Allard J2X-C. Serial# J2XC-001

Leah Bennett
5 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

One of One, the only Allard J2X-C ever built
Group C eligible
The car that revolutionized race car aerodynamics
Current FIA Historical Passport
Cosworth V8 F1 normally aspirated motor
LeMans History

In 1990, British automotive designer Chris Humberstone gathered a team to create a groundbreaking Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) race car. The team featured chief designer Hayden Burvill and aerodynamicist John Iley. This collaboration led to the creation of one of motorsports history's most significant cars. The car, of which only one was made, was called the Allard J2X-C.

The TRULY REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN bore little resemblance to the race cars of its era. It transformed both the design and the conceptual approach to racing cars permanently. Every surface of the car was crafted to generate and amplify downforce. At 150 miles per hour, the car produced 5,500 pounds of downforce, and it was calculated to generate 9,778 pounds at 200 miles per hour. In comparison, the then-current works Nissan R 91 CP had a maximum downforce of 6,438 pounds at 200 mph, while the 1993 Joest Porsche 962 C had a stated maximum of 5,584 pounds at 200 mph. For further comparison, the 2019 Formula One cars produced only about 1,650 pounds of downforce. For those familiar with Road Atlanta, imagine being able to take Turn One flat out in fifth gear. The J2X-C achieved this during testing in 1992! To grasp the design's significance and its impact on subsequent race cars, one only needs to observe the similarities with the 1998 Le Mans Toyota GTP car.

Original plans were to build and perfect a prototype and then build many more as customer cars. Humberstone and the original investors also contemplated building a street legal supercar based loosely on the same design. After some lengthy discussions, Humberston talked Alan Allard, son of Sidney Allard, (who had built the original Allard cars in the 1950s), into granting the group a license to use the Allard name.

Humberstone was also successful in entering into an agreement with Honda whereby “The plan was to use the 3.5 Liter Honda V10 F-1 (1,000 hp?) engines in the car.”

Then, unfortunately, all the rules changed. Group C cars were to be replaced in 1994 by flat bottomed World

Sports Cars. Honda, not wanting to put a significant investment in a series with only one remaining year,

withdrew their support and all the development work on the Allard ceased.

The company, Allard Holdings, the J2X-C car and all its parts were acquired by Robs Lamblough who continued to be interested making the car work. He retained Gordon Friend, a former Allard prototype mechanic familiar with the complexities of the car, to complete the work and continue to look after the car. The car was fitted with a normally aspirated Nicholson McLaren prepared Ford Cosworth DFR V-10 Motor with 4 valves per cylinder that produced 50 horsepower and about 400 foot pounds of torque.

Given the cars enormous downforce, resulting drag and relatively low horsepower, the car was unable to attain more than 180 MPH on the Mulsanne Straight, when its competitors were approaching 230. As a result, the car was withdrawn and did not start the 24 Hour Race.

In is First and only race it started 12th and finished a disappointing 9th. Following the race the car was returned to England and its racing days were over. Lamplough ultimately sold the car, and after a couple of owners it ended up in the hands of Louis Beuzerion in Ridgecrest CA, who had plans to fit the car with a more powerful Nissan V-6 motor. However, those plans never materialized and the car was sold to Jacques Rivard of Montreal Quebec. Rivard partially restored the car and installed a new Nicholson McLaren Cosworth Ford motor which remains in the car today.

In 2005 American racer and collector Peter Kitchak purchased the car and entrusted the then incomplete car to Bud Bennett of RM Motorsports in Wixom, MI for completion. After completion of the car including suspension work, the installation of a new fuel cell and a new engine management system, the car was painted in the red color originally envisioned by its creators. The Toad Hall Livery of Kitchak’s race team was added and remains in that livery today.

The car retains all of its never-damaged original body panels. It has been driven sparingly since its purchase and has less than 1 hour “at speed” on the motor. It has recently been fully serviced and is truly in a “ready to race” condition. In addition, it comes with a spare set of wheels and a crate of miscellaneous spares.