We consider transformations preserving a contracting foliation, such that the associated quotient map satisfies a Lasota-Yorke inequality. We prove that the associated transfer operator, acting on suitable normed spaces, has a spectral gap (on which we have quantitative estimation). As an application we consider Lorenz-like two dimensional maps (piecewise hyperbolic with unbounded contraction and expansion rate): we prove that those systems have a spectral gap and we show a quantitative estimate...