Onroak launch new Sports Prototype the Ligier JS P4

In the prestigious setting of the 85th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Onroak Automotive has unveiled their latest sports-prototype: the Ligier JS P4. This new model adds to the manufacturer’s existing range and places itself between the CN and LM P3 categories. The Ligier JS P4 will let new drivers and teams discover the running of a sports-prototype during endurance races and test days.

This new race car is the result of a joint effort between Jacques Nicolet, President of Onroak Automotive, and Phil Abbott, who can count on 18 years of experience as the head of Radical Sportscars. The latter’s experience in the creation of accessible and affordable racing cars has combined with the French manufacturer’s experience in the design of sports-prototypes: CN, LM P3, LM P2 and DPi.

The Ligier JS P4 is a closed sports-prototype with a carbon monocoque. It will be homologated in the FIA Free Formula Racing Cars (Group E) category, and will place itself in the endurance chain between the CN and the LM P3.

The Ligier JS P4 won’t be restricted to test days. It will be eligible to race in various national and international series, such as the V de V Endurance Series, the 24H Proto Series and the Sprint Series, to name just a few. The experience gained by the teams and drivers with the Ligier JS P4 could then lead them towards racing in ACO series and climbing the endurance pyramid.

Its low operating costs will allow the users of the Ligier JS P4 to enjoy many hours of running. What’s more, it can be adapted into a two-seater, an extra asset for coaching sessions.

Safety, reliability, ease of driving and maintenance, as well as affordable production and running costs guided the design of this new sports-prototype.

First and foremost, the Ligier JS P4 meets important requirements in terms of safety, namely with a crash box and a carbon monocoque that respect the strict rules of the LM P3 category.

The focus was also placed on ease of driving, without compromising performance. The car’s very good aerodynamic balance, the result of a long work in CFD, will give a lot of grip without making the car too aggressive to master. An excellent distribution of the weight and centre of gravity, thanks to a specific transversal transmission, and a very compact 6-speed gearbox will make it easier to drive. The electronic assisted steering and the differential with paddles on the steering wheel will add extra comfort.

And as for the 3.7L Ford V6 engine, producing 420hp, it will impress with its performance and sound.

Thanks to the close collaboration with several partners, the quality of all the technical elements of the car is guaranteed, all the while maintaining costs, for both the design, and the maintenance and running of the car.

HP Composites, continuing their collaboration with Onroak Automotive, will supply all of the composite structural components, as well as the bodywork’s carbon elements. Sodemo brings their know-how in the adaptation of Ford engines and will supply the ECU and the steering wheel. Quaife Engineering, for their part, created a gearbox especially for the Ligier JS P4. Lastly, the work with Dunlop will allow for tyres with an efficient grip and a long life.

The conception of the Ligier JS P4 has benefitted from the experience gained by Onroak Automotive engineers with the JS P2, JS P3 and JS P217 models, but it enjoyed a greater freedom in its design. It has a futuristic look and more aggressive lines than the previous models.