Mille Miglia Eligible. Successfully participated in the 2024 Mille Miglia
Very rare genuine factory built 100 M Le Mans. Complete with 100M Le Mans Registry certificate
One of just 640 examples produced. Approximately 170 examples from the original 640 have been authenticated by 100 M ‘Le Mans’ Registry
One of the rarest factory colors. Estimated number finished in Florida Green: approximately 40–45 cars
Benefits from meticulous restoration with attention to originality by marque model expert
This car presents a rare opportunity to acquire one of few documented factory-built 100 M “Le Mans” examples that survive today
The Austin-Healey story is one of the best examples of 1950s British sports-car alchemy: Donald Healey’s light, competition-minded engineering, combine it with the industrial muscle of British Motor Corporation, made affordable roadsters with genuine racing credibility.
The marque was created in 1952 as a joint venture between BMC’s Austin division and the Donald Healey Motor Company, with Donald Healey and Leonard Lord as the key figures behind the agreement.
In the mid-1950s, the Austin-Healey formula was clear: long bonnet, low windshield, big-torque engine, and an emphasis on real-world speed.
The original Austin-Healey 100 was assembled by Austin from 1953 to 1956 and quickly became a favorite for rallies, club racing, and record attempts, exactly the kind of grassroots motorsport culture that defined the era.
This motorsport success directly inspired the creation of a more focused, factory-developed performance version.
The Austin-Healey 100-M Le Mans represents the most performance-oriented evolution of the original four-cylinder Austin-Healey 100.
The “M” designation stood for Modification, and the model was built to celebrate the brand’s endurance racing achievements.
Factory-built 100M models featured:
Higher-compression pistons
A high-lift camshaft
Larger SU carburetors with cold-air intake box
Increased output to approximately 110 bhp
Louvered bonnet for improved cooling
Leather bonnet strap and external racing details
By 1956, the 100-M was based on the BN2 chassis, benefiting from a 4-speed gearbox with overdrive, making it both faster and more refined than earlier versions.
Just the 640 factory-built cars recorded in original production ledgers are recognized as genuine 100-M models, despite the availability of official performance kits for standard cars.
The estimated number of examples finished in Florida Green is approximately 40–45 cars.
In proportional terms, a Florida Green Austin-Healey 100-M ranks among the rarest color specifications of any 1950s British production sports car, adding notable historical and collector value to surviving examples.
ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE
This 1956 Austin-Healey 100M Le Mans is a genuine, factory-built example, completed on 20 April 1956 and delivered new to the United States.
Finished in the beautifully understated and highly desirable Florida Green and White over a Black interior, the car is presented today in its original factory color specification.
As confirmed by its British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) Certificate, this example is an authentic factory 100M “Le Mans,” originally equipped with the Le Mans package, including the louvred bonnet, laminated windscreen, heater, and mph speedometer.
The car spent the vast majority of its life in the United States, passing through the hands of Mr. Newey and F. Lutheran of Alabama.
In 2007, it was acquired by renowned marque and model expert B. Van Tiggelen for his personal collection. A true specialist, Van Tiggelen subsequently undertook a no-expense-spared restoration at his own workshop, “100 Healey”.
The car was later sold to a prominent Austrian collector with an exceptional Healey collection, including several 100Ms and a genuine 100S.
The comprehensive restoration was carried out between 2014 and 2016.
It was thereafter acquired by a Dutch collector.
In every respect, this Healey is exceptionally restored, with outstanding attention to detail, crucial on a model such as the 100M, where authenticity is defined by countless subtle and often hidden factory identifiers.
Unlike many cars converted to 100M specification, this example retains its original factory markings and components, with correct identifying numbers located in hidden areas throughout the car.
The Healey is accompanied by an outstanding array of fully restored original accessories, including:
Original jack
Thor hammer
Complete original tool kit
Tonneau cover
Side screens
Documentation is equally comprehensive and includes:
Original owner’s manual
Original service manual
Original period Austin-Healey 100 brochure
Original “Special Equipment and Tuning Instructions” brochure
Original Laycock overdrive maintenance instructions
Extensive history file
In addition, the car is accompanied by:
BMIHT Certificate confirming it as a “genuine factory-built” 100M “Le Mans”
100M “Le Mans” Registry Certificate of Membership
FIVA Identity Card
Mille Miglia Registro certification
Detailed refurbishment documentation
The car successfully participated in the 2024 Mille Miglia, performing flawlessly. Importantly, it has since been carefully prepared in anticipation of the Mille Miglia and is fully ready for future editions and other major historic driving events, making it both an exceptional collector’s piece and a highly usable rally car.
This Healey represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the very few surviving, fully documented, factory-built Austin-Healey 100M “Le Mans” examples.
We are grateful to have back in our collection this remarkable Healey and look forward to finding the right new custodian for this very rare and fully documented Austin-Healey 100M “Le Mans”.
CONDITION EXTERIOR
The exterior condition of this Healey is outstanding in every respect, having been restored to an exceptionally high standard by a renowned marque specialist with an intimate knowledge of the model.
The quality of the work speaks for itself.
The paintwork is displaying a deep, rich shine throughout.
Panel fit and alignment are excellent, further highlighting the precision of the restoration.
All exterior brightwork, including chrome trim, glass, lenses, bezels, and badges, is presented in beautiful condition, with crisp detailing.
The car is fitted with new, correct 48-spoke chrome wire wheels, which perfectly complement the overall presentation.
Overall, the exterior appearance is exceptional, reflecting both the meticulous restoration and the careful stewardship the car has enjoyed since completion.
CONDITION INTERIOR
The interior of this Healey fully continues the theme of exceptional attention to detail seen throughout the car.
Correct, original-type materials have been used everywhere, with no deviations from factory specification.
The interior presents beautifully, featuring the correct painted dashboard finished to match the exterior, along with properly trimmed black leather seats.
The dashboard itself is in excellent, with with correct and beautifully detailed instrumentation and flawless paintwork.
The leather upholstery and carpets are reflecting the very limited use since restoration.
Even the area beneath the dashboard is finished to the same high standard, underscoring the thoroughness of the restoration.
The luggage compartment is equally well presented, clean and orderly, with correct materials used throughout and all components properly placed, further confirming the quality and authenticity of this exceptional interior.
ENGINE BAY
Overall, the engine bay is beautifully presented, highly detailed, and entirely representative of a car that has undergone a complete, no-compromise mechanical restoration, making it as impressive to inspect as it is to drive.
Every component has been restored or correctly rebuilt with accuracy and care, resulting in an engine compartment that is both mechanically correct and visually exceptional.
The engine presents in outstanding condition, with correct finishes, hardware, and detailing throughout.
All ancillaries, pipework, and fittings are properly routed and neatly installed, creating a clean and authentic appearance consistent with factory specifications.
DRIVING EXPERIENCE
One can easily imagine this Healey sweeping through the Italian countryside at dawn, its exhaust note echoing off stone villages and rolling hills as it presses on toward the next control of the Mille Miglia.
The long bonnet stretches ahead, the steering speaks clearly through every bend, and the car settles into a flowing, confident stride that rewards commitment and finesse.
Immaculately prepared and beautifully sorted, this 100M drives with a sense of unity and balance that only a properly restored, factory-built example can provide.
What elevates this experience even further is the car’s extraordinary rarity. Of the thousands of Austin-Healey 100s produced, only 640 examples were ever built at the factory as true 100M “Le Mans” models. Surviving, fully documented factory-built examples such as this one represent a remarkably small and highly coveted group.
Its history, authenticity, and presence make it not just an eligible car for the 1000 Miglia, but an inspired choice, one that looks, sounds, and feels entirely at home on the legendary route from Brescia through Rome and back again.
This is not simply a car to be admired, it is a car to be driven, experienced, and celebrated, just as it would have been in the golden age of the Mille Miglia.
We very much look forward to seeing this exceptional Healey once again at the start line of a future Mille Miglia edition.
Price on request
