Racecar Lust--Jaguar XJR-9/XJR-17
The Jaguar IMSA GTP program is an example of the dangers of aiming at a moving target; just when you think you have the target in your crosshairs, it's already moved on.
Encouraged by the performance of the independent Jaguar-engined Group 44 IMSA GTP cars, Jaguar brought its successful factory effort across the pond for a big-money, high-visibility assault on IMSA GTP in 1988. When building the program, Jaguar chose as its target the long-in-the-tooth gold standard of the series, the Porsche 956/962.
At the time, that approach made sense. Despite the hapless efforts of a bumbling set of entertaining challengers from Nissan, Chevrolet, BMW, and Ford, all the competitive teams drove Porsches. Porsches won the races, Porsches won championships, and Porsches brought home the glory. Jaguar developed its program in the Porsche mold--engineered for consistency and durability, not outright speed. Develop a better Porsche, Jaguar thought, and success would follow.
As planned, Jaguar came in with its rock-solid XJR-9, won the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona, and outlcassed Porsche all season long. What Jaguar didn't see coming was the Nissan steamroller, which blindsided and obliterated both Porsche and Jaguar.
To Jaguar's credit, the company didn't give up. Subsequent XJRs were released, each faster than the last, culminating in the slinky, screaming XJR-17, fortified with Cosworth Formula 1 power. But no matter how much work was done, Jaguar was caught between the hammer of Nissan and the anvil of Toyota. Jaguar had it all over the Porsches, but by that point the Porsches were no longer particularly relevant.
This is not to say Jaguar didn't enjoy success. Jaguars did win races, and were particularly successful in the prestigious endurance races. They also had periods of dominance in the European equivalent of IMSA GTP, the FIA Group C series. While Jaguar never claimed the IMSA GTP championship, any resume that includes multiple race wins in the 24 Hour classics at Daytona and Le Mans is pretty impressive.
The top photo is an XJR-9, the seocnd is an XJR-17; both images came from Jaguar Sport Web, which also has images of a lot of other great Jaguar IMSA and Group C racers.
--Chris H.
Mochi Mochi on June 13, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Thanks for a great series Chris. Race car lust is a strange thing. You either have it or you don't. When even the lowly (formula Vee and AutoCross), the banned (several Chaparral and the infamous Brabham BT46 Fan Car), and the self-annihilating (GTP Corvette) represent such heights of accomplishment its a formidable topic to write about or respond to. But the story and interplay of competing cars was really fascinating. Each team/car displacing the next until the stakes got so high everything collapsed. There's a lesson in there somewhere. If not an ultimate truth.
Gordon on June 15, 2008 at 07:20 AM
Wow, these Jaguar cars are the bomb!! I just wanted to say Happy Father's Day!!! (Happy-belated-Birthday as well!)
Rob the SVX guy on June 16, 2008 at 06:21 AM
Sexy sexy car.
Rob on June 16, 2008 at 07:27 AM
My friends took me to a GTP race at Road America once. We arrived on Saturday afternoon in a pouring rainstorm. I believe we approached the track around the hurry-downs or carousel area. When we got near the fence this MONSTER appeared out of nowhere, howling and screaming and snorting, spitting flames on each downshift, giant wiper flinging gallons of rainwater with each swipe.
That Jag scared the living shit out of me!
Of course I fell in love with GTP right there. In the rain. I still miss it.