Far from being unique, the history of the automobile is in fact a multitude of tales that unite enthusiasts and exceptional vehicles! To showcase these extraordinary stories, Rétromobile is bringing you "Un véhicule, Une histoire", a video series that gives a voice to enthusiasts from all walks of life. In this episode: the legendary transporter from the  Ecurie Ecosse presented by the vintage car specialists FISKENS at Rétromobile 2024.

The “Ecurie Ecosse Transporter” 

There are some vehicles that become intertwined with the history of their owner. The famous "Ecurie Ecosse" racing transporter is certainly one of them. Conceived in 1959, following the many successes of the racing team, the model presented by Gregor Fisken is the only one in existence today.
A faithful companion and essential to the smooth running of the racing team, it also became the symbol of an era when the British toy brand Corgi turned it into a scale model that proved very popular with all generations. In 2024, the more curious among you will have had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of this witness to an era (along with the famous Jaguar C and D Types that accompanied it for many years), on the FISKENS, stand at the 48th edition of Rétromobile.
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“Ecurie Ecosse transporter” – the mechanical witness to a legendary team

The history of this transporter is indissociable from that of Ecurie Ecosse. In 1951 David Murray, a British former racing driver, teamed up with mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson and drivers Ian Stewart and Bill Dobson to create a private motorsport team: Ecurie Ecosse was born. Although it started out in Formula 1, a series of retirements led the team to concentrate on endurance racing.

A few (successful) experiments on British soil later, Ecurie Ecosse officially entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956. And with good reason, as the Jaguar Type-D driven by Ron Flockhart and Ninian Sanderson claimed first place that year. And it wasn't long before the newcomer backed up its achievement: the following year, Ecurie Ecosse topped the standings with a one-two finish.

In 1958, Ecurie Ecosse began designing a truck capable of transporting the various vehicles entered by the British team. Selby Howgate and Walter Alexander from Falkirk were the driving force behind the project, which finally saw the light of day a year later. Based on the architecture of a Commer TS3, the vehicle was fitted with a supercharged 6-cylinder three-stroke engine developing 105 bhp and 366Nm. The Ecurie Ecosse transporter may not shine in mechanical terms, but it did stand out for the indispensable role it played within the Scottish team. As a transporter able to accommodate up to 3 cars simultaneously thanks to its double deck, it could also be transformed into a lounge or sales area for team members. All qualities that quickly transformed this vehicle into a fully-fledged teammate of Ecurie Ecosse.

Despite its dedication, the Transporter would never see the team win again.

In 1971, Ecurie Ecosse was wound down, taking with it the dreams of greatness of its flagship truck. For a while, it continued to tour European racetracks before being fully restored.

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JNVE: the FFVE and Rétromobile invite you on a time-travelling journey!