Watching the likes of LMP1 cars rocketing around race circuits is cool and all but it’s nothing compared to the sports car prototypes which once dominated the racing scene in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Take the Jaguar XJR-9, for example. Built as a successor to the XJR-8, the prototype featured a screaming 7.0-liter V12 engine from the British marque. Built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, the racer proved itself in its very first race in the United States, claiming victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
The following year in 1998, the XJR-9 secured the constructors’ title during the 1988 World Sports Prototype Championship, beating out equally-famous cars like the Sauber C9 and Porsche 962C. On its way to the title, the car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first time Jaguar had achieved such a feat since 1957.
To provide us with an in-depth analysis of the Jaguar XJR-9, DriveTribe has launched a new YouTube series showcasing some of the finest automobiles in history. Presenter Mike Fernie takes a dive into the technical aspects of the Le Mans-winner in this first episode.
If, after watching this video, you don’t fall in love with the racer, you may need to get yourself checked out.