Le Mans Winning Matra MS 670 Sold In Paris

The Artcurial Motorcars Parisienne was a robust affair with $22,005,970.00 in sales. The February 5th auction was highlighted by the sale of the 1972 24-Hours of Le Mans winning Matra MS 670 for $8,305,735 million.

The Matra MS 670 was driven by Graham Hill and Henri Pescarolo to victory at the 1972 24-Hours of Le Mans in the Group 5 Prototype category. Chassis number 001 is powered by a Matra MS73 3.0-liter V12 engine mated to a Matra 5-speed manual transmission.

“This Matra MS670 represents the Holy Grail for all collectors of competition cars,” Matthieu Lamoure of Artcurial Motorcars stated. “It has the ultimate race history with a victory in the most famous race in the world, the best provenance, having never left the hands of its creators, the Lagardère Group, superb styling and one of the best engines ever built: the Matra V12!”

The French manufacturer Matra began producing automobiles in1963 and their motorsports division was started in 1965. They enjoyed considerable success in Formula One, winning the 1969 F1 driver’s and constructor’s championship with Jackie Stewart behind the wheel. The Matra MS670 won three consecutive 24-Hours of Le Mans, 1972-1974, and two World Championships for Makes in 1973 and 1974. They pulled out of racing after the 1974 season.

Other highlights of the 42-car auction includes a were a pair of Group B rally cars. A 1988 Audi Sport Quattro S1 crossed the docket at $2,424,911. The car was originally sold by Audi to Olivier Quensel and has been an exhibit at the Manoir de l’Automobile since 1989. The S1 was produced for homologation to participate in Group B rally racing. The four-wheel drive Audi was powered by a turbocharged 2.1-liter inline-5 engine paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.