1928 Chrysler Series 72 LeMans Replica

Chrysler cars were entered in France's fabled LeMans 24-Hour road race by European distributors during the late 1920s. The Chrysler Roadster finished third and fourth overall and earned the name, 'the poor man's Bentley.'

This example is a Model 72 Le Mans Racer #8 Replica.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2010

The auto industry adage about the sale effect of racing 'Win on Sunday, sell on Monday' was decades away when modified Chryslers like this 1928 Model 72 Roadster made a name for the brand in Europe. From motoring's earliest days, automakers entered vehicles in performance events for publicity and to establish a reputation for reliability and performance. Chrysler Corporation had no role in racing these 1928 roadsters, which were entered in France's famous 24-hour-long LeMans road race by European distributors and finished third and fourth overall.

While they never seriously challenged the winning Bentleys, the Chryslers' finish was a triumph given their volume production and moderate price. In England, they became known as 'the poor man's Bentley.'

Familiar auto industry tactics were used to promote Chrysler cars. In Europe, road racing was de rigeur in the 1920s and 1930s. There was no Chrysler factory team, but Chrysler's European distributors supported these highly successful efforts. In the thirties, Chrysler Corporation promoted its products at world's fairs, even building special Chryslers as 'official' vehicles. Another prestige-builder was the use of what today would be called 'halo cars' - limited production vehicles whose role was to bestow glamour over the entire model line. Chrysler Town & Country models were used in this way in the pre and post-war eras.