Lister Storm
Encyclopedia
The Lister Storm was a homologated
racing car built by Lister Cars of the United Kingdom
beginning in 1993. The Storm used the largest V12 engine
fitted to a production road car since World War II
, a 6996 cc Jaguar
unit based on the one used by the Jaguar XJR Sportscars
that competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. Due to the high US$
350,000 price of the vehicle, only four examples were produced before production of the road-going Storm ceased. Only three Storms survive today, although the Lister company continues to maintain racing models.
The bored and stroked 2-valve Lister V12 produced 407 kW and 790 newton metre of torque. The front-engined rear-wheel drive car weighed 1664 kg (3,668.5 lb), and was capable of sprinting to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 4.1 seconds. Until the launch of the Brabus Rocket
, in 2006, it was the fastest four-seater saloon in the world.
as a competitor in the GT1 class, going up against cars such as the McLaren F1
, Ferrari F40
, Jaguar XJ220
, and Porsche 911 GT2
. The car, driven by Geoff Lees
, Rupert Keegan
, and Dominic Chapell unfortunately did not perform well, failing to finish due to gearbox trouble after a mere 40 laps.
In 1996, the team decided to give the Storm an early test for Le Mans by participating in the 24 Hours of Daytona
. Unfortunately, the lone Storm failed to finish. Even with this letdown, the team pushed on towards Le Mans with the Storm GTS. The car was able to improve on its disappointing start by actually finishing the race in 1996. Unfortunately the car finished a distant 19th place, 59 laps behind the winner. Lister decided after Le Mans that they would enter the Storm GTS into the BPR Global GT Series
, debuting at the 5th round at the Nürburgring
. Unfortunately, every race that the Storm GTS entered for the rest of the season failed to result in a finish.
and Porsche 911 GT1
. The Storm was therefore redesigned, with a longer and more aerodynamic front end added to the existing car. This car was referred to as the Storm GTL. The car debuted at the 24 Hours of Daytona
, where it managed to take 19th place overall and 4th in its class. Later that year for Le Mans, two new Storm GTLs were entered, but neither of them were able to finish, with both cars out of the race by lap 77. Later in the year, a Storm GTL would travel to United States to participate in the final two rounds of the FIA GT Championship
at Sebring and Laguna Seca
. The car failed to finish both races.
1998 saw the team again attempt Daytona, but again suffered problems early on and did not finish. With these difficulties, the team was not selected for entry in that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the team did not compete anymore that year, instead concentrating on redesigning the Storm.
For 1999, the Storm reappeared. The car had lost the aerodynamic bodywork seen on the GTL, instead using a more stock front end. The team announced they would participate in the full FIA GT Championship
season under the new GT2 class rules. After an initial bad start, the team managed to take 4th place at Hockenheimring
, a mere two laps behind the winning pair of Chrysler Viper GTS-R
s. This was followed by a 3rd place at Zolder
, and finally a 2nd place Donington
, with the Lister finishing a mere 26 seconds behind the winning Viper. These successes brought Lister into a tie for 5th place overall in the teams championship at the season's end.
Going into 2000, Lister was more upbeat about their possibilities. Chrysler
-Oreca
had officially left the championship, eliminating a challenge from a factory team. Thus Lister would face competition only from privateers. With this, Lister proved their capabilities by winning the first race of the season at Valencia
. Lister would follow this up with four more wins during the season, all claimed by drivers Julian Bailey
and Jamie Campbell-Walter
. With these victories, Lister claimed the teams championship. At the same time, Lister competed in the British GT championship both as a factory team, as well as with a customer car for Cirtek Motorsport. The two teams were able to take nine victories.
Returning as champions to FIA GT, Lister continued into 2001 with two factory cars. Although Lister was able to take four victories over the year, the team had to settle for 3rd in the teams championship, being beaten by Larbre Competition and Carsport Holland's privateer Vipers. A similar situation occurred in 2002, with Lister managing three victories but only able to take 2nd in the teams championship, again beaten by Larbre.
In 2003, Lister was joined in FIA GT with a customer Storm, run by Creation Autosportif
. The Lister factory team managed only a single win, yet were still able to take second place in the teams championship. Creation was not far behind with a 4th place finish in the championship, after gaining a second customer Storm. At the same time, Lister began work on a new project, the Storm LMP which would bring the marque back to Le Mans. This was therefore the beginning of the decline for the Storm GT.
For 2004 Creation Autosportif
would take over as the main competitor in FIA GT, with the factory squad appearing only at select races. Creation managed to take only 8th in the teams championship after the team decided to move to Le Mans Prototype
s as well, while the factory squad was only able to score a single point all season. Lister would continue to attempt to campaign the car into 2005, but were only able to gather enough points for 10th place in the teams championship. Following 2005, the factory officially retired the cars to attempt to concentrate on the Storm LMP.
In 2006, French squad Red Racing would purchase a Storm for the FFSA GT Championship
. The team would make one attempt at the FIA GT Championship, but failed to make it beyond seven laps in the race at Paul Ricard. As of 2007, there are currently no Storms racing.
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
racing car built by Lister Cars of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
beginning in 1993. The Storm used the largest V12 engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
fitted to a production road car since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a 6996 cc Jaguar
Jaguar V12 engine
Jaguar V12 piston engine was one of the premier powerplants of the 1970s and 1980s. It was first seen in the Series 3 Jaguar E-type of 1971 and was based loosely on an earlier design intended for a Le Mans car, the ill-fated Jaguar XJ13. The V12 was only Jaguar's second engine design to go into...
unit based on the one used by the Jaguar XJR Sportscars
Jaguar XJR Sportscars
The Jaguar XJR Sportscars were a series of race cars used by Jaguar-backed teams in both the World Sportscar Championship Group C and the IMSA Camel GTP series between 1984 and 1993.-History:...
that competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. Due to the high US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
350,000 price of the vehicle, only four examples were produced before production of the road-going Storm ceased. Only three Storms survive today, although the Lister company continues to maintain racing models.
The bored and stroked 2-valve Lister V12 produced 407 kW and 790 newton metre of torque. The front-engined rear-wheel drive car weighed 1664 kg (3,668.5 lb), and was capable of sprinting to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 4.1 seconds. Until the launch of the Brabus Rocket
Brabus Rocket
The Brabus Rocket is a supercar based on the previous generation of Mercedes-Benz CLS, the C219.-Police car :In the 2006 Tune It Safe! program created by German Federal Traffic Ministry and the Association of German Automobile Tuners , Brabus unveiled a police car version of CLS V12 S Rocket, and...
, in 2006, it was the fastest four-seater saloon in the world.
Storm GTS
The Lister Storm GTS initially debuted at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans1995 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 63rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18 1995.-Race:The 1995 race was won by a McLaren F1 GTR entered in the GT1 category. The car was already well known for dominating the BPR Global GT Series with customer teams, but the car that won was...
as a competitor in the GT1 class, going up against cars such as the McLaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...
, Ferrari F40
Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupé sports car produced by Ferrari from 1987 to 1992 as the successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO. From 1987 to 1989 it was Ferrari's fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car...
, Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar XJ220
The Jaguar XJ220 is a mid-engined supercar produced by Jaguar in collaboration with Tom Walkinshaw Racing as Jaguar Sport between 1992 and 1994. It held the record for the highest top speed of a production car , until the arrival of the McLaren F1 in 1994...
, and Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 911 GT2
The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration...
. The car, driven by Geoff Lees
Geoff Lees
Geoffrey Lees is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 July 1978. He scored no championship points.-Career:...
, Rupert Keegan
Rupert Keegan
Rupert Keegan is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points....
, and Dominic Chapell unfortunately did not perform well, failing to finish due to gearbox trouble after a mere 40 laps.
In 1996, the team decided to give the Storm an early test for Le Mans by participating in the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
. Unfortunately, the lone Storm failed to finish. Even with this letdown, the team pushed on towards Le Mans with the Storm GTS. The car was able to improve on its disappointing start by actually finishing the race in 1996. Unfortunately the car finished a distant 19th place, 59 laps behind the winner. Lister decided after Le Mans that they would enter the Storm GTS into the BPR Global GT Series
BPR Global GT Series
The BPR Global GT Series was a grand tourer-based sports car racing series which ran from 1994 to 1996 before becoming the FIA GT Championship in 1997...
, debuting at the 5th round at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
. Unfortunately, every race that the Storm GTS entered for the rest of the season failed to result in a finish.
Storm GTL
For 1997, Lister realized that the Storm GTS was much too slow in comparison to some of the newer GT1 class competitors, such as the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTRMercedes-Benz CLK GTR
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR is a sports car and race car that was built by Mercedes-AMG, performance and motorsports arm of Mercedes-Benz. Intended for racing in the new FIA GT Championship series in 1997, the CLK GTR was designed primarily as a race car, with the road cars necessary in order to...
and Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 911 GT1
The Porsche 911 GT1 was a car designed for competition in the GT1 class of sportscar racing, which also required a street legal version for homologation purposes...
. The Storm was therefore redesigned, with a longer and more aerodynamic front end added to the existing car. This car was referred to as the Storm GTL. The car debuted at the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, where it managed to take 19th place overall and 4th in its class. Later that year for Le Mans, two new Storm GTLs were entered, but neither of them were able to finish, with both cars out of the race by lap 77. Later in the year, a Storm GTL would travel to United States to participate in the final two rounds of the FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
at Sebring and Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
. The car failed to finish both races.
1998 saw the team again attempt Daytona, but again suffered problems early on and did not finish. With these difficulties, the team was not selected for entry in that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the team did not compete anymore that year, instead concentrating on redesigning the Storm.
Storm GT
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
season under the new GT2 class rules. After an initial bad start, the team managed to take 4th place at Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
, a mere two laps behind the winning pair of Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Chrysler Viper GTS-R
The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous...
s. This was followed by a 3rd place at Zolder
Zolder
The Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlaemen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. The F1 circus...
, and finally a 2nd place Donington
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
, with the Lister finishing a mere 26 seconds behind the winning Viper. These successes brought Lister into a tie for 5th place overall in the teams championship at the season's end.
Going into 2000, Lister was more upbeat about their possibilities. Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
-Oreca
Oreca
Oreca is a French racing team, founded and run by Hugues de Chaunac, former team manager of F1 team AGS. Oreca has had success in many areas of motorsport including Formula Three where drivers including Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Jean Alesi have won the French Formula Three Championship for...
had officially left the championship, eliminating a challenge from a factory team. Thus Lister would face competition only from privateers. With this, Lister proved their capabilities by winning the first race of the season at Valencia
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...
. Lister would follow this up with four more wins during the season, all claimed by drivers Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Tyrrell and Lotus teams.Although born in the United Kingdom, he was raised in Menorca, Spain, and became an accomplished Formula Ford 1600 racer in Britain, winning the important Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch...
and Jamie Campbell-Walter
Jamie Campbell-Walter
Jamie Campbell-Walter is a British professional racing driver. He was born in Oban, Scotland in 16 December 1972. He won the FIA GT Championship in 2000.-Family:...
. With these victories, Lister claimed the teams championship. At the same time, Lister competed in the British GT championship both as a factory team, as well as with a customer car for Cirtek Motorsport. The two teams were able to take nine victories.
Returning as champions to FIA GT, Lister continued into 2001 with two factory cars. Although Lister was able to take four victories over the year, the team had to settle for 3rd in the teams championship, being beaten by Larbre Competition and Carsport Holland's privateer Vipers. A similar situation occurred in 2002, with Lister managing three victories but only able to take 2nd in the teams championship, again beaten by Larbre.
In 2003, Lister was joined in FIA GT with a customer Storm, run by Creation Autosportif
Creation Autosportif
Creation Autosportif, Ltd. is a sports car racing team based in Oxford, England. It was founded in 2003 by Ian Bickerton and Mike Jankowski and has raced in the FIA GT Championship, FFSA GT Championship, American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Endurance Series, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans...
. The Lister factory team managed only a single win, yet were still able to take second place in the teams championship. Creation was not far behind with a 4th place finish in the championship, after gaining a second customer Storm. At the same time, Lister began work on a new project, the Storm LMP which would bring the marque back to Le Mans. This was therefore the beginning of the decline for the Storm GT.
For 2004 Creation Autosportif
Creation Autosportif
Creation Autosportif, Ltd. is a sports car racing team based in Oxford, England. It was founded in 2003 by Ian Bickerton and Mike Jankowski and has raced in the FIA GT Championship, FFSA GT Championship, American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Endurance Series, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans...
would take over as the main competitor in FIA GT, with the factory squad appearing only at select races. Creation managed to take only 8th in the teams championship after the team decided to move to Le Mans Prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
s as well, while the factory squad was only able to score a single point all season. Lister would continue to attempt to campaign the car into 2005, but were only able to gather enough points for 10th place in the teams championship. Following 2005, the factory officially retired the cars to attempt to concentrate on the Storm LMP.
In 2006, French squad Red Racing would purchase a Storm for the FFSA GT Championship
FFSA GT Championship
The GT Tour is a French Grand Touring-style sports car racing series that began in 1997. It is controlled by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile and organized by racing company Oreca...
. The team would make one attempt at the FIA GT Championship, but failed to make it beyond seven laps in the race at Paul Ricard. As of 2007, there are currently no Storms racing.
Specifications
- Engine: Jaguar V12Jaguar V12 engineJaguar V12 piston engine was one of the premier powerplants of the 1970s and 1980s. It was first seen in the Series 3 Jaguar E-type of 1971 and was based loosely on an earlier design intended for a Le Mans car, the ill-fated Jaguar XJ13. The V12 was only Jaguar's second engine design to go into...
SOHC 24 valves - Displacement: 6996 cc
- Compression: 10.5:1
- Power: 546 hp at 6100 rpm
- Torque: 786.37 newton metre at 3450 rpm
- Top speed: 335 km/h (208 mph)
- Coefficient of drag: 0.35