Sydney Allard soon saw the potential of the economically more vibrant – but sports car starved – U.S. market and developed a special competition model to tap it, the J2. The new roadster, weighing just 18.5 cwt, was a potent combination of a lightweight, hand-formed aluminium body fitted with new coil spring front suspension, fitted with inclined telescopic dampers, and de Dion-type rear axle, inboard rear brakes, and , Mercury flathead V8, with the option of an Ardun hemi conversion. The J2 had a disturbing tendency to catch fire when started.