Le Mans cars that should have been

[dejablu311]

We have talked about our favorite le mans racers but there were many cars built that for one reason or another never made it to the race. The new Lambo may be one of these. So what are your favorite cars that never made it the main event and why?

Mine is the the Jaguar XJ-13. It was built in 1966 with the sole intention to compete at le mans. But of coarse, that was the year that they anounced that for the 1967 season engines would be limited to 3 liters. The xj-13 was equipped with their newly designed 5 liter V-12 engine. Thus the only model completed spent the rest of its life as a test bed for the engine that would find itself in the E-types. In my opinion it is simply one of the most beautiful race cars ever made and would have looked great competing next to the GT-40s.

[ledhedsymbols]

Being a registered Porsche nut I have to stick with the Carrera GT. It would have been beautiful to see Porsche back with a factory team...

[dejablu311]

I could be wrong but i don't think that porsche ever intended the Carrera GT to be a race car. I know i have never seen a race version. As far as i know the Carrera GT is the reason that Porsche isn't at this very moment competeing for an outright victory at Le Mans. I wouldn't be suprised if they decided to use the V-10 power plant as a starting point however.

[93PearlVR-4]

I thought the Carrera GT was loosely based off the 911 GT1? I very well may be wrong but I thought I read this somewhere.

[Layla's Keeper]

It's not Le Mans, per se, but the Ferrari 612 Can Am car DEFINITELY should have been.

Unfortunately, Ferrari was pre-occupied with fighting the Ford scourge at Le Mans and as such development of this awe inspiring car was cut short and the only examples were left in the hands of Chris Amon's private team. One can only wonder if the Bruce & Denny show would've been broken up by this car with full factory support.

[dejablu311]

Originally Posted by 93PearlVR-4

I thought the Carrera GT was loosely based off the 911 GT1? I very well may be wrong but I thought I read this somewhere.

no the carrera GT was a complete redesign. porsche def learned some lessons from the GT1 and prolly applied them to the carrera but i know for a fact that they did not share any parts.

[ledhedsymbols]

The Carerra GT is not at all related to the GT1. The GT1 was based on the 993 model 911. The CGT engine was designed for competition at Le Mans, but the plug was pulled. In the future, who knows what those Crazy Krauts from Stuttgart will do. I love those guys!

[57JagXKSS]

I really like the Jaguar XJ13.

pictures

http://www.atspeedimages.com/pebble2002/jaguar_xj-13/

more information

http://www.ciltd.co.uk/Replica/xj13story.htm

[lotus_man]

I'de have loved to have seen the F50GT that Ferrari were developing for the FIA GT (nee BPR) championship in '96/'97 run at Le Mans. Hell, I'd love to have seen it run anywhere...

[pimp349]

Originally Posted by ledhedsymbols

The Carerra GT is not at all related to the GT1. The GT1 was based on the 993 model 911. The CGT engine was designed for competition at Le Mans, but the plug was pulled.

This site explains it all: http://www.mulsannescorner.com/porschelmp1.html