The entry in 2003, with a two-car team and a top driver line-up, was the second attempt by the Prodrive outfit to conquer Le Mans. Just one Ferrari 550 Maranello had been run in the previous year's event by the English team, and the car was holding a commanding lead in the GTS category when an oil line ruptured and the subsequent fire brought all hopes of victory to a premature end.

Since that retirement a great deal of racing and testing had taken place, with particular emphasis being paid to endurance and reliability and after never being headed in the timesheets during the pre-event test days the Prodrive 550s were in top shape for the 2003 edition. Under the bonnet Prodrive had thoroughly reworked the majestic Ferrari 6-litre V12 engine, which had run problem-free for over 5,000 kilometres in testing, this was coupled to a good aerodynamic set up, race-proven Michelin tyres, and an all-star driver line up which included a mix of experience, youth and international racing success. Car 80 was driven by the all-British crew of Kelvin Burt, Anthony Davidson and Darren Turner. Although the three drivers had enjoyed success at the highest level in other formulae and, indeed, Davidson and Turner were at the time Formula 1 test drivers, they were all making their 24 Hour debuts. The second 550 Maranello, car 88, was driven by a more experienced Le Mans crew who went into the race with eight starts between them, and who brought international race winning experience from single-seaters and touring cars to the line-up: Tomas Enge, Jamie Davies and Peter Kox. The latter crew went on to achieve a popular and rousing victory crossing the finish line at 4pm with ten laps in hand over the chasing factory Corvette of Gavin, Pilgrim and Collin.

The next year the cars went back to Le Mans, this time with Scottish rally superstar Colin McRae as part of the driving line-up, and this evocative 2004 edition car was a stunning centrepiece to Prodrive's display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as the Banbury-based preparation firm celebrated 25 years of success. As well as the 550 Maranello, the very first car Prodrive built in 1984, a Rothmans Porsche 911 SCRS, was run up the hill, as was its very latest machine, the LMP1-class Gulf Oil-liveried Aston Martin DBR9, which raced at Le Mans just last month.

As a tribute to Britain’s two former World Rally Champions, Prodrive also ran an ex-Colin McRae Impreza and an ex-Richard Burns Impreza WRC alongside the Porsche. In addition, on static display was the MG 6R4 driven by Jimmy McRae; the BMW M3 rally car which Prodrive ran in the late 1980s, Ari Vatanen’s Subaru Legacy and Alain Menu’s 2000 BTCC-winning Ford Mondeo. When not running, all the cars were to be found in the dedicated Prodrive display area located just behind the F1 Paddock.

Another Italian-Prodrive link at the Festival of Speed this year came in the form of the Alfa Romeo Brera S, a version of the Brera coupé that was developed for Alfa UK by the Dave Richards-owned concern, which was shown along with the rest of the Alfa Romeo range on the brand's large and luxurious stand. The Brera S is a limited-edition model that includes an upgrade to the suspension, revised exhaust, higher options specifications including new wheels, and special badging.