Motorsports News: Jaguar GT Racing Car Makes European Debut

It is the first and only chance for the public to see the stunning new XKR GT in the metal before it heads back to the US to compete in the entire 2010 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in North America.

Jaguar asked the Michigan-based RSR team to help create a race car to compete in GT2 racing in 2010. The Jaguar engineering and design teams, based in Coventry, have jointly developed the car from a standard road-going XKR with the RSR team.

The competition car uses the standard Jaguar XKR lightweight aluminium monocoque together with additional steel reinforcements and safety structure developed by RSR. The 5.0-litre V-8 engine boasts 550 horsepower at 7000 rpm and a maximum speed of 180mph.

The JaguarRSR XKR GT made its racing debut during the Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, in September 2009. The car took its first green flag in the American Le Mans Series season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in October and is set for a full-season championship effort in 2010.

Jaguar XKR GT2 – technical highlights
CHASSIS Jaguar XKR bonded and riveted Aluminium monocoque, with RSR steel
reinforcements and safety structure.
ENGINE Jaguar AJ133 5.0 Litre V-8
TYRES Yokohama racing slicks
ENGINE MANAGEMENT Bosch
DATA ACQUISITION Motec

SPARK PLUGS Bosch
BRAKES Brembo 6 Piston Front Calipers on 380mm discs / 4 Piston Rear Calipers
on 350mm discs
SHOCK ABSORBERS Ohlins DR4
TRANSMISSION 6 speed Hewland CST Transverse Sequential Transaxle
WHEELS BBS 18” 3 piece
WEIGHT 1245 kg / 2744 lbs
LENGTH 4790 mm / 188.5 inches
WIDTH 1996 mm / 78.5 inches
HORSEPOWER Approximately 550
RPM 7000
MAX. SPEED 180 MPH

Credits: wilswong