Alfa Romeo was back at Le Mans for the first time since the war and fielded the beautiful new 6C/3000CM (Cortemaggiore) powered by a 3.5L S6 engine (developing 270 bhp and 245 kph) for Fangio and Onofre Marimón and Consalvo Sanesi and Piero Carini.
Donald Healey this year had two collaborations: his last year with Nash Motors with a pair of long-tailed models, and a new partnership with the Austin Motor Company using its 2.7L engine, producing only 100 bhp but capable of 190 kph.