Driven Imagination - Stories about cars often begin on a racetrack or in a manufacturer’s workshop, but sometimes they start in the pages of a comic book. The Vaillante Le Mans GT is the perfect example of this unusual journey. Born from the imagination of artist Jean Graton in his famous Michel Vaillant comics, it remained a dream for decades—until one man decided that paper and ink were not enough. In 2020, that dream became a tangible, roaring machine thanks to French craftsman Marcel Sylvand, who built the car almost entirely by hand.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT, brought to life by Marcel Sylvand, was inspired by the car that first appeared in Jean Graton’s Michel Vaillant comics of the 1960s. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X) |
For
Sylvand, the spark was lit in childhood. Growing up in Sallanches, a small Alpine town in Haute-Savoie, he devoured
Tintin magazine, where
Michel Vaillant stories were published. Without television at home, the comic became his gateway to high-speed adventures. Among all the machines that appeared in the series, one stood out:
the Vaillante Le Mans GT, with its flowing curves and dynamic design. From that moment,
Sylvand carried a secret wish—to one day bring this car to life. That wish would wait more than half a century before becoming reality.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT first took shape as a striking design in Jean Graton’s Michel Vaillant comics, capturing the imagination of readers long before it became reality. (Picture from: EuropeComics) |
The path to creating the Le Mans GT was anything but straightforward. With no official blueprints or technical data,
Sylvand had to reverse-engineer the car from comic panels.
Working like Graton himself—pencil in hand,
no computer,
no digital modeling—
he set about turning imagination into metal. The foundation came from
a 1978 Datsun 260Z, chosen for its proportions that roughly matched the illustrated design. The Japanese chassis was trimmed and reshaped to match the fantasy proportions of
the Vaillante, and the inline-six engine was carefully restored to breathe new life into the project. From there, countless details had to be invented or adapted.
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| French craftsman Marcel Sylvand proudly stood in front his creation, the Vaillante Le Mans GT, while holding Jean Graton’s Michel Vaillant comics.. (Picture from: EuropeComics) |
The build demanded 2,500 hours spread over five years,
with Sylvand dedicating up to six hours a day in his carefully arranged workshop. Each step brought a new obstacle, pushing him to think like both an engineer and an artist.
Even basic elements such as the doors and side panels had to be adapted,
in this case from a Peugeot 404,
while the windshield—
arguably the most difficult challenge—
called for a custom Lexan mold that Sylvand designed himself after traditional glass proved too costly.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT was built on a 1978 Datsun 260Z, selected for its proportions that closely matched the car’s original comic design. (Picture from: FanClub-Vaillante) |
His solutions were never limited to the automotive world. Parts arrived not only from other cars but also from nautical and aviation suppliers, reflecting his inventive spirit and refusal to compromise. The rear hatch, headlights, and roof all required one-off designs, since no existing component could capture the exact proportions of the car imagined decades earlier in the pages of a comic book.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT relied on parts not only from other cars but also from nautical and aviation suppliers, showcasing Sylvand’s inventive spirit and refusal to compromise.. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X) |
Even though much of the work was solitary, Sylvand was far from alone. Skilled friends and local specialists joined in at key stages: Stan’s Custom in Saint-Gervais, Aurélien from Degenève Classics, and even a young seamstress who sewed the tan imitation leather seats. Family pitched in as well, with his sister-in-law helping on upholstery. Encouragement also flowed from the digital world once Sylvand began sharing progress on Facebook, sparking admiration from strangers around the globe.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT required one-off designs for the rear hatch, headlights, and roof, as no existing components could match the exact proportions envisioned decades earlier in the comic book. (Picture from: FanClub-Vaillante) |
The result is a car unlike any other—
a faithful, one-off recreation of a fictional racer,
materialized through passion and craftsmanship.
For Sylvand,
authenticity mattered most.
He didn’t want a car merely “inspired by” the comics;
he wanted the Vaillante Le Mans GT, as if
Michel Vaillant himself might step out of the cockpit. Staying true to
Graton’s vision meant relentless attention to detail, even when it meant discarding easier solutions.
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| The Vaillante Le Mans GT was finally completed and showcased at Degenève Classics, a space converted from an old carpentry workshop into a collector’s showroom. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X) |
When the car was finally completed, it was showcased at Degenève Classics, a space transformed from an old carpentry workshop into a collector’s showroom. But Sylvand never intended the GT to sit quietly behind velvet ropes. For him, a car is meant to be driven, not preserved as an ornament. He wants people to see it in motion, tackling the twisting Alpine roads, alive in the way Graton first imagined.
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For Sylvand, the spark was lit in childhood. Growing up in Sallanches, a small Alpine town in Haute-Savoie, he devoured Tintin magazine, where Michel Vaillant stories were published. Without television at home, the comic became his gateway to high-speed adventures. Among all the machines that appeared in the series, one stood out: the Vaillante Le Mans GT, with its flowing curves and dynamic design. From that moment, Sylvand carried a secret wish—to one day bring this car to life. That wish would wait more than half a century before becoming reality.
The story of the Vaillante Le Mans GT is not just about metal and mechanics; it’s about how imagination can inspire reality across decades. From a boy reading comics in the 1960s to a man in his sixties finishing a five-year labor of love, it proves that some childhood dreams are worth holding on to. And while speculators might wonder if the car will ever be for sale, Sylvand makes it clear: the Vaillante is not a commodity, but a story on wheels—one still unfolding, with new adventures waiting just around the bend. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MICHEL VAILLIANT IN FACEBOOK | FANCLUB-VAILLANT | VAILLANTE LE MANS GT CONSTRUCTION IN FACEBOOK | VAILLANTE.FANDOM | AUDISPORT | EUROPECOMICS | WIKIPEDIA | OBSCURESUPERCAR IN X ]
