We’ve been keeping a low profile on Porsche at Le Mans, but all that’s about to change. The weekend should see Ferdinand Mag glued to TV coverage of the event, so I’ve been clearing the decks to allow that to happen.
Got a few more bits to get out of the way, so keep yourself busy by watching this glory day throwback: 956s running and winning the 50th Le Mans in 1982. Current-day Porsche makes almost no sales hay from historic Le Mans Porsche achievements, but it’s great to see golden-day videos shared on the Porsche Cars Youtube channel.
You need 13 minutes to watch all this film. Make sure you’ve got them before you click play!
I’ve been watching a lot of racing lately. Not just Nurburgring 24, VLN, Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup, but Blancpain Endurance and the ALMS series.
Blancpain from Silverstone on Motors TV the other night was interesting. In the wet, the little old 911 GT3 RS racecars were setting respectable times versus the latest McLarens and Mercedes SLS.
It made me wonder: how fast is the GT3 RS road car (sweet GT3 pic above) on a dry, twisty circuit versus the McLaren MP4-12C? Thankfully, my former clients at Autocar magazine have provided the answer in video.
It’s tempting to dismiss a review that starts: “venerable” Porsche 911 versus “dizzying” new McLaren. But this is Steve Sutcliffe, who has more than a clue. The results might surprise you, especially when considering the respective purchase prices: £193,000 approx for the McLaren.
Returning from the school run last Monday, a familiar face hopped out of a Sprinter van parked opposite. Who else but my buddy Nick, sometime antiques dealer and owner of this splendiferous Sea Blue Carrera RS:
The kettle is always on at IB Towers, so Nick stopped for a cuppa, waxing lyrical about the Porsche Classic day he’d attended a few days before at our local racetrack. Porsche Cars GB had opened the doors of the Silverstone experience centre to owners of pre-’74 Porsche cars, letting them loose on the handling circuits, free to explore the Porsche centre and to try a few new 911s. Nick reckoned everyone had enjoyed themselves.
We’ve taken early cars on previous track day road trips before, including excursions to Spa Francorchamps, Silverstone, Snetterton and other race circuits not beginning with S. The owners have come home somewhat wiser, but not many return for second helpings: it takes a certain type of owner to let an appreciating classic have its head on a full race track for hours on end.
Gentler gatherings like this one are probably more in tune with most owners of older Porsche cars. R Gruppe and ImpactBumpers.com nutcases seem to thrive on a bit more adrenaline (above in Scotland), but as long as everyone’s using their cars and smiling, that’s what counts.
I’ve got Karsten’s first DVD, where Walter runs the Koln-Ahrweiler Rally of 2004 in a Porsche 911 ST. That’s a good one, despite some very high viewing angles making it difficult to see that far ahead of Walter’s car. Unlike some rally films, the action is well conveyed via digital video on a decent-sized TV.
I mentioned my minor irritation on the first DVD to Karsten, and asked him how the new one compared? “The quality is much better, I think,” he replied. “A few more camera positions, more outside shots and the interview on the second DVD with the commentary of Walter himself.”
Here’s a clip of Walter from the DVD. Lightweight Porsche body parts specialist, EB Motorsport, also competed at the Nurburgring on the same weekend and came away with a decent result, despite sliding off in their 911 ST. I’ll dig out some video of that.
Everything pre-release these days is a spy video, spy shots, exclusive pictures, blah blah. The way viral marketing works, you know manufacturers are behind the vast majority of it.
Here’s a pair of videos of much disguised new Cayman and Panamera spotted in traffic in Stuttgart. A tranche of videos shot at the same traffic lights shouts manufacturer to me, but whatever. New Cayman first:
Cayman is heavily masked, but you do get some engine noise and a hint of stop-start technology. Also following a 991 Cabriolet: maybe in convoy.
Ferdinand is all for midnight excursions in camouflaged test cars. Porsche black ops are go! Those mega masked headlights would be interesting on a late night charge – maybe that’s what the 991 is for…
The other video is the next Panamera: odd back end and will be interesting to see what the real deal looks like. Expect Boxster-style teardrop headlights on both. Platform sharing R us.
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