Among a packed field of astonishing and historic vehicles, the very first Porsche to ever win at Le Mans has claimed another victory, this time at the 2020 British Concours of Elegance. In a year that has seemed to bring an almost constant flow of bad news, this years' Concours event was perhaps the most impressive ever. As visitors entered the grounds of Henry VII's home, they were greeted by an incredibly special Ford Vs. Ferrari display featuring a Ferrari 365 P2, 250LM, and 250 GTO as well as the dominant Ford GT40. That Le Mans theme certainly carried throughout the show.
Clash of Titans
Of course, the field included cars from all corners of automotive history. Classic cars like the 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Coupe, the 1958 BMW 507, and the Jaguar XK120 roadster were especially notable. The Concours is always a great place to learn about the history of the automobile but even more so this year, as it showcased the absolute pinnacle of automotive technology. At the top of the mountain, there are the racecars, and there were a great many this year. The "Best in Show" was the 1970 winner at Le Mans, the Porsche 917 KH.
Overcoming All Odds
Overcoming so many other incredible vehicles was no easy task, but in much the same way that it did in 1970, the 917 KH race car was able to come out on top. Featuring a 4.5-liter V12 under the hood, this 580 horsepower monster was the very first Porsche to ever come out as the overall victor in the famous French endurance race. Today, it stands as the first of 19 overall victories and counting. In fact, thanks to exceptional entries from the Martini Racing team, Porsche finished 1,2,3 that year. Coming in second was the 917L driven by Gerard Larousse. Coming in third to finish out the perfect podium was Helmut Marko in a Porsche 908/2LH. Clearly, no matter what Porsche you brought to Le Mans that year, it was a potent package.
A Legacy
As mentioned, Porsche has taken the overall crown at Le Mans 19 times now and thanks to those and other notable victories all over the planet, they've more than cemented their place in history as one of the most focused and capable sports car companies in history. This win of overall Best in Show exemplifies that spirit of determined commitment to the pinnacle of automotive endurance racing and engineering. It's one of the reasons that so many are happy to spend so much to own their own little piece of history.
Sources: Porsche, Concours of Elegance