The Jaguar XJR-9 '88 is a Group C race car produced by Jaguar. It first appeared in Gran Turismo 4 and has been featured in all subsequent mainline games. Although not initially available in Gran Turismo Sport, it was later introduced as part of Update 1.19, released on May 30, 2018.
The car appears to be the #2, driven by Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries, and Andy Wallace, who had finished the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1st place overall.
In-game description[]
"Jaguar's iconic Le Mans car which rose victorious against turbocharged cars."
In the golden era of racing, Jaguar was a force to be reckoned with, especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where the classic marquee won five times from 1951 to 1957. And then, Jaguar took a long break, not returning again until 1986 when the company unleashed its XJR-6, developed by TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) in the Group C category.
Designed by noted Formula 1 designer Tony Southgate, the XJR-6 was a bit different from other Group C cars in that it did not have a turbocharged powerplant. Most teams opted with smaller displacement turbocharged engines to improve fuel efficiency,[1] but Jaguar went for a pure power, in form of a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V-12, which grew to 7.0 liters in the XJR-9, which produced about 690.3 HP.
The XJR-9 competed with perennial powerhouses such as Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche at the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans. The XJR-9 took the checkered flag, with Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries, and Andy Wallace sharing the driving duties. It was a historic moment for Jaguar, who returned to glory at the famed French circuit after a long absence.
Dealership (GT7)[]
Despite their early success in the 1950s, Jaguar didn't enter a works team at Le Mans again for almost 30 years. In fact, they wouldn't return to the race until 1986, when they entered the XJR-6. The XJR-6 was designed by Tony Southgate, who had made his name in Formula 1, and it was powered by a naturally aspirated V12 engine. It was the heyday of turbocharged cars, and the XJR-6's uniquely high-pitched exhaust note was instantly recognizable. The sight and sound of a Jaguar tearing around the track once more certainly got the fans excited! Two years later, Jaguar entered the XJR-9 and finally won at Le Mans, for their first new victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since an Ecurie Ecose D-Type won in 1957. It had been more than thirty years since their last win! That alone is enough to secure this iconic car's place in the annals of racing history!
Café (GT7)[]
Jeremy[]
The 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans race was quite the occasion. Jaguar fans from the UK were there in force, and Union Jack flags could be seen all around the track. It was a sight I'll never forget! And this is the car that brought Jaguar victory that day... Finally getting the better of the Porsches that had dominated Le Mans for so long. It certainly made the British fans both proud and delighted. The Circuit de la Sarthe was absolutely buzzing! It was a pretty close run thing, too, the winning Jaguar coming under pressure from Porsche until the end! Just thinking of it now sends shivers down my spine...!
Acquisition[]
| Game | Buy From Location | Credits | Win From Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 4 | Jaguar Legendary Showroom[2] | 3,500,000 | Achieve 50% completion |
| Gran Turismo PSP | Jaguar Dealership | 3,000,000 | --- |
| Gran Turismo 5 | Used Car Dealership[3] | 4,687,490 | --- |
| Gran Turismo 5 | Jaguar Dealership[4] | 4,750,000 (Car Pack 3 DLC required) |
--- |
| Gran Turismo 6 | Jaguar Dealership | 1,980,000 | --- |
| Gran Turismo Sport | Brand Central | 1,000,000 | --- |
| Gran Turismo 7 | Legend Car Dealership | 3,000,000[5] | --- |
Trivia[]
- In GT4, nitrous can't be applied on this car, it also cannot be applied in GT6, likely to be consistent with other race cars in the game. In GT7 however, it is possible to do so as nitrous also appears in that game.
- Obtaining the Premium version of the car in GT5 version 2.03 gives the player a nameless paint chip. This behavior was removed in version 2.04, but the paint chip was given a name, XJR-9 Purple, for those who already acquired the paint chip (or received a copy from item trading) in that version.
- Normally there was supposed to be a logo of Silk Cut, a tobacco company, on the front and sides of the car, but it was censored in GT4 because of the fact that several countries have laws which either severely restrict or ban the advertising of tobacco products, not to mention, that this could also affect the game's age rating due to tobacco references. This was also removed in all of the car's subsequent appearances in the series.
- Oddly, a photo of the XJR-9 without the censorship on the Silk Cut logos can be seen in Jaguar's Museum in Brand Central, despite said logo being usually censored in the games.
- The XJR-9 bears a strong resemblance to the Nissan R89C. This is a curiosity as the two cars were developed by different companies (the Jaguar having been developed by Tom Walkinshaw Racing and the Nissan having been developed by Lola Cars). Another is that both cars have aerodynamic cowling that covers the rear wheels.
Pictures[]
.jpg "Jaguar XJR-9 LM Race Car '88 (GT6).jpg (701 KB)")
