by John Glynn | Aug 8, 2014 | Porsche News, Race and Rally
Been a very busy boy lately with a bunch of new website builds and a lot of new products and projects to look after. It’s left little time for Ferdinand, but I should start catching up after this weekend.
Undoubtedly the biggest Porsche story of the past two weeks has been the launch of Tuthill Porsche’s 911 WRC car. Built to comply with complex FIA R-GT/RGT regulations, the project was led by Graham Moore, who also managed the original Aston Martin V8 Vantage Rally GT project. Graham is super interesting to talk to, and following Team Tuthill’s work in getting the car through the various levels of FIA approval has been highly illuminating.
Graham Moore – Chief Engineer Tuthill Porsche 911 Rally Car
Like many of the engineers and technicians who work with Tuthill Porsche, Graham started with Prodrive in the early 1990s and gained experience across all of the projects of the time, including BMW and Alfa Romeo touring cars. He then switched to Subaru’s Group A and WRC teams, where his work as head of powertrain helped Colin McRae secure Subaru’s first World Rally Championship.
Moving to the race track, Graham worked on the Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2 program in Le Mans, American Le Mans and the 24 Hours. The team then built the first bio-fueled, Judd-powered Lola LMP1 to race in Le Mans Series. The car snatched pole in Japan ahead of a full season of Le Mans Series, ALMS and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010.
Since then, Graham has been focused on developing high power electric drivetrains for electric racing championships like FIA Formula E, and served as Chief Engineer on converting the LMP1 Lola chassis to race with pure electric power. Graham’s lead role in the Tuthill Porsche RGT project has been a real dream come true for all at Tuthill Porsche in Wardington.
Porsche 911 FIA WRC Rally Car: Restrictions
It will come as no surprise to learn that the FIA’s RGT category is power restricted. The 911 has to run an inlet air restrictor, which limits outright performance on FIA events. This creates an interesting challenge to get the best performance, but Richard and Peter Lythell enjoyed their first outing at Harry Flatters, where the Tuthill 997 RGT car ran as course closing car with an official dispensation from the MSA.
“We had an amazing first day in the car,” said Richard Tuthill, who drove the car on the event. “The main aim of the day was to get miles under our belts. We tried a variety of setups and tyre combinations. Our target for the 911 WRC car was create a Porsche that is easy and fun to drive, and which will appeal to all levels of drivers.
“We’re delighted to report that the car lands beautifully from jumps, is incredibly nimble through the narrow tight twisty stuff and hugely competent in the fast sections. It was born to rally: there is also no doubt that it will be extremely competitive in the overall standings.”
Porsche 911 FIA RGT car at Ulster Rally and WRC Germany
Next outing for the Tuthill Porsche 911 WRC car is next weekend’s Ulster Rally. From Ulster it goes straight to Germany for testing for WRC Germany, and then possibly on to Scandinavia. We are waiting to hear! There may even be a video crew following the Tuthill Porsche in Deutschland, so we look forward to great content after that event.
The plan is to race this car to iron out any bugs and then open the order book for customer versions. Anyone interested in the Porsche 997 GT3 FIA WRC car should email Richard Tuthill and get talking, as build slots will fill up quickly. It takes very little work to switch the car from track day use to rally spec, so it is a true all-rounder.
Rally Pics by JMS Photographic
by John Glynn | Jul 28, 2014 | Market & Prices, Porsche News, Race and Rally
Porsche’s South African connections have bought the Kyalami Circuit near Johannesburg, South Africa. Recently offered at auction as commercial development land, the South African Porsche dealer CEO apparently had to put £200k on deposit to bid in an auction sale that eventually lasted less than a minute. The final purchase price was just under $20 million, or £11.5 Million.
The purchase joins up a news loose end for me as, a few weeks ago, my number 1 Jo’burg informant sent me a picture of a 919 Hybrid-like creature being trailered away from the circuit. I did some research and found the link to the auction. I suspected something could be happening but did not want to speculate. That kind of chat makes it dearer for everyone. That said, the secret obviously escaped as the reserve went from zero to R129 Million to R200 Million within a few days.
Porsche Kyalami Circuit purchase
What will happen with the circuit? Could be a hot weather testing zone open to Volkswagen/Porsche badge, with the added ability of customer experience and on-site vehicle engineering centres. Jo’burg is also a great place for car launches in the depths of winter without having to fly to Australia. Summer runs from October to April, when snow never happens, rain is infrequent and January temps approach 30 degrees.
The main thing is no one will build houses on it, so well done to the J’Burgers for stepping up. That said, I’m sure it could make a tidy profit if they did split some of it off for development.
The Old Kyalami
Alastair Caldwell, friend of Ferdinand, former McLaren team manager and now erstwhile marathon rally driver, tells some great stories about Kyalami, back when his driver James Hunt gorged on the breakfast of champions. I can’t think of one that’s repeatable, but no doubt the legend of the old Kyalami circuit’s speed and debauchery lives on in race circles. With Mexico coming back on the GP calendar, maybe Kyalami will be next. It would certainly make a good WEC venue, although the new circuit is not as exciting as the old one, which was raced until 1985.
Old Kyalami was absolutely awesome. The lap finished in a huge uphill climb to the main straight where the cars could reach more than 200 mph on a surface rougher than a Belgian motorway. Check out this video of Prost in the Renault during 1983. They don’t make them like this anymore!
by John Glynn | Jul 28, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Race and Rally
Ferdinand Magazine’s favourite digital artist, Guy Allen, has just released a new print for summer 2014. Celebrating a famous 911 win at the 1973 Daytona 12 Hours, Guy has created a striking Porsche 911 artwork that does justice to the hard-fought Sebring showdown.
Porsche 911 RSR Sebring 1973
Veteran race fans may recall how, in 1972, the Sebring 12 Hours was struck off the World Sportscar Championship calendar due to the state of the track. IMSA decided to include the circuit on its 1973 GT racing calendar and set the stage for a brutal test of survival.
A pair of Corvettes led from the start, but an unmerciful race pace around the airfield circuit took its toll. On lap 86, Porsche seized the lead. The Porsche 911 RSRs of Haywood/Gregg/Helmick and Minter/Keyser did battle to the flag, with Dave Helmick’s Light Yellow RSR coming home first.
Those lovely people at Gunnar Racing carried out a full restoration on the original RSR back in 2000 – see the Gunnar Racing 911 RSR restoration thread. At the time, it was owned by a gentleman living in Oxford, just down the road from here. No doubt this is an important 911: great to see it on a Guy Allen print.
Produced on archive quality heavyweight paper and available in a strictly limited edition of 100 prints, this is a large format A2 print: 594 x 420 mm. Each print is signed and numbered. Mine is number two – not sure where I’ll hang it yet, but it’s a really nice piece of work.
How Sebring Changed the Face of Racing
What I like about this story of the 1973 12 Hours of Sebring is how it changed the face of US racing. Gunnar’s website quotes Sebring historian Ken Breslauer’s summary of events around that time, following the FIA’s refusal to certify the circuit for 1973.
“For 1973, an upstart group known as IMSA added Sebring to its Camel GT series, and the race lived on, though radically different in appearance. The entire event was more informal, but no less competitive than previous years. In retrospect,the 1973 race was one of the finest gatherings of GT production race cars ever in North America. Entries totalled the second largest ever at Sebring.
“There was no race the next year, 1974, due to the OPEC oil embargo and resulting fuel crisis. Nevertheless, on the third weekend of March ’74, about 2,000 race fans showed up anyway. The Sebring tradition simply would not die.”
No race and a fuel crisis, but two thousand race fans “turned up anyway.” Way to go, America!
by John Glynn | Jul 28, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Porsche News
The sun has set on another great Silverstone Classic: an event that is maturing into a laid back petrolfest of epic proportions.
Silverstone is local to me: only fifteen minutes from home. I’ve never previously considered local events as being world class, and I am not alone. Talking to some Le Mans locals at a previous Le Mans Classic, they viewed Goodwood Festival of Speed as a better event. Away from cars, when we visited Venice, the locals said Florence was more impressive. As Joseph Addison put it: “when a man becomes familiar with his goddess, she quickly sinks into a woman.”
My issue with Goodwood is it’s all a big car show. Fine if you like looking at cars, not so great if you want competitive action. Le Mans Classic has plenty of racing, but there’s a feeling of exclusion in the field. If you haven’t got something ACO approves of, stay home. That long course is great for the drivers who can be bothered to lean on the loud pedal, but spectators hardly see the older cars, each lap is so long.
Silverstone Classic Porsche
Silverstone is a different affair. A huge mix of cars go racing on the 3.6-mile GP circuit: everything from early F1 to ’90s GT cars. There is not too much properly old stuff – and what old stuff there is runs a reasonable lap time and is absolutely terrifying to watch, let alone drive. I watched an early GP car in practice on Friday and, every time it braked into Luffield, the rear wheels bounced up and down at least a foot off the ground for three or four seconds, driver sawing away at the wheel but getting straight back on the throttle as soon as it turned in. Hardcore!
Yes, much the same faces win every year, the later F1 cars will always go quickest and nothing can touch a Lola T70. But, behind the front runners, everyone else is racing hard too. The EB Motorsport 911s fought a range of other machinery this weekend: Ferrari Daytona, Corvette and Chevron. A classic McLaren raced that gorgeous Ferrari 512M, and GT40s had a proper grudge match in the thirty-degree heat. With track temps past forty degrees, the old cars worked like ovens all weekend.
Still the drivers thrashed on: a quick walk around the paddock showed some serious racers. Big motorhomes and race transporters parked up next to single-trailer set-ups with tents and barbeques everywhere. Hoorah Henrys seemed less prolific than in previous years, although I did see a punch-up between drivers in the paddock.
A bit silly maybe, but no doubt these guys take the racing seriously, as they should. It’s the most serious racing this side of Oldtimer GP and the Spa 6 Hours. There is no doubt the FIA Masters Historic Sportscars race could have run longer: most drivers I spoke to wanted to race on for at least another hour (the race was sixty minutes). It will be interesting to see how the programme develops over the next few years.
Good fun to have a concert at the venue too. Coming into the circuit at 4pm one evening, loads of old cars were leaving but lots more people were coming in to share the music and atmosphere. As I left the track at 10pm on Saturday, the place was packed, and rocking to the sounds of Bonnie Tyler. Not my kind of music, but it was still a great weekend. Congratulations to Silverstone on another sterling effort, and many thanks to whoever is organising this weather!
Edit: RIP Denis Welch. Just heard via Octane’s David Lillywhite that the respected Healey specialist has died in hospital from injuries sustained in a crash this weekend. Sad to hear the news: at least he went out doing what he loved.
by John Glynn | Jul 23, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Road Trips
My last post was about Gavin’s Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Targa. This is the car that inspired a business: hiring Porsche 911s for scenic drives around Sydney, Australia.
“Seven years ago, we moved to the scenic coast and highlands area south of Sydney,” says Gavin. “I soon realised that there were some fantastic driving opportunities in our back yard. I put two and two together, and ended up with five Porsches! We offer drives & lunch through spectacular scenery. There are eight full climbs & descents, with over 200 kilometres of driving, in a range of Porsche 911s: a 1977 3-Litre Carrera, 993 Varioram, 996 Carrera 4S, 987 Boxster 2.7 and 997 Carrera S.
“We’ve set all of our cars up quite differently: each offers a specific experience. The Porsche 993 Varioram Tiptronic is in original condition. The 996 Carrera 4S is set up quite aggressively in terms of suspension, wheels, geometry and exhaust. Both the 987 and 997 are original spec. We opened the doors in February this year and took our first clients out in March: so far it’s been perfect.
“We’re less than an hour south of Sydney by either train or car and we take in the best sights in the region via back country roads. Guests swap amongst the vehicles throughout the day, so they get a chance to drive each of the fleet on different roads. All of our overseas/interstate guests have been wowed by the variety of scenery and roads on offer. We’ve got the route right, so with a good Porsche hire fleet and some fun stops for refreshment, it’s impossible not to have a great time.
“There’s something new for most people, regardless of their driving experience. People are always surprised at the performance offered by the air-cooled 911s and the Boxster (poor man’s Porsche & all that). Many of our guests are in the process of moving out of other European performance cars – mostly M-cars and AMGs – and it’s interesting to see their reaction as they exit each of the 911s. While lower in outright horsepower, they never fail to talk about the sound, feel and dexterity of the cars compared with their current drives.
“I’m in love with our own product and it’s got to be one of the best jobs in the world watching the smiles just get bigger and bigger. People usually ask me which is my favourite car over lunch, and I really enjoy watching them struggle to answer the same question when we get back to the garage at the end of the day!”
Sounds like a dream come true to me – not been to Australia yet, but I’ve got a busload of mates down there now. Gavin promises a day to remember when I eventually get down to Sydney. The website is www.driveporsches.com.au.
