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2014/15

Automobile Year n° 61 2013/2014

Le Mans 24 Hours 2014

In the 62nd Automobile Yearbook you can relive all the events that have marked the life of the motor car in 2014. The car industry is slowly getting back on its feet. Among the newcomers electric vehicles made little impact while the internal combustion engine continues to progress. In the area of concept cars manufacturers now prefer realistic projects, which herald future production models. In motor sport Formula 1 underwent a sea change with the introduction of new technical regulations including the arrival of a V6 turbo engine and fuel restrictions. The ecological revolution is under way. This could only change the balance of power among the teams and Mercedes AMG won the 2014 Constructors’ Cup. There was also a big

change in endurance with the creation of the Blancpain GT Series, and another victory for Audi in the Le Mans 24 Hours. In the world of rallying Sébastien Ogier’s domination in his Volkswagen was reminiscent of that of his former team leader at Citroën. In 2014, the motor car featured in several exhibitions: the Futurists at the Guggenheim and Dream Cars in Atlanta, which only goes to prove that the car stimulates interrogations in the arts. Once again the world of the collector car created a shock when a Ferrari 250 GTO went under the hammer for the princely sum of almost 29 million euros! Overall it was a rich year in terms of excitement.

ISBN : 979-10-283-0025-8

9 791028 300258

Automobile Year

Front cover photo courtesy of: Daimler AG Outside back cover photos courtesy of: Ferrari Spa 2014 Richard Prince and General Motors Ferdi Kräling Motorsport-Bild GmbH photoclassicracing.com

E-T-A-I Antony Parc 2 10, place du Général de Gaulle 92160 Antony – France Phone: 01 77 92 92 92 Fax: 01 46 99 31 55 www.infopro-digital.com

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(TEXTE film)

Contents 5

EDITORIAL Serge Bellu

PRELUDE

INDUSTRY

MOTORSPORT

CULTURE

ECONOMICS

SINGLE-SEATERS

ART

246

20 22 24 26 28 30

The European market Sylvain Reisser The American market Sylvain Reisser The Japanese and Korean markets Jeroen Booij The Chinese market Jeroen Booij The Indian market Gautam Sen The Russian market Denis Orlov The Brazilian market Jeroen Booij

PRODUCTION 34

Production cars: Los Angeles, Tokyo, Detroit, New Delhi, Chicago, Geneva, New York, Peking, Moscow, Paris Serge Bellu

DESIGN 68

Concept cars: Los Angeles, Tokyo, Detroit, New Delhi, Chicago, Geneva, Peking, Cernobbio, Goodwood, Moscow, Paris Philippe Vigneron

96 118 128 148 150

Formula 1: the rules of the game Cédric Voisard The F1 teams Cédric Voisard Formula 1 season review Cédric Voisard Formula 1 World Championship Cédric Voisard Promotional formulas Cédric Voisard IndyCar Series Stéphane Énout

ENDURANCE 156 164 172 180 184 190 192 198 200

Teams and cars Serge Bellu World Endurance Championship Andrew Cotton Le Mans 24 Hours Andrew Cotton European Le Mans Series Andrew Cotton United SportsCar Championship Andrew Cotton Asian Le Mans Series Andrew Cotton Blancpain GT Series Andrew Cotton Super GT Andrew Cotton Results Serge Bellu

RALLYING 204 206 212 220 224

WRC teams and cars Keith Oswin WRC season review Keith Oswin WRC results Keith Oswin European Rally Championship Keith Oswin Rally-Raids Philippe Carles

TOURING CARS 228 230 234 238 240

WTCC teams Stéphane Énout World Touring Car Championship Stéphane Énout Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Thomas Imhof V8 Supercars Championship Stéphane Énout Nascar Sprint Cup Stéphane Énout

252 258 262

The futurists at the Guggenheim Yves Le Ray The motor car in the limelight! Serge Bellu The exhibitions of the year Yves Le Ray Lifestyle Joël Chassaing-Cuvillier

HERITAGE 270 274 282 288 294 300

304

The collectors car market Sylvain Reisser Anniversary Serge Bellu Dream Cars Gérald Guétat Historic races Christian Descombes Chantilly Art & Elegance Serge Bellu A year of rendezvous Serge Bellu Acknowledgements and photo credits

The Chinese market

Luxur y rules Today Chinese economic growth has slowed and the biggest car market in the world prefers quality to quantity. More and more manufacturers are orienting their production to the top end of the market as Jeroen Booij explains. China’s economic growth continues to slow down in 2014. The National Bureau of Statistics calculated a rate of 7.4% growth in

the first half of 2014, where it has been over 10% for years. But despite the economic slowdown, the world is biggest car market

BMW assembles several models in China, in particular ‘stretch’ saloons.

continues to grow. Deliveries of domestically produced cars rose over 11% to just under 10 million in the first half of 2014. What is

E CONOMICS

remarkable in these figures is that the number of bigger and more luxurious cars is now expanding more rapidly than ever before. SUVs and MPVs are taking up the majority of the market, showing huge growth figures. This is hitting saloon car sales, which are still increasing but show growth figures nowhere near those of their bigger sisters. And it’s the microvans which clearly have been hit in the battle of the segments. In the first half of 2014 microvan sales fell by 17.4% compared to the year before. In total sales, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) is expecting the 2014 car passenger market to exceed the 20 millionnumber – a new record without doubt. And to continue, the forecast for 2020 remains an optimistic 30-million cars on a yearly basis. Biggest players still are Volkswagen and General Motors. The power struggle between the two reached another peak early in 2014 when VW passed GM for the first time in nine years, reclaiming the title as China’s top foreign auto manufacturer. However, it’s not all rosy for Volkswagen. In August, the Chinese anti-corruption agency announced it is investigating a case at FAW-Volkswagen – VW’s main joint venture with the state-owned FAW Group Corporation – where two managers are suspected of ‘serious violations’. MercedesBenz overcame a similar affair in August after Chinese authorities raided the head-office in Shanghai over an investigation into a supposed monopoly case. Apart from the stricter governmental policies, the western motor manufacturers with joint ventures in China continue to grow and expand rapidly. Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Audi all produce healthy growth figures and it seems only a matter of time before Volkswagen, which arrived in China before

most of its rivals did, will have to deal with more competition. Remarkable in this matter is the sales growth of PSA Citroen Peugeot within China. The French manufacturer is another early entrant to the Chinese market, having teamed up with Dongfeng Motor Group in the past. It currently has a capacity of building 750,000 cars in China on a yearly basis but plans to carry on expanding, preferably more and more on its own. Last February PSA struck a deal with Dongfeng and the French government as part of a 3 billion Euros bailout in the joint venture. PSA later announced the opening of its fourth Chinese plant in Chengdu in late 2016 – this one solely focusing on SUVs and MPVs. PSA has now set the goal of selling 200,000 of their luxury DS vehicles by 2017 – a massive increase when you compare it to the 3,500 DSs they sold in 2013. The fact that Chengdu, where PSA will build its new luxury vehicles, is located in central China is also part of a clear movement. The limits to the densely populated and often much-congested east coast appear to be in sight. In fact, China’s local governments have recently announced strong incentives to promote local economic growth and offer preferential policies to large investment projects and enterprises. There are plans to build railways, roads and airports along the Yangtze river, connecting the less developed inland provinces of China to Shanghai. Car manufacturers are responding to this movement by opening concessionaires and dealerships throughout the country at a pace that has not been seen before. And not just the best known brands open new outlets throughout China. The luxury motor manufacturers blossom here, too. While sales in Europe and the US expand slowly, if they do

at all, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz - are all increasing their number of outlets. The end of China’s hunger for luxury cars is nowhere near over. While Lamborghini unveiled their Urus SUV in Beijing, Cadillac announced it would bring no fewer than 10 new models to China through 2016. Jeep showed four styling concepts ‘inspired by Chinese culture’ and BMW unveiled their 9-series concept here. Meanwhile, Chinese car builders which do not have the advantage of a prestigious European or American brand name, are moving upwards too. Qoros, founded in 2007 in China, may be an exception with its Europe-sourced staff; it could also be the new face of Chinese motor manufacturing. This year Qoros is finally fully ready to enter the worldwide markets from their Changshubase. Their first models were well received, too, with the Qoros 3 sedan was announced as ‘the best performer of any car subjected to Euro NCAP’s crash tests in 2013’, while their Qoros 3 hatchback model, which debuted last March, won a prestigious design award. Volvo-owner Geely, which has been exporting cars since 2010, launched its new flagship in April this year after some delays over its supposed high quality. It is not a surprise that this, once more, is an SUV.

SALES OF PRIVATE CARS IN CHINA FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST 2014 1. Volkswagen 2. General Motors 3. Hyundai-Kia 4. Changan 5. Ford 6. Nissan-Renault 7. Toyota 8. Dongfeng 9. BAIC 10. PSA 11. Honda 12. Greatwall 13. FAW 14. BMW 15. China 16. Jianghuai 17. BYD 18. Geely 19. SAIC 20. Chery (Source: CAAM)

2,542,546 2,261,194 1,150,584 761,725 705,454 705,112 677,765 586,504 581,003 468,732 448,309 408,602 315,865 308,099 289,771 263,007 251,668 232,509 203,234 196,464

s BAOJUN 730 The first minivan launched by Baojun affiliated to General Motors is a very conventional front-wheel drive vehicle from every aspect. Engines: 1.5-litre 110 bhp and 1.8-litre 135 bhp petrol. Dimensions: 468.5 x 178.5 x 171.5 cm: wheelbase: 275 cm.

r CHANGAN CX20 A compact minivan thatâ€™s as conformist by its style as by its mechanical components. Engine: 1.3-litre 4-cylinder 85 bhp petrol: Dimensions: 390 x 170 x 157 cm: wheelbase: 245 cm.

r CHEVROLET CRUZE While the first version dates from 2008 and is still on sale in North America the second generation Cruze was unveiled in Peking. It has been completely redesigned on a new platform developed in Europe. Engines: 1.4-litre 147 bhp and 1.5-litre 112 bhp petrol. Dimensions: 460 x 156 x 147.6 cm: wheelbase: 268.5 cm.

P RODUCTION

v BYD QIN Since its launch on the Chinese market this saloon with a hybrid rechargeable engine met with considerable success in the first six months of 2014. Its autonomy in electric mode is 70 km/h. Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder 152 bhp hybrid petrol with two 147 bhp electric motors. Dimensions: 474 x 177 x 148 cm: wheelbase: 267 cm.

w SUZUKI ALIVIO This classic saloon in the same category as the Honda Civic is aimed in priority at Asian buyers. Itâ€™s called the Alivio for the Chinese market and the Ciaz for the Indian one. Engines: 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol plus a 1.3-litre diesel. Dimensions: 454.5 x 173 x 147.5 cm: wheelbase: 265 cm.

v DENZA EV BYD and Daimler Benz set up an association in 2010 under the Denza label to sell electric vehicles. The final version will appear in May before its commercial launch in September. Engine: 115 bhp electric. Dimensions: 464.2 x 185 x 164.2 cm: wheelbase 288 cm.

Pe k i n g

13th Auto China, 21 - 29 April 2014 Given the number of concept cars unveiled in Beijing it seems that the Salon Auto China has become the most important rendezvous for European and American manufacturers.

w PEUGEOT EXALT This sporty saloon on 20-inch wheels with heavily sculpted bodywork exudes a strong personality. The rear end innovates as it is covered in a sharkskin material to optimise its aerodynamics. The sharkskin was originally red but on the Exalt on display in Paris it was grey. The cabin treatment uses polished leather, raw steel, and ebony replaced by Newspaper Wood made from recycled paper. Engine: 1.6-litre 270 bhp 4 cylinder with a 50 kW electric engine, 6-speed automatic transmission. Length: 473 cm, height: 131 cm.

s BMW VISION FUTURE LUXURY Thanks to its beautiful design this majestic concept car manages to hide its large proportions (length over 5.20 metres). Its svelte flanks add to its overall elegance. It has a bold grille and its front end gains in finesse thanks to its slim headlight clusters. The sides of the BMW are beefed up by an inner carbon frame, while the front seats are integrated into the front load-bearing structure. The luxurious, uncluttered cabin has multiple screens for driver and passengers alike.

D ESIGN

w AUDI TT OFFROAD Audi has come up with a 4-door TT coupe crossed with an SUV. The TT Offroad on the MQB platform has a hybrid engine putting out 408 bhp. It can reach 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and runs in electric mode only up to 130 km/h with an average fuel consumption of 1.9 litres per 100 km. Engine: 2.0 TFSI 292 bhp 4-cylinder hybrid plus a 40 kW (54 bhp) electric motor, DSG6 dual clutch transmission. Dimensions: 439 x 185 x 153 cm: wheelbase: 263 cm.

v CITROËN C-XR This compact crossover heralds the future compact SUV from the joint venture between Citroën and the Dongfeng Motor Group. It is similar to the Peugeot 2008 despite being 10 cm longer. The C-XR has well–balanced lines but no surprises. Although it isn’t a real 4X4 it has grip control technology, which boosts its traction. Engine: 1.6-litre 160 bhp 4 cylinder THP, automatic transmission. Dimensions: 426 x 179 x 156 cm: wheelbase: 265 cm.

w MERCEDES-BENZ CONCEPT COUPE SUV Eight years after the launch of the BMW X6, Mercedes Benz has finally decided to tackle the big coupes/SUV segment. It uses the same recipes as its rivals as this concept sits on huge 22-inch wheels, and its overall shape wouldn’t win any prizes for elegance! Engine: 3-litre 333 bhp, 480 N.m V6, permanent all-wheeldrive transmission, 9-speed automatic gearbox. Dimensions: 493,5 x 204,4 x 173,9 cm: wheelbase: 291,6 cm.

The F1 teams

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Non-executive president: Niki Lauda Executive director: Christian ‘Toto’ Wolff Executive technical director: Paddy Lowe Technical director: Bob Bell Engineering director: Aldo Costa Technology director: Geoffrey Willis Engine director: Andy Cowell Chassis: Mercedes F1 W05 Power unit: Mercedes-Benz PU1016A

Six decades after the unbeatable Silver Arrows Mercedes-Benz is back at the top of Formula 1. Stuttgart’s domination began straight away in 2014, and it was never really threatened as it threw away the wins in the few grand prix in

which the Mercedes were beaten. Its success was the confirmation of winter testing during which Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and their engineers fine-tuned the W05, which was as quick as it was reliable while its rivals had difficulty covering a handful of laps. No other team mastered the 2014 regulations and the interactions between the chassis and the new power unit as well as Mercedes-Benz. The teams that used the engine also had an advantage from the word go. Five years after the purchase of Brawn GP Mercedes-Benz struck gold. Although the first three seasons were a bit of a disappointment, it all began to come together last year with eight pole positions, three victories and second place in the constructors’ cup. In

fact, the W04 was probably the quickest car in the field, but it was too hard on its tyres to worry the Red Bull RB9 over the whole championship. It remained to be seen how the men in Brackley in Northamptonshire would cope with the technical revolution in F1 after the departure of the legendary Ross Brawn. In fact, there were no problems as the technical staff line-up is a very impressive one with some of the top names in the paddock. Helped by a large budget the result lived up to expectations thanks to a couple of exceptional drivers whose cohabitation wasn’t easy to manage as there could only be one world champion: a problem arising from the team’s richness!

In 1954 MercedesBenz ran two versions of the W 196, a conventional model (Herrmann Lang in the Italian Grand Prix) and a streamliner.

ORIGIN OF THE TEAM Formula 1 kicked off on the right foot in 1954 with new regulations and a 2.5-litre maximum cubic capacity. Mercedes made its postwar debut in the third round, the A.C.F Grand Prix on the famous Reims circuit. Fangio abandoned his Maserati for the W 196 and gave the team its maiden victory. Three men were behind the return of the Silver Arrows: the Mercedes technical director, Fritz Nallinger, Rudolf Uhlenault the test programme engineer, and Alfred Neubauer, the legendary team manager. The W 196s used avant-garde technology like direct injection, a combined rear axle/gearbox unit and four-wheel independent suspension. The company came up with two versions depending on the layout of the circuits: normal Rennwagen narrow bodywork and Styromlinen all-enveloping bodywork for high-speed tracks. In 1955 Mercedes dominated thanks to the same weapons that had been improved. The team then withdrew after two triumphant years. It made its comeback as an engine supplier under the Ilmor banner. From 1994 onwards the engine was officially named Mercedes and the German make took over the company. It linked up with McLaren in 1995. In 2010 the works Mercedes AMG Petronas team saw the light of day after the Stuttgart firm absorbed the Brawn GP squad, itself born in 2009 thanks to the takeover of Honda Racing Ltd, formerly Tyrrell Racing and then British American Racing.

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S INGLE - SEATERS

s NICO ROSBERG

s LEWIS HAMILTON

When Lewis Hamilton joined him last year at Mercedes it looked like Nico Rosberg would find himself in an unfavourable position against the flamboyant 2008 world champion. However, the German never really let the British driver take on the role of leader. What he still had to prove was that not only was he one of the best, but that he also had what it took to be a team leader. He has done so this season. In qualifying he was as quick as a driver who most people reckon to be the benchmark over a flying lap, more consistent in the races, and also less unlucky in terms of mechanical issues. In addition, he was capable of toughing it out on the track when necessary, and the son of the 1982 F1 world champion ceded the championship lead to Hamilton only once before the teams set off for the final overseas leg of the season during which the situation slipped out of his grasp.

At the wheel of the best car in the field Lewis Hamilton was determined to improve his score as he has only one world title to his name after seven seasons in F1. However, the British driver didnâ€™t have things easy. The first obstacle was his very quick, pugnacious teammate whose performance even in qualifying was mind-boggling. He was also unlucky with the mechanical reliability of his W05. Finally, the 2008 world champion continued to show some flaws and a lack of sang-froid that goes with his flamboyant nature resulting in a few wasted qualifying sessions. Only after the Spanish Grand Prix was he briefly in the lead in the title battle as Hamilton has spent most the season chasing his team-mate. Lewis, though, never gives up. And he reaped the rewards in the final third of the championship thanks to his stunning speed and consistency.

Mercedes W05.

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A year from hell for Ferrari, its managers and its drivers: above all Kimi Raïkkönen (here in Canada) who was totally out of the loop.

bounce straight away with five doubles and they left no doubt as to the outcome of the championship. Their crushing domination raised questions about their rivals’ mastery or lack of it - of the new regulations. The new power units are incredibly complex as they consist of three basic components: the engine itself, KERS (renamed MGU-K), twice as powerful as last year, and a second electric motor generator (MGU-H), which

extracts energy from the heat generated by the turbo, storage systems, while cooling requirements have been increased by over 50%. There are complex interactions between all the mechanical/electrical components, which go as far as influencing the quality of braking. In short, it is no longer a question of finding the best way to install an engine in a chassis but of designing an overall global concept. Added to this is the fact that the FIA

in the name of safety reduced downforce and modified the aerodynamics. Have partnerships between engine suppliers and teams reached their limit? Did Mercedes have the advantage of being able to synchronise all the know-how as a single team? That’s part of the story. Above all, Red Bull Racing’s inability to defend its titles was linked to the problems met by the Renault Sport power unit. It was heavier and less

Williams enjoyed a resurrection and Valterri Bottas, who is on his way to seventh place in China, was the sensation of the season.

S INGLE - SEATERS

powerful than the Mercedes and also fed back less electric energy over a shorter period. Way behind Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg who the German manufacturer allowed toe it out on the track, the Austrian team picked up the crumbs that fell from the rich man of Stuttgart’s table! In addition it had to cope with a situation it did not foresee: namely, that Sebastian Vettel its 4-time world championship was dominated by his new team-mate, Daniel Ricciardo. The German was not happy with the situation and also had his doubts about the future of his team without Adrian Newey, its great technical director who wants to go and take up fresh challenges elsewhere, so he jumped into Ferrari’s wide-open arms and will race for the Prancing Horse next year. The Renault engine was no longer the one to have and the hierarchy was turned upside down. Williams, among the living dead last year despite having the French motor, suddenly found a new lease of life when it

moved to the Mercedes camp with the result that it was battling with Ferrari for third place in the constructors’ championship with the help of its excellent driver line-up of Massa and Bottas. Once again the Scuderia’s performance was a huge disappointment. It was the final straw as Luca di Montezemolo, the president of the Italian firm, was shown the door soon after getting rid of his team principal. Since 2010 the Italian team has been carried by the talent of Fernando Alonso and technically speaking it has been completely left behind. And this is without mentioning Kimi Raïkkönen who seems to have lost his bearings completely. Maranello has to be restructured around Vettel, but it will be without Alonso. In the middle of the pack neither Force India nor McLaren were as competitive as might have been expected as they too had the Mercedes power unit. Nico Hulkenberg’s talent saved the Indian squad while the English team, after a season from hell in

2013, didn’t really make much of an impression. The Woking squad is preparing for the arrival of the Honda engine in 2015 renewing the partnership of its halcyon years, but Ron Dennis’s team seems ‘Lost in Transition’ as it undergoes internal reorganisation for this new challenge. It also lacked a real team leader. Jenson Button is not an attacking driver while Kevin Magnussen is still a bit green around the ears. The Toro Rosso drivers still lead the backmarkers. After two pretty mediocre cars, the Red Bull satellite team was betting heavily on the engine change from Ferrari to Renault as the coherence between the two was obvious. It looked like Jean-Eric Vergne and Danill Kvyat would have a car in keeping with their ambitions. Wrong! The issues that hit the French company also affected them. Toro Rosso’s setback was nothing compared to the pitiful performance of the Lotus F1 team. In 2012 and 2013 the British outfit was one of the front-runners: this year it was

Force India has had better years and Sergio Perez (here at Silverstone) isn’t quite as good as he talks himself up to be.

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Asian Le Mans Series

R o o m fo r i m p rove m e n t The development of the Asian Le Mans Series is very important for the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, which is hoping to capitalise on the Le Mans brand in the Far East. However, as Andrew Cotton explains the fields are still very sparse at the other end of the world.

The Asian Le Mans Series again attracted a very sparse field. Only eight cars were at the start of the third round in Shanghai in October.

The Asian Le Mans Series scheduled five three-hour races in 2014, in Japan, China, South Korea and Thailand as the Automobile Club de l’Ouest continued to try to spread the reach of Le Mans into the region. The series is open to cars from LMP2 level, CN cars, a new entry-level prototype formula, and all GT classes including, interestingly, the

190

GT300 cars from the Super GT formula. However, in October the Thai race was cancelled in order to focus on delivering a successful final race in Sepang as well as being well prepared for the 2015 season. Regulations for the top category were taken from the European Le Mans Series, while the CN regulations came from the FIA. The CN

cars are prototypes and in the Asian Le Mans Series ran with a two-litre, four-cylinder Honda engine. The GT regulations were those from the FIA, including the balance of performance that was set following the test at Michelin’s test facility in Ladoux. The cars all ran together and were subject to the balance of performance that so characte-

Throughout the season the Eurasia Motorsport Oreca 03R-Nissan was the only threat to the OAK Racing Morgan-Judd LM P2.

rises GT racing now. Teams had to ensure that at least one person of Asian or Oceanic origin would race for their team of two or three drivers per car to encourage the development of drivers in the region. With the Asian region, one of the fastest growing in the world, and with significant motor manufacturer interest, particularly in China, this is a place that is critical to the expansion of the Le Mans brand. To that end, the ACO granted three guaranteed Le Mans entries to the series for 2015, including one for the LMP2 champion and two for the GT classes that are eligible at Le Mans. As yet, the GT3 and GT300 cars are not eligible and so do not qualify for entries. On the support bill for the main race were various single manufacturer races from Audi, Lamborghini, Volkswagen and Porsche, a clear indication of the VW Group’s reach in the area. The series started in July, at the Inje Speedium in South Korea. From there, it moved on to Japan, and the Fuji Speedway, before Shanghai in October, Thailand in November and the finale was at Sepang in December. The races didn’t attract large fields despite this being the fifth season of the Asian Le Mans Series. It started in 2009 with a single event in Okayama, although by 2014 the field was considerably more diverse. There were two entries in the LMP2 category, one for French team OAK Racing, and another for a Chinese team, Eurasia Motorsport. Two cars entered the CN category, including ATL Wolf Asia and Craft Bamboo Racing, bringing the total number of prototypes to four. There were a further four GT cars, all of them GT3

cars for the opening race and their numbers were boosted by the second race in Japan. The Emperor Racing team from China entered two Lamborghinis in the GT-Am category, although only one made it to the grid. The French Oak Racing team scored a pole position and race win in the first race of the

season, with Chinese drivers David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung. The pair, sharing with Keiko Ihara, also won in Fuji to open out a commanding lead in the series over the Chinese Eurasia Motorsport team. John Hartshorne, Richard Bradley and Pu Jun Jin finished second in both events.

With three consecutive victories in the first three races David Cheng’s and Ho-Pin Tung’s Morgan-Judd LM P2 was home and dry in the title chase.

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World Rally Championship

Te a m s a n d c a r s For Volkswagen it was business as usual, but for the other manufacturers there was a game of musical chairs as drivers changed teams. As Keith Oswin explains the arrival of a pretty aggressive newcomer, Hyundai, added some spice to the mix.

Volkswagen In 2013 Volkswagen began the season as something of an unknown – the series newcomer and with a car that everyone thought looked promising but had to wait until the action started to be sure. One year on and

The Citroën DS3 WRC, now in its fourth year, won the world championship title in 2011 and 2012.

the squad went to Monte Carlo as reigning champions in both the Manufacturers and Drivers series and very much the team to beat. Reigning champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier and Finnish team mate JariMatti Latvala led the driver line-up again with Norway’s Andreas Mikkelsen once more entered as the sole driver in the Volkswagen Motorsport II team. The element of surprise may have gone but the victories just kept on coming for the team from Wolfsburg.

Second season and second world championship title for the Volkswagen Polo R.

Citroen After a dismal season in 2013 with not a single victory for the team that had once dominated the sport – unbeaten in the title race for the previous three years – Citroen had a lot to do in 2014. The factory team (Citroen Total Abu Dhabi) lost Mikko

The Ford Fiesta RS WRC was in its fourth season.

Hirvonen to Ford and so was led by Britain’s Kris Meeke who had a shot at redemption after being quick but unreliable last year. Norway’s Mads Ostberg joined the team while Abu Dhabi driver Khalid Al Qassimi completed the three-man line up. Meeke and Ostberg showed the DS3 still has the pace to challenge for victory but it seems that Sebastien Loeb remains the missing ingredient to success for the French squad.

Ford Ford continued to operate as a privatelyfunded manufacturer, again with three teams contesting events in 2014 but now without Qatar funding following the depar-

ture of Nasser Al Attiyah from the series. Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport again ran the primary operation and for its lead team (M-Sport World Rally Team) the line-up was led by the returning Finn, Mikko Hirvonen and the promising young Welshman, Elfyn Evans, who was embarking on his first full season at this level. The second team (RK MSport World Rally Team) was run solely for Poland’s former F1 star Robert Kubica while the third team (Jipocar Czech National Team) was again directed by Querin Muler for Czech driver Martin Prokop.

Hyundai Frankfurt-based Hyundai Motorsport arrived

on the scene in 2014 with former Peugeot engineer Michel Nandan at the helm. From the outset it was clear that the i20 WRC had speed but it took a few events to overcome some reliability issues before stage wins and podiums came along encouragingly. Far from a tentative step into the fray the team sent two squads into battle, the main team being Hyundai Shell World Rally Team featuring former Ford drivers Thierry Neuville (Belgium) and Juho Hanninen (Finland) and Spanish exCitroen star Dani Sordo along with Australia’s Chris Atkinson. A second entry was made as Hyundai Motorsport N for New Zealand driver, and former FIA Production Car World Champion, Hayden Paddon.

2014 was the Hyundai i20 WRC’s maiden year in the world championship.

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Rally Germany, 21-24 August Thierry Neuville rolled his car in shakedown then redeemed himself by giving Hyundai its first ever WRC win with Dani Sordo making it a 1-2 for the 2014 series newcomers. Sebastien Ogier crashed out of the lead, as then did Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke, the latter pair in consecutive stages on the final morning to leave Neuville to cruise to his maiden victory. Third for Mikkelsen ensures that only a VW driver can now win the title. - First WRC wins for Neuville and Hyundai. - Sordo makes it 1-2 for the i20 WRC. - Ogier and Latvala both crash out of the lead. - Meeke inherits lead on final morning but then crashes out. - VW’s 12-event winning sequence ends. - First win for a Belgian driver since Duval in Australia 2005. - Mikkelsen’s third means VW could secure title next time. - Evans equals career best in fourth place. - WRC2 victory goes to Tidemand over Tanak on final stage. - Michelin extends WRC partnership to end of 2016.

RÉSULTATS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Team T Neuville/N Gilsoul D Sordo/M Marti A Mikkelsen/O Fløene E Evans/D Barritt M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen M Ostberg/J Andersson M Prokop/J Tomanek D Kuipers/R Buysmans P Tidemand/E Axelsson O Tanak/R Molder

Car Hyundai i20 WRC Hyundai i20 WRC VW Polo R Ford Fiesta RS WRC Ford Fiesta RS WRC Citroën DS3 Ford Fiesta RS WRC Ford Fiesta RS WRC Ford Fiesta RS Ford Fiesta RS

Time 3:07:20.2 3:08:00.9 3:08:18.2 3:08:23.8 3:08:23.8 3:08:42.9 3:12:13.0 3:16:38.3 3:18:55.6 3:18:57.4

Rally Australia, 11-14 September Volkswagen’s domination of the past two years of the WRC made it the more remarkable that it took 23 events before the Wolfsburg team claimed its firt podium lock-out. However a 1-2-3 in Australia took second best to the celebrations of a second successive Manufacturers’ title. All that remained was to see which driver lifts the crown but few would bet against rally winner Sebastien Ogier answering that on his home event next time out. - Ogier heads VW’s first ever 1-2-3. - Dominant performance secures 2014 Manufacturers’ crown. - Tyre choice costs second placed Latvala the chance to win. - Mikkelsen third as he bids to secure top three in Drivers’ series. - Meeke leads but podium chance wrecked by corner-cutting time penalty. - Kiwi ace Paddon tops Hyundai’s challenge in sixth. - Atkinson 10th with disappointing series return. - Al-Attiyah’s WRC2 win sets him on course for 2014 title. - Australia seeks confirmation of being final event from 2016. - World Council rejects series promoter’s format plans for 2015.

RÉSULTATS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Team S Ogier/J Ingrassia J-M Latvala/M Anttila A Mikkelsen/O Floene K Meeke/P Nagle M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen H Paddon/J Kennard T Neuville/N Gilsoul E Evans/D Barritt R Kubica/M Szczepaniak C Atkinson/S Prévot

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Car VW Polo R VW Polo R VW Polo R Citroën DS3 Ford Fiesta RS Hyundai i20 WRC Hyundai i20 WRC Ford Fiesta RS Ford Fiesta RS Hyundai i20 WRC

Time 2:53:18.0 2:53:24.8 2:54:36.0 2:55:02.0 2:55:11.6 2:56:14.2 2:57:46.2 2:58:28.0 2:58:28.0 3:02:47.4

R ALLYING

Rally France, 3-5 October An electrical fault and a time penalty conspired again Sebastien Ogier’s plan to secure his second World title on home soil. The Frenchman had to console himself with a power stage win while VW team mate Jari-Matti Latvala claimed his first ever asphalt victory to keep his own title hopes very much alive. - Latvala secures his first win on asphalt. - Mikkelsen takes second to prove VW’s domination. - Meeke’s excellent 2014 season continues with third. - Ogier out of victory race after electrical problem and a timing error. - Sordo fourth for Hyundai. - Hirvonen’s lack of form sees him home fifth. - Evans uses physical strength to push his car home to sixth. - Oil leak sees Ostberg slip to seventh in closing stages. - Quentin Gilbert joins the list of WRC2 winners. - Stephane Lefebvre wins 2014 Junior WRC title.

RÉSULTATS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Team J-M Latvala/M Anttila A Mikkelsen/O Floene K Meeke/P Nagle D Sordo/M Marti M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen E Evans/D Barritt M Ostberg/J Andersson T Neuville/N Gilsoul B Bouffier/X Panseri M Prokop/J Tomanek

Car VW Polo R VW Polo R Citroën DS3 Hyundai i20 WRC Ford Fiesta RS Ford Fiesta RS Citroën DS3 Hyundai i20 WRC Hyundai i20 WRC Ford Fiesta RS

Time 2:38:19.1 2:39:03.9 2:39:24.4 2:40:07.8 2:40:19.8 2:41:19.9 2:41:21.6 2:42:27.5 2:42:32.0 2:44:26.6

Rally Spain, 23-26 October Victory in Spain secured a second consecutive World Championship for Sebastien Ogier. Team mate Jari-Matti Latvala was the only driver capable of denying Ogier the title but a slow start meant that his late charge was never going to be enough. - Ogier wins to retain WRC drivers’ title. - 11th win for VW equals season-winning record held by Citroen. - Latvala second but slow pace on gravel spoils his challenge. - Hirvonen takes third to record his second podium finish of 2014. - Ostberg fourth for Citroen after timing error costs Sordo the place. - Mikkelsen demoted from sixth to seventh after time penalty. - Double puncture ends Meeke’s hopes on SS3. - Montjuic street stage opens this mixed-surface rally. - 50kms Escaladei stage measured to mark event’s 50th anniversay. - Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen to stay with VW in 2015.

RÉSULTATS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Team S Ogier/J Ingrassia J-M Latvala/M Anttila M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen M Ostberg/J Andersson D Sordo/M Marti T Neuville/N Gilsoul A Mikkelsen/O Floene M Prokop/J Tomanek H Paddon/J Kennard N Al Attiyah/G Bernachini

Car VW Polo R VW Polo R Ford Fiesta RS Citroën DS3 Hyundai i20 WRC Hyundai i20 WRC VW Polo R Ford Fiesta RS Hyundai i20 WRC Ford Fiesta RRC

Time 3:46:44.6 3:46:55.9 3:48:26.8 3:48:57.9 3:49:06.8 3:50:45.6 3:50:47.5 3:54:51.4 3:55:57.0 3:59:24.4

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The motor car in the limelight!

An enlightened enthusiast In a charming village in Provence Régis Mathieu defends and illustrates the cultural dimension of the motor car. He is a chandelier maker by trade and every year he organises an exhibition that highlights the art of coachbuilding. Serge Bellu visited him.

Here nothing is left to chance. Everything is meticulously calculated so that each corner pays homage to the creativeness and skills of people in general and the work of artisans in particular. The master here is an aesthete. Régis Mathieu has built his universe around the remains of an old ochre factory. The historic buildings have retained their soul, their old machines, and their warm colours. Gargas is a village in the Vaucluse, the last in Europe where ochre is still mined. This clay coloured by a pigment – yellow, red or brown – has been a precious tool for artists since time immemorial.

Mathieu is also an artist in his own way as he is a chandelier maker, a rare breed. In 1992 aged barely 20 he took over the factory his father had set up in Marseille in 1948, which his mother had kept going. His artistic sense was obviously innate, but he learned the business side at a commercial school in Marseille. Armed with these two skills Mathieu got down to breathing fresh life into a trade that had fallen out of fashion. Even the disorder here has a certain harmony about it. Historic chandeliers are placed side by side with today’s creations. Old ones await restoration while others that have been restored are sent off to Shanghai, Saint-

Darl’mat asked the coachbuilder Pourtout to make a berlinetta based on the Peugeot 203 in 1954 with streamlined aluminium bodywork.

Left-hand page. The Helica is powered by a propeller placed at the front. The driver controls this rather unstable vehicle by peering through the propeller!

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The collectors car market

R e c o rd s a n d d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s This year Ferrari topped a market in which all the records were shattered. This euphoria hides some disappointing performances and mixed results analysed by Sylvain Reisser, who also explains the arrival of a new category of buyer.

2014 will go down in the annals as a vintage year for the collector car market. A certain euphoria seized the main financial centres. Investors from all over the world have never had so much cash at their disposal; the mergers-acquisitions have multiplied and the collector car market did not show any signs of slackening off. During the year it was gripped by a kind of frenzy as prices for certain models set record after record. The sales in California in August at Pebble Beach, where the auctions generated almost 400 million dollars, made a big contribution to the sales recorded during 2014. Against all expectations the highest price didn’t go to RM Auctions or Gooding & Company, but to Bonhams. The Londonbased auction house took everybody by surprise by announcing a month and a half before its sale in Quail’s Lodge that it was going to dispose of some of the jewels of Italian Fabrizio Violati’s Maranello Rosso Collection. In a selection of 10 Ferraris there was a 250 GT0. And the result lived up to expectations. The Ferrari went under the hammer for 38 115 000 dollars (28 586 250 euros) shattering the previous year’s record set by the W196 F1 Mercedes-Benz. The 250 GTO became the highest-priced car in the world to be sold at an auction. However, at the end of the sale auctioneer Robert Brooks’s face wore a glum expression. This exceptional opportunity to buy one of the 36 250 GTOs built between 1962 and 1964 should have resulted in a higher price according to the experts. A few months earlier a GTO had changed hands for the mindboggling sum of 51 million dollars! Some specialists reckoned that the sale wasn’t advertised the way it should have been, which underlines the importance of communications in the success of an auction. Other stated that the car on sale in California didn’t have the best pedigree of the series. Might superstition have played a role as Henri Oreiller, the downhill skiing champion, was

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The GTO no 3851/GT produced in September 1962 finished second in the Tour de France a few days later. It was rebuilt in 1963 after a serious accident but raced only in minor events.

killed in this car in the Coupes de l’Automne on the Montlhéry circuit. It was one of the main explanations advanced and it shows the importance of a car’s pedigree. In every sale it is becoming increasingly clear that it is a bonus for cars to have a particular story or an exceptional set of results attached to them. This is why the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 belonging to Steve McQueen achieved the amazing figure of 10 175 00 dollars, three times the usual price for this model. This year, more than ever, Ferrari was the uncontested king of the collector car market. Any auction house with a Ferrari, preferably a racing car or one belonging to the 250 or 275 range on its catalogue, was assured of making a good profit. In the shadow of these halo models a certain number of cars considered up to now as playing secondary roles also saw their prices rising. On the other hand, what was surprising was that the fascinating one-off 365 P Berlinetta Speciale

with its central driving position did not generate a bidding war at the Gooding & Co auction: it remained in the Chinetti family garage where it’s been since 1969! The Best of Show prize awarded to a postwar car, the 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta, at the Pebble Beach Concours, heralded a change of era. The market is moving away from pre-war cars. And it’s not just a generational thing. “Unlike older models, the vehicles from the 1950s and 60s do not require an in-depth knowledge of cars. At the same time the market trend is for cars that are more sporty and easier to drive and to maintain,” explained French auctioneer, Hervé Poulain. In these conditions it’s not surprising to see the Aston Martins from the David Brown era, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, certain Porsches (the 356s and pre-1974 911s) as well as the Lamborghini Miuras and Countachs attracting an increasingly international clientele. The Chinese, though, are still

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hamstrung by the fact that they can’t import these cars. If this barrier were to fall then prices would probably take off. For the moment Matthieu Lamoure, the director of the Motor Cars department at Artcurial, reckons that the market still has considerable room for expansion: “Cars of over one million euros are sought after which encourages a rise in their prices.”

There were, though, a few hiccups in the rise in the collector car market. Thus, the Bonhams auction during the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Mecum sale during the Pebble Beach week achieved mitigated results. Despite the abundance of cash available buyers are being choosy. The three keys to a successful sale are: beauty, rarity, pedigree.

The craze for collector cars encouraged by the explosion of prices confirms the fears that certain enthusiast have had for a long time: namely, the spectre of a speculative bubble. The best way to prevent this is to promote the idea of pleasure. From this point of view the explosion in events and historic car meetings is the best outlet for this passion.

TOP 20 SALES OF THE YEAR 20 stars up for auction We have selected 20 collector cars that changed hands during 2014. It isn’t an exhaustive list by any means and it picks out the blue chip cars as well as the surprises. Prices are given for information only (a dollar equals 0.75 euros).

1. Ferrari 250 GTO (n° 3851 GT), 1962 28 586 250 euros (38 115 000 dollars) Bonhams, Quail Lodge Carmel, 14th August 2014 The jewel of the Maranello Rosso Collection of the late Fabrizio Violati, which he had owned since 1965, was the 16th GTO built, n° 3851 GT bought new by Jo Schlesser and Henri Oreiller. The two drivers finished second in the grey car in the 1962 Tour de France. A few weeks later Oreiller was killed in it in the Coupes du Salon at Montlhéry. 2. Ferrari 275 GTB/C Competizione (n° 6701), 1964 26 400 000 dollars RM Auctions, Monterey, 16th August 2013 It was part of a series of three cars specially developed to defend Ferarri’s colours in GT racing in the 1965 season although it never raced at the time. It belonged to Michel Poberejsky (better known as Mike Sparken) for 25 years, and was owned since the 1990s by Brandon Wang. 3. Ferrari 375 Plus Spider Competizione (n° 0384 AM), 1954 13 534 075 euros (10 753 500 livres) Bonhams, Festival of Speed Goodwood, 26th June 2014 This spyder, a key car in the history of the Prancing Horse powered by a 4.9-litre engine with bodywork by Pinin Farina, was one of the five Ferraris entered by the factory during the 1954 season. José Froilán González won a curtain-raiser in it before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

4. Ferrari 250 GT Spider California (n° 2903 GT), 1961 11 500 000 euros (15 180 000 dollars) Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach, 17th August 2014 The California Spider has become one of the most sought-after collector drop tops in the past few years. This car, which went on sale for the first time in 14 years, is one of the few to have its original hard top.

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A year of rendezvous

A n e n t h u s i a s t ’s ye a r In addition to Le Mans Classic, the Chantilly concours, the exhibition in the Atlanta museum of modern art and the one in the chandelier factory in Gargas (to which an article was devoted in the earlier pages), enthusiasts had numerous events to choose from in 2014. Here is Serge Bellu’s selection.

A LIGHT ON SOME PASSIONATE CAR CREATORS - GARGAS: 13 DECEMBER 2013 – 19 JANUARY 2014

rare cars from the garages of the Maharajahs pictured here with the help of our collaborator Gautam Sen.

AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS 7-10 MARCH 2014

The third exhibition held in Régis Mathieu’s chandelier factory in the Vaucluse highlighted a number of maverick French designers. Read the full story in pages 252257.

CAVALLINO CLASSIC: PALM BEACH 23-26 JANUARY 2014 The 23rd concours d’élégance devoted to Ferrari was held at the Breakers Resort hotel. It kicked off the season by celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 275 GTB. Two Best of Shows were nominated: in the racing category Scott Glen’s Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa no. 016/I came out on top and in the grand touring class the award went to a 400 Superamerica.

Among the jewels of the Maharajahs was the Rolls Royce Phantom no. 17EX with coachwork by Jarvis made for Shiman Rajrajeshwar Mahararajadhiraj Sri Hari Singh Indar Mahindar Bahadur, the maharadjah of Jammu and Kashmir.

Two prizes were awarded for two types of cars. Bob Brockingham’s impressive Horch 853

The 4 CV transformed by racing driver Louis Rosier on display in the Mathieu chandelier factory in Gargas.

RM AUCTIONS FIRST SALE IN PARIS 4-5 FEBRUARY 2014 The Canadian auction house chose the International Automobile Festival to hold its first sale on French territory. It took place the day after the exhibition of concept cars in the superb Hôtel des Invalides where a selection of historic vehicles was sold. The top price was paid for a Jaguar D-Type (no. XKD520), which went for 3.7-million euros.

RÉTROMOBILE PARIS 5-9 FEBRUARY 2014

In 2014 the lovers of the Prancing Horse celebrated the birth of the 275 GTB.

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This is one of the most delightful exhibitions on the calendar with its bric a brac sales, makes’ clubs, manufacturers, car sellers, model displays and booksellers. It is run by François Melcion, and the 2014 exhibition displayed a magnificent collection of very

The Jaguar D-Type (no. XKD520) was one of the short-nose models aimed at clients.

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There’s always a good opportunity to evoke the cars of the great era of the Silver Arrows which, unfortunately, coincided with the rise of Nazism.

Grand Palais in Paris after which they set out for Marseille via La Rochelle with stopovers in Orléans, Vichy, Albi and Limoges.

from 1937 won the elegance prize while in the sports category it went to Miles C. Collier’s lovely 1958 Scarab Mark II.

TECHNO CLASSICA ESSEN 26-30 MARCH 2014 Techno Classica was held for the 26th time in North Rhineland. The major fair for the historic car was as extravagant as ever because of the number of exhibitors (1250 from 30 nations), and the huge selection of collectors cars (more than 2500). Mercedes-Benz celebrated its 120th anniversary in motor sport with some 30 of its former winners, the oldest being a Simplex dating from the beginning of the 20th century.

TOUR AUTO OPTIC 2OOO PARIS-MARSEILLE: 7-12 APRIL 2014 This year the French Classic attracted more than 240 cars, which covered almost 2200 km alternating special stages, circuit races and liaison sections. The cars were on show in the

MONACO HISTORIC GRAND PRIX MONTE CARLO: 9-11 MAY 2014

The Jaguar C Type (no. XK005) prepared by JD Classic made a big impression in the Principality where it was raced by its owner Tommy Wisdom in 1952.

It was the ninth running of this event held every two years since 1997 two weeks before the F1 Grand Prix with Chopard as the title sponsor. As usual, a beautiful selection of cars from every era raced on the city circuit. Renault deserves a special mention as Alain Prost was on hand to give the 1983 RE40 a run.

DREAM CARS: INNOVATIVE DESIGN, VISIONARY IDEAS, ATLANTA 21 MAY – 7 SEPTEMBER 2014

MILLE MIGLIA BRESCIA: 13-18 MAY 2014 This historic race, revived in 1977, became an annual event in 1986. This year its duration was extended by a day. It started on Thursday on the viale Venezia in Brescia and stopped at Padua, Rome and Bologna before returning to Brescia on Sunday. Mercedes-Benz, victorious in 1931 with an SSK driven by Rudolf Caracciola and Wilhelm Sebastian, and in 1955 with the 300 SLR in the hands of Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson, has always been involved in motor racing. This year was a major landmark as the German firm is celebrating its 120th anniversary in motor sport at the topmost level.

The day before the start the cars were lined up in the magnificent décor of the Grand Palais in Paris

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta put on an exhibition devoted to concept cars and other extraordinary vehicles. See the full subject in pages 282-287.

A rare occasion to find dream cars from the 1950s under the same roof. In the foreground is the Cadillac Cyclone.

The bucolic countryside crossed by the Mille Miglia is one of the reasons for its success.

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AY62-jacket_AA62 jacket 17/11/14 17:04 Page1

2014/15

Automobile Year n° 61 2013/2014

Le Mans 24 Hours 2014

ISBN : 979-10-283-0025-8

9 791028 300258

Automobile Year

Front cover photo courtesy of: Daimler AG Outside back cover photos courtesy of: Ferrari Spa 2014 Richard Prince and General Motors Ferdi Kräling Motorsport-Bild GmbH photoclassicracing.com

E-T-A-I Antony Parc 2 10, place du Général de Gaulle 92160 Antony – France Phone: 01 77 92 92 92 Fax: 01 46 99 31 55 www.infopro-digital.com