Le Mans legends | Six of the Best
The world's most famous endurance race doesn't take place every weekend - time to celebrate the fact
Jaguar D-Type Continuation, 2019, POA
So it’s that time of year again: the 24 Hours of Le Mans starts today. After more than a century, there’s really no endurance event that’s quite so evocative, so exciting and so famous. Little wonder, then, that the best known race in the world has spawned its fair share of roadgoing homages, aiming to bring just a sliver of that glamour to the showroom. But alongside we have competition cars as well, because why not? If there’s one race that everybody wants to win (or even take part in), it’s Le Mans. This D-Type kicks us off as a reminder of that amazing era where the victorious cars were road usable as well; it’s one of the 25 Continuation models lovingly assembled by Jaguar Classic, to the spec of the cars that won three times in the 50s, finished in 2019. This Ecurie Ecosse Long Nose (buyers could also have a Short Nose) has been with its original owner from new but, somehow, never been used. Still, if there was a Le Mans legend to gawp at all day…
Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans, 2000, 33k, £395,000
Now, nobody is going to claim the old Aston V8 Vantage as a roadgoing race car. It’s a monster GT, a feast of excess inside and out that made it a legend in its own lifetime during the final years of the 20th century. Still, as a car to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Aston’s famous win at La Sarthe (with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori driving), it was the perfect thing - a DB7 just wouldn’t have had the same gravitas. The 40 Vantages cost something like a quarter of a million more than 25 years ago; for that buyers got the unique look with new grilles, the Dymag wheels, AP Racing brakes and Bilstein dampers. Plus, for a bit extra, 600hp if so desired - just like this one. Continent crushing has never looked so cool.
McLaren 650S Le Mans, 2015, 13k, £189,990
No Le Mans themed feature would be complete without mention of McLaren; its victory in 1995 remains one of the great tales of endurance racing. With a return to top level sportscar racing coming in 2027, too, the McLaren and Le Mans story will continue - you can bet on quite the arrival in France come this time next year. This 650S Le Mans was created in 2015 to mark 20 years since the F1’s legendary win, with nods to that car in the paint, louvred front wings, roof scoop and five-spoke wheels. Thus equipped, it made the stellar 650S even more desirable. This one is a very rare RHD example, and looks factory fresh. With about the same power as McLaren’s upcoming Hypercar, in fact…
Superformance GT40, 2020, 6k, £189,500
Is the GT40 the most famous car to ever race at Le Mans? It must be up there, thanks to its starring role in films, the fact that Ford returned with another in the 21st century, and the simple fact that it was so hugely successful. You don’t win at the 24 Hours four times in a row without achieving some sort of recognition. As such it’s become a car celebrated in the decades since via all sorts of homages; the Superformance machines are recognised as some of the best. This GT40 Mk1 is on the GT40 World Registry, and pairs modern usability (and right-hand drive) with the fury of a 7.0-litre V8. It’s the authentic GT40 experience, for less than the price of a new GT3. Maybe not the perfect car for a trip across France, but evocative like little else.
Porsche 911, 1966, POA
As the most successful manufacturer to have ever entered Le Mans, there had to be a Porsche included here. After the GT40’s dominance, Porsche changed the game again with the 917; the 80s saw 936s, 956s and 962s sweep to victory. And the 919 won three on the trot a decade ago. Porsche’s Le Mans exploits are hard to overstate. So what’s a humble 911 doing here? Well it’s the only car here with actual Le Mans racing pedigree, which is pretty cool, having competed at the Classic in the past - and looking absolutely fit to race it again. It’s also competed at Spa and Goodwood, with a valid FIA HTP and having enjoyed specialist care over the past few years: it was run by Maxted-Page for a number of years, and has been looked after most recently by Tuthill. ‘A real 911’, says the ad, ‘ready to be enjoyed again’ - couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
AC Cobra, 2021, 1k, PH Auctions
A curveball to finish off. Because while Cobras at Le Mans might bring to mind images of the fabulous Coupes that thundered down the Mulsanne straight, the first cars campaigned by Carroll Shelby were open Cobras. In 1963 a trio of ‘Cobra Le Mans’ were modified for endurance racing by Shelby and AC and taken to compete in France. Just two competed in the end, but lessons from it - specifically aero-focused, of course - would inform later machines. So we’d say this Cobra can absolutely be included, even if it hails from the 2020s rather than the 60s. This is an official factory AC, built near Goodwood and complete with a COB chassis number. The 6.2-litre V8 ought to provide an appropriately vigorous experience for such a machine, to say the least. Bidding kicks off next weekend.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18209408
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18209408
Wonderfully understated colour ways wrapping such a potent beast. Love the grilles in the lower front sills. Wouldn’t normally have my head turned by such a thing, but that just oozes soft power.
It would certainly be in the garage as about purchase 15 should funds allow after the more essential stuff and I fear it would only get used very infrequently.
Beginning to understand why some cars never get miles added…..
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