The Lister Storm used the largest V12 engine fitted to a production road car since World War II, a 7.0 L (6,996 cc) Jaguar unit based on the one used in the Jaguar XJR-9 that competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Priced at £220,000, only four examples of the road-going Storm were produced. For several years, it was considered the fastest four-seat grand tourer on sale. The Storm featured Kevlar and aluminium panels over an aluminium honeycomb monocoque. Its doors and greenhouse were borrowed from the Volkswagen Corrado, and its design resulted in a drag coefficient of Cd=0.35.
The bored and stroked twenty-four-valve V12 engine generated a maximum power output of 554 PS (407 kW; 546 hp) at 6,100 rpm and 790 N⋅m (582.7 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,450 rpm, with a compression ratio of 10.5:1. The car weighed 1,664 kg (3,668.5 lb), accelerated from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) in 4.1 seconds, and claimed a top speed of 335 km/h (208 mph).
The Lister Storm GTS debuted at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, competing in the GT1 class against cars such as the McLaren F1 GTR, Ferrari F40 LM, Jaguar XJ220S, and the Porsche 911 GT2. The car, driven by Geoff Lees, Rupert Keegan, and Dominic Chappell, did not finish due to gearbox failure after 40 laps.
In 1996, the team secured a sponsorship deal with football club Newcastle United and hired engineer Geoff Kingston. Modifications included changes to the bodywork and brakes, and the engine was moved 5 inches (13 cm) back to improve weight distribution, placing the driver next to the last three cylinders. The Hewland gearbox was relocated to the rear, replacing the 5-speed unit with a transverse 6-speed sequential gearbox. To further compensate for the heavy engine, wide rear tires were fitted to the front, allowing for a stiffer front suspension while still achieving compliance from the thicker sidewalls.
The team entered a lone car in the 24 Hours of Daytona, driven by ex-F1 drivers Geoff Lees, Tiff Needell, and Kenny Acheson, as an early test for Le Mans. The car did not finish due to a high-speed crash while Acheson was driving. The car was destroyed, and Kenny Acheson suffered temporary vision loss in his right eye, chest injuries, a broken rib, and continues to experience reduced lung capacity on his left side.
Following the Daytona event, the team prepared for Le Mans with the Storm GTS. A new car had to be built by G-Force due to the tight timescales. Lees and Needell were joined by Anthony Reid. The car improved upon its previous performance by finishing the race in 1996, classified in 19th place, 59 laps behind the winner. Lister then entered the Storm GTS into the BPR Global GT Series, debuting in the fifth round at the Nürburgring, where it retired while in third place. The car was then entered at the Suzuka 1000km with Christophe Bouchut joining Lees and Needell. It was running in third before retiring due to gearbox issues. The car again demonstrated its speed during round eight of the 1996 BPR Global GT Series at Brands Hatch, qualifying third overall, but retired while still in third position due to an engine issue.
For 1997, Lister redesigned the Storm, adding a longer and more aerodynamic front end to the existing car. This iteration, referred to as the Storm GTL, also utilized a carbon fibre structure and body panels. The car debuted at the 24 Hours of Daytona, securing 19th place overall and fourth in its class. Later that year, two new Storm GTLs were entered for Le Mans, but neither finished, with both cars retiring by lap 77. Later in the year, a Storm GTL competed in the final two rounds of the FIA GT Championship in the United States at Sebring and Laguna Seca, failing to finish both races. However, it achieved one race win and one second place in the 1997 British GT Championship, both at Donington Park.
In 1998, the team attempted Daytona again but suffered early problems and did not finish. Updates to the car led to it failing scrutineering, preventing its participation in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, despite the team entering the event and attending pre-qualifying. The lack of a rear window in the refreshed design was a point of contention. Also in 1998, the Lister Storm GTL finished fifth overall in the British GT Championship in the hands of Tiff Needell and Julian Bailey, with Anthony Reid substituting for Needell at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps round. Three Storm GTLs were entered that season, achieving two victories and seven podiums between them, including winning the Silverstone Golden Jubilee Trophy race.
An updated version of the car, featuring a longer nose design, won the overall 1999 British GT Championship driven by Jamie Campbell-Walter and Julian Bailey, winning seven races that season.
For 1999, the Storm reappeared as a reworked version of the earlier GTS. The car had lost the aerodynamic bodywork of the GTL, featuring more standard front and rear ends. Lister was permitted to use the Storm despite road car production having long ceased, due to a shortage of new suitable GT machines. The team announced its participation in the full FIA GT Championship season under the new GT2 class rules. After a difficult start, with retirements from fourth place in Monza and second place at Silverstone, the team achieved fourth place at Hockenheimring, two laps behind the winning Chrysler Viper GTS-Rs. This was followed by pole position and third place at Zolder, and a second place at Donington, finishing 26 seconds behind the winning Viper. These results placed Lister in a tie for fifth place overall in the teams' championship at the season's end, despite competing in only half the races. In the 1999 British GT Championship, David Warnock won the GT2 category for Cirtek Motorsport in a Lister Storm GT.
Entering 2000, Lister was optimistic about its prospects, as Chrysler-Oreca had officially withdrawn from the championship. Lister secured victories at Valencia, and four more wins during the season, all claimed by drivers Julian Bailey and Jamie Campbell-Walter. By round seven at the A1 Ring, the team was mandated a new inlet restrictor to reduce its speed relative to its competitors.
Concurrently, Lister competed in the British GT championship as both a factory team and with a customer car for Cirtek Motorsport. The two teams achieved nine victories. David Warnock finished second overall in the championship driving a Storm GT, while Tiff Needell won races at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone in the Cirtek (CSi branded) Lister.
Returning to FIA GT in 2001 with two factory cars, the Storm GT achieved four victories but finished third in the team's championship, behind Larbre Competition and Carsport Holland's Vipers. Jamie Campbell-Walter led the charge, initially partnered by Tom Coronel. Coronel only completed part of the season, with drivers Mike Jordan, Bobby Verdon-Roe, and Richard Dean taking turns to partner Campbell-Walter. The second car featured Julian Bailey alongside German businessman Nicolaus Springer.
In the 2001 British GT season, Lister won the championship with David Warnock and Mike Jordan driving a Storm GT, achieving victory in seven races. Lister also won the sole race of the Interactive Sportscar Championship 2001 at Donington Park, driven by James Pickford and David Warnock.
In 2002, Lister achieved three victories but finished second in the team's championship, again behind Larbre. The primary challenge this season involved a Pro-Am driver strategy across the two cars. David Warnock and Mike Jordan drove a Storm GT, finishing second in the championship.
In 2003, Lister was joined in FIA GT by a customer Storm run by Creation Autosportif. The Lister factory team managed only a single win but secured second place in the teams' championship. Creation followed closely, finishing fourth in the championship after acquiring a second customer Storm.
In 2004, Creation Autosportif took over as the primary competitor in FIA GT with an older specification Storm. The factory squad only appeared in four races, scoring a single point.
In 2005, Red Racing and Creation Autosportif entered Storms in the FFSA GT Championship, but collectively managed only a handful of race entries.
Following 2005, the factory officially retired the cars to concentrate on the Storm LMP.
In 2006, both Red Racing and Creation Autosportif entered Storms in the FFSA GT Championship, but collectively managed only a handful of race entries.