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Amédée Gordini: An exceptional destiny
With this world first in the history of automobile exhibitions, Rétromobile will present a retrospective dedicated to the legendary French manufacturer, with the exhibition of nine of his most iconic cars.
Year in and year out, Rétromobile continues to surprise its visitors with ever more astounding exhibitions and features. The next show will be no exception to the rule, with an unprecedented exhibition: “the fabulous GORDINI saga,” presented by Rétromobile with the National Automobile Museum, Collection Schlumpf and the historian Christian Huet.
From the early 1930s to his death on 25 May 1979 Amédée Gordini held a preeminent position in French motor sport. This brilliant mechanic was always able to create high-performance chassis and engines with simple techniques and limited resources. To pay tribute to the «Sorcerer» (“Le Sorcier”: the nickname bestowed upon him by the journalist Charles Faroux after his victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1938), Rétromobile presents 9 historic Gordinis.
1937 Gordini Spider Simca 5
With its 750cc four-cylinder engine, its first place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937 and its 22 world records on the Montlhéry racetrack, this car, built by Amédée Gordini and based on the highly popular Simca Cinq, marked the beginnings of the Sorcerer of Mechanics.
1939 Gordini Barquette Simca 8
With its 4-cylinder engine, the 1939 Simca 8 Gordini finished first in the 1939 Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1100cc class.
1953 Gordini 37 S type 24 S
With its 8-cylinder engine and equipped with disc brakes, the chassis 37 was first used by the Gordini team in the 1000 kms of Buenos Aires. It was then sold to the Italian Franco Bordoni, who entered the car in the famous Mille Miglia race. Later that year he won the Trullo d’Oro and the Grand Prix of Pergusa. The car made its last appearance in the 1955 Targa Florio.
1954 Gordini 35 type 16 de Formule 1
After a sixth place at Le Mans in 1953, Gordini’s dreams of glory returned and the following year he tried his luck in Formula One, developing a single-seater with a six-cylinder engine and disc brakes.
1954 Gordini 43 type 31S de Formule 1
Accustomed to podium finishes, the 1954 Gordini 43 Type 31S won first place in the 1954 Tour de France and the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 2 and 3 litre class.
1956 Gordini 42 type 32
With its 8-cylinder engine and disc brakes, the Gordini Type 32 was a single-seater destined for Formula 1 Grand Prix racing. It was the last racing car designed by Amédée Gordini before his team ceased operations.
1957 Renault Dauphine
Renault commissioned Amédée Gordini to produce a more powerful version of the car. He modified the engine and gearbox, and the Dauphine Gordini (type R1091) was born in 1957.
1964 Renault 8
Based on the Renault 8 Major, an improved version of the Renault 8, the 1964 Renault 8 Gordini had an engine prepared by Amédée Gordini, who took the basic 1.1 litre engine and tuned it to develop 89 bhp, almost double the 50 bhp of the standard R8 Major. This was born the sporty version of the Renault on which a generation of talented drivers were trained. Rear-wheel drive, rear overhang engine and a Gordini Cup organised by Renault and Elf made the car a legend in French motor sport.
Published:
Sunday January 23rd, 2022
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Comments
Joop Terpstra
27 January 2022, 12:58
One more thing: The only photo i have of my Renault Dauphine is in a dutch book 'Wonder op Wielen' about classic cars. The black and white photo was made at the parking of some gathering of cars at Autotron in Drunen in 1977 or 1978. So this little car was important enough for Mr. Daan van den Wall Bake at the time. I would like to walk again at that particular carmarket because it was real fun there and better than in Rosmalen.
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Joop Terpstra
27 January 2022, 12:15
In 1977 I bought a darkred 1958 Renault Dauphine from my dentist. He found the car in the south of France and for 500 DM it was mine. After a repaint and some repair of the brakes and a recondition of the drivers seat it was ready to go places. A year later I drove it back to the south of France to see how life was there. The car had only three gears so it was a struggle in the mountains but it went everywhere! It took only 5 liters every 100 km. The only problem I had was a almost boiling radiator. And in the warm afternoon I stopped somewhere near Lyon at a junkyard with lots of old cars and I try to find the owner of the place...the dog was friendly and the radio blasted Peter Frampton but there was no one there. I found in the high grass a Dauphine Gordini without wheels and with a nice radiator still in place. With my few tools I took it from the car and left I think 25 DM on the table for the owner. Later at a campingsite next to my tent I swop the radiator and the car stay much cooler with around 85 C. After three weeks of travelling the southcoast I returned home in Holland. Later I sold the car and if you look at the dutch RDW the car with license 00-XG-50 is still alive but I never saw it back, maybe the owner reads this..? :-)
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