RE: Glorious Goodwood: PH Blog
Discussion
Carnnoisseur said:
I remember witnessing the said "Transit" for the first time at Goodwood a couple of years ago. Kept looking around trying to identify where that growl was coming from?? Up until this day, I still find it hard to fathom that it's running on an XJ220 platform. The ultimate "wolf in sheep's clothing".
Has to be seen to be believed!
i had a job interview at TWR back in the 90s - got shown round their back storage and this white transit was in the back. the interviewer told me to look at the wheels and inside the rear windows - where you can see the entire subframe of the XJ220.Has to be seen to be believed!
he said the development drivers used to have fun p1ssing off BMW & Porsche drivers - they'd flip a finger at them at a red light then on the green, tromp on it, leaving the embarrassed Teuton owner in their dust.
apparently the trannie was lighter than the XJ220, so the trannie was actually quicker 0-60, but the aerodynamics limited its top speed to 160mph......
sadly didn't get the job
well i assume i didn't as I never heard back from them after the interview - TWR was going through one of its regular '90s upheavals at the time I think.Civpilot said:
IIRC all the race cars had been sold by the time McLaren were approached by sponsor Uneo Clinic. As the owner of Uneo Clinic was a 'Friend' of McLaren and F1 owner once it was clear the sponsor money was forthcoming the original GTR test car was rebuilt and modified up to current race spec. The team was then assembled with assistance from McLaren using their own employees on loan, along with other experienced endurance racing engineers that were hired in (again using the sponsors money).
This is my understanding too. From memory there was some grumbling at the time from other GTR owners as I believe that McLaren had promised GTR customers that they would not enter a works team. Some felt that McLaren had effectively done just that. ralphrj said:
Civpilot said:
IIRC all the race cars had been sold by the time McLaren were approached by sponsor Uneo Clinic. As the owner of Uneo Clinic was a 'Friend' of McLaren and F1 owner once it was clear the sponsor money was forthcoming the original GTR test car was rebuilt and modified up to current race spec. The team was then assembled with assistance from McLaren using their own employees on loan, along with other experienced endurance racing engineers that were hired in (again using the sponsors money).
This is my understanding too. From memory there was some grumbling at the time from other GTR owners as I believe that McLaren had promised GTR customers that they would not enter a works team. Some felt that McLaren had effectively done just that. 
To be fair, McLaren sent the engineers out on loan and were paid for them. And the new team (put together for that one event) had no more factory support than any other. McLaren were quite transparent about the whole thing.
I think the grumbling only started in certain quarters when that team actually won and the car returned to Woking
Nice taster Dan, good to see the show this year will be as good as ever 
Having said that the Porsche centre piece outside the house is going to have to go some to beat the Honda one from a few years back.
I was lucky enough to be taken up the hill flat out in the AMV8 Vantage when it made it's debut there a few years ago, quite a "quietening" 55 seconds or so that was
Having said that the Porsche centre piece outside the house is going to have to go some to beat the Honda one from a few years back.I was lucky enough to be taken up the hill flat out in the AMV8 Vantage when it made it's debut there a few years ago, quite a "quietening" 55 seconds or so that was
canucklehead said:
Carnnoisseur said:
I remember witnessing the said "Transit" for the first time at Goodwood a couple of years ago. Kept looking around trying to identify where that growl was coming from?? Up until this day, I still find it hard to fathom that it's running on an XJ220 platform. The ultimate "wolf in sheep's clothing".
Has to be seen to be believed!
i had a job interview at TWR back in the 90s - got shown round their back storage and this white transit was in the back. the interviewer told me to look at the wheels and inside the rear windows - where you can see the entire subframe of the XJ220.Has to be seen to be believed!
he said the development drivers used to have fun p1ssing off BMW & Porsche drivers - they'd flip a finger at them at a red light then on the green, tromp on it, leaving the embarrassed Teuton owner in their dust.
apparently the trannie was lighter than the XJ220, so the trannie was actually quicker 0-60, but the aerodynamics limited its top speed to 160mph......
sadly didn't get the job
well i assume i didn't as I never heard back from them after the interview - TWR was going through one of its regular '90s upheavals at the time I think.[
Great claim to fame.....
It didn't even cross my mind that the Transit could be lighter, however, it explains a lot. I would still love to witness it at a set of lights on the open road, it's slightly restrictive at Goodwood.
Amizade said:
Carnnoisseur said:
I remember witnessing the said "Transit" for the first time at Goodwood a couple of years ago. Kept looking around trying to identify where that growl was coming from?? Up until this day, I still find it hard to fathom that it's running on an XJ220 platform. The ultimate "wolf in sheep's clothing".
Has to be seen to be believed!
I very nearly got a lift back to the station in that from Don Law, but sadly it had some issues at the time. Has to be seen to be believed!
I had a good look over the transit and the interior/cargo area is very Group C - especially with the V12 in the back. If I remember correctly, it was built for engine testing by Jaguar for XJR-9 engines.
I did ask for first dibs on this before it started being used at Goodwood, sadly he never got back to me !
Edited by Amizade on Thursday 21st March 14:07
I also presume the same transit was wrapped in Laverstoke Park livery for its tours of Brands Hatch a couple of years ago with JS at the wheel...?
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