1995 Sportscar Information

GT1

Lister Storm

A Jaguar conversion specialist, it released iits own supercar in 1993. The in-house team is largely unproven, but with designer Tony Southgate and driver Geoff Lees, as well as Group C Jaguar V12 engines from TWR, the package should be competitive.

Engine: 7.0 litre jaguar V12

Power: 600bhp

Weight: 1000kg

Cost: ś200,000

Venturi 600LM

One of the main competitors in 1994, could be a minor player in '95. One factory entered car, with Venturi hoping to improve is dreadful reliability.

Engine: Twin-turbo 3.0 litre Renault V6

Power: 580bhp

Weight: 1030-1100kg

Cost: ś170,000

Dodge Viper

Powered by a truck engine, two entries at Le Mans in '94 were unreliable, although one just managed to finish in 12th place to claim GT1 honours. Basically a kit, bodywork designed by naval architect Gilles Ollier (America's cup yacht designer), engines tuned by Luigi. Due to appear at Paul Ricard, the Rent-a-car team is an unknown quantity.

Engine: 7.9 litre Chrysler V10

Power: 600bhp

Weight: 1340kg

Cost: ? - unavailable in shops

Ferrari F40LM

Originally built mainly for museums. Run by Micheletto tuning company, this year will see a new rollcage to improve rigidity, revised aerodynamics and a six-speed sequential gearbox. The Ferrari Club Italia and Aldix Computer Racing teams will start late in the season, but will have three ex-F300 drivers (Paul Belmondo, Michel Ferte, Massimo Monti)

Engine: Twin-turbo 3 litre V8

Power: 650-700bhp

Weight: 1080kg

Cost: ś300,000

McLaren F1 GTR

McLaren reckons it will be difficult to recover development costs, despite its price tag.... Only received go-ahead last June, but done more than 2000 miles of testing, more than most teams. Maurizio Sala, Pierre-Henri Raphanel and John Nielsen are lined up as drivers, and the teams are GTC Motorsport, David Price Racing and Giroix-Jacadi, probably the best in the series. A relatively short chassis and tall engine, plus synchromesh gearbox could be a problem, the the latter never was a problem to Porsche.

Engine: 6.1 litre BMW V12

Power: 630bhp

Weight: 1100kg

Cost: ś625,000 if you want the words McLaren all over it, ś775,000 otherwise

De Tomaso Pantera

Italian chassis, american engine, british preparation. Car has been up and running for about a year, and Andy Wallace and Thorkild Thyrring are set to drive it.

Engine: 5-litre Ford V8

Power: 600bhp

Weight: 1150kg

Cost: ś125,000

Callaway C7R

Only purpose built GT racing car. Uses Chevrolet push-rod engine, and has Carbon-fibre chassis. Driven by Enrico Bertaggia and Boris Said III.

Engine: 6.3 litre Chevrolet V8

Power: 600bhp

Weight: 900kg

Cost: ś180,000

Jaguar XJ220

Run by three private teams: Chamberlain Engineering, PC Automotive and LLoyd-Hassan-Priestnall.

Engine: Twin-turbo 3.5 litre V6

Power: 600-650bhp

Weight: 1200-1300kg

Cost: ś360,000 ex-works, plus tuning and devlopment

GT2

Porsche 911 GT2

Chassis: Unitary monocoque with multi-triangulated rollcage

Engine: 3.6 litre 12-valve Porsche flat-six with twin-turbo

Power: 450bhp with Le Mans air-restrictors

Transmission: Six speed synchromesh

Brakes: 4-pot, ventilated and cross-drilled discs, with ABS

Suspension: Front - McPherson Struts, Rear - Multi-link axle

Weight: 1050kg

Callaway Supernatural Corvette LM

Chassis: Steel perimeter frame with tubular rollcage

Engine: 6.3 litre 16-valve Callaway tuned Chevrolet V8

Power: 450bhp with Le Mans air-restrictor

Transmission: Six speed sequential Xtrac gearbox (or ZF Six speed)

Brakes: Brembo 4-pot, ventillated and cross-drilled discs

Suspension: Front - unequal length A-arms, Rear - Five link axle

Weight: 1100kg