Jaguar & Rocketsports Racing are proud to announce they will be taking their ALMS-prepared XKR to Le Mans. The new car is built by Rocketsports Racing at their facility in East Lansing, Michigan. It will race in the GT2 class alongside the Corvette ZR1, Ferrari F430, Aston Martin Vantage and Porsche RSR.
Jaguar first went to Le Mans in 1950 with an early version of the XK120 that used an aluminum body. In subsequent years they developed the purpose-built C-Type and D-Types which won the event outright. With their Girling disc brakes, the Jaguars had an advantage over the Ferraris.
A second generation of Jaguar prototypes began with the US-based team Group 44. They started with the XJR-5, but after a number of struggling years were replaced by Tom Walkinshaw’s TWR outfit. The result was a resounding success and Jaguar again took the title in 1988 with the Jaguar XJR-9LM. The next chapter of Jaguar’s Le Mans story will begin on June 12th & 13th with this year’s 78th annual race.
