Allard J2X returns

Anyone thinking of spending around £95,000 on a performance car is spoilt for choice. A Porsche 911 GT3 perhaps, or how about an Audi R8, Maserati GranTurismo, or Aston Martin V8 Vantage?

Alternatively, European buyers can now go for something completely different. Allard may not be a name familiar to all (especially as the original company went out of business in 1966) but now it’s back with a MKII version of the J2X, a model previously produced between 1951 and 1954.


Like its predecessor, the J2X MKII features an American V8 engine, but it’s no longer British-built. The rights to the Allard name are now owned by Allard Motor Works Inc., which is based in Montreal, Canada.

Although the J2X - unsurprisingly - looks like something from the 1950s, the mechanical elements are bang up to date. Power comes from a GM Ram Jet 350 cubic inch (5.7 litres) fuel injected V8, which pumps out 350 bhp (260 kW / 354 PS) and 542 Nm (400 lb-ft) of torque.

That’s a lot in a car that weighs just 1,250 kg (2,750 pounds), and performance is consequently rapid: 0-60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration takes approximately 4.5 seconds, for example. Luckily the chassis has been developed to cope, and it features independent suspension all-round, together with modern four-piston vented disc brakes.

The Allard J2X MKII will be distributed throughout Europe by UK-based Premium Classic Cars Ltd, and pricing is expected to start from £95,000 (€112,000). Given the quality of manufacturing, the official Allard Registry grants official numbering to the Mk11 cars.

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