The inaugural edition of the race took place from July 16 to 24, 1899. Organized by Le Matin under the supervision of the Automobile Club de France, the event spanned seven stages: Paris-Nancy, Nancy-Aix-les-Bains, Aix-les-Bains-Vichy, Vichy-Périgueux, Périgueux-Nantes, Nantes-Cabourg, and Cabourg-Paris. René de Knyff won the first event driving a Panhard et Levassor at an average speed of 30 mph (50 km/h). Of the 49 vehicles that started the race, 21 finished. A subsequent 1908 event was won by Clément-Bayard.
The event returned in 1951 under the organization of the Automobile Club de Nice. Pierre "Pagnibon" Boncompagni and partner Barracquet won this revival edition in a 2.6-litre Ferrari 212 Export, a route that included the La Turbie Hill Climb. In 1954, Jacques Pollet and M. Gauthier took victory in a 2.5-litre Gordini on the traditional Nice-to-Nice route.
Scuderia Ferrari began a period of dominance in the mid-1950s. Alfonso de Portago won in 1956 driving a Ferrari 250 2.9, finishing ahead of Stirling Moss and Houel in a Mercedes 300 SL. Following de Portago's win, Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi secured three consecutive victories in 1957, 1958, and 1959.
During the 1960s, the race was opened to sports prototypes, allowing vehicles such as the Ford GT40, Matra MS650, and Ferrari 512 S to compete on public roads. Bernard Consten became the most successful driver in the event's history during this decade, recording five wins.
The 1960 edition started in Nice and visited the Nurburgring, Spa, Mont Ventoux, Montlhéry, Rouen, and Le Mans before finishing at Clermont Ferrand. Willy Mairesse and Georges Berger won overall in a Ferrari 250 G.T., while Consten and J. Renel won the Touring category in a Jaguar 3.8 litre Mk. II. Mairesse and Berger repeated their overall victory in 1961. The final Ferrari victory occurred in 1964, when Lucien Bianchi and Georges Berger won in a Ferrari 250 GTO entered by Ecurie Nationale Belge. That same year, the Touring category was won by Peter Procter and Andrew Cowan in a Ford Mustang, while the A.C. Shelby Cobras of Maurice Trintignant, Bob Bondurant, and André Simon all failed to finish.
The 1958 event was marked by the death of British racing driver Peter Whitehead. On September 21, 1958, Whitehead was competing in a Jaguar with his half-brother, Graham Whitehead. While Graham was driving after dark near Nîmes in Lasalle, Gard, the car crashed through a rotten bridge railing and fell into a ravine, resulting in Peter's death.
The original competitive era concluded in 1986 after the event had been incorporated into the European Rally Championship. In 1992, Patrick Peter of Agence Peter revived the event as the Tour Auto for historic cars.
The modern Tour Auto is a five-day event held in April, covering approximately 2,500 km. The format combines road sections with four or five circuit races and six to eight hillclimbs. While the race always begins in Paris, the finish alternates between southern coastal towns such as Nice, Cannes, and Biarritz. Since 1996, only cars manufactured before 1966 are eligible for the overall win, though vehicles produced up to 1974 are permitted to enter.
Winning machinery in the historic era has included the Ford GT40, Shelby Mustang 350GT, AC Cobra 289, Lotus Elan, and Ferrari Daytona Gr IV. Hans Hugenholtz holds the record for the most wins in the historic competition class, with seven victories achieved between 1993 and 2007.
The historic Tour Auto has attracted numerous high-profile drivers from various disciplines of motorsport. Participants have included Formula One champions and veteran racers such as Stirling Moss, Phil Hill, Ari Vatanen, Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, and Olivier Panis. Former winners of the original Tour de France Automobile, including Bernard Consten, Jean Ragnotti, and Gérard Larousse, have also participated in the historic revival.
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