Another relatively obscure sports car manufacturer is exiting the history book. Ligier, a company based in rural central France, will launch its first street-legal sports car since 1975 to mark its 50th anniversary.
The yet-unnamed model will receive a 3.7-liter V6 engine tuned to make 330 horsepower. The engine’s origins weren’t revealed, it’s likely from Ford or Nissan, but we know it will shift through a six-speed sequential gearbox controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddles. We expect it will make extensive use of weight-saving materials like carbon fiber.
Ligier’s dark teaser image shows a car — presumably a coupe — characterized by angular lines and a wide rear end. We also see a sizable spoiler but the photo does a good job of hiding the model’s overall design.
We’ll learn more details about Ligier’s upcoming road car when it makes its public debut in September. Pricing will start at 89,000 euros (about $103,000) before options and Ligier intends to start production in November of this year. We don’t know how many examples the brand will make or whether any of them will make the trip to North America. It’s highly unlikely but not entirely impossible.
Li-who?
Ligier stopped making the JS2, its only street-legal sports car, in 1975. It entered Formula One the following year and competed in the series for 20 years, winning several Grand Prix. It also ran in the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1970 and 1975.
The firm somewhat surprisingly chose not to transfer its expertise from the track to the street. Instead, soon after JS2 production ended, Ligier made a name for itself by developing moped-powered microcars that can be driven without a license in many European countries, including France. The firm’s microcar-building division still exists — and does reasonably well — today.
In 2013, Onroak Automotive formed a partnership with Philippe Ligier, the son of the company’s founder and the CEO of the microcar division, to revive Ligier’s sports car arm. Its recent prototypes have competed in a number of race events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Another relatively obscure sports car manufacturer is exiting the history book. Ligier, a company based in rural central France, will launch its first street-legal sports car since 1975 to mark its 50th anniversary.
The yet-unnamed model will receive a 3.7-liter V6 engine tuned to make 330 horsepower. The engine's origins weren't revealed, it's likely from Ford or Nissan, but we know it will shift through a six-speed sequential gearbox controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddles. We expect it will make extensive use of weight-saving materials like carbon fiber.
Ligier's dark teaser image shows a car -- presumably a coupe -- characterized by angular lines and a wide rear end. We also see a sizable spoiler but the photo does a good job of hiding the model's overall design.
We'll learn more details about Ligier's upcoming road car when it makes its public debut in September. Pricing will start at 89,000 euros (about $103,000) before options and Ligier intends to start production in November of this year. We don't know how many examples the brand will make or whether any of them will make the trip to North America. It's highly unlikely but not entirely impossible.
Li-who?
Ligier stopped making the JS2, its only street-legal sports car, in 1975. It entered Formula One the following year and competed in the series for 20 years, winning several Grand Prix. It also ran in the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1970 and 1975.
The firm somewhat surprisingly chose not to transfer its expertise from the track to the street. Instead, soon after JS2 production ended, Ligier made a name for itself by developing moped-powered microcars that can be driven without a license in many European countries, including France. The firm's microcar-building division still exists -- and does reasonably well -- today.
In 2013, Onroak Automotive formed a partnership with Philippe Ligier, the son of the company's founder and the CEO of the microcar division, to revive Ligier's sports car arm. Its recent prototypes have competed in a number of race events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
