Jaguar considering a return to prototype ranks for the 24 Hours of Le Mans:

---

---

LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
Paul Gentilozzi's RSR team campaigns a Jaguar in the American Le Mans Series.

By GARY WATKINS on 7/14/2011

Jaguar is working on a plan to mount its first bid in more than 20 years for overall honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The British sports-car manufacturer's owner, Ratan Tata, and bosses at Jaguar parent company Tata Motors are known to be evaluating a return to the prototype ranks with an all-new LMP1. It is understood that a decision has been made in principle to mount an attack on the race at some point in the future.

Ratan Tata is known to be a fan of Le Mans and was making comments about the value of a race that Jaguar has won seven times almost as soon as he bought the company from Ford in 2008. Jaguar subsequently returned to Le Mans in 2010 with Paul Gentilozzi's RSR team, which continues to race its XKR GTE contender in the American Le Mans Series.

The architects of that program at Jaguar--former managing director Mike O'Driscoll and head of global marketing boss CJ O'Donnell--have both left the company. New Tata Motors CEO Carl-Peter Forster, who formerly worked for BMW and General Motors in Europe, is said to support the LMP1 program.

Jaguar in the U.K. would not comment on the likelihood of Jaguar's first prototype campaign at Le Mans since 1991.

"Our only current motorsport commitment is in the ALMS with Jaguar RSR Racing," a spokesman said, "but we are continuing to monitor developments in motorsport around the world."

It is unclear what time frame Jaguar and Tata are working toward. Some sources have suggested that the prototype campaign could come within the next two years. A more logical route would be to wait until the introduction of new rules in 2014.

It has been suggested that Jaguar has been talking to Wirth Research about taking over its so-far-unseen coupe design, which has been on the drawing board since Acura ended its official participation in the ALMS at the end of 2009. Wirth has denied that.

 

AutoWeek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Above all: be respectful. Critique statements, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the political rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and AutoWeek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Read our Terms of Use or email moderator@autoweek.com.