Still looking for the Pink Panther.
Last week Hugues Vanhoolandt displayed the Italian effort at this year’s Le Mans Classic, which everyone is saying gets better and better every year. For the 5th time, Le Mans Classic celebrated the greatest long distance race in the world. With more than 420 cars on the track, ranging from 1923 to 1979, it was close action from Saturday at 4 pm to Sunday same hour.With 96,000 spectators, Le Mans Classic proved to be one of the world’s greatest historic racing car event.
Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
The Chenard & Walker 2 liter 1923, similar to the one which won the very first of the 24 hours LeMans that same year.
American Bruce Trenery was one of the drivers of this beautiful 1937 Delahaye 135 S.
Another type 135 S from Delahaye, two years older and very different.
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In the race for 1949 to 1956 cars, this Renault 4 CV of 1951 was running against D-Type Jaguars, Maseratis and Ferraris. The gap between these cars and the 4 CV per lap of the circuit (13.629 kms ) was nearly 3 minutes. But no doubt a crowd favourite.
Very rare Deutsch-Bonnet Sport from1945.
1963 saw Alpine at Le Mans with the M63 equipped with a 4 cylinder 1000 cc Renault engine. These cars reached more than 230 km/h in the Mulsanne straight, helped by good aerodynamics. Read Alpine Renault Sports book review in this week’s VeloceToday.
Another Alpine, the A210 (1.3 litre) of 1966.
Alpine again with the A220 of 1968 with the three liter engine.
Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill in this Matro 670 won Le Mans in 1972, the first of three wins in a row at Le Mans for Matra.
The 70’s was the start of a new adventure for a French craftsman (and driver himself), Jean Rondeau, who built the Inaltera for the 1976 & 1977 race.
Under his own name Jean Rondeau built a new car in 1979, the 379 C powered by the Cosworth DFV engine.
In 1980, Jean Rondeau achieved his dream and became the only driver to win Le Mans with a car bearing his name. This is the car that brought him the victory 30 years ago.
The Deutsch Bonnet HBR which in 1953 came in 19th OA and 2nd in class despite only 745 cc.
Le Mans Classic is the world’s biggest meeting for car clubs. This is the Deutsch-Bonnet club tent.
There was also an auction and this very rare 1962 Facel Vega Excellence went for $ 150,000 .
Citroën showed their new electric concept car, the Survolt, showing what will be the sportscar of the future. Futuristic look … but no sound.
Do you get the feeling that these guys knew that they would be photographed a lot?