It was designed to beat everyone at Le Mans in the late ‘60s.
In an inspiring move, a small Scottish race team has brought to life the mythical Jaguar XJ13. It’s been 50 years since the prototype was created specifically to win the 24 at Le Mans, a motorsports competition watched globally. In development for years, the mid-engined endurance race car never competed as Jaguar abandoned the project. Now, the limited-production Ecurie Ecosse LM69 will provide the ultra-rich with the opportunity to own a legend.
At the heart of this racer is a 5.0-liter quad-cam V12 mounted mid-ship. You can clearly see the beautiful engine and all 12 of its carbs extending upward, thanks to a clear cover. To keep things authentic, it doesn’t use any technologies developed after 1969, although the design no doubt benefits from lessons learned in the last five decades. In the original design, both the engine and transmission were structurally integral to the chassis.
While the Ecurie Ecosse LM69 is lighter than the prototype Jaguar XJ13, it still requires a considerable amount of driving prowess. There are zero electronics onboard, so you don’t benefit from traction/stability control or any other aids, making the brake pedal more important for controlling the racer.
As you can imagine, this car is a matter of British national pride. After Ford knocked Ferrari out of endurance racing, sweeping the podium at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, the English were looking to come in an dominate using the Jaguar XJ13. Nobody knows for sure if the plan would’ve been successful, and so it’s been an item of much speculation ever since.
If buyers ask nicely, Ecurie Cars Ltd. will install fuel injection. That kind of ruins the authentic experience, but either way you get it, this resurrected racer is actually street legal at least in the UK. It’s not exactly the kind of vehicle you want to take to the McDonald’s drive-thru, but it would be great to drive to your local Cars & Coffee event.
Photo Credit: Ecurie Cars Ltd.
H/T: CarThrottle
