The Jaguar XJR-11 was a collaborative masterpiece designed by Tony Southgate and Ross Brawn for the 1989 World Sportscar Championship. The new chassis was engineered to house a compact V6 engine. A 3-litre turbo engine was created for the American IMSA series, while a 3.5-litre turbocharged variant was built for Group C. Both engines drew inspiration from the V6 used in the MG Rover 6R4 Group B rally car.
The XJR-10 was developed for the IMSA championship, while its Group C counterpart was branded as the XJR-11 (pictured). In Group C, the 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 produced an impressive 750bhp. Only three chassis were ever produced: #189, #490, and #590.
Pictured here is chassis #189, the very first XJR-11 ever built. It made its debut at Brands Hatch, piloted by French driver Patrick Tambay. Despite securing pole position, the car finished the race in fifth place, a promising but bittersweet introduction for this engineering marvel.
The featured Garrett OE T04B hybrid turbochargers were re-manufactured at AET HQ in Normanton, West Yorkshire.
Give us a call on 01924 894171 and one of our turbo experts will be on hand to assist you.
Image courtesy of Marcel Hundscheid of Speed-O-Graphica.
