The Tour Auto Rally 2017 was held April 24-29 on the secondary roads and race circuits of France. After the traditional start in the Grand Palais, in which the cars were displayed for Parisian enthusiasts, the 26th retrospective of the Tour de France Automobile followed a unique course that was a blend of closed country roads and racing tracks, before the race came to an end in Biarritz.
The Tour Auto Rally is right near the top of our favorite events annually covered at Sports Car Digest. And simple as it sounds, it’s also an event we’d really like to participate in, which makes it much more exciting when Julien Mahiels’ pictures roll in from the field. The Tour showcases the beautiful dynamic between the rolling hills of the French countryside and great entries that include several important cars that participated in the original races.
Organized by Peter Auto, the last two stages of the Tour Auto Rally 2017 took place during the night of Saturday/Sunday in the Basque region of France and the event finished in the seaside resort of Biarritz. A total of 242 crews left the Grand Palais in Paris five days earlier and they followed a route that enabled them to discover Brittany for the first time. From Paris to Biarritz taking in the stopover towns of Saint-Malo, Haute-Goulaine, Limoges and Toulouse they all admired the landscapes and absorbed the history of the famous monuments they visited. Their 2500 km journey was one of the longest of the recent stagings of the event.
British crew Andrew Smith and James Cottingham in their Ford GT40 emerged victorious at the end of the Tour Auto Rally 2017. As the stages unfolded this duo constructed their success by winning eleven out of 15 possible victories — four on the circuits and seven in the special stages. Scottish driver Smith, a regular in modern endurance racing, has racked up an impressive set of results in historic races. He has added to that list with a victory in the Tour Auto that he led from the first to the last timed stage. Only Ludovic Caron and Denis Giraudet in their Shelby Cobra 289 managed to break his domination briefly by winning three special stages. The French duo were in second place in the overall classification for most of the race, but had to retire after an off in the second-last special. Swiss pair Raphael Favaro-Lucien and Charles Nicolet in their 3.8-litre E-Type Jaguar won that particular stage and finished on the second step of the podium in VHC in front of the German team of Olivier Ellerbrock and Olivier Louisoder in another Ford GT40.
Another winner of the 2017 Tour Auto Rally was the French crew Mr. John of B-Sibel in their Ligier JS2 DFV in the H1, H2 and I category. Daniel Viard and Didier Haquette won the Group 1 and G2 class in a Ford Escort MK1 RS 2000. Jean-François Penillard and Carole Verlaine in a Porsche 356 Pre-A came first in the Index of Performance. The battle for victory in the Regularity section went down to the wire, with the Argentinean crew Tomas Hinrichsen and Solange Mayo finally coming out on top in their Maserati 200 SI.
Once again the spirit of the Tour de France Automobile proved popular with enthusiasts as proved by the huge crowd that flocked to the Grand Palais and the end of the legs, as well as Le Mans, Val de Vienne, Albi and Pau Arnos circuits. Spectators also turned up in large numbers on the 11 special stages run on closed roads.
Similar to 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2017 Tour Auto with the following stunning pictures from Julien Mahiels that show the strong field of entrants and outstanding views of the French countryside.
Tour Auto Rally 2017 – Photo Gallery (photos: Julien Mahiels)
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
DB HBR5 1957
JAGUAR XK 120 1952
CG Proto 548 1972
Jaguar E-Type
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
ASTON MARTIN DB2 1950
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1955
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV 1971
ALFA ROMEO Giulietta Sprint Zagato Coupe 1961
ALFA ROMEO Giulietta Sprint Speciale 1961
DB HBR5 1957
ALFA ROMEO Giulia 1600 TI Super 1963
Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1300 S 1972
Jaguar E-Type
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Ford GT40
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Porsche 904 Carrera GTS 1963
Lotus Elan
Porsche 911
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
Ferrari 275 GTB
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Ligier JS 2 DFV 1975
Porsche 911
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Porsche 911
Jaguar E-Type
Jaguar E-Type
Porsche 911
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 1973
Porsche 911
De Tomaso Pantera Group IV
Ligier JS 2 DFV 1975
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Porsche 911
De Tomaso Pantera Group IV
BMW 3.0 SI 1974
BMW 3.0 CSL
Porsche 911
ALPINE RENAULT A 310 1800 Gr IV 1976
Porsche 911
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Porsche 911 RSR 3.0-Litre 1974
BMW 3.0 CSL
ALPINE RENAULT A110 1973
Ferrari 275 GTB
Austin Mini Cooper S
Porsche 911
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale 1961
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm
Porsche 911
Porsche 911
Ferrari 275 GTB
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Porsche 911
BMW 3.0 CSL
De Tomaso Pantera Group IV
De Tomaso Pantera Group IV
BMW 3.0 CSL
Porsche 911
Tour Auto Rally 2017
ALPINE RENAULT A110 1973
Tour Auto Rally 2017
BMW 3.0 CSL
HOTCHKISS 864 Artois S49 1949
Jaguar E-Type
Maserati 200 SI 1957
Maserati 200 SI 1957
DB HBR5 1956
ASTON MARTIN DB2 1950
ALFA ROMEO Giulietta Sprint Speciale 1961
DB HBR5 1960
RENAULT R8 Gordini 1967
Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1300 S 1972
Shelby Cobra 289
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Shelby Cobra 289
Jaguar E-Type
Porsche 911
Jaguar E-Type
Porsche 911
Jaguar E-Type
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
Ferrari 275 GTB
Porsche 911
Porsche 911
JIDE 1600 S 1973
JIDE 1300 1972
FORD Mustang 289 1965
Ligier JS 2 DFV 1975
De Tomaso Pantera Group IV
Porsche 911
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Porsche 911 RSR 3.0-Litre 1974
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Porsche 911
BMW 3.0 CSL
Porsche 911
Jaguar E-Type
Porsche 911
BMW 3.0 CSL
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ligier JS 2 DFV 1975
Porsche 911 RSR 3.0-Litre 1974
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 1973
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Tour Auto Rally 2017
FORD Escort MK1 RS 2000 1971
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ferrari 275 GTB
Porsche 911
Porsche 911 ST 1972
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Fanalone 1970
DB HBR5 1960
Shelby Cobra 289
Shelby Cobra 289
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Porsche 911 RSR 3.0-Litre 1974
Porsche 911
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ferrari 275 GTB
Ferrari 275 GTB
FORD Escort 1600 RS 1974
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Tour Auto Rally 2017
SAAB 96 Rallye 1700S 1974
STUDEBAKER Coupe Champion 1954
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Porsche 911
BMW 3.0 CSL
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
BMW 3.0 CSL
BMW 3.0 CSL
Tour Auto Rally 2017
ALPINE RENAULT A 110 1600S 1972
Porsche 911 ST 1972
Porsche 911
Ferrari 308 GTB Group IV
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
BMW 2002 1973
JAGUAR MK I 3,4L 1959
JAGUAR Mk II 1964
Austin Mini Cooper S
Tour Auto Rally 2017
Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Fanalone 1970
ASTON MARTIN DB2 1950
CG Proto 548 1972
Ford GT40 1965 of Andrew Smith and James Cottingham
Jaguar E-Type
FORD GT 40 1965
Lotus Elan
ALFA ROMEO Giulietta Sprint Veloce 1961
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
Jaguar E-Type
1960 Maserati T61
AC Cobras thunder down the straight in the Sixties Endurance class
1963 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe
Jarama Classic 2017
The Sixties Endurance class at The Jarama Classic 2017
The 1956 Austin-Healey 100/4 and 1965 AC Cobra 289 battle for position
1963 AC Cobra 289
1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 OTS leads through the corner
1963 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
The 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 OTS trails the 1963 AC Cobra 289
The Sixties Endurance class winds through the bend during The Jarama Classic 2017
1965 AC Cobra 289
A 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHC using every bit of the track
The 1963 AC Cobra 289 sneaks by the 1965 Porsche 911 Coupe
1963 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe
1963 AC Cobra 289
Close battles in the Sixties Endurance class
1935 Riley Dobbs
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider
1927 Bugatti Type 35C
The stunning 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider
The Legends Trophy takes off at during the Jarama Classic 2017
1926 Bugatti Type 35B
The Pre-War Bugattis snake around a corner during the Jarama Classic 2017
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider
The Pre-War machines of the Legends Trophy rush down the straight
The 1927 Bugatti Type 35C leads the Legends Trophy class
Legends Trophy at The Jarama Classic 2017
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider
1939 BMW 328 Roadster leads the 1935 Riley Dobbs
1938 Delahaye 135 S
The delicious Pre-War machines battle in the Legends Trophy class
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