The Ligier 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”. 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 and Ginetta G55, coupled to a 6-speed sequential manual transmission with pneumatic shift mechanism and paddle shifters. Early engines generated a maximum power output of 330 hp, but in 2020 power rose to 350 BHP and is the model of JS2R we are proud to be offering for sale.

We acquired the car back in the May of last year and proceeded to do a number of club races and test days in the car achieving class wins and strong overall finishes before deciding to completely refresh the car over the winter. The gearbox was completely rebuilt along with new wishbones, updated bodywork, new driveshafts, brake discs and pads, new track rods and bearings across the entire car. We have shaken the car down as can be seen in the video below, where the car was massively competitive amongst a field of more expensive machinery.

As the 2025 racing season is underway, we intend to continue racing the car in various series, hopefully including the Ligier European Series rounds alongside ELMS at Silverstone and Le Mans. The car will be raced until bought, but rest assured we have taken a no-expense-spared approach to re-commissioning this brilliant little race car and have a folder of photographs to show the process of rebuilding the car from a tub back to a complete car, and intend to enjoy every lap of it until a new buyer is ready to enjoy it too.

The Ligier JS2R is frankly, a superb race car. Having competed in several tiers of national and international compeition, the JS2R has been one of the most enjoyable cars I’ve had the pleasure of driving. With a full refresh over the 2024 Winter in preparation for 2025, including a gearbox, clutch suspension, dampers refresh, a large spares package and with a complete repaint, this Ligier race car is an easy and affordable way into international racing. With the car being accepted in 24H Series, GT Cup, British Endurance Championship and the Ligier European Series, the Ligier JS2R is a very competitive and reliable way to the best race tracks in the world.