The Heures du Mans (literally the ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’) is the oldest endurance race in the world of motorsports, and also one of the most prestigious. Often referred to as the ‘Grand Prix of Endurance’, this spectacle has taken place near the French town of Le Mans ever since 1923, and pushes drivers to the limits by demanding that they remain in action for a full 24 hours. Such a feat requires the vehicles to be managed according to the tightest of specifications, as too much of an emphasis on speed will inevitably result in loss of fuel or even mechanical damage, whilst too pedestrian a pace defeats the object of this sterling competition. Out of all the car manufacturers who take part, Porsche boasts the most success, with 7 consecutive triumphs crowning a record 16 victories in total. In recent years, Audi has registered the most dominant perform
ances, leading Porsche to propose a return to Le Mans after a notable period of absence.
However, the 2014 race at Le Mans is not only going to be a significant event in Porsche’s history, as luxury horological brand Chopard is also joining them for this long-awaited comeback. Chopard, one of the leading figures in the Swiss watchmaking industry, is a prominent figure in the world of motorsports, already having strong ties with the Mille Miglia classic car rally, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique and serial Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, and now this latest venture has added the Heures du Mans to that distinguished portfolio. Chopard’s personal passion for motorsport racing is unquestionable, and their unending quest for excellence of performance means that they have a common bond with their newly associated German sports car titan. Both Porsche and Chopard prioritise innovation and dependable engineering, as well an undeniable sense of flair, and so the union of these two respected figures is therefore entirely well matched.
At Banks Lyon, we will watch the unfolding of this new alliance with great interest, as many of Chopard’s established collaborations within the world of motorsport have yielded some very exciting watches. Although Le Mans is attracting most of the current attention, Chopard is now inextricably linked with Porsche Motorsport as a whole, so the possibilities are truly intriguing. Apparently, Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has already confirmed that each Porsche Motorsport driver will now be presented with a Chopard Superfast Power Control watch (see above) from the aptly named Chopard Superfast watches range, although other watches in the Chopard collection were directly inspired by a motorsport event at their inception. Chopard Mille Miglia watches would be the prime example of this, and time will only tell whether the new association with events like Le Mans will bring about any further themed wristwatches.
Whatever the future holds, you can be sure that the Banks Lyon stock of luxury Chopard watches will remain fully up to date. For further information about any of our Chopard watches, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01524 38 48 58. Our professional and friendly team will always be pleased to help.
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