The Ecurie Ecosse LM-C Looks Like A Road-Legal Jaguar C-Type
Jaguar has a rich history in motorsports. The carmaker was particularly legendary during the dominance of the XK120-C – more famously known as the Jaguar C-Type — in the world of motorsports in the early 1950s.
The Jaguar C-Type made its debut in 1951, and the car wasn’t meant to be driven on the streets but on the racetrack. Featuring a lightweight, multi-tubular, triangulated frame wrapped in an extremely aerodynamic aluminum body, the C-Type was devoid of everything that could hinder its racing potential such as carpets and even door handles.
The C-Type was the racing car of choice of various motorsport legends, including the legendary Sir Stirling Moss. The C-Type proved its racing prowess when it won the Le Mans in 1951, as driven by Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead. It was also the car of choice for Ian Stewart, pioneer driver for the Ecurie Ecosse racing team.
Ecurie Ecosse found the Jaguar C-Type as a vital part of their formula to racing success. Now under a new patron, Ecurie Ecosse is building a new car that pays tribute to their racing success — the Ecurie Ecosse LM-C. It looks like a road-legal C-Type, and interestingly it is really legal to drive on the streets.
Rich Winning History With Jaguar C-Type
After winning the Le Mans in 1951, the Jaguar C-Type went back to try claiming the iconic endurance crown for the second straight year in 1952. It failed to do so, but the C-Type grabbed its second Le Mans win in 1953. In the same event, the C-Type placed third and fourth. The racer had its last Le Mans hurrah in 1954, although its best finish was at fourth.
Ecurie Ecosse’s history with the C-Type started in 1952. After failing to win the 1952 Le Mans, Jaguar build a series of customer C-Types, and gave works team drivers the first chance to buy them. Stewart, who did not finish in the Le Mans, purchased the second C-Type out of the factory. He drove the car straight to Jersey for the Jersey Road Race. Stewart won the race, thereby giving Ecurie Ecosse its first major International win.
Racing across seven Jaguar C-Type chassis, the Ecurie Ecosse team soon earned a total of 59 podium wins. Team founder David Murray and team manager ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson tuned them to the point that the cars were able to grab wins after wins.
Ecurie Ecosse LM-C Is Inspired By Jaguar C-Type
The glory of the past still lives in Ecurie Ecosse’s veins. This inspired the team to celebrate the historic success of the original Ecurie Ecosse race cars by building replicas in their honor – the new LM-C. Since the seven Ecurie Ecosse C-Types still lives to this day, the team plans to build just seven LM-C examples, serving as numbered sister cars for the original racers. Ecurie Ecosse will hand-build and tuned each LM-C at its workshop in Coventry.
As per Ecurie Ecosse, the new LM-C features all the winning elements of the C-Type racers with various improvements. For instance, the Ecurie Ecosse LM-C still features a thin-gauge aluminum alloy body dropped on a steel spaceframe chassis. While the LM-C retains the aerodynamic shape of the Jaguar C-Type, it is longer by four inches, wider by two inches and stiffer than its 1950s inspiration.
Updated Mechanicals For Ecurie Ecosse LM-C
Each Ecurie Ecosse LM-C comes powered by the Jaguar straight-six XK engine, which has been enhanced by increasing its capacity to 4.2 liters and employing fuel injection and emissions. It is capable of delivering 300 hp of output and 327 lb-ft of peak torque. Since the LM-C tips the scale at just 2,200 lbs, it boasts a very healthy power-to-weight ratio.
Ecuri Ecosse also uprated the suspension system and the disc brakes of the new LM-C to support its performance. The team also installed a hand-fabricated stainless exhaust system that features integrated 3D laser-sintered parts. Unlike the original C-Types that employed a four-speed Moss transmission, the LM-C sends power to the rear wheels via a five-speed Tremec gearbox.
Exterior And Interior Details Of New LM-C
The exterior of the Ecurie Ecosse LM-C faithfully copies the looks of the team’s Jaguar C-Type racers – except for the fact that it is missing Jaguar badges all over. The example shown features a blue finish, with flanks hand-airbrushed with the familiar Ecurie Ecosse shields. The LM-C also features hand-engrave polished alloy fuel filler cap, as well as 185-profile Avon Turbospeed tires. At first look, the LM-C really looks like a road-legal Jaguar C-Type.
Inside, the driver would love the fact that the Ecuri Ecosse LM-C features hand-crafted aluminum-framed bucket seats. In more specific details, the bucket seats are wrapped in clothed in supple blue leather by Crest, while the steering wheel is rimmed in bespoke Moto-Lita wood. The dashboard features Tag Heuer ‘Master Time’ stopwatches. The cabin of the LM-C is noticeably more spacious than that of the Jaguar C-Type.
Not The Same As Jaguar C-Type Continuation
Interestingly, Jaguar Classic announced a new continuation model for C-Type. To be hand-built in Jaguar’s classic works facility in Coventry, the C-Type Continuation will be produced in just eight examples – all built to copy the specs of the 1953 Le Mans winning race. The hand-built C-Type Continuation, however, is still not road-legal, but Ecurie Ecosse LM-C is. It’s not sanctioned by Jaguar, though.
Source: Ecuri Ecosse
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