• Estimated 350-hp, 365-ci Cadillac overhead valve V8 engine with dual four-barrel carburetors, 4-speed manual transmission, semi-independent front suspension with split axle, rear De Dion axle with coil springs and tubular shock absorbers, and Lockheed four-wheel hydraulic brakes
• One of only seven Allard JRs built
• One of two factory entries to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1953
• Driven 145.35 mph by Zora Arkus-Duntov down the Mulsanne Straight
Beautiful or brutal — take your choice — these Allards were the epitome of early 1950s sports-car design, with their slim alloy bodywork, cycle fenders, flashy knockoff mounted wire wheels and huge powerplants. Cornering at speed was a challenge as a result of Sydney Allard’s affection for a semi-independent front suspension.
Allard’s J2X cycle-fendered sports cars looked both brutal and beautiful, but Sydney knew they were aerodynamically disadvantaged on longer circuits such as Le Mans. Accordingly, the new envelope-bodied and streamlined JR model was introduced for 1953. These were essentially mechanically identical to the J2X, although seriously modified for circuit racing. Only seven JRs were built, with two cars serving as factory entries at the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans.
