• Believed to be the last of just 23 S7-Rs constructed; one of only four modified by Oreca to accept a transverse Xtrac gearbox
• Four-time class podium finisher in the 2009 Le Mans Series, including a GT1-class win at the Nürburgring
• The sole example re-homologated in 2010, gaining revised aerodynamics, ceramic hub carriers, and Öhlins dampers
• Winner of the LMGT1 class at the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 13th overall
• GT1 class winner at Paul Ricard, Portimão, Hungaroring, and Silverstone in the 2010 Le Mans Series
• Retained by five-time Le Mans-winning team Larbre Competition since March 2008
• Ideally suited to series such as Endurance Racing Legends

First unveiled in 2000, the dramatic Saleen S7 featured a honeycomb-reinforced spaceframe chassis, and an all-aluminium 7-litre Ford Windsor-derived V-8 engine boasting some 550 horsepower. The S7 was swiftly followed by its racing derivative, the S7-R, with construction initially being entrusted to UK-based Ray Mallock Limited before renowned French constructor Oreca took over production of late-series cars. Significantly, the final four Oreca chassis—of which this is the last—featured a modified rear chassis and transverse six-speed Xtrac gearbox; the latter designed to address the poor reliability of the longitudinal units fitted to earlier cars.

Delivered in March 2008 to Team Larbre Competition of France, chassis 082R made its race debut in the 2009 1000 Kilometres of Catalunya; the first round of that year’s Le Mans Series (LMS). Driven by established Larbre pilots Roland Bervillé, Sébastien Dumez and Steve Zacchia, the trio finished 22nd overall and 3rd in class. At the 1000 Kilometres of Algarve in August, chassis 082R again performed strongly to finish 23rd overall and 2nd in the GT1 class, behind the Luc Alphand-entered Corvette C6R.

The penultimate round of the Championship at the Nürburgring began with Zacchia being replaced by former French Formula Renault Champion, Laurent Groppi. The recruitment of the latter contributed to a richly deserved maiden class win. The season concluded at Silverstone in September, where chassis 082R finished 2nd in GT1 and 21st overall, a result that led to Bervillé securing 3rd in the GT1 Drivers’ Championship and Larbre 2nd in the Team standings.

Larbre’s plans for 2010 encompassed all five LMS rounds, significantly including the all-important 24 Hours of Le Mans. Notably, chassis 082R had been re-homologated for 2010 with revised Oreca-developed aerodynamics, Cerobear ceramic hub carriers, Öhlins dampers and an uprated Elan Technologies engine, the only S7-R understood to have been upgraded as such.

Chassis 082R achieved comfortable class wins at Paul Ricard, Portimão, Hungaroring and Silverstone. Understandably, Le Mans proved the season’s focal point, with Bervillé returning to join Gabriele Gardel and Julien Canal in the car. Three Ford GTs, two Alphand-entered Corvettes and an Aston Martin DBR9 provided strong class opposition, but nevertheless it was the Saleen that prevailed, recording a superb class win and 13th place overall. The season concluded with a final class win in the 1000 Kilometres of Zhuhai in November, Gardel and Patrice Gouselard—and Larbre—taking dominant wins in their respective categories in the final LMS standings.

Retained by Larbre ever since, chassis 082R benefitted from an engine dyno test by Oreca in May 2023 further to the renewal of all brake, fuel, and oil lines, brake master cylinders and brake calliper seals in November 2022. Furthermore, all major suspension components were crack tested, while time-expired safety items such as the seat, safety harness, fire extinguisher and rubber fuel cell were all renewed; the latter being valid for five years.

Accompanied by its FIA and ACO passports, and a spares package which includes four sets of wheels, two driveshafts and a spare gearset, chassis 082R represents an attractive prospective entry for Endurance Racing Legends and other historic racing events. Finally, a complimentary test day at the Circuit du Val de Vienne, courtesy of Larbre Competition, is generously offered as a condition of sale, enabling the fortunate new owner to acquaint themselves both with this spectacular car and the illustrious team which campaigned it in period to such considerable effect.

2009 Saleen S7-R S7-07-92R Results       RaceDateEntrantRace NumberDriverQualifyingOverall FinishClass Finish1000 Kilometres of Catalunya5 April 2009Team Labre Competition50Dumez / Bervillé / Zacchia26th22nd3rdFFSA GT Championship Nogaro (Race 1)13 April 2009Team Labre Competition2Lebon / Dupard19th20th8thFFSA GT Championship Nogaro (Race 2)13 April 2009Team Labre Competition2Lebon / Dupard DNFDNF1000 Kilometres of Algarve2 August 2009Team Labre Competition50Lémeret / Dumez / Bervillé24th23rd7th1000 Kilometres of Nürburgring23 August 2009Team Labre Competition50"Groppi / Dumez / Bervillé"24th23rd1st1000 Kilometres of Silverstone13 September 2009Team Labre Competition50Dumez / Bervillé / Groppi21st21st2ndFFSA GT Championship Lédenon (Race 1)18 October 2009Team Labre Competition2Bervillé / Bourdais3rd5th5thFFSA GT Championship Lédenon (Race 2)18 October 2009Team Labre Competition2Bervillé / Bourdais 2nd2nd1000 Kilometres of Okayama1 November 2009Team Labre Competition50van Dam / Lémeret / Bervillé11thDNFDNFLe Mans Series Test (Paul Ricard)8 March 2010Team Labre Competition50Gardel / Goueslard / Canal 32nd5th8 Hours of Le Castellet11 April 2010Team Labre Competition50Gardel / Goueslard / Canal26th24th4th1000 Kilometres of Spa9 May 2010Team Labre Competition50Goueslard / Gardel / Rees46th31st4th24 Hours of Le Mans12/13 June 2010Team Labre Competition50Canal / Bervillé / Gardel48th13th1st1000 Kilometres of Algarve17 July 2010Team Labre Competition50Goueslard / Gardel / Rees25th21st1st1000 Kilometres of Hungaroring22 August 2010Team Labre Competition50Gardel / Rees / Goueslard26th21st1st1000 Kilometres of Silverstone12 September 2010Team Labre Competition50Gardel / Goueslard / Rees28th38th18th1000 Kilometres of Zhuhai7 November 2010Team Labre Competition50Lamy / Bornhauser / Groppi12th18th12thTo view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lm23.