Tony Southgate
Encyclopedia
Tony Southgate is a British
engineer and former racing car designer. He designed many successful cars, including Jaguar's Le Mans
-winning XJR-9
, and cars for almost every type of circuit racing. He was responsible for the chassis design of Ford's
RS200
Group B
rally car. Southgate was employed as chief designer or technical director for many Formula One
teams for over twenty years. These teams included BRM
, Shadow
and Arrows
. After producing the Audi R8C
, which won Le Mans and evolved into the Bentley Speed 8
, Southgate decided to retire. He continues to be a regular visitor to current and historic race meetings.
. The 750MC was a training ground for motorsport luminaries such as Colin Chapman
, Eric Broadley
and Brian Hart
. In 1962 Broadley gave Southgate his first job, as a draughtsman
for Lola Cars. Southgate gained a broad grounding in many areas of motorsport design while at Lola. He was involved in projects as wide-ranging as the lithe, 1.5 litre Lola Mk4A Formula One car and the 5.0 litre Lola T70
sports car. He also assisted with designs for IndyCar
chassis, one of which evolved into the Honda RA300
Hondola Formula One race-winner.
It was his experience with single-seater and IndyCar designs which prompted Dan Gurney
to hire Southgate for his All American Racers team, based in California
, to design some of the second generation of Gurney-Eagle USAC racers. The highlight of Southgate's time with AAR was when Bobby Unser
won the 1968 Indianapolis 500
race in one of Southgate's Eagle cars. The Southgate-designed Eagle Formula 5000
car also found some success.
Formula One team. Southgate's first BRM car, the BRM P153
, appeared in time for the first race of the season in South Africa
. BRM enjoyed a renaissance with the P153 and its successor the BRM P160
. The P160, in particular, was highly competitive during the season; drivers Pedro Rodríguez
and Jo Siffert
often ran near the front of the field, only for poor reliability to let them down before the finish. Continued development work reaped vast improvements. In the latter half of the season Siffert and Peter Gethin
(who had replaced Rodríguez following the latter's death) won back-to-back victories in the Austrian
and Italian
Grands Prix. Gethin's victory at Monza
was taken at an average speed of over 150 mph (240 kph) and stood as the fastest ever Grand Prix win for over 30 years.
Although the BRM team finished second in the Constructors' Championship standings the end of the season, the achievement was marred by Siffert's death in a non-Championship race at Brands Hatch
. Unfortunately for BRM and Tony Southgate his design, the BRM P180
, was not as competitive as the previous model. Siffert's replacement Jean-Pierre Beltoise
managed to win a rain-hit Monaco Grand Prix
in the older P160, and with it take BRM's final Formula One victory. During the 1972 season BRM and Tony Southgate parted company. BRM finished the season in seventh place.
founder Don Nichols approached Southgate to design a Formula One car for his team to enter in the 1973 World Championship. Shadow had already been involved in the CanAm
sportscar series for nearly two years, and with UOP
sponsorship Nichols was planning an entrance into Formula One. Southgate designed and built the first Shadow Formula One prototype, the Shadow DN1, in his own garage in Lincolnshire
, where he had moved to be closer to the BRM factory in Bourne
. However, production was soon shifted to the USA, to where Southgate once again relocated.
Drivers George Follmer
and Jackie Oliver
were immediately competitive in the DN1. In the same year the Southgate-designed Shadow DN2 earned first and second in the CanAm championship. In 1974 Peter Revson
died whilst testing the Shadow DN3 at Kyalami.
prompted Southgate to move to Lotus
, where he worked alongside Peter Wright
on the Lotus 77
and Lotus 78
until the middle of 1977.
, Alan Rees
, Jackie Oliver
and Dave Wass to form Arrows
.
Arrows' first car, the FA1
, was almost identical to the Shadow DN9, on which Southgate had worked while at Shadow. The Shadow team protested and the FIA
declared the Arrows design illegal, but Southgate had anticipated this and had completed an alternative design dubbed Arrows A1
which was immediately produced. Southgate also designed the Arrows A2
and A3
, before leaving the team to work as a freelance engineering consultant.
's TY01 to race in the 1981 season.
In 1983 Southgate designed his last Formula 1 car, the Osella
FA1E. The design was severely constrained as Osella Squadra Corse did not have sufficient finances to build an entirely new chassis, forcing Southgate to adapt a three year old design to fit an engine from Alfa Romeo
. The Osella FA1E only finished three races and was described by fellow designer Gustav Brunner
as the year's worst car.
When Theodore was merged into Ensign
at the end of 1982, Southgate and John Thompson founded a design consultancy named Auto Racing Technology, that worked for Ford on two major projects, including development of the Ford RS200
.
, where he headed the design of the Jaguar XJR-9
and XJR-12
. These won the World Sportscar Championship
three times and the Le Mans 24 hour race twice. The XJR-9 also raced in the North America in the IMSA GT Championship
. It won on its debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona
in 1988, and in the final race of the season at Del Mar.
He remained at TWR until 1991. Southgate subsequently worked on sports cars for Toyota (Toyota TS010
), Ferrari
(Ferrari 333 SP
), Lister, Nissan (Nissan R390 GT1
) and Audi
(Audi R8R
and R8C
).
Briton
- Peoples :* British people, citizens of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, or of one of the British overseas territories* Britons , ancient Celtic people from the island of Great Britain- Newspapers :...
engineer and former racing car designer. He designed many successful cars, including Jaguar's 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...
-winning XJR-9
Jaguar XJR-9
The Jaguar XJR-9 is a sports-prototype race car built by Jaguar for both Group C and IMSA Camel GTP, debuting in at the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona....
, and cars for almost every type of circuit racing. He was responsible for the chassis design of Ford's
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
RS200
Ford RS200
The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car produced by Ford from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was based on Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 road legal versions be built...
Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
rally car. Southgate was employed as chief designer or technical director for many Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
teams for over twenty years. These teams included BRM
British Racing Motors
British Racing Motors was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945, it raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 Grands Prix and winning 17. In 1962, BRM won the Constructors' Title. At the same time, its driver, Graham Hill became World Champion...
, Shadow
Shadow Racing Cars
Shadow Racing Cars was a Formula One and sports car racing team, founded and initially based in the United States although later Formula One operations were run from Britain.-1971-1972: Early years in CanAm series:...
and Arrows
Arrows
Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...
. After producing the Audi R8C
Audi R8C
The Audi R8C was a Le Mans Prototype automobile built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans designed by Peter Elleray. It was developed alongside the open Audi R8R spyder, prior to being replaced by the all-new Audi R8 in 2000.-Development:...
, which won Le Mans and evolved into the Bentley Speed 8
Bentley Speed 8
The Bentley Speed 8 was a Le Mans Prototype race car that was designed by Peter Elleray. EXP Speed 8 debuted in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001, the Speed 8 car finally winning in 2003...
, Southgate decided to retire. He continues to be a regular visitor to current and historic race meetings.
Early career at Lola and Eagle
Tony Southgate became interested in motorsport during his engineering apprenticeship and, like many aspiring racing designers in the late 1950s, was a member of the 750 Motor Club750 Motor Club
750 Motor Club is an auto racing club in the UK. It was founded in 1939 and was originally for Austin 7 fans . It later led to racing and the 750 Formula where specials were raced...
. The 750MC was a training ground for motorsport luminaries such as Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
, Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley MBE is a British entrepreneur, engineer, and founder and former chief designer of Lola Cars, the motor racing manufacturer and engineering company. He is arguably one of the most influential automobile designers of the post-war period, and over the years Lola has had a hand in many...
and Brian Hart
Brian Hart
Brian Hart is a British former racing driver and engineer with a background in the aviation industry. He is best known as the founder of Brian Hart Limited, a company that developed and built engines for motorsport use.- Racing career :Beginning in 1958, Hart enjoyed a successful career as a...
. In 1962 Broadley gave Southgate his first job, as a draughtsman
Draughtsman
A draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
for Lola Cars. Southgate gained a broad grounding in many areas of motorsport design while at Lola. He was involved in projects as wide-ranging as the lithe, 1.5 litre Lola Mk4A Formula One car and the 5.0 litre Lola T70
Lola T70
The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960s. Developed by Lola Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing...
sports car. He also assisted with designs for IndyCar
IndyCar
IndyCar is the trade name of an American-based open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. IndyCar sanctions three racing series, the premier IZOD IndyCar Series with its centerpiece Indianapolis 500, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights and the U.S...
chassis, one of which evolved into the Honda RA300
Honda RA300
The Honda RA300 was a Formula One racing car produced by Honda Racing, and introduced halfway through the 1967 Formula One season. It retained the same V12 engine as the preceding RA273 car, but the chassis was designed by Lola's Eric Broadley and based on a previous Lola Indianapolis 500 car...
Hondola Formula One race-winner.
It was his experience with single-seater and IndyCar designs which prompted Dan Gurney
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
to hire Southgate for his All American Racers team, based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to design some of the second generation of Gurney-Eagle USAC racers. The highlight of Southgate's time with AAR was when Bobby Unser
Bobby Unser
Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...
won the 1968 Indianapolis 500
1968 Indianapolis 500
-Race schedule:- Time Trials :1968 was the second and eventually the final year the controversial turbine cars were running in the 1968 race classic. Turbine cars were entered by STP and by Carroll Shelby...
race in one of Southgate's Eagle cars. The Southgate-designed Eagle Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
car also found some success.
Promotion with BRM
In 1969 Tony Southgate moved back to the UK and took a job as Chief Designer for the BRMBritish Racing Motors
British Racing Motors was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945, it raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 Grands Prix and winning 17. In 1962, BRM won the Constructors' Title. At the same time, its driver, Graham Hill became World Champion...
Formula One team. Southgate's first BRM car, the BRM P153
BRM P153
The BRM P153 was a Formula One racing car which raced in the , and 1972 Formula One seasons. It was powered by a 3.0 litre V12 engine. Its best result was a victory at the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix.-References:...
, appeared in time for the first race of the season in South Africa
1970 South African Grand Prix
The 1970 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on March 7, 1970. It was the first round of the 1970 Formula One season...
. BRM enjoyed a renaissance with the P153 and its successor the BRM P160
BRM P160
The BRM P160 was a Formula One racing car which raced in the 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 Formula One seasons. It was powered by a 3.0 litre V12 engine....
. The P160, in particular, was highly competitive during the season; drivers Pedro Rodríguez
Pedro Rodriguez (racing driver)
Pedro Rodríguez was a Mexican Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was born in Mexico City and was the older brother of Ricardo Rodríguez.-Career:...
and Jo Siffert
Jo Siffert
Joseph Siffert was a Swiss racing driver.Affectionately known as "Seppi" to his family and close friends, Siffert was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, the son of a dairy owner...
often ran near the front of the field, only for poor reliability to let them down before the finish. Continued development work reaped vast improvements. In the latter half of the season Siffert and Peter Gethin
Peter Gethin
Peter Kenneth Gethin is a former racing driver.He participated in 31 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 21 June 1970. He won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix in the fastest average speed in Formula One history , but this was his only podium finish...
(who had replaced Rodríguez following the latter's death) won back-to-back victories in the Austrian
1971 Austrian Grand Prix
The 1971 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Österreichring on August 15, 1971.- Race report :Jo Siffert took a surprise pole position from Jackie Stewart and led away at the start from Clay Regazzoni and Jacky Ickx. The front two drew away from the pack, where Regazzoni was duelling...
and Italian
1971 Italian Grand Prix
The 1971 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 5, 1971. This race is often referred to as the fastest Formula One race of all time, with a record average speed of 242.615 km/h , a record that was not broken until 32 years later at the 2003 Italian Grand Prix at...
Grands Prix. Gethin's victory at Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
was taken at an average speed of over 150 mph (240 kph) and stood as the fastest ever Grand Prix win for over 30 years.
Although the BRM team finished second in the Constructors' Championship standings the end of the season, the achievement was marred by Siffert's death in a non-Championship race at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
. Unfortunately for BRM and Tony Southgate his design, the BRM P180
BRM P180
The BRM P180 was a Formula One racing car which raced in the 1972 Formula One season. It was powered by a BRM 3.0 litre V12 engine. Its best result in the 1970 World Championship was an 8th place however the car managed to win the non-championship 1972 World Championship Victory Race....
, was not as competitive as the previous model. Siffert's replacement Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Jean-Pierre Maurice Georges Beltoise is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver who raced for the Matra and BRM teams. François Cevert was his brother-in-law ....
managed to win a rain-hit Monaco Grand Prix
1972 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1972 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monaco on May 14, 1972. This was the last race on the original Monaco circuit, before the swimming pool was installed and the tunnel was lengthened...
in the older P160, and with it take BRM's final Formula One victory. During the 1972 season BRM and Tony Southgate parted company. BRM finished the season in seventh place.
CanAm and Formula One with Shadow
At the end of 1972 Shadow Racing CarsShadow Racing Cars
Shadow Racing Cars was a Formula One and sports car racing team, founded and initially based in the United States although later Formula One operations were run from Britain.-1971-1972: Early years in CanAm series:...
founder Don Nichols approached Southgate to design a Formula One car for his team to enter in the 1973 World Championship. Shadow had already been involved in the CanAm
CanAm
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup or Can-Am, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1986.-History:Can-Am started out as a race series for Group 7 sports racers with two races in Canada and four races in the United States of America . The series was initially sponsored by Johnson...
sportscar series for nearly two years, and with UOP
UOP LLC
UOP LLC, formerly known as Universal Oil Products, is a multi-national company developing and delivering technology to the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production, and major manufacturing industries....
sponsorship Nichols was planning an entrance into Formula One. Southgate designed and built the first Shadow Formula One prototype, the Shadow DN1, in his own garage in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, where he had moved to be closer to the BRM factory in Bourne
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
. However, production was soon shifted to the USA, to where Southgate once again relocated.
Drivers George Follmer
George Follmer
George Follmer is a retired American race car driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona....
and Jackie Oliver
Jackie Oliver
Keith Jack Oliver, better known as Jackie Oliver, is a British former Formula One driver and team-owner from England...
were immediately competitive in the DN1. In the same year the Southgate-designed Shadow DN2 earned first and second in the CanAm championship. In 1974 Peter Revson
Peter Revson
Peter Jeffrey Revson was an American race car driver who had successes in Formula One and the Indianapolis 500.-Background:Peter Revson was born in New York City, the son of Julie and Martin Revson....
died whilst testing the Shadow DN3 at Kyalami.
Lotus
At the end of 1975 the withdrawal of Shadow's main sponsor UOPUOP LLC
UOP LLC, formerly known as Universal Oil Products, is a multi-national company developing and delivering technology to the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production, and major manufacturing industries....
prompted Southgate to move to Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
, where he worked alongside Peter Wright
Peter Wright
Peter Maurice Wright was an English scientist and former MI5 counterintelligence officer, noted for writing the controversial book Spycatcher, which became an international bestseller with sales of over two million copies...
on the Lotus 77
Lotus 77
The Lotus 77 was a Formula One racing car designed by Colin Chapman, Geoff Aldridge and Martin Ogilvie for the 1976 Formula One season. The car was a stop-gap means to an end for Lotus, who were fighting back after the failure of the Lotus 76 and the obsolescence of the Lotus 72 in 1975.The Lotus...
and Lotus 78
Lotus 78
The Lotus 78 'wing car' was a Formula One racing car used in the and seasons. It was designed by Peter Wright, Colin Chapman, Martin Ogilvie and Tony Rudd, and was the car that started the ground effect revolution in Formula One.-Concept:...
until the middle of 1977.
Arrows
After Lotus Southgate returned to Shadow, but left the team again at the end of 1977 together with Franco AmbrosioFranco Ambrosio
Franco Ambrosio was a businessman from Italy who financed Formula One racing teams Arrows and Shadow in the 1970s. He became a multi-millionaire through wheat trading, primarily for pasta production, and built up a large business empire. He was involved in financial scandals and served jail terms...
, Alan Rees
Alan Rees
Alan Rees is a British former racing driver from Wales. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix in the 1960s, although two of those appearances were driving Formula 2 cars...
, Jackie Oliver
Jackie Oliver
Keith Jack Oliver, better known as Jackie Oliver, is a British former Formula One driver and team-owner from England...
and Dave Wass to form Arrows
Arrows
Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...
.
Arrows' first car, the FA1
Arrows FA1
The Arrows FA1 was a Formula One car used by the Arrows team during the 1978 Formula One season.The team was forced to withdraw the car partway through the season after a legal protest from the Shadow team, on the grounds that it was too similar to their own DN9 design; the result of the Arrows...
, was almost identical to the Shadow DN9, on which Southgate had worked while at Shadow. The Shadow team protested and the FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
declared the Arrows design illegal, but Southgate had anticipated this and had completed an alternative design dubbed Arrows A1
Arrows A1
The Arrows A1 was the car with which the Arrows Formula One team competed in the and Formula One seasons. It was a replacement for the Arrows FA1, which the team had been forced to withdraw after a legal protest from the Shadow team on the grounds that it was too similar to their own design; the...
which was immediately produced. Southgate also designed the Arrows A2
Arrows A2
The Arrows A2 was a Formula One racing car used by the Arrows team in the latter half of the 1979 Formula One season. Unlike most contemporary Formula One cars, its engine was set with a four-degree angle.-Complete Formula One World Championship results:...
and A3
Arrows A3
The Arrows A3 was a Formula One car which the Arrows team used to compete in the 1980 and 1981 Formula One seasons.-Complete Formula One World Championship results:...
, before leaving the team to work as a freelance engineering consultant.
Theodore and Osella
Southgate returned to Formula 1 towards the end of 1980 to design Theodore RacingTheodore Racing
Theodore Racing was a Formula One constructor from Hong Kong founded by real estate magnate and millionaire Teddy Yip. They participated in 51 grands prix, entering a total of 64 cars. They scored 2 championship points.-History:...
's TY01 to race in the 1981 season.
In 1983 Southgate designed his last Formula 1 car, the Osella
Osella
Osella is an Italian racing car manufacturer and former Formula One team based in Volpiano near Turin, Italy. They participated in 132 Grands Prix between 1980 and 1990...
FA1E. The design was severely constrained as Osella Squadra Corse did not have sufficient finances to build an entirely new chassis, forcing Southgate to adapt a three year old design to fit an engine from Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo in Formula One
Alfa Romeo participated in Formula One, as both a constructor and engine supplier, from to .-Success, 1950-1951:In 1950 Nino Farina won the inaugural Formula One World Championship in a 158 with supercharger, in 1951 Juan Manuel Fangio won while driving an Alfetta 159...
. The Osella FA1E only finished three races and was described by fellow designer Gustav Brunner
Gustav Brunner
Gustav Brunner is an Austrian Formula One designer and engineer. He was born on 12 September 1950 , and got his start in racing car design at the German-based constructor McNamara. He first entered F1 in a brief spell working for the ATS team in 1978, before designing cars for Formula Two and...
as the year's worst car.
When Theodore was merged into Ensign
Ensign (racing team)
Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. They participated in 133 grands prix, entering a total of 155 cars. Ensign scored 19 championship points and no podium finish...
at the end of 1982, Southgate and John Thompson founded a design consultancy named Auto Racing Technology, that worked for Ford on two major projects, including development of the Ford RS200
Ford RS200
The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car produced by Ford from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was based on Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 road legal versions be built...
.
Sports cars
In 1984 Southgate moved to Tom Walkinshaw RacingTom Walkinshaw Racing
Tom Walkinshaw Racing , was an auto racing team and engineering firm founded in 1976 by touring car racer Tom Walkinshaw.-History:TWR started by modifying BMW 3.0 CSLs, but soon was contracted to head Mazda's works program in the British Touring Car Championship. The TWR developed RX-7, with Win...
, where he headed the design of the Jaguar XJR-9
Jaguar XJR-9
The Jaguar XJR-9 is a sports-prototype race car built by Jaguar for both Group C and IMSA Camel GTP, debuting in at the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona....
and XJR-12
Jaguar XJR-12
The Jaguar XJR-12 is a sports-prototype race car built by Jaguar for both Group C and IMSA Camel GTP. The car is famous for winning the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans....
. These won the World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
three times and the Le Mans 24 hour race twice. The XJR-9 also raced in the North America in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
. It won on its debut 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...
in 1988, and in the final race of the season at Del Mar.
He remained at TWR until 1991. Southgate subsequently worked on sports cars for Toyota (Toyota TS010
Toyota TS010
The Toyota TS010 was a Group C racing car built by Toyota for the Sportscar World Championship, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.-History:...
), Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
(Ferrari 333 SP
Ferrari 333 SP
The Ferrari 333 SP was a sports prototype car built by Michelotto to World Sports Car regulations for Ferrari. Unveiled at the end of 1993, at the behest of amateur racer Giampiero Moretti , the 333 SP marked Ferrari's official return to sports car racing after a 20 year absence...
), Lister, Nissan (Nissan R390 GT1
Nissan R390 GT1
The Nissan R390 GT1 was a racing car built for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1997 and 1998. It was built to race under the grand tourer style rules, requiring a homologated road version to be built, although only 2 R390 road cars were ever built, and one is stored at Nissan's Zama...
) and Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
(Audi R8R
Audi R8R
The Audi R8R was a Le Mans Prototype built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a predecessor to the dominant Audi R8 which debuted in 2000. It was raced alongside the British built closed-cockpit Audi R8C.-Development:...
and R8C
Audi R8C
The Audi R8C was a Le Mans Prototype automobile built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans designed by Peter Elleray. It was developed alongside the open Audi R8R spyder, prior to being replaced by the all-new Audi R8 in 2000.-Development:...
).