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.
