Tiga Race Cars

Tiga Race Cars was a British racing-car constructor and competition team established in 1974 by former Formula One drivers Tim Schenken of Australia and Howden Ganley of New Zealand. The name Tiga was created from the first two letters of the founders’ first names, Tim and Ganley. From its base in the United Kingdom, the company developed and supplied racing cars for several categories, including Formula Ford, Sports 2000, sports-prototype racing and endurance competition. Tiga’s strongest early reputation was built in Sports 2000, a category in which relatively affordable, lightweight sports cars competed in national and international series. Tiga cars became especially successful in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Drivers using Tiga chassis won three European Sports 2000 championships, four British championships and one American championship, alongside two Australian Drivers’ Championships. These results made Tiga one of the better-known specialist constructors in customer-focused sports-car racing during the period. The company also participated in higher-level sports-prototype and endurance-racing programmes. Tiga-built cars achieved class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. In the 1985 World Endurance Championship, Spice Engineering used a Spice-Tiga GC85 Ford to win the Group C2 Teams title. Tiga later won the 1988 Camel Lights Manufacturers’ Championship in the North American IMSA GT Championship. These achievements extended the brand beyond club and national racing into major international endurance events. Before the original company folded in 1989, Tiga had sold more than 400 chassis. Its cars consequently remained significant in historic racing, where continued availability of parts, technical information and restoration expertise is important to owners and competitors. The Tiga name and associated rights were purchased from Mike Taylor by racing driver and businessman Mike Newton in 2012. The relaunch was intended to support existing Tiga cars through spare parts and restoration services while also continuing selected development work in contemporary racing categories. One result of the relaunch was the Tiga CN012, a CN-class sports prototype developed for the Speed Euroseries for the 2012 season. In 2013, Tiga acquired the intellectual-property rights, tooling and data associated with the Embassy Racing WF01 LMP2 sports car. The proposed programme involved adapting the car to the revised cost-cap rules then applying to the LMP2 category, including replacing its original Zytek V8 with a Judd Power HK engine. Tiga planned to make the revised car available to customers for the 2014 season, but the project did not progress to a race start. Publicly available reference material does not establish the brand’s current operating status, ownership or active product programme.

Tiga Race Cars began in 1974 when former Formula One drivers Tim Schenken and Howden Ganley formed a British racing-car construction business. The company name combined the opening letters of Tim and Ganley. Rather than pursuing a single championship, Tiga produced cars for a range of formula and sports-car categories, allowing private entrants and professional teams to compete with purpose-built customer chassis. The constructor’s most prominent period came in Sports 2000. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tiga cars became closely associated with success in the class. Their drivers won three European, four British and one American Sports 2000 championship, while Tiga-built cars also contributed to two Australian Drivers’ Championships. The results established Tiga as a major specialist in a category that rewarded reliable, competitive and comparatively accessible customer racing equipment. Tiga also expanded into sports-prototype and endurance racing. Its cars recorded class victories at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. The company’s technology and chassis were also connected with programmes run by other teams. In 1985, Spice Engineering’s Spice-Tiga GC85 Ford won the Group C2 Teams title in the World Endurance Championship. Tiga later secured the 1988 Camel Lights Manufacturers’ Championship in North American IMSA GT competition. These accomplishments gave the marque visibility in international endurance racing in addition to its Sports 2000 record. The original company folded in 1989 after selling more than 400 chassis. Although the manufacturing operation ended, the cars remained relevant to historic racing and to owners needing replacement parts, technical support and restoration. The Tiga identity was subsequently acquired from Mike Taylor by racing driver and businessman Mike Newton in 2012. The purpose of the relaunch was both historical and developmental: it aimed to preserve and service cars produced between 1974 and 1989 while exploring new Tiga projects in CN2 and related racing categories. The revived business developed the Tiga CN012 for the Speed Euroseries CN category during the 2012 season. It then pursued a more ambitious endurance-racing project. In 2013, Tiga acquired the intellectual-property rights, tooling and data for the Embassy Racing WF01 LMP2 car. The proposed revision was intended to meet the contemporary LMP2 cost-cap regulations. Among the planned changes was the replacement of the original Zytek V8 with a Judd Power HK engine, with customer sales targeted for the 2014 season. The revised car did not ultimately race. Available reference material does not provide a confirmed account of subsequent ownership, production or competition activity, so the present status of the Tiga Race Cars brand remains unconfirmed.

• 2013

  WF01 LMP2 programme is acquired

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Tiga acquires the Embassy Racing WF01’s intellectual property, tooling and data for a planned LMP2 update.

• 2012

  Tiga is relaunched

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Mike Newton acquires the Tiga name and rights and begins a programme covering historic support and new racing-car development.

• 2012

  Tiga CN012 is developed

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  The relaunched company develops the CN012 for the Speed Euroseries.

• 1989

  Original company folds

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  The original Tiga operation ends after more than 400 chassis have been sold.

• 1988

  Tiga wins the Camel Lights Manufacturers’ Championship

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Tiga wins the manufacturers’ title in the North American IMSA GT Camel Lights category.

• 1985

  Spice-Tiga wins the Group C2 Teams title

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Spice Engineering uses a Spice-Tiga GC85 Ford to win the Group C2 Teams title in the World Endurance Championship.

• 1974

  Tiga Race Cars is established

  [1]Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org

  Tim Schenken and Howden Ganley establish the British racing-car constructor and team.

A specialist British constructor focused on customer racing, sports-prototype competition and endurance-racing programmes, with a particularly strong historical position in Sports 2000.

• Formula racing cars

  Tiga Formula Ford cars

  Tiga constructed cars for Formula Ford, one of the principal entry-level open-wheel categories in British and international motor racing. The available reference material identifies the category as part of Tiga’s product range but does not specify individual model names, production totals or detailed technical specifications.

• Sports racing cars

  Tiga Sports 2000 cars

  Sports 2000 was Tiga’s most successful historical category. Tiga-built chassis were used by drivers who won three European, four British and one American Sports 2000 championships, as well as other national titles. The cars were sold as customer racing equipment and helped establish the marque’s reputation for competitive, practical sports-racing chassis.

• Group C2 endurance prototype · 1985

  Spice-Tiga GC85 Ford

  The Spice-Tiga GC85 Ford was an endurance-racing prototype associated with Spice Engineering’s World Endurance Championship programme. In 1985 it delivered the Group C2 Teams title for the team, placing Tiga-linked engineering and chassis work in an international sports-prototype context.

• CN-class sports prototype · 2012

  Tiga CN012

  The CN012 was developed by the relaunched Tiga operation for the Speed Euroseries CN category for the 2012 season. It represented the company’s attempt to extend the Tiga identity from historic-car support into contemporary customer sports-prototype racing.

• LMP2 sports prototype · 2013

  Embassy Racing WF01 LMP2 update

  After acquiring the WF01’s intellectual property, tooling and data in 2013, Tiga planned to modify the car for the revised LMP2 cost-cap regulations. The proposed specification included changing the power unit from the original Zytek V8 to a Judd Power HK. The planned customer programme for 2014 did not result in a race start.

• 2013

  Plan an updated WF01 for LMP2Generation change

  Background

  Tiga acquired the Embassy Racing WF01 LMP2 car’s intellectual property, tooling and data while LMP2 regulations were being revised around cost control.

  Action taken

  Tiga planned to modify the WF01 for the new rules, including replacing its Zytek V8 with a Judd Power HK engine and offering the car to customers for 2014.

  Aftermath

  The proposed car did not ultimately compete in a race.

  Source

• 2012

  Acquire the Tiga name and relaunch the marqueM&A

  Background

  The original Tiga company had folded in 1989, but its cars continued to have relevance in historic racing. Mike Newton acquired the Tiga name and associated rights from Mike Taylor.

  Action taken

  The relaunched operation aimed to supply spare parts and restoration support for Tiga cars built from 1974 to 1989 while also developing new cars for CN2 and other categories.

  Aftermath

  The relaunch produced the Tiga CN012 for the 2012 Speed Euroseries season and supported a later LMP2 development proposal.

  Source

1. 1Tiga Race Carsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Tiga Race Cars official websitetigaracecars.com