New Lister GT1!!

[gwyllion]

Some news from scrutineering today: Lister is working on a new GT1 with an engine that has not been seen in Europe. Does this mean Lister is giving up LMP1? It seems so...

source: Une toute nouvelle Lister apparaîtra en GT1 (endurance-info.com)

[Bentley03]

I'm sure this news will deserve a dedicated thread in due course, but as the Lister LMP1 was being checked by the scrutineers in Le Mans this morning, Laurence Pearce announced that a brand new car is in the pipeline which will be built to GT1 regulations. The new GT1 will replace the current LMP1 project which will now not continue beyond 2006. No further details about the project were disclosed.

Ah, I see I'm five minutes late with the news, Gwyllion.........

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Some news from scrutineering today: Lister is working on a new GT1 with an engine that has not been seen in Europe. Does this mean Lister is giving up LMP1? It seems so...

source: Une toute nouvelle Lister apparaîtra en GT1 (endurance-info.com)

It would make sense to return to the category that brought them success. Although I don't know if they will be able to meet the minimum production requirements for homologation. If they do with some special a la MC12, they will act against the spirit of the rules and I am not sure if they will be welcomed by the ACO again. Maybe they need to step back a little bit and turn an existing production road car into a racer. Their heritage could make the new Jaguar XK a viable option, especially considering it has a state of the art chassis.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by WouterM

It wouldTheir heritage could make the new Jaguar XK a viable option, especially considering it has a state of the art chassis.

That was my first thought, but the statement about the engine doesn't fit in with the theory.

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

That was my first thought, but the statement about the engine doesn't fit in with the theory.

Maybe they'll make a special version of the XK with that engine. The stock V8 is not a likely candidate for GT1 racing. The XKR will be launched at the British Motorshow soon, but that should have the supercharged V8. If anything the XK is set for GT2.

[gwyllion]

Will they receive any support if they were to transform the Jaguar XK into a race version? The Ford Premier Automotive Group is already supporting the Aston Martin-Prodrive effort.

I doubt Lister can build truely competitive GT1 car. They just can not match Prodrive, Maserati, Corvette and Oreca.

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I doubt Lister can build truely competitive GT1 car. They just can not match Prodrive, Maserati, Corvette and Oreca.

Even if they can, I think it will be impossible for them to build let alone sell 50 cars in two years.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

I doubt Lister can build truely competitive GT1 car. They just can not match Prodrive, Maserati, Corvette and Oreca.

They built the Storm wich was a championship winner, why wouldn't they be able to do such a thing again?

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

They built the Storm wich was a championship winner, why wouldn't they be able to do such a thing again?

Bigger budgets, more competitive cars, ... And their LMP project did not make a good impression at all. Without support from a big manufacturer they will have a hard time; and this is unlikely if they make their own car (with homologation problems as mentioned earlier).

[Bentley03]

Could they get around the homologation problem by rebadging an existing car which would then be available through the manufacturers dealer network; for example a Nissan 350Z could become a Nissan 350 Lister?

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Could they get around the homologation problem by rebadging an existing car which would then be available through the manufacturers dealer network; for example a Nissan 350Z could become a Nissan 350 Lister?

I doubt it. They would be involved like a Pratt & Miller, Prodrive, Reiter, Michelotto, Oreca etc.

[ss_collins]

GT1 - possible more expensive than LMP1

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Will they receive any support if they were to transform the Jaguar XK into a race version? The Ford Premier Automotive Group is already supporting the Aston Martin-Prodrive effort.

I doubt Lister can build truely competitive GT1 car. They just can not match Prodrive, Maserati, Corvette and Oreca.

Originally Posted by WouterM

Even if they can, I think it will be impossible for them to build let alone sell 50 cars in two years.

Originally Posted by gwyllion

Bigger budgets, more competitive cars, ... And their LMP project did not make a good impression at all. Without support from a big manufacturer they will have a hard time; and this is unlikely if they make their own car (with homologation problems as mentioned earlier).

Originally Posted by ss_collins

GT1 - possible more expensive than LMP1

I think these are all (sad but true) correct observations.

Maybe Lister could develop a Jag XK GT2 car? On that way they are not racing against Aston Martin and it's cheaper as GT1.

[Shotteh]

I really do hope that Lister can somehow manage to bring out a competetive GT1 car, it would put them right back where they belong.

[ss_collins]

Rebodied raced up Jags? that would work.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Rebodied raced up Jags? that would work.

You mean like Alpina does with BMWs?

[scoff]

I think lister would do a superb move by switching to GT1. This because I expect there will be a drop in competitiveness in about 2 to 4 years in GT1.

First does anyone here expect Corvette to be around as a factory entry in 4 years? I don't. In about two or three years the privateers will take over the corvette's and like happened with the Vipers: in another two or three years after retiring they're not fast enough anymore.

Same and even more at the Aston story. I expect the fund to be dropped very soon and there are only privateers next year. There won't be another prodrive after the 550 and the DBR9 because Prodrive's move to F1.

Then the current Salleen revival and the Masserati's competitiveness will end also in two years from now and what do we have left then? LISTER with a new car.

All new brands are turning to prototypes (Peugeot, Porsche, Acura and a bit Mazda) so there will be a chance for brands like Lister to try on GT1. The only thing they have to do is take a longggg time (2/3 years) to design a car that's faster than the Aston (it won't be improved) and second hope, hope and hope that Corvette will retire in about two years as a factory entry so that development will also quit in about one or two years. Then in three years time the only oponents for Lister with their new car will be some old privateer Corvette's, Aston's and far of pace (3 years time) Salleens and Masserati's

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Rebodied raced up Jags? that would work.

They could get back into the Jaguar tuning business as well to make some money. However, Jaguar is in big trouble, which does not make it the best of 'partners' to base future programs on.

[Shotteh]

Something a bit like the Zakspeed V8 star Jag? But obviously to GT2 spec.

[ss_collins]

FIRE - yes exactly that

the V8 Star is a silhoette... so not quite

Yes the jag tuning thing could work, but it would be a deal like the prodrive Ferrari I reckon where the works does not assist the programme in anyway.

Realistically I doubt that Lister realise how serious GT1 has gotten.

[WouterM]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Yes the jag tuning thing could work, but it would be a deal like the prodrive Ferrari I reckon where the works does not assist the programme in anyway.

Will there be a 'Frederic Dor' to bankroll that operation then? There needs to be plenty of cash from the get go to develop a race winning car. Maybe then money can be made from selling bits for road cars and complete racing cars.

I am afraid the days of the privateers are over again. For how long is the question.

[Bramzel]

Slightly more info on DSC:

- It'll be a 4-litre turbo engine
- It'll be based on a car from another manufacturer but will be rebuilt to be a proper Lister
- The budget Mr. Pearce will have is 10 to 20 times bigger than he ever had before, so the project will be really high profile.

Rather interesting if you ask me, wich 4-litre turbo cars are there around to base a GT1 on?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Slightly more info on DSC:

- It'll be a 4-litre turbo engine
- It'll be based on a car from another manufacturer but will be rebuilt to be a proper Lister
- The budget Mr. Pearce will have is 10 to 20 times bigger than he ever had before, so the project will be really high profile.

Rather interesting if you ask me, wich 4-litre turbo cars are there around to base a GT1 on?

Turbo engines...so I expect it will not an American but a Japanese engine.

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Turbo engines...so I expect it will not an American but a Japanese engine.

if it will be a turbo .. i'm thinking Japan too .. but who ?
Toyota ?? Nissan ?? JGTC engines ?? i don't see it being Honda

[gwyllion]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Rather interesting if you ask me, wich 4-litre turbo cars are there around to base a GT1 on?

None that I know of

The Koenigseggs have a supercharged 4.7 V8. And the new Jaguar XKR will have a supercharged 4.2 V8.

Maybe one of the upcoming Japanese supercars: Nissan/Infiniti GT-R (Skyline successor; engine rumor say between 3.5-3.8 twin-turbo V6) or Lexus LF-A (Supra successor; suppossed to get 5.0 V10).