The Gaul of it: '72 Le Mans-winning Matra MS670 up for sale
When this Matra won Le Mans in 1972, it was France’s first home victory since 1950. Simon de Burton recounts its historical drive
At Le Mans in 1972 Chassis 001 finished 11 laps in front of the second-placed MS670
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Few interesting competition cars had been consigned for sale in early 2021 but the shortage is more than made up for by the fact that one of the most remarkably original Le Mans winners of the past 50 years is set to cross the block at Artcurial Paris in February.
The Matra MS670 in which Graham Hill and Henri Pescarolo clinched the 24 Hour race in 1972 was originally to be the star of the official sale at the annual Rétromobile show on February 5, but following the postponement of the event until June (Covid-19, of course) Artcurial has scheduled a stand-alone auction called La Parisienne 2021 for the same date.
Lots for the sale are flowing in, but it seems unlikely that any will surpass the Matra in terms of value or historical importance, not least because it has belonged to the Lagardère Group, former owner of the long-closed Matra Automobile, since the day it was built.
