Art of the Le Mans Racecar
By Stuart Codling
This is a book of history about the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the 90-year story of the race told in vignettes surrounding the cars that raced there. Broken down into four groups more or less by decades, it takes us inside the unique and compelling machines that graced Le Circuit de la Sarthe beginning in 1923. In the process of detailing the cars that raced and won there, author Codling also presents the story of the race itself, and the factors that influenced its ascendance to the pinnacle of the sport.
All the familiar marques are featured: Bentley from the 1920s; Alfa Romeo from the ’30s; Jaguar from the ’50s; Ferrari and Ford from the ’60s; Porsche and Matra from the ’70s; Porsche and Jaguar from the ’80s; and Audi from the Noughties, as we are shown the evolution of designs tailored to the ever-changing demands of the track and the technologies involved.
As much as Codling’s text paints the picture, it is only embellished by James Mann’s accompanying studio photography. Mann captures the spirit of each machine inside and out with beautiful images of both external shapes and internal workings. If you have any interest at all in Le Mans itself or the cars that graced its annual classic, this book is for you.
Available for US$60 from enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Motorbooks at www.motorbooks.com
