Cars from 1920 to 1950 - The golden age of the car
Gordini Simca 5
1937
Code 1113
Body style: two-seat sportscar
This little sportscar is a full-blown “racing machine” designed by Amédée Gordini, the “Sorcerer”. This two-seater from 1937 was based on the Simca 5, a small popular automobile with a four-cylinder, 570 cc engine. Trying to drag a sporting performance out of this anaemic little engine was a major challenge, but Gordini managed to get it up to 125 kph (75 mph), by lightening the weight of the vehicle and adding a special cylinder head.
The success of this little vehicle was amazing. It entered eight endurance races in all, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and won five victories in its category! Not content with winning races, Gordini also broke speed records. In 1937, the little car broke 22 world records, including the 48-hr record, at an average of 103 kph (64 mph) – all with an engine of only 23 horsepower!
