Rare Car Archive

Makes › Duesenberg United States › 1921 French Grand Prix winner (Jimmy Murphy) · Historically significant

Duesenberg
1921 French Grand Prix winner (Jimmy Murphy)

First American car to win a Grand Prix in Europe

Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.

IDENTIFICATION CARD · DUESENBERG 1921 FRENCH GRAND PRIX WINNER (JIMMY MURPHY)
No licensed photograph yet. Photographs are published only when their licence permits it.
?ProductionNot yet verified
0Chassis documentedin this archive
?SurvivingNot yet verified
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
Not yet verified
Years
Not yet verified
Engine
inline eight-cylinder · 2,980 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,980 cc
Power
85.8 kW / 117 PSFactory: 115 hp · converted
Top speed
Not yet verified
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Not yet verified
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

Jimmy Murphy's win in the 1921 French Grand Prix at Le Mans was the first victory of an American car in the event, and the first post-war international Grand Prix. It is also named as the first Grand Prix start with hydraulic brakes.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityNot yet assessed
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed Production figure not yet verified.
Survival rarityNot yet assessed

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

No production figures recorded yet.

History

The Automobile Club de France revived its Grand Prix for 1921 under a 3-litre (183 cubic inch) limit with a minimum weight of 800 kg. Duesenberg entered four Indianapolis-derived straight-eight cars for Jimmy Murphy, Joe Boyer, Albert Guyot and Andre Dubonnet, managed by George Robertson, with August Duesenberg as chief engineer. Murphy crashed in practice avoiding a horse but was released from hospital to race, and the team trimmed the front brake linings to balance the braking.

The 30-lap race over 517.86 km at Le Mans on 25 July 1921 was won by Murphy in 4 hours 7 minutes 11 seconds, 78.22 mph. He led laps 2 to 11 and 18 to 30, lapped the field of eight survivors, and Ralph De Palma's Ballot was second. Dubonnet was fourth and Guyot sixth. Murphy later bought the car, and supercars.net says it was re-engined with a Miller to become the Murphy Special that won the 1922 Indianapolis 500.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard 1921 French Grand Prix winner (Jimmy Murphy).

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
Layoutinline eight-cylinder1 Independently researched
Displacement 2,980 cc / 3.0 LFactory: 2,980 cc1 Independently researchedThe Grand Prix limit was 183 cu in (3 litres).
Bore 63 mmFactory: 63 mm1 Independently researched
Stroke 117 mmFactory: 117 mm1 Independently researched
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Fuel systemNot yet verified
Power 85.8 kW / 117 PSFactory: 115 hp · converted1 Independently researchedSource states bhp.
Power at 4,250 rpm1 Independently researched
TorqueNot yet verified

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxNot yet verified
GearsNot yet verified
Driven wheelsNot yet verified

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNot yet verified
Front suspensionNot yet verified
Rear suspensionNot yet verified
Brakesfour-wheel hydraulic, same-size drums all round2 Independently researched
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionNot yet verified
Wheelbase 2,680 mmFactory: 105.5 in · converted1 Independently researched
LengthNot yet verified
WidthNot yet verified
HeightNot yet verified
Front track 1,300 mmFactory: 51 in · converted1 Independently researched
Rear track 1,300 mmFactory: 51 in · converted1 Independently researched
Kerb weightNot yet verified
Dry weight 908 kgFactory: 2,001.8 lb · converted1 Independently researched

Performance

Maximum speedNot yet verified
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tankNot yet verified

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Duesenberg 1921 GP Level B Supercars.net
    • Engine: 8-Cylinder In-line
    • Capacity: 2,980 cc
    • Bore X Stroke: 63 mm X 117 mm
    • Power: 115 bhp at 4,250 rpm
    • Wheelbase: 105.5 inches
    • Track: 51 inches front, 51 inches rear
    • Weight: 2,001.8 lbs
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  2. 2
    1921: the year America first conquered Le Mans Level B Motor Sport Magazine · 2021-07-01
    • The Duesenbergs were unique in using hydraulic brakes instead of rod and cable
    Accessed 2026-11-12

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