Ecurie Ecosse LM69
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| Ecurie Ecosse LM69 | |
|---|---|
 The LM69 at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2019 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ecurie Cars Ltd |
| Production | TBA; |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | MR |
| Related | Jaguar XJ13 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 6.1 or 6.8 L tera V12 (by Building The Legend Limited) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
The Ecurie Ecosse LM69 is a sports car manufactured by Ecurie Cars Ltd - a Joint Venture between Building The Legend,[1] Ecurie Ecosse & Design Q.[2] The car is meant to be both a tribute to the Jaguar XJ13 and a race car built in compliance with the 1969 Le Mans regulations.
Originally commissioned by Neville Swales of Building The Legend Limited,[1] the LM69 was developed as a homage to the 1966 Jaguar XJ13 race car which was intended to participate to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, changes in the homologation rules made the XJ13 suddenly obsolete. Jaguar halted the project and the only built XJ13, not being able to enter any race, was put in storage.[3][4]
The LM69 was never intended to be an exact replica of the XJ13;[3] rather, Ecurie Ecosse tried to imagine what the XJ13 might have looked like if Jaguar continued its development until 1969. This explains the marked retro design, as well as the absence of post-1960s technology: the LM69 would have complied with any 1969 Le Mans regulation, thus virtually allowing Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse to participate to the 1969 event (hence its name) and racing in the same league of the Ford GT40 and Porsche 917.[3][5]
Design
The car was commissioned by Neville Swales of Building The Legend Limited[1] and designed by Howard Guy and his team at Design Q[6] Unlike the heavier all-aluminium XJ13, the LM69's body is made of both aluminium and composite materials, covering a purpose-built chassis. The LM69 also sports a closed cockpit, a more refined aerodynamics and wider tires. The mid-mounted engine lies under a transparent deck lid.[5][4][6]
