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StarLight Garage presents the French Ligier JS2 Cosworth racing car from 1975.
Ligier is also well known from the Formula One.
Enjoy another Christmas suggestion from SLG!
One of the StarLight Garage fans has proposed to make a more detailed banner, and here is the result
by Chameleon9000
Thanks!
Guy Ligier had already successfully played rugby and raced motorcycles when he moved to four wheels during the 1960s. He competed in several Grands Prix as a privateer but also drove a Ford GT40 MkII to victory in the 1967 Reims 12 Hours with his friend Jo Schlesser. Following Schlesser's tragic death at the 1968 French Grand Prix, he hung up his racing gloves. Instead Ligier set about creating his own mid-engined sports car. Launched in 1969, it was known as the JS1 in memory of Jo Schlesser.
Only three experimental, competition cars were built when work started on the more production oriented JS2. Sadly, development was delayed as original engine supplier Ford backed out of the project as they feared the JS2 would rival their mid-engined GT70. Eventually a suitable replacement was found in the Maserati V6 that was also used by the Citroën SM. It was mounted amidships in a conventional steel chassis designed by Michel Tetu. The car was clothed in a fibreglass body that had been penned by Pietro Frua, who also had also been responsible for the JS1 design.
Considering its competition roots, it was hardly surprising that Tetu had also developed a race-ready version of the JS2. Built to the relatively lenient Group 5 regulations, the competition JS2 featured an aluminium version of road-going chassis. The engine was developed to produce a hefty 330 bhp. In its initial guise, the BP liveried JS2 looked deceivingly standard. During its debut season, 1972, it only appeared in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three cars were entered but all retired with engine related issues.
For 1973, Ligier received backing from Citroën, allowing the aerodynamics to be further developed. Over the winter, the car evolved into a true silhouette racer with a deep air-dam, wider wheel arches and a tall rear wing. At Le Mans, the Maserati engine once again proved the weakest link of the effort, prompting early retirements for both works cars. At the Tour de France, later in the season, the JS2 really came into its own, winning 14 of the 17 stages. Sadly a distributor failure ultimately robbed Gérard Larousse and Guy Chasseuil from victory.
Refinished in Total colours, the JS2s returned to the fore in 1974. Chasseuil started off with a great victory in the Le Mans 4 Hours. The expanded works program saw Ligier compete in most rounds of the World Championship but with limited success due to reliability issues and accidents. Jacques Laffite and Alain Serpaggi did manage to finish a credible eighth at Le Mans. At the end of the 1974 season, Larousse did manage to get vindication in the Tour de France, scoring a well deserved victory ahead of the sister car.
Going into their fourth season, the two works Ligier JS2s were equipped with the altogether more powerful Cosworth DFV V8 engine, which was good for 460 bhp. Prompted by the withdrawal of Matra, the main objective in 1975 was an outright victory at Le Mans. Jean-Louis Lafosse and Chasseuil came very close and were involved in a race-long battle with Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx in the Mirage that would ultimately claim victory by a single lap. This would be the final outing for the JS2, as Ligier had set its sights on F1.
Competition history:
Specifications
Country of origin: France
Produced in: 1975
Numbers built: 3
Engine
Configuration: Ford Cosworth DFV 90º V8
Location: Mid, longitudinally mounted
Weight: 168 kg (370.4 lbs)
Construction: Aluminium block and head
Displacement: 2.993 liter (182.6 cu in)
Bore: 85.6 mm (3.4 in)
Stroke: 64.8 mm (2.6 in)
Valvetrain: 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel: Feed Lucas Fuel Injection
Lubrication: Dry sump
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Power: 460 hp (343 KW) @ 10200 rpm
Torque: 338 Nm (249 ft lbs) @ 8000 rpm
BHP/Liter: 154 bhp / liter
Drivetrain
Body: Fibreglass
Chassis: Aluminium monocoque
Front suspension: Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: Reversed lower wishbones, top links, trailing arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: rack-and-pinion
Brakes: ventilated discs, all-round
Gearbox: Hewland 5 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive
Dimensions
Weight: 770 kg (1697.6 lbs)
Wheelbase: 2380 mm (93.7 in)
Track front: 1534 mm (60.4 in)
Track rear: 1488 mm (58.6 in)
Wheels front: 10 x 13
Wheels rear: 16 x 13
Tyres front: 24/53 - 13
Tyres rear: 40/55 - 13
Performance figures
Power to weight: 0.6 bhp / kg
Top Speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
Only three experimental, competition cars were built when work started on the more production oriented JS2. Sadly, development was delayed as original engine supplier Ford backed out of the project as they feared the JS2 would rival their mid-engined GT70. Eventually a suitable replacement was found in the Maserati V6 that was also used by the Citroën SM. It was mounted amidships in a conventional steel chassis designed by Michel Tetu. The car was clothed in a fibreglass body that had been penned by Pietro Frua, who also had also been responsible for the JS1 design.
Considering its competition roots, it was hardly surprising that Tetu had also developed a race-ready version of the JS2. Built to the relatively lenient Group 5 regulations, the competition JS2 featured an aluminium version of road-going chassis. The engine was developed to produce a hefty 330 bhp. In its initial guise, the BP liveried JS2 looked deceivingly standard. During its debut season, 1972, it only appeared in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three cars were entered but all retired with engine related issues.
For 1973, Ligier received backing from Citroën, allowing the aerodynamics to be further developed. Over the winter, the car evolved into a true silhouette racer with a deep air-dam, wider wheel arches and a tall rear wing. At Le Mans, the Maserati engine once again proved the weakest link of the effort, prompting early retirements for both works cars. At the Tour de France, later in the season, the JS2 really came into its own, winning 14 of the 17 stages. Sadly a distributor failure ultimately robbed Gérard Larousse and Guy Chasseuil from victory.
Refinished in Total colours, the JS2s returned to the fore in 1974. Chasseuil started off with a great victory in the Le Mans 4 Hours. The expanded works program saw Ligier compete in most rounds of the World Championship but with limited success due to reliability issues and accidents. Jacques Laffite and Alain Serpaggi did manage to finish a credible eighth at Le Mans. At the end of the 1974 season, Larousse did manage to get vindication in the Tour de France, scoring a well deserved victory ahead of the sister car.
Going into their fourth season, the two works Ligier JS2s were equipped with the altogether more powerful Cosworth DFV V8 engine, which was good for 460 bhp. Prompted by the withdrawal of Matra, the main objective in 1975 was an outright victory at Le Mans. Jean-Louis Lafosse and Chasseuil came very close and were involved in a race-long battle with Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx in the Mirage that would ultimately claim victory by a single lap. This would be the final outing for the JS2, as Ligier had set its sights on F1.
Competition history:
- 1974 Tour de France Automobile – 1st (with Gérard Larrousse, Jean-Pierre Nicolas and Johnny Rives)
- 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans – 2nd (with Jean-Louis Lafosse and Guy Chasseuil)
Specifications
Country of origin: France
Produced in: 1975
Numbers built: 3
Engine
Configuration: Ford Cosworth DFV 90º V8
Location: Mid, longitudinally mounted
Weight: 168 kg (370.4 lbs)
Construction: Aluminium block and head
Displacement: 2.993 liter (182.6 cu in)
Bore: 85.6 mm (3.4 in)
Stroke: 64.8 mm (2.6 in)
Valvetrain: 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel: Feed Lucas Fuel Injection
Lubrication: Dry sump
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Power: 460 hp (343 KW) @ 10200 rpm
Torque: 338 Nm (249 ft lbs) @ 8000 rpm
BHP/Liter: 154 bhp / liter
Drivetrain
Body: Fibreglass
Chassis: Aluminium monocoque
Front suspension: Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: Reversed lower wishbones, top links, trailing arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: rack-and-pinion
Brakes: ventilated discs, all-round
Gearbox: Hewland 5 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive
Dimensions
Weight: 770 kg (1697.6 lbs)
Wheelbase: 2380 mm (93.7 in)
Track front: 1534 mm (60.4 in)
Track rear: 1488 mm (58.6 in)
Wheels front: 10 x 13
Wheels rear: 16 x 13
Tyres front: 24/53 - 13
Tyres rear: 40/55 - 13
Performance figures
Power to weight: 0.6 bhp / kg
Top Speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
THE OTHER LIGIER IS HERE:
