Brian Lister, the namesake behind Lister Cars, died on December 17, 2014. Lister was well-known for building some of the fastest front-engined sports cars in racing from his company, which was founded in 1954. A talented engineer with a passion for jazz music, Lister’s engineering skills and partnerships cemented his name in the racing books as one to be reckoned with.
Lister-Jaguar
Teamed up with talented driver “Archie” Scott Brown and a mechanically talented man named Donald Moore who maintained the cars, Lister was able to quickly establish his namesake company as a racing force. Lister Cars came together in 1953, with Lister’s father Horace funding the build of a car, Moore providing an MG engine, Lister himself building the car and Brown driving. It’s first time out it won, and after going through different engine combinations (he used Bristol and Maserati engines) he settled on a Jaguar engine in 1957. The Lister-Jaguar is what cemented his legacy, as it ended the season with 12 out of fourteen wins and tons of fastest lap and outright speed records. The next year the car had buyers lined up and Lister sold each one, powered by either a Jaguar or a Chevrolet, if it was destined for the United States. One interesting note: Scott Brown was disabled…he had one hand and shortened legs, and barely cleared five feet tall. The Lister was designed around his handicaps and stature, and Lister knew it. One has to wonder if there was an occasional smile from that thought.
1993 Lister Storm
In 1958 Scott Brown was killed in a Lister-Jaguar at Spa Francorchamps, and Lister lost interest in racing. From then on his involvement in racing was sporadic, withdrawing from racing in 1959 and winding down his support through the 1960s. His last racing involvement was assisting with Carroll Shelby and the Rootes Group in preparing the Sunbeam Tiger for LeMans. Post-racing, Lister returned to engineering, working on packaging machine manufacture, and continued to work on jazz music, something he had fallen in love with during his time with the RAF. Lister Cars made a resurgence in the late 1980s modifying Jaguar XJSs, and went racing again in 1993 with the Storm, which packed a 7L V12 engine.
This video clip is the last interview that Brian Lister gave, just two days prior to, where he discussed with Quentin Willson his late 1950’s racing days. In his trademark bow tie and with his dry wit, he is the humble engineer that just so happens to have a car named after him. Rest peacefully, Mr. Lister.
Mr. Lister seems like such a humble man. God speed Mr. Lister, and the racing world thanks you.
Brian Lister . The last of our distant British automotive cousins with the mind of an engineer and the heart & soul of a hot rodder . We’ll see none like him ever again … seeing as how there is no longer a British automotive industry to speak of * and any sense of innovation , improvisation and hot rod mentality there has long since been lost to the ravages of time
R.I.P. Mr Lister …. your kind left us all too soon
* for the record should the question be raised . The ONLY British automotive manufacture …. mass production .. boutique or otherwise still owned and run by the British is …. Morgan . The last man(ufacture) standing in what has been a long line of casualties of late .
It is really sad to hear this news about Brian Lister who was a founder of Lister Cars. These Lister Cars are really amazing and I just love these sports cars. I like specially Lister –Jaguar Car. Its looks, speed, design is really awesome.