Right before the opening of the 10th Le Mans Classic, we just finish our presentation of the cars, participating in this new edition, that have influenced their era.
Let’s have, for our greatest pleasure, a final focus on some cars whose grids have not yet been mentioned with the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 for grid 1 (1923/1939), the Aston Martin DB3S for grid 2 (1949/1956), the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS for grid 4 (1962/1965) and the Alpine A 210 for grid 5 (1966/1971).
GRID 1
ROBERT KAUFFMAN’S ALFA ROMEO 8C 2300 N°9
The in-line eight-cylinder engine of this Alfa was definitely sophisticated in its first appearances. For this very reason, Alfa Romeo’s Managing Director at the time decided to send this mechanical masterpiece to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 8C 2300 Le Mans weighed around 1000 kg and reached 200km/h. It was soon described as an “invincible race car”. The 1934 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans included six of these cars and it was the Sommer-Chinetti duo that finally won a superb victory in this Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, now owned by Robert Kauffman.
GRID 2
CARLOS SIELECKI’S ASTON MARTIN DB3S N°36
The Aston Martin DB3S made its first appearance at Silverstone in 1952 with a seventh place. It failed at Le Mans in 1954, the coupe bodywork proving unstable at high speeds.
For the 1955 season it was rebuilt to the latest specification with new roadster bodywork, Girling disc brakes and Borrani wheels.
1955 was the year of success, ranking 2nd at the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall classification. That same year, it was driven to victory at Silverstone by British driver Reg Parnell.
Carlos Sielecki’s Aston Martin DB3S is definitely one of the most successful DB3S chassis.
GRID 4
RAINER BECKER’S PORSCHE 904 CARRERA GTS N°10
In the world of “classics”, few cars are as rare and elegant as the legendary 904 GTS Porsche. Produced in limited series between 1964 and 1965, they had their glory days on the track and opened a new chapter in Porsche’s sporting history.
The 904 Carrera GTS was the first Porsche with a plastic body. One hundred units had to be built to qualify the car for the GT class. A second production run of twenty more cars followed, sixteen of which were assembled. Rainer Becker’s 904 Carrera GTS was not only a very successful racing car of the early 1960s but remains one of the most attractive models designed by the brand to this day.
GRID 5
GABY VON OPPENHEINM’S ALPINE A 210 N°46
In 1963, Alpine started the Le Mans 24 Hours challenge with a prototype developed for endurance racing, the M63. The car served as the basis for the development of prototypes until 1969. Various models were produced in competition, including the A210 with seven examples built between 1966 and 1967.
Gaby von Oppenheim’s Alpine A 210 took part in the 1966 and 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours. For its first participation, it made a great impression by reaching an average speed of 200 km/h only equipped with a 1300 cc engine. A feat for a French car at the time.
