Rétromobile, Paris, France
February1st to 5th , 2023
French manufacturers have often distinguished themselves since the creation of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Chenard & Walcker, Lorraine-Dietrich, Delahaye and Bugatti cmailed victories in the 1920s and 1930s. After the 2nd World War, Talbot writes his name on the list, but then it will be mainly class victories (performance index or energy efficiency index) that will make the little Panhard, René Bonnet or Alpine shine.
It was not until the 1970s that the French brands returned to the top of the general classification, with Matra , then Alpine-Renault and Rondeau, before Peugeot came to triumph in 1992 and 1993, then in 2009. The organizers promise to exhibit “some of the most beautiful vehicles of French manufacturers and craftsmen” victorious, but the models exhibited are not yet all unveiled for the moment. However, we should admire the Peugeot 905, the Matra MS670 or the Chenard & Walcker.
A second exhibition, still as part of Rétromobile, will be devoted to technological innovations tested and developed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which then arrived on mass-produced cars. Braking with Jaguar disc brakes, lighting with the challenge of high speed at night or aerodynamics are among those areas where the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been an incomparable testing ground.
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