As per my Porsche Supercup in Bahrain post, I attended last year’s Nürburgring 24-hour with Falken Tyres and their Porsche 911 GT3 R. It was a great event from start to finish, so I’m delighted that Falken Tyres Europe is supporting new Ferdinand magazine by taking us out there again.
Last year was fun, resulting in a decent Total 911 article and much blog coverage. This year we’re hoping to go more in depth, and blog some unique live coverage while on site.
The 2012 Falken drivers are as last year: Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler, Le Mans hero Peter Dumbreck and Porsche Junior, Martin Ragginger. All are quick and all want to win. The car has also been developed since last year and is even more competitive. It led the field at the opening VLN round before breaking a driveshaft: that part has been uprated as the team chase after reliability.
As for how we’re getting there, Flybe properly messed me around last year so I ended up taking the orange 911 Carrera (below, on site). I’m hoping to have that in with Racing Restorations for its strip down and refresh by the N24, so it’s time to service the Subaru and get it stickered up with the new Ferdinand artwork.
Here’s some video from the Falken Tyres Youtube Channel to show the action we’re expecting. This is top man Peter Dumbreck starting VLN from the lead: love the view of the rest of the field in the rear view GoPro.
At the heart of the N24 weekend is Porsche’s passion to race. Though it trails in the American Le Mans series, Porsche always goes well in the N24, so it’s a thrill to know we’ll be back there again.
Ferdinand blogs my freelance adventure with Porsche at the centre. To support the blog or engage with me in other ways, you can:
The interview I recorded in London with BBC Radio 4 airs today at 16:00 hrs UK time.
The piece will appear on Last Word: Radio 4’s obituary show. I think the session went well, but you never know how these things will turn out in the edit. I’m hoping it will come across as interesting, and in honour of the third generation of Porsche car designers: we’ll have to see.
The whole thing was recorded in The Orange: my Carrera 3.0 Coupe. I drove the orange 911 down to London, picked up producer Jane Little and we took a drive around the West End. Tootling around a city centre is not where Orange is happiest, but there were a coupe of spots where it could stretch its legs a bit in second gear. Made both of us laugh.
Jane was quite surprised by the 911’s turn of speed in stripped out guise, with the reduced final drive ratio that Orange runs. The view through that big screen from the low seating position on my car, built to sprint up Swiss Alpine passes, emphasised the amount of glass Ferdinand set into the slim pillars: 60% more glass than the 356. As I say, there were some thrilling turns of speed and Jane asked some interesting questions, so I think it was a fun few hours. Hopefully that will come across on air.
However it turns out, I’m glad to have been asked to contribute by the BBC. I’m sure it will make a reasonable podcast, too. You can hear it at 4pm today and repeated at 8.30 PM on Sunday night. It’ll be on iPlayer once the Friday show has run. Here’s the link to the show again.
Porsche culture reached the end of an era last Friday, when Ferdinand Alexander Porsche passed away.
Ferdinand ‘Butzi’ was the eldest son of Ferry, son of Ferdinand. Ferry once said: “We all have a desire to create something that will show we were here, and did something of value. To create something timeless.” Fifty years ago, his eldest son fulfilled that ambition.
Butzi’s breakthough was not his favourite: this award went to the 904. It was not the most expensive, nor the most exclusive. But it was the most authentic and engaging of Porsches. Butzi gave the world a Porsche that answered more desires than any before, or since. It was, of course, the 911.
Butzi believed that design was not fashion. Good design was functionality. Functional items fit with our needs: they are relevant.
When relevance touches the soul, the subconscious creates deep, unbreakable connections. When something is irrelevant, our conscious minds disconnect and discard, but such a fate never befell Butzi’s creation. 901, 911, 964, 993, 996, 997, 991: call it what you will, since that first line emerged from the mind of Butzi Porsche, the 911 has been the world’s most relevant sports car.
With so many 911s from the model’s half-century history still used and abused, cherished and adored, the revelance is proven. Almost fifty years after its arrival, the 911 remains the machine most connected to the practice of driving, and most aspired to by those who seek the ultimate driving experience.
Through Ferdinand Alexander, all of us who love the 911 discovered one great thing: an instant route to satisfaction. Sitting in Ferdinand’s 911, surrounded by his vision of perfection, we enjoy a space that is timeless: simultaneously of its time, and of ours. We who cannot imagine life without our 911s know its true purpose: it is a direct connection to three generations of engineering genius, and a vital component in the engine of the super-ego.
It’s tough to say goodbye to friends, even tougher when you’ve never met them. But be sure that if you own and enjoy a 911, F. A. Porsche was a friend: one of your best. Let this be in our minds as we say farewell to our friend and inspiration, Butzi Porsche.
Adieu Ferdinand Alexander, on your journey to the arms of your father. You will never be forgotten by those you have inspired. Rest in peace.
Just tweeted the Drendel Porsche Collection sale at Amelia Island and it was terrific fun. Here’s a list of my tweets, with the prices fetched in the hall – add the premium to get the buyers’ actual bill. Quite a few world records, as expected. Gooding will no doubt have a huge press release on this.
Best result? Take your pick: Martini 935 at $2.3 Million, Baby Turbo which sold for a stunning $2.95 Million or the 917/30 at $4 Million! Here are the tweets:
We are THREE CARS away from a ton of big-money classic Porsches at @GoodingCompany in Amelia Island. Stay tuned!
1960 #Porsche 356B Roadster in Silver with Blue/Blue makes $135k at @GoodingCompany. Tons of start bids, painfully slow finish in 2.5s.
Drendel Collection NOW ON SALE. First car is a 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S.
#Porsche 944 Turbo S has just 700 miles from new. Unreal. Makes a SUPER SWEET $75k at @GoodingCompany. $10k past high estimate.
The Martini #Porsche 935 now on the stand at @GoodingCompany. Hall is buzzing.
The #Drendel Martini #Porsche 935 makes $2.3 MILLION at @GoodingCompany. Holy mother: $300k past high estimate.
NOW! Bell/Holbert’s ex-Le Mans 1980 Porsche 924 GTP on the stand. All other cars owned by the factory. #Drendel @GoodingCompany
Ex-Le Mans 1980 Porsche 924 GTP makes a slow $350k – seems value for money…
1997 #Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution on the stand. #Drendel @GoodingCompany – Bids at $825k and heading north
Make that $950k on the phone
$975k on the GT1 – still bidding. Phone is out.
$1.05 Million against the phone for the GT1 #Porsche at @GoodingCompany
(Tweet chat to @GTPorsche: Yes I think the 924 was a good buy. Gooding including their premium – my numbers in the hall. Good fun sale.)
1990 #Porsche 944 Cab makes $36k – well past high estimate. Now 934 on the rostrum. On $650k at the mo.
Peach of a #Porsche 934 selling well cheap at $650k and slow to go.
1976 #Porsche 934 in top colour, ex-Le Mans class winner sells for $810k – new money came in at $725k when looked all over.
1987 McLaren MP4/3 Formula 1 on the stage NOW – 1000hp with spare engine. Charlie takes a start bid of $200k straight in
McLaren going frigging ballistic
$780k for the McLaren F1 car – Porsches look cheap against it! Talk about last minute save at $640k – GRIPPING AUCTION with HEAVY bidding
Derek Bell now on the stage talking about the next lot – sale just down the road from his FL house #Porsche 1984 962
Winningest #Porsche in history?! For sale for first time ever. 1984 Porsche 962 opens at $1 MILLION
Finish of $1.75 MILLION on phone for 1984 #Porsche 962. Low estimate was $1.75M. Slow to get there.
WORLD RECORD FOR A #PORSCHE 962
1986 #Porsche 944 Turbo Cup starts at just $20k – nuts but we’ll see where it goes
1986 #Porsche 944 Turbo Cup low estimate of $65k – finishes at $72k. Like pulling great big rooted teeth here.
1974 #Porsche RSR Carrera Turbo 2.14 starts at a mill. Baby Turbo on sale. Low estimate $1.75M – now $2M
Baby Turbo makes $2.95M in room at @GoodingCompany #Porsche 911 RSR. Very strong bidding – such a thrill to watch. Blitzes estimates.
ONE CAR TO GO TO THE 917/30 #PORSCHE AT GOODING OMG OMG OMG
Auction Fever – #Porsche 968 Turbo S Clone makes well past high estimate at a healthy $66k @GoodingCompany – the mega 917/30 is up next.
OK – this is the BIG ONE. Ultimate #Porsche 917: most powerful road racing car EVER. One of only 6 built. 0-60 in 2 seconds.
#Porsche 917/30 hits a killer $4 Million at @GoodingCompany. One bid from 2.6 to 3 tried to freeze the rest but failed. High est $4M
This is such a great #Porsche sale – now we have the Boss 944 GTP sold without reserve. Fantastically famous car opens at $200k.
Who is keeping total score here? Guess I’d better add it up! Still four more #Drendel #Porsche cars to go after 944.
$280k for the #Porsche 944 GTP. Now a Holbert 962 with truckload of spares. 9 wins and 17 podiums. Starts at $500k.
Holbert #Porsche 962 sells at $850k
1992 #Porsche 968 Turbo RS starts well below low estimate at $100k, but soon hits low estimate of $250k.
Great result for #Porsche 968 Turbo RS at $315k – $10k off top estimate
1980 Parnelli #Porsche Indy Car sluggish bids to $200k – fails to hit low estimate of $350k. #Surprised #UNSOLD
FINAL #Drendel #Porsche at @GoodingCompany is the 1995 911 (993) GT2. Low estimate $375k. ON SALE at $255k now.
Last #Drendel #Porsche 911 993 GT2 sells amongst very busy $5k bid increments for $325k. Everyone exhausted!! Low estimate was $375k.
Thanks to everyone who didn’t unfollow me through the #Drendel tweets! What a great sale – top day for #Porsche fans.
Flicking through the latest on Porsche’s Newscast app in bed this morning, I found this 911 video. It features a 991 Cabriolet in white with red top: I would find the right names for both these things but the Porsche car configurator is crashed at the minute on both sides of the pond. Blame me.
As ever, the copywriter seems to have taken inspiration from an ’80s actualize-your-ultimate-potential self-help manual (“and naturally, it’s about dreams: immensely precious dreams”), but the car and the photography are just beautiful. I don’t think I’d change a thing before ordering this.
You can’t beat a nicely shot Porsche 911 video!
edit March 6, 2012: Had an email last night from a video mate. “That 911 cab vid on your blog is terrible pretentious clinical fluff. Don’t condone it!” I guess I am sentimentally attached to 911 Cabriolets – can I help my bad taste?!
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