1952 Cunningham C4-R

After unsuccessfully campaigning two Cadillacs at Le Mans in 1950, wealthy American sportsman Briggs Cunningham constructed two purpose-built sports cars to race the following year: the C-1 and C-2. One C-1 and three C-2s were built. Both models competed in the 1951 Le Mans race, but retired because of mechanical problems. The C4-R, his next pure race car, weighed 1000 pounds less than the C-2 and its Chrysler Hemi V-8 produced even more horsepower. Cunningham built two C4-R roadsters and one coupe. Though he raced the cars successfully in America, Cunningham never won at Le Mans and did not compete again after 1957. This example, a C4-R 'continuation' model, is one of the three recently built replicas. Like other continuation cars, the C4-R was designed to look and drive like the original, yet could be purchased at fraction of the price of a genuine C4-R.

Few events in motorsports have legends to equal The 24 Hours Le Mans Grand Prix of Endurance: from its signature 'Le Mans Start,' to its more than 8.2-mile circuit over public roads, to its incredibly fast four-mile Mulsanne straight, to all the phenomenal cars which have competed, to its 'everyone who was anyone' roster of drives, to the extraordinary feats which have occurred and, yes, to Le Mans' tragic toll of drivers and spectators.

One of Le Mans' greatest legends is Briggs Cunningham and his 1950s effort to win the 24-hour race with an American car driven by Americans. 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the Cunningham team's 1954 success: a first-in-class and third-overall finish. It was my privilege to bring the same Cunningham C4R back to the Circuit Permanent de la Sarthe for the Le Mans Classic as part of the ongoing commitment to celebrating Briggs Cunningham's landmark contribution to motorsports and the very special qualities he manifested as an individual.

Source - Petersen Museum