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2016 Le Mans 24 Hours – Americans at Le Mans

Foyt and Gurney took the overall win in 1967. Americans are not good enough to take the overall win today, and only compete in the lower classes
Foyt and Gurney took the overall win in 1967. Americans are not good enough to take the overall win today, and only compete in the lower classes

After the Ford-Ferrari duel in 2015, cars that symbolize the involvement of Americans in the Le Mans 24 Hours will be on display in a 1200m2 hall on the esplanade of the former museum in the year when Ford, the only US manufacturer to have won the race outright, is making its official comeback with the descendants of the GT40. 16 cars that have raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours will appear in this exhibition devoted to the adventure of North American manufacturers and prominent figures in the Sarthe.

From the first Le Mans 24 Hours to today these mythical cars will illustrate the great moments of the remarkable adventure of the Americans at Le Mans. From the Cunninghams arriving at Le Havre in 1952 to the sculptural IMSA cars of the 1970s as well as Ford’s triumph in 1966 and through men and makes, America has left its mark on the history on the greatest endurance race in the world. So a homage was called for.

16 exceptional cars that have left their “American" mark on the Le Mans 24 Hours including:

  • The three Ford GT40s that filled the first three places in 1966. It was an all-American podium with victory going to Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon! Ford made it a point of honor to end Ferrari’s domination of the Le Mans 24 Hours by giving its teams free rein.
  • The Porsche 908 Cam Car S of the famous actor and passionate motor sport fan, Steve McQueen. This car raced in the 1970 event and helped him to make his famous film, Le Mans.
  • Corvette Spirit of Le Mans. As a result of the petrol crisis and changing regulations there were fewer cars on the grid. The race organizer wanted to see John Greenwood’s incredibly powerful Corvette, which was a magnet for the media, on the grid and contacted the American to ensure that he would race in the 1976 event. Greenwood got his hands on a Corvette specially prepared for the IMSA championship. The beautiful American machine carries the colors of the bicentenary of the founding of the United States. This Corvette was entered in the NASCAR category thanks to the creation of the Daytona-Le Mans Trophy.
  • This Porsche 935 driven by famous actor Paul Newman finished second overall on his one and only outing the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1979.
  • Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S 2000: Don Panoz, a passionate fan of motor sport and Le Mans, is an emblematic figure of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Together with the ACO he created the Petit Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series, races representing the association between Le Mans and the United States on American soil. It was the first agreement signed to spread the Le Mans brand throughout the world.
  • The Corvette C7R entered by Corvette Racing is the latest model Corvette to race at Le Mans winning its category in 2015. The car on display is the reserve for the 2016 race.

And there is also a 1923 Model T Ford, a Cunningham C4-R from 1954, a Corvette entered by Briggs Cunningham in 1960, a 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra, a Ford Torino and a Dodge Charger from 1976, a 1998 Viper GTS C9 and a 2001 Chrysler LM P.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]All these cars will return to the mythical Le Mans 24-Hours circuit for a unique parade on Saturday 18th June at 12h35.

Thanks to a carefully designed and well-researched scenography this exhibition will also highlight the stories of the people involved using portraits, film shows, a display of the overalls of drivers who have left their mark on the race, as well as works of the American Pop Art movement inspired by the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The current ACO collections will be on sale in a specially dedicated boutique and fans can also find posters of the different Le Mans 24-Hour races.

This exceptional exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday 15th till Sunday 19th June.

Opening hours

  • Wednesday 15th June: 14h00 – midnight
  • Thursday 16th June: 15h30 – midnight
  • Friday 17th June: 10h00 – 13h00
  • Saturday 18th June: 15h00 – midnight
  • Sunday 19th June: 09h00 – 15h00