Ligier Cars

Ligier is one of France's most famous car makers, and teh company is best known for its Formula One race team, which was in the running from 1976-1996. The Ligier Car Company was owned and established by race driver Guy Ligier, who was also a rugby player.

Ligier's first foray into the auto market was the Ligier JS2, which was a sports car that shared a V6 engine with Maserati. This car was a hit almost instantly, and it was prized for its high power to weight ratio. The JS2's motor was centrally placed, but due to the energy crisis of the early 1970s, the entire exotic auto market took a hit. Ligier was no exception, and sales dropped so far that the company stopped producing the JS2 in 1973; the company re-entered the market with a stable of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

Ligier was taken over by Piaggio after it reentered the market, and it is still owned by that company. Due to rising competition both on the track and off, Ligier had to withdraw from Formula One. However, their smaller cars are still a good value.

Ligier's Formula One team originally had numbers 25-26, and the car they raced was powered by a Matra V12. Their team made history when they won the 1977 Grand Prix with Jacques Lafitte; the win is the most important French victory in F1 history.

In 1977 after the Matra/Ligier contract expired, Ligier released the JS11 which was powered by a Cosworth engine. However, the car faced tough competition from both Williams and Ferrari, and the team had great sponsors and remained competitive.

Throughout the 80s, Ligier partnered with companies like Renault, from whom they obtained their engines. After the deal with Renault, Ligier partnered with BMW, Alfa Romeo, and Mugen/Honda. During the 90s, the F1 team went through some hard times, lacking in public and monetary support. Alain Prost bought the team, changing its name to Prost Grand Prix and selling it after a Monaco win. The team went bankrupt in 2002, and it could not survive even with solid backing from some of the largest companies in France.