Ligier

The firm entered in the automobile business with a sports car for the road powered by the same Maserati V6 engine as the Citro�n SM, the Ligier JS 2. Production of this model ceased after the oil crisis, and the firm reconverted to microcars[?]. Ligier is now owned by Piaggio.

The firm is more known for its Formula 1 team than for its production models. Ligier entered Formula 1 in 1977 with a Matra V12-powered car, and won a Grand Prix with Jacques Lafitte[?] in in 1978. This is generally considered was the first all-French victory in Formula 1 World Championship (To be exact chassis, engine and driver were French the gearbox was English and the tyres American. Alain Prost and Renault had later victories with an all-Renault car Michelin tyres).

After its promising debut in Formula 1 Ligier was considered as one of the top teams around 1980. Despite substantial sponsorship from public French companies mainly SEITA[?] and Fran�aise des Jeux[?], deals which Francois Mitterand helped to put in place, the competitiveness of the team began to decline around 1982; the team survived until it was sold to Alain Prost in 1997 and became Prost GP.

External link

• http://www.ligier-automobiles.com/