Faster Than F1

Group C racing was possibly the most exciting (and one of the most dangerous) times in the history of motor racing. The category gave way to a handful of legendary cars, and today we're discussing one of them; the car that managed to de-throne Porsche after nearly a decade of dominance, the 1988 Le Mans and overall championship winner, the marvellous Jaguar XJR-9.
#lemans #jaguar #speed

[@williamgreer4087]

Absolutely love the Gran Turismo backing music ❤️

[@dylanja09]

So many great memories 👍👍

[@carl-stevensinkler7894]

Right

[@miguelhenriques3308]

Exactly

[@jorypeters5235]

Me 2

[@longnamedude3947]

I guess it must be copyright sharealike now..... Otherwise a lot of videos will e eventually be taken down for breaking copyright laws, which would be unfortunate but entirely avoidable. I hate copyright laws, the consumer always loses out.

[@pgr3290]

The diffuser tunnels on the XJR-9 are epic. Low profile wing, fairings on the rear wheels, monster V12. They were absolute missiles at Le Mans.

[@eamontang9178]

I love your vids! The quality of these videos are superb and deserve way more attention than it has now

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! I'm glad you like them :)

[@BOABModels]

My favourite Group C car by far. Thanks for the great video. Did you know that when they run it now, they can't use the original wheels as Dunlop no longer make the special Denloc tyres?

[@automobilistic]

I didn't know that! makes sense though. Really glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@joelbrooks3198]

Sauber Mercedes C9

[@saylemwitch]

The XJR-9 is probably my favorite racecar of all time. I absolutely love it. Thanks for the video

[@alieffauzanrizky7202]

I'm glad this channel got back on my recommendations, and coincidentally it's about one of my favorite car

[@arkashrampadarath9118]

Fantastic era of racing. Miss those good old racing days 🏆

[@matthewhogberg5910]

You sir are quickly becoming one of my favorite KZbinrs. Your videos always bring a smile to my face, and I like how you talk about some cars people might have forgotten like the Panoz, or Vertigo.

[@shenmisheshou7002]

The Jaguar V12 was actually a very reliable and well proven racing engine, being campaigned several years by TWR in the XJS Group 44 (and winning many many races) and with the XJR-6. A stock Jaguar XJS held the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, running from Cannonball Garage in NYC to the west coast in a record 32 hours and 51 minutes, a record that stood for two decades. The production versions cars were unreliable mostly because of the electronics but the V12 engine itself is extremely reliable as long as it is not allowed to overheat.

[@ziggystardust4627]

Great video, with a lot of detail! Re: your gibe at American engineering - The C100 a sort of Anglo-German collaboration that was designed by Brit Len Bailey (with input from Southgate, as you noted) and was powered with a Cosworth, and campaigned by German Zakspeed. The XJR-9 was definitely a newer generation of aerodynamics and structure, and earned its win in 1988, although it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Klaus Ludwig didn't run out of fuel out on the track in the second-place #17 962C. I was at the 24 Hours of Daytona, when the XJR-12 won, despite overheating issues that resulted in them running with the engine cover off for a while. They were gorgeous in Castrol livery! (Not to say they weren't gorgeous in Silk Cut livery)

[@automobilistic]

Glad you enjoyed the video! You're comment prompted me to do some reading on the Ford C100, and I've decided I should probably do a video about it at some point hahaha Jaguar is a great brand, and aerodynamically their group c cars were radical as you say, but as you also allude to, they have a poor reputation for a reason! I always preferred the silk cut livery personally, but then again that's always how i've seen it

[@shelbysolko7783]

2 years later after this victory from Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries, and Andy Wallace in #2. They won again in 1990 in the XJR-12 this time with #3 winning with John Nielson, Price Cobb, and Martin Brundle.

[@philtucker1224]

Thank you for mentioning Martin Brundle in your summary 👍🇬🇧 kind regards!

[@pmman4232]

Yes, two wins at LM while the Sauber Merc only won once.

[@ceedee9186]

You that this guy is a legend when he puts Gran Turismo 4 background music. You know that all of this videos are inspired by the countless hours playing Gran Turismo 4. You're a legend brother.

[@MD-zm6sn]

Really good videos man. Unfortunate they don't get seen as much as they should. There's gotta be a way to get this out.

[@anels9]

Absolutely love your videos! Your easy listening asmr like voice make these videos that much more enjoyable. The gt4 backing track perfectly fit the video

[@marcorusconi658]

Thanks a lot for your wonderful and precise explanations about an unforgettable motorsport era

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Awesome video. Great history and car. Love that purple and white of Silk Cut. Loving this video series. Keep up the good work.

[@testohtoby]

I love everything relating Le Mans and your vids seem very well made. You, my man, have gained a sub 💪

[@nsx_montana]

Beautiful as usual🔥

[@charlesmohan3130]

I happen to not only be neighbours too but a close friend of the No.2 winning driver Andy Wallace 😅

[@PhillipAlcock]

Great video! Just the right amount of technical information so I understood it 😊

[@sciath1841]

These videos are really well made and really entertaining as well as informative. I'm just waiting for the day this channel blows up, which will hopefully be soon.

[@raymondchapman5990]

That v12 sounded amazing.

[@DoniyRacing]

That gran turismo music on the background is something that makes your videos even better.

[@Leemacht]

Another great car history! Why do people like you not get attention? Is it because the cars themselves are obscure?

[@larubric]

fr, man deserves more views

[@automobilistic]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I guess obscure topics arent great for the algorithm hahaha

[@marks7197]

Sadly most Group C content is Mazda 787b fanboy stuff "so fast it was banned" click bait myths rather than straightforward factual stuff.

[@Turbo.RF4]

@@marks7197 yea, its mostly new JDM "fanboi's" riding the slow 787B's d**k and not knowing why it was actually banned, And stupid JDM youtubers would clickbait things with it.

[@potatogirlcultist19]

@@marks7197 So it's like History Channel at 3AM but for cars. When is the "How Porsche used cow excrement to win the 48 hours of Ohio TWICE???" video coming...

[@Umski]

As an 8 year old at school in Coventry this was a big thing at the time, I just didn't realise why until now! Thanks!

[@ChainguiRafaeldaSilva]

I remember unlocking the XJR-9 when achieving 50% completion on Gran Turismo 4... Amazing teenage memories.

[@sabercruiser.7053]

Great great work 👌👌🙌🙌👏👏

[@michaellorenson2997]

Excellent, thanks

[@Cynsham]

One of my favorite Group C cars by far, great video.

[@automobilistic]

One of my favourites too. Glad you enjoyed!

[@roconnor01]

That and the Sauber Mercedes C-9.

[@tugatomskanimation6370]

Your documentaries are superb! I don't understand how you have so few subscribers, you deserve a lot more.

[@automobilistic]

Thank you! Really glad you're enjoying the content

[@2stroke4me]

In my opinion, the XJR9 was also one of the best looking and sounding cars on the grid. Fun fact: During the last stint, the gearbox broke down and was stuck in 4th. After the race, the engineers opened it up and the gears fell to pieces. Porsche had one more weakness though: Volkswagen. Porsche never wanted to use a 6 cylinder boxer engine, but instead a V configuration because of indeed the diffuser, but Volkswagen didn't allow that. Volkswagen even insisted on using air cooling for the engine.but only the 956 cylinders were air cooled.

[@sheldoncooper8199]

The Jaguars V12 has INSANE Acceleration Powers rivaled only by the Mercedes Sauber C 9 and the Nissan R92 and the Mazda 787.B.

[@DocDudix]

My favourite Group C car. The body shape, that Silk Cut livery, the noise, the massive v12... Perfection

[@mohnnadmercedes8246]

Excellent vid 👍🏼👍🏼

[@automobilistic]

Thank you!

[@JackAdamCarter]

Fantastic car! Fantastic video! I saw it in the British Motor Museum Just brilliant!

[@automobilistic]

I've seen it there too! It really is a fantastic car, glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@marks7197]

Nice, I remember watching in person the first Southgate designed XJR6 win its first race at Silverstone in 1986 I think in the 1000km. It was in the Silk Cut colours by then rather than the Green it debuted at Mosport. It beat the Rothmans Porsche and the Martini Lancias along with the Kouros Sauber. As a young lad I remember celebrating while walking the old Silverstone circuit afterwards, it was great. Only year or two before I watched and we spoke to Walkinshaw in the XJS pits there against the BMW 635's in the ETCC, the first motor race I attended I think.

[@OhItsThat]

I fell in love with the TWR Jags at the IMSA Camel GT in Portland OR when I was a kid. I can remember the excitement in the crowd during the pace laps as the cars made it around the track. Everyone on their feet. The anticipation of the coming battle between the Nissans and Jags was exciting. As a kid I think the reason I liked the Jags was the piss flaps over the back wheels. Car looked like a space ship to me. That and the Castrol livery that looks incredible in person. As an adult there’s so much more to love about all the TWR Jaguars. I just wish I could see one as an adult. Especially on track.

[@TwistLosi]

Some of the best looking and sounding cars in motorsport history is Group C

[@killingsmokes9527]

That V12 is prob my favorite car to race in VR. Its a bad mofo! The Sauberc9 use to be my go-to car, but the Jag has won me over. I got one with 987hp and in VR you can feel that Gforce stick you back the seat! Got a few highlights onmy page...more than welcome to it! some good stuff....

[@gountzas]

"Porsche engineers thought it was inconceivable to race at LeMans with a short tail". Well not really, a 917K of Porsche Salzburg won the LeMans race over the longer 917LH in the 1970 which was considered to be the favorite to win that year.

[@marks7197]

A very different situation with flat bottom cars compared to the ground effects Group C cars. The longtail that was quickest in 1970 was the Elford 4.9 litre car rather than the 4.5 Martini car that finished 2nd. However back then over a long distance the preferred car was the kurszheck because it was more stable at high speed, hence why the factory/JW cars were all short tails. Salzburg went with both and ended up with the smaller engine car winning of course after the longtail retired. None of the JW's made it halfway.

[@benjaminrichardson4094]

These are wonderful videos. Thank you so much. Is there a C9 video coming? And thank you again.

[@benjaminrichardson4094]

Found it! Sorry!

[@rudolfhuijs4526]

Spectacular racing car, but where is Jag in today's competition grid? That's why Porsche is a true legend. Thanks for the video, though.

[@bassman8796]

Love the video, but any idea what that weird squeak is at 0:52? Scared the crap out of me 😂

[@deborahchesser7375]

240 in 88’, they’ve only slowed down since those real days of racing.

[@zebop917]

Probably the best-sounding car of the Group C era. I loved watching them and listening to them

[@dogger37JC]

So many cool cars from that era and great sounds. Even in the US with IMSA at that time the variety of engine sounds was glorious. Jag V12 and the Sauber twin turbo V8 are my favorites.

[@N911GT2]

Euhm you know there is a Mazda 787 right?

[@dogger37JC]

@@N911GT2 Of course everyone knows the glorious 787. Great sounding engine. Too bad it wasn’t as fast as it sounds. Toyota TS010 is a screamer too. The variety of engines and sounds was so cool in Group C and IMSA.

[@TheShrike616]

I read in the mag Chrome & Flames that TWR developed a gearbox that was just a few hundreds of seconds faster in switching gears than porsche. Not much over a lap, but a huge difference over 24 h.

[@reds005]

I bloody loved those Jags

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

I love that it looks like the fan car. I hope Jaguar comes back to Le Mans; I miss the variety.

[@amaccama3267]

Hey man have you ever done a story on the Rondeau line of cars?

[@rorcarte]

The Gt4 bgm is a big thumbs up from me

[@user-yd4iq9qe8f]

グランツーリスモ４のBGMが使われてて、編集が上手いです🎉

[@dogger37JC]

Porsche was an old design evolution going back to 1982. They dominated for years but the design was old by this point. Sauber came along and dominated the Jag the next season in ‘89.

[@perfectman3077]

Yes, a few parts of the video were a bit too dramatic. I am sure Porsche engineers knew the 962 design was outdated compared to the carbon fiber Jag with its huge tunnels.

[@Cinque27]

Is that the GT4 theme in the background??!!

[@grandicellichannel]

Actually, after a little "detour" for explaining the LM works' prepared by Zackspeed in a book of mine, I found out that the C100 was actually was 90% there in the WSC thanks to the German brench of Ford. The project was started and wanted by the americans, yes, but it has been actually designed in Germany, then given to the by Zacks' geniuses and went undergoing many modifications, picking the original car and turning in something that was from the skin, but especially under it for chassis and areos, another car, and since the americans had little to impose this time, thinking that were all hints and tips given by the Euro brench, they ended up to LM like the Zackspeed guya wanted. Just for a little correction of the intro of yours about Porsche mightyness in the 80s... but if you go by the money behind the car itself, yes, it came for about 75 to 85% from Ford's Dearborn "Glass Palace".

[@tzuRu]

I'm late to the Party but what song was used in the background from 4:50 onwards? Thanks in Advance

[@gtsupreme]

Porsche was almost 10 years old base , jag was new, and it was lot of attempts from jag to build C car. So it was not that big surprise

[@click8708]

I feel like I learned a lot in a short time, you constructed this video beautifully.

[@casparharte]

Father of the XJR-15, 1st carbon road car 1990!

[@malcolmnicholls2893]

I was there. Some bad luck affected Porsche. Not an easy win, but a good one!

[@the.flat.six.]

You should do next Sauber Mercedes C9 it was the only Group C car with the highest speed.

[@automobilistic]

Stay tuned...

[@thebucketofawesomeness8700]

I do love the XJR9 and mythos around the ‘88 win but why does nobody remember the ‘90 win lol

[@davidworthington9118]

I was there, epic

[@clivejmellis1232]

Good narrative but you've missed alot about what Southgate has since revealed about what other technical (specific) innovations they developed to gain just enough to win

[@madmozzie9714]

damm that merc sec look like a truck ..an is so elegant n real life..the pace car

[@marks7197]

Nice video. Shame to finish without mentioning the 7.0 V12 winning the 24 again in 1990 or the fuel starved 7.3 finishing 2,3&4 at Le Mans in 1991 against the ridiculously underweight Mazda (another video perhaps). Good stuff though and a refreshing change...

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! Perhaps the 1990 win should be mentioned when I get round to covering the 1989 Sauber-Mercedes C9 in the future, you're right that it deserves mention. As for the Mazda, I actually made a video about the 787b a couple of years ago. Being an older video I can't say its quite up to the same standard but its there if you're interested! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@marks7197]

@@automobilistic Yes, I watched your '91 video, I still find it astounding that the ACO ignored the weight rules for GTP cars despite the fact the Mazda was equalling or bettering it's 1990 laptimes where as the Jag was 7 or so seconds slower than 1990 and on a massive economy run with the 170kg extra weight. Edit: Although Jaguar were less hard done by than Nissan at least.

[@N911GT2]

Remains the only beacon of Jaguars glory year. FTFY 😅

[@twallace755]

My uncle won Le Mans in this car, never seen it but is my all time favourite car for this reason

[@mohamedalkaboom]

I have two of these beauties in my display

[@rolexomegaspecialist9411]

As an intern for Porsche Motorsport North America. I was invited to the 88 Le Mans. I met a Jaguar mechanic after the race at a large party. He looked rather solemn, which I found rather odd. 1 year later at Jim Busby Motorsports(whom was campaigning a 962C in IMSA) in Laguna Beach, out of the corner of my eye in the shop, I see this very same mechanic who had now crossed the pond to California. Small world. He confirmed the suspicions all along: the leading Jag had come in during the night and grabbed an extra tank of fuel(as each car was only allotted a specific amount) from one of the other jags that had expired(and they had 5 cars versus three Porsche's). There were no camera's watching everyone's move(s) like today, and very few racing officials in the pits very late at night. As GOOD as these XJR's were in regular races, they were no match for the outright speed AND fuel efficiency of the latest 962C's Porsche had to offer. Jaguar knew this as the #17 car kept up a relentless pace continuously lapping faster than any car on the track. Klaus Ludwig who missed the pit-board running out of gas(rendering that car to limp back on a starter motor), and Jaguar cheating with that extra tank of fuel sealed the fate of Le Mans that year. That as they say 'is racing'. Mercedes returned to Le Mans the next year, and the natural order was restored. Complete decimation of everything in sight. - Side note: #19 car driven by the Andretti's had a cylinder sealed off, ran on 5 cylinders, and still placed I think 6th? Wollek(God rest his soul) was driving #18 when it expired. I believe his bad luck at Le mans was due to his driving style. he beat the shit out of everything he drove, couldn't nurture the machine over a 24 hour period. Had the 98' Le Mans in the bag, looped it, lost time, and Alan McNish snatched the victory. Other than 1970, and 2017, that was probably Porsche's most epic victory at Le Mans in 98. Wise corporate decision to simply 'go-away' for a while, and concentrate fully on the road cars until the 919 debut in 2014.

[@dion1677]

source: I saw it in a dream

[@ohiopower]

Not neccessarily. LeMans 79 the Whittington Brothers paid off a lemans marshall for his stamp to go on the fueling pod above the pits. And they took the regulator off it so the Kremer Porsche team fueled the car faster. But it had the mark of approval. So scrutineer's never said anything. Teams will find a way to skirt the rules.

[@rolexomegaspecialist9411]

@@ohiopower The ends don't justify the means regardless.

[@nightdriver7216]

Definitely wise to avoid being steamrolled by Piëch's Audi's resources like BMW eventually was. Ingolstadt had the luxury of using the 1999 race to test two concepts, picked the faster one as a base for the R8, then even turned the slower one into a Bentley to win later on. Porsche at the time considered a return, but could do nothing except watch, as they didn't have big VW money behind them yet.

[@robertnicholson7733]

I am surprised that you didn't mention the later Le Mans wins from the XJR-12 a further developed version of the same 7 litre V12car, if anyone watching this did not know of the later wins, this video would have left the impression that XJR-9 was the end of Le Mans for Jaguar. The intervening XJR-10 and XJR11 used V6 engines and were not very successful. Also, this car was no shock to Porsche, its predecessors, the XJR-8 (7 litre V12, 720 neddies), had rattled their cage by winning the World Sports Prototype Championship in 1987, with unreliability marring their Le Man's race. The First car in the series, the XJR-6 had put down the basic winning design in 1985, so as I said, the XJR-9, its engine and aerodynamics, was no surprise to Porsche three years later. Further, there was no mention that the Silk Cut cars were raced in the World Sports Prototype Championship and a 6 litre version in IMSA. It was not mentioned that the engine in the car was based on the standard Jaguar V12 engine and started with a standard off-the-production line block casting, the heads were the same single overhead cam design as the road car but with quite different combustion chambers, something quite astonishing considering the competition they faced.

[@vernongoodey5096]

I was there what a day and 2 years later

[@OhItsThat]

I wish sim racing had a good example of any of the TWR Jags. It’s unfortunate PC2 sucks so bad it’s almost unplayable.

[@user-yv8zr6br4q]

JAGUAR AND PORCHE USED TO MAKE OWN ENGINE.

[@scottl.1568]

Yeah that's right

[@nightdriver7216]

A true monster. Jaguar took that lazy V12 from the XJS and maximized it.

[@williammoore8439]

Jaguar only won Le Mans twice with their prototype. How is that a legend? A legend would be a Porsche 962!

[@lewisgordon1490]

The only thing I didn’t like about this car is the looks. I really don’t like how enclosed rear wheels look on cars. The biggest plus for me is the gorgeous sound of the motor. Performance & handling was good but the sole reason why I rarely used it in racing sims is the looks.

[@marks7197]

Have a look at the 1987 XJR8, much the same but ran with exposed rear wheels.

[@techo61]

So disappointed we didn't get to hear the Jaguar's exhaust.

[@sej8806]

You forgot to mention that the heavy, outdated V12 did it again in 1990. Jaaaaaag!

[@zayas6999]

Did you see the Benz pace car ripping it😅 that's a lot of body roll lololololol

[@juniormichelesperant6372]

The fastest car in that race rhat year was the Peugeot I believe..it was measured by speed radars traveling at 252mph on the straight

[@hydorah]

Jaguar XJR-9: Le Manster

[@ungurdani8346]

Salut my friend super car super video subscribe subscribe.

[@user-uj3ch6xg6m]

Poor action by ACO and Le-mans sportscar tech is laid back we need development and performance in WEC's future

[@larubric]

Porsche are MALDING

[@automobilistic]

I had to google that 😂

[@nathanweinfurtner5203]

What a sound! Saw them at the 24 at Daytona back then.

[@b.p.879]

Southgate is a genius!

[@stuartross282]

Won with a broken gearbox as it was stuck in 4th or 5th gear at the end

[@arcadiakwong9419]

Nice with Gran Turismo music. XJR9 is the only Gr. C shaped different than others during the era. PS Why current street cars & race cars are so ugly?

[@SLYKSEAL]

Love how u had music from grand Torismo

[@dumiicris2694]

the porsches were still beter with engines switched who would have won?

[@johnbower7452]

Why shocked that Porsche could beat the Italians and Americans? They were always the best sportscars in the world bar none. On the one hand I was sad to see them beaten; on the other I was glad it was us Brits that did it. Sadly Le Mans these days sounds like the Who's who of NASCAR with most of those teams being the ones running the cars including the so-called 'works' teams. Sad really. There is still one thing you have to admit; the 956/962 was a much more beautiful car than the Jaguar.

[@automobilistic]

It was sarcasm hahaha

[@Sideshowleon]

Those damn unreliable Germans. Nothing can compete with the legendary Italians in reliability

[@ananastudio]

I own a Jaaaaaaaaag

[@philippruest5577]

In F1 German cars + engines won 2+8 titles, Italian 34+34. In rally Italian cars habe also won more championships than German. So you should in fact be amazed it's the opposite at Le Mans :)

[@tumslucks9781]

2:14 'Fast but unreliable Lancia LC2s'. Race car engineering from an obscure Italian company like Lancia was always going to be marginal. Their road cars were notoriously bad.

[@sportscarsmovies]

Lancia got Ferrari V8 . Unreliable for 24 hours but some wins in 1000 km world championship races against Porsches 956-962 .

[@longnamedude3947]

The Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo is also faster than a F1 car!

[@jeromerabasse30]

Porsche a fait beaucoup d' erreurs en 88. Ils auraient dû gagner

[@SP-pn7xx]

This car is un-drivable in GT7 :(

[@alanchantiefighterskuanlia627]

Jaguar is a great car but bad maanagement and problematic workforce, poorly put together.

[@brianmorecombe2726]

Jaguars put in racing usually beat all competition.Jaguars built for public roads were average less than good

[@Kierenstanden-qz7eu]

Getting to big for F1 so bernie ruined Group c

[@DEE-qu5mc]

Faster than F1? BS

[@automobilistic]

F1 cars could hit 210 mph in 1988. The XJR-9 could hit 245 mph.

[@dogger37JC]

@@automobilistic Not faster where it actually means something which is around a racetrack and a lap time. Group C not F1 cars race for top speed. 🤦‍♂️

[@vr5lover]

@@automobilistic didn't special version of Porsche 962 hit 405 kmh?

[@vr5lover]

@@automobilistic and Peugeot

[@tumslucks9781]

@@dogger37JC You're being pedantic. What 'faster' means is terminal velocity. You want to sound smart but you're just a troll with too much time on his hands. Slap! 😜