Elf Scan 12: Matra MS 630

The V-12 powered MS 630 was Matra's first serious Le Mans contender. Campaigned in the tumultuous year of 1968, which saw the 24 hour race moved from June to September due to labor and student unrest, the MS 630 ran as high as second place before retiring due to a puncture in the 22nd hour!

Elf Scan 11: Jack Brabham

Compared to the young, budding, and mostly French talent on the Matra-Elf team, Jack Brabham was a very seasoned old hand in 1970.  The former F1 champ partnered with Francois Cevert as well as Pescarolo, Beltoise, and Servoz-Gavin, in long distance sports car racing for Matra. The results were less than spectacular.

Elf Scan 9: Matra's 4WD experiment - the MS 84

At the same time that Jackie Stewart was dominating the 1969 Formula One championship in the Matra MS 80, the French team was also experimenting with a 4 wheel drive sister car, known as the MS 84.  Team Lotus was also experimenting with 4WD at the time with the Lotus 63, and also using the same Ford Cosworth V8 in their Lotus 49Bs. Much like Lotus, Matra ultimately found that 4WD added weight and complexity that did not pay dividends in terms of performance. It was the conventional RWD MS 80 that ultimately gave Stewart his first F1 championship.  The MS 84 is pictured above at what appears to be the Montlhery Autodrome near Paris.

Elf Scan 8: Renault Alpine A110 Rallye de Monte Carlo

I love this dreamy night shot. The snow almost looks like a lunar surface.  Click to enlarge the photo. The A110 is one of my all-time favorite cars.  It's like a French Porsche 911! The video below is a must-watch, featuring breathtaking period footage of the A110 at speed on the Monte Carlo Rallye, including wonderful on-board views. Hat tip to Syed of IEDEI on this awesome video!

Here is the back of the photo card, with some awesome technical drawings and info for those who can read French. Sorry it's cut off at the top  -- my scanner is small.

Elf Scan 7: Jackie Stewart

One of the all-time greats, and one of my all-time heroes.  Here he is as defending world champion in 1970, in a March Tyrell sponsored by Elf.