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Ligier JS2

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Ligier JS2[1]
1973 Ligier JS2
Overview
ManufacturerAutomobiles Ligier
Production1971-1975
AssemblyFrance: Abrest, Allier
DesignerPietro Frua
Body and chassis
ClassSports car
Body style2-door coupé[1]
Layoutmid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
EngineOHV V6 (Ford)
DOHC V6 (Maserati)
Transmission5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,350 mm (92.5 in)[1]
Length4,250 mm (167.3 in)[1]
Width1,720 mm (67.7 in)[1]
Height1,151 mm (45.3 in)[1]
Kerb weight980 kg (2,161 lb)[1]
Chronology
PredecessorLigier JS1

The Ligier JS2 is a mid-engined sports coupé that was built by Ligier in the French commune of Abrest near Vichy in the department of Allier between 1971 and 1975. Road-going and competition versions were built.

Conception and predecessor

Guy Ligier and racing teammate, business partner and close friend Jo Schlesser talked about together building a car that would overcome the shortcomings of the cars they were driving.[2][3] Following Schlesser's death Ligier retired from racing and established Automobiles Ligier in 1968.

The JS2 was the company's second product, the first having been the JS1.[4] That car was built on an aluminum chassis designed by Chief Engineer Michel Têtu with fibreglass bodywork by Frua.[5] Four different engines would be used at different times - two versions of the Cosworth FVA DOHC inline four-cylinder engine and two versions of the Ford Cologne OHV V6 engine. The Cosworths were mated to Hewland transaxles while the Fords were bolted to a modified transaxle from the Citroën SM[6]. Due to there only ever being three JS1s built it was limited to racing in the Prototype class.[3]

History and features

To qualify to race in the GT class, 500 copies of a car had to have been built. Ligier's plan was to reach that goal with the JS2.[7].[8] The letters in the name of the car, like the JS1 before it, are a tribute to Schlesser.[9][3]

The new car's appearance was similar to that of the JS1. Bodywork was again by Frua, but Guy Ligier insisted that the proportions of the cabin be adjusted so that the car was not too wide and had a low centre of gravity and good outward visibility.[10] His requirement that it also be practical necessitated wide doors for ease of access and a usable trunk.[11]

The road-car was built on a backbone chassis made of a layer of polyurethane foam sandwiched between sheets of steel.[5][8] Suspension was by wishbones and coil springs on all four corners.[12] Braking was by power-assisted discs. Anti-roll bars were mounted front and rear.[9] Minor components like door-handles and tail-lights were sourced from major brands like Peugeot and Citroën. Weight is variously given as 980 kg or 1030 kb.[7]

The JS2's first public showing was at the 1970 Salon de l'Auto in Paris.[4] This car was powered by a 2.6 litre Ford V6. Ford was planning on using this engine in their own GT70, a mid-engined sports coupé being developed as a smaller companion to their successful GT40. Ford declined to supply engines to Ligier for the JS2.[13]

A deal was struck with Raymond Ravenel, Managing Director of Citroën, to use the Maserati C114 V6 from the SM in the JS2.[5]This engine was designed by Giulio Alfieri of Maserati, which company Citroën had purchased in 1968. Alfieri produced a 90 degree DOHC V6 with hemispherical combustion chambers and 12 valves. Built from light alloy the engine displaced 2675cc and weighed just 140 kgs, but produced 170 hp.[8]

Têtu redesigned the rear cradle of the chassis to accommodate the Maserati engine, stretching the car by 50 mm.[5] At the same time Ligier had coachbuilders Pichon-Parat make some final revisions to the car's appearance.[13][11][3] This revised JS2 with its new Italian motor debuted at the 1971 Salon de l'Auto. The car was priced at 74,000 francs[5] (roughly US$13,350.00 at the time). The first cars would be delivered in November of 1972.[4][7] 48 copies were built in 1972.[5][7]

In February of 1973 the JS2 received a larger C114 engine shared with the Maserati Merak.[13] Displacement was now up to 2965ccs, power up 25 bhp to 195 bhp, and the price up 500 francs to 74,500.[14] 80 cars were built this year.[5][7]

In 1974 Ligier entered into an agreement to sell their cars through Citroën's dealership network, which would also provide after-sales service.[13] By the end of this year Citroën had also transferred assembly of the SM to Ligier's factory in Abrest. 114 copies of the JS2 were built in 1974.[5]

In 1975 a revised "Series 2" JS2 debuted. The nose had been redesigned with hidden headlamps and the car received 5-lug wheels. The price had risen to 80,000 francs.[13] At the same time the 1973 Oil Crisis had caused the market for specialty vehicles to shrink dramatically. Only 7 of the Series 2 JS2s will be built.[5]

Citroën, facing severe financial difficulties, was eventually forced to merge with Peugeot. One of the casualties of the merger would be the SM.

On May 22nd 1975 Citroën issued an announcement saying that Maserati had been put into receivership.[15] Control of the company would eventually pass to De Tomaso, who would end production of the C114 V6, leaving Ligier without an engine for the JS2 and bringing production of the road-going model to an end.

Motorsports

The racing version of the JS2, like the JS1, used a chassis made of aluminum instead of steel.[5]

1972 - At the 24 Hours of Le Mans all cars retire with engine troubles.[16] There is one win at Rally of Bayonne driven by Jean-François Piot.[5]

1973 - With the departure of Têtu for Autodelta Michel Beaujon assumes development duties for the racing JS2. Citroën is the team sponsor. Improvements to the car's aerodynamics are made, among them a new nose and rear spoiler. Maserati adds a dry-sump to the engine and raises power to 330 bhp.[13] Engine problems again cause the retirement of the two works cars at Le Mans, with the only JS2 finisher being a private entry driven by Martial Delalande, Jacques Marché and Claude Laurent. At the Tour de France the JS2 team of Gérard Larousse and Guy Chasseuil win 14 of the 17 stages, only to be sidelined by a distributor failure.[16]

1974 - The team is sponsored by Total S.A.. Chasseuil started the season with an outright win at the 4 Hours of Le Mans.[17] JS2s ran in most of the World Championship races with with limited success. Jacques Lafitte and Alain Serpaggi managed an eight place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. The Tour de France race at the season's end was the year's high point - JS2s finish first and second.[18]

1975 - The team is sponsored by Gitanes.[7] Two of the works JS2 campaigned this year had Cosworth DFV V8 engines installed in the place of the Maseratis. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans the two Cosworth cars and one Maserati car started. The Cosworth-powered car of Lafosse and Chasseuil fight a race-long battle with the Mirage of Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx but ultimately finish in second place.[19] This will be their best showing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also the last outing for the JS2 in competition; Ligier's attention had turned to Formula One.[16]

Other French racing drivers who piloted Ligier JS2s include Guy Ligier himself, as well as Michel Leclère, Henri Pescarolo, François Migault, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, and Jean-Pierre Jarier.[20]

Racing JS2 in 1975
JS2 at 2011 Tour Auto Historique

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1972 Ligier JS2". carfolio.com. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  2. ^ "Guy Ligier's Biography". old.classic-days.fr. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ligier JS2: l'hommage à Jo". boitierrouge.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  4. ^ a b c "LIGIER JS2: La Berlinette Géniale de Guy Ligier". aonclassiccar.fr. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "1972 Ligier JS2". automobile-sportive.com. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  6. ^ "Ligier JS1 Ford". www.ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Ligier JS2 (1971-1975)". www.lautomobileancienne.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  8. ^ a b c "LIGIER JS2: il lui a manqué un vrai bon moteur". www.larevueautomobile.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  9. ^ a b Schimpff, Thierry (1970-10-24). "La Ligier JS2 reprend la tradition Francaise de Bugatti et de Talbot" [The Ligier JS2 takes over the French tradition of Bugatti and Talbot]. Paris Match (in French). Hachette Filipacchi Médias. {{cite magazine}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ "Guy Ligier's legacy lives on with the Maserati-powered JS2". www.classicdriver.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  11. ^ a b "Ligier's JS2: A Tribute to Jo Schlesser". www.velocetoday.com. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  12. ^ Georgano, Nick (2001). The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (2nd ed.).
  13. ^ a b c d e f "L'histoire de la Ligier JS2". ligierjs2.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  14. ^ Teissèdre, Jean-Marc (2014). Ligier, Prototypes & GT 1969-1975 et 2014 [Ligier, Prototypes & GT 1969-1975 and 2014] (in French) (1st ed.).
  15. ^ "Liquidation is Approved For Maserati, Car Maker". www.nytimes.com.
  16. ^ a b c "1975 Ligier JS2 Cosworth - Images, Specifications and Information". www.ultimatecarpage.com.
  17. ^ "Le Mans 4 Hours". www.racingsportscars.com.
  18. ^ "Tour de France". www.racingsportscars.com.
  19. ^ "Le Mans 24 Hours". www.racingsportscars.com.
  20. ^ "Ligier JS2". www.racingsportscars.com.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ligier JS2.
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