Matra 620 n°41 driven by Jean-Pierre Beltoise

The Matra 620 no. 42 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is reproduced in 1/18th. Like its teammates, it does not finish the race, which is under the yoke of the Ford/ Ferrari duel.

The shapes of the racing 620 version must recall those of the future road version. For marketing reasons, it thus displays a family resemblance with the road-going Matra 530 with its rather angular shapes. Matra also introduces for the first time the neon color palette that differentiates cars.

Jo Schlesser, into car number 42 with a red right eye, is the most experienced of the French drivers and places position 19th after the first lap. But his progress is quickly slowed down by the warning light of the alternator which turned on and shock absorber problems that put him in 47th position after the first hour of racing. At midnight, trouble is behind the Franco-British team, which has climbed to 30th position. But when the CD-Peugeot spins around to let him go, Schlesser hits it without gravity and starts again, but he is hit in turn by Scarfiotti’s Ferrari P3. The rear of the car is completely destroyed and has to give up.

The Matra 620 was the first race car to participate in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jean-Luc Lagardère, then CEO of Matra, decided to launch himself into motor racing. The launch of the construction of a 620 in 1965 was not intended to win but is an opportunity to build a team capable of competing with brands that dominate endurance.

Henri Pescarolo’s 620 was the first Matra to be given up following a series of minor breakdowns after only 38 laps.

Hand-painted 1/18 resin figurine representing a newspaper seller at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

His bag contains the associated newspapers and posters. He wears a uniform consisting of a jacket and pants as well as a paper hat in the colors of Maine Libre. Joseph is also equipped with a coin collector in charge of sorting the money. He sells the Maine Libre edition of June 18, 1966, which headline is "Ford à l'assaut de Ferrari" (Ford attacks Ferrari).

Hand painted resin figurine in scale 1/18th of a man simply dressed in navy blue trousers and a sky blue shirt. It can be self-sufficient.

But it actually completes a little sketch of three characters who made the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Indeed his arm in the air can welcome the shoulder of Mr. Ken the driver and position himself near Joseph, the seller of the edition of the Maine Libre of June 18, 1966 whose one "Ford to the assault of Ferrari" already says a lot about the race that was going to be played that year.

Hand painted figurine in scale 1:18 cast in PU resin of M. Ken like. 

The insiders can recognize Ken Miles, famous and skilled British driver immigrated to the US who was associated with Carroll Shelby to win Daytona and Sebring in 1966 with Ford MK II. He strongly contributed to Ford’s victory over Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans of the same year.  

He dies in August 1966 when driving the prototype of the Ford GT40 MKIV (J-car) to replace the Ford MKII.