1966 CD Peugeot wins FIVA preservation award

The 1966 CD Peugeot that raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1966, driven by Alain Bertaut and Pierre Lelong, received the FIVA Preservation Award July 10 at the Le Mans Heritage Concours, part of this year’s Le Mans Classic.

“Although the car retired from the 1966 Le Mans race with clutch problems in the 6th hour, it nevertheless has immense historical interest due to its role as a testbed for new aerodynamic technologies," said FIVA President Patrick Rollet.

Designed by renowned engineers Charles Deutsch and Lucien Romani, the car appeared in various forms, most recognizably with the long tail and huge fins seen at the Le Mans Classic concours. The car in question has been preserved by L’Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS, the organization that safeguards the constructor’s heritage.

The CD Peugeot becomes the third car to receive the FIVA award in 2016, and to receive an end-of-year invitation for the winning cars to assemble in Paris, where it is hoped to put them on display at UNESCO’s international headquarters. The awards are part of the World Motoring Heritage Year program of events, launched by FIVA to celebrate its 50th anniversary and which has received UNESCO patronage.

Previous 2016 awards were given at Amelia Island and Villa d’Este, with more to come at Schloss Dyck on 5-7 August, followed by Pebble Beach, Chantilly, Autoclasica in Buenos Aires and the Cartier Travel & Style Concours d’Elégance in Hyderabad, India.