Cars
Le Mans Yesterday and Today: Jaguar
Jaguar's illustrious history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans boasts seven victories, from the innovative XK-120C in 1951 to the XJR-12 in 1990, cementing its legacy as one of the most successful British manufacturers in endurance racing.
Roarington's journey to discover the most successful constructors in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans reaches the fourth place in the roll of honor, occupied by Jaguar. The British brand has seven victories in the world's most famous endurance race, a record for English manufacturers. The cars of William Lyons, a sort of English Enzo Ferrari who dabbled in high-performance cars before the war but only created his "Jaguar" after the conflict, are the result of his deep mechanical expertise and his vision in body design. Victory at Le Mans soon became Jaguar's goal, given the success of the new XK-120 in the market. The car was prepared for competition, even though it was rather heavy and bulky. But courage pays off, and in 1951, the XK-120C, with the "C" standing for competition, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This was just the beginning: a new tubular chassis and an aluminum body were developed, resulting in a car weighing just one ton. But there's more: in addition to the engine, now equipped with two twin-choke carburetors, the C-Type, as the car was now called, was the first in the world to feature disc brakes. The C-Type dominated the 1953 edition.
