Ligier JS2 R

Rear view

The JS2 R debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2018, the Ligier company's 50th anniversary year. It was inspired by the Ligier JS2 introduced in 1972, a car described as having superior driving dynamics and the best power-to-weight ratio of the time. The original JS2 finished second in its class at the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans. The JS2 R borrows many design cues from the JS2. The "R" in the car's name is said to stand for either "Revival", or "Race".[2][3][4] While it is designed to be an easy car to drive, no road-legal variant of the JS2 R is planned.

The car is powered by the same 3.7 L Ford Duratec 37 V6 engine used in the JS P4, coupled to a 6-speed sequential manual transmission with pneumatic shift mechanism and paddle shifters. Early engines generated a maximum power output of 335 PS (246 kW; 330 hp), but in 2020 power rose to 355 PS (261 kW; 350 hp). The braking system is from Brembo, with 6-piston calipers and 343 mm (13.5 in) rotors in front, and 4-piston calipers over 304 mm (12.0 in) rotors in back. The suspension is a double wishbone system with actuated push-rods at the rear, with adjustable anti-roll bars and dampers. The interior is driver focused, and designed to accommodate tall drivers. A heated windscreen is standard equipment.

The JS2 R is designed to deliver low running costs and ease of maintenance. The car can be homologated for FIA Group E category. Test days were scheduled for November 2018 for prospective buyers.[5][6]

Since 2020 the car competes in its own category in the "Ligier European Series" of racing.[7]

The JS2 R provided the basis for development of a demonstration hydrogen powered vehicle to be unveiled at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in early June 2023. The car, called the JS2 RH2, is a joint project of Bosch, who has oversight of the overall vehicle concept including engine, hydrogen storage, and development of a safety concept, and Ligier, who is responsible for vehicle architecture, H2 system integration and cooling.[8]