Le Mans heroes : 81 cars, 100 years of history

Since the dawn of the motor car, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been the most admired and respected race in the world. Now a century old, the Sarthe-based event celebrated its centenary in the style it deserved. The peak moment of these celebrations was The Great Centenary Exhibition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which assembled in its museum almost all the cars that have won Le Mans.

This breathtaking spectacle coupled with its immense historical value, featured 81 cars - among them Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, Matra, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, and of course Ferrari. This book is a tribute to this exhibition, to this century of motor racing, to successes, feats and records.

Eighty-one cars are highlighted with, as a common thread, the history of the exhibition, its organisation, its logistics and its culmination in the parades.

• 67 cars that have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1923 to the present day
• 20 iconic cars in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans that left their mark on their era
• A scrutineering form to present each car
• The podium of the editions
• Previously unseen photos taken in the museum, during parades and archival images place each « heroine » in her historical context
• The incredible story of the Great Centenary Exhibition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans acting as a backdrop !