6 springs to life. A lightweight 1174kg draped in a rich ruby colour, the Le Mans CL-1 employs definite design hints from the Ferrari 360’s rump, and even the legendary Dino 246’s silhouette. And the 1 refers to its first prototype.įirst impressions were startling. The C in the name is a combination of ideas from two sources from US-based engine tuner Caldwell Development Inc, the company which tuned the car’s engine, and the word challenge. And that is where the inspiration for this CL-1 prototype came from. One arm of the two-pronged company services and maintains race cars for some of Japan’s leading teams in the Japan Grand Touring Championship (JGTC) and Formula Nippon, while the other works in a very clandestine part of the car industry – it designs and builds prototypes for Japan’s biggest car makers. MOTOR was invited to participate, at a secret location, in the first shakedown of the Le Mans CL-1 prototype – one of the most un-Japanese sports cars we’ve seen.ĭesigned by an unnamed Japanese stylist, the CL-1 has been built by Le Mans Co, based in Tokyo. This review was originally published in MOTOR’s December 2004 issue Every once in a while, you get to drive something quite special.

Le mans prototype 1