• video
• design

A peak at Porsche’s 75th birthday present to itself, a concept that re-imagines the classic 356 for modern times.

• video
• builders

The Verge:

This 550-horsepower 1968 Porsche 912 is getting all of its power from an unexpected source: the electric motor from a Tesla Model S P85. It was made by two Southern California shops, Zelectric Motors and EV West, which convert old Volkswagens and Porsches into modernized electric cars. It’s a new way to rescue aging vintage cars — though not everyone is happy with the idea.

Get used to it people, this is only going to get more and more popular.

• video
• motorsport

Early tarmac testing footage of a prototype car that would become the Lancia Delta S4 Group B.

Glorious for the fact that there is no music, no narration, nothing, except the pure natural sounds of this supercharged and turbocharged monster being relentlessly flung between the armco.

• video
• marques

On April 16 the Porsche 911 GT3 RS set another benchmark for road-approved sports cars at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit in Germany: Porsche works race driver Kévin Estre set a lap time in 6:56.4 minutes with the 520-hp GT3 RS. The Frenchman’s lap time was 24 seconds faster than the best time achieved with the previous GT3 RS model. […]

Regardless of its real-world importance or relevance, kudos to Porsche for continuing to blow minds with each generation and subsequent iteration of its sportscars.

Don’t miss the short prologue video either.

• for sale

With a production run of just 50 examples and strong GT racing pedigree, the Ferrari Enzo’s half-sibling Maserati MC12 is a bonafide future classic.

Offered at RM Sotherby’s Paris event, 7 Feb 2018. Bidding estimate €2m-2.5m.

• video
• review

Jack Rix for Top Gear reviews the two newest members of the ever increasing Porsche 911 family - the 911 GT3 Touring and Carrera T - on the twisting roads of the Alpes-Maritimes.

Both models feature a rare thing in today’s crowded supercar market: manual gearboxes.

• for sale

It doesn’t get more desirable than this. One of 12 delivered to Australia and one of 124 Clubsport versions built. Many of the Australian delivered cars went on to be campaigned in local production car series, this one appears to have escaped intact with matching engine and chassis and just 51,845km on the clock.

Chassis No. WP0ZZZ99ZSS390217. Currently listed on carsales.com.au, AU$730,000.

• motorsport
• news

Formula 1 and governing body the FIA have laid out proposals for the next generation of F1 power units (PU), with improved noise, reduced cost, and a more level playing field among the key objectives.

More hybrid power using standard components and electronics, more revs, no MGUH, stricter turbo and fuel regs, tighter design paramaters.

A few new manufacturers have been waiting for these, I wonder if the strategy will work or has everyone already jumped across to Formula E?

• for sale

This is a good option: a 1997 McLaren F1 in Dandelion Yellow that’s clocked just 239km (149mi) and still wears its factory-applied sheath of plastic over the Alcantara interior. This is as close to buying the car brand new from McLaren in the ‘90s as you’re going to get, and if you’re the kind of person who geeks out deeply over OEM accessories, prepare to have this car stuck in your head for a while.

As beautiful as it is, it’s criminal that F1 #060 has not been driven and enjoyed.

• motorsport
• news

Factory Porsche driver, 2015 WEC series champion, and 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Brendon Hartley is set to make his Formula 1 race debut at the upcoming Austin GP, driving for the Toro Rosso squad.

• marques
• news

As a follow-on from crafting the ‘lost’ series of E-Type Lightweights, JLR Classic has now turned its attention to producing nut-and-bolt restorations of Jaguar’s iconic Series I E-Type.

The inital batch of 10 ‘Reborn’ cars should set you back an entirely reasonable £285,000.

• vale
• motorsport

John Surtees, the only man to win world championships on two wheels and four, has passed away aged 83, his family has confirmed.

Truly one of a kind.

Vale John Surtees.

(Wikipedia)

• builders
• video

Go behind the scenes as the craftsmen at Ed Pink Racing Engines build what is the pinnacle of air-cooled Porsche engines for Singer Vehicle Design.

via roadandtrack.com

• video
• interview

391km/h back in 1998.

The hairs on my neck are standing on end.

• motorsport
• video

Mark Skaife shows current Nissan Motorsport driver Michael Caruso around his 1991 Bathurst 1000 winning Nissan GT-R Group A machine.

• for sale
• news

A 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 (Type 993), one of 57 road-going examples, finished in ‘Riviera Blue’, being sold as part of the original owner’s collection with just 12,730 km on the clock.

Sold! for an astounding £1,848,000.

Porsche prices have been kooky for a while now but this one is beyond kooky.

The recent London sales by RM Sotherby’s featured a few other stand-out results for desirable Porsches: 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 got £716,800 and this 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo S Lightweight fetched and equally astonishing £974,400.

Us? We’d have taken home this (relative) bargain 993 RSCS over any of that lot for ‘just’ £403,200.

• marques
• video

A masterpiece profile of a McLaren-owner of the best kind.

In Tokyo we meet Go Hiramatsu, a lawyer who uses his McLaren P1 for the daily commute - and also takes it into the mountain passes at the weekend.

My hero.

• for sale

Here’s something special. One of only 17 924 Carrera GTR models produced by the factory and with an incredible 109 kms on the clock.

This amazing one owner, 109 kilometres from new, survivor has an even more incredible story to tell. One of only two cars delivered to Japan from new (the other example having been used for racing), the GTR was brought into the country in 1981 by Porsche importer ‘Garage Italya’. In 1983, after being stored for 2 years, it was purchased by a Japanese businessman and classic car enthusiast who wanted to add it to his private collection.

The car was never used on the road but was enjoyed a handful of times on the track at Suzuka and the Fuji Speedway. On each occasion, our fastidious Japanese owner made a record of the distance travelled at each track day. According to his records, the car covered just 109 kilometres in the first 7 years of his ownership, after which the 924 was carefully stored in his two-storey garage, safely in the first-floor attic space accessible by a car lift. The GTR was removed from storage each year, taken on a trailer to be serviced, brought back, then placed back in position in the garage. From 1981 to 2006 the car was serviced by Porsche specialist ‘Tomei Car Service’, then latterly by Porsche specialist ‘Garage Tool Box’. In the intervening period, the engine was started and run regularly.

Goes under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions upcoming ‘Silverstone Classic Race Car Sale’ on 28 Jul 2016. Bidding range estimate £475,000-575,000.

• design
• video

Eight short videos by Ford Performance documenting the two-and-a-half year gestation of their third generation Ford Focus RS.

• E01: Project Kickoff Featuring Ken Block
• E02: Design and Development
• E03: Hitting the Road
• E04: Test-track Trials
• E05: Arctic Extremes
• E06: Power Struggle
• E07: Close Scrutiny
• E08: Final Chapter

Great to see this kind of behind the scenes action from Ford, especially for such an important car for the marque.

• video

Henry Catchpole for evo magazine:

As dream drives go, Lamborghini Aventador SV across the decrestricted mountain road on the Isle of Man at sunset is about as good as it gets. There’s not a lot else to say really.

Put on your headphones and turn the volume up to 11.