#bodies discovered under maranello?

[lavender-bea]

This last week has been something

[jesusvasser]

10 Hugely Interesting Vintage Racers from the 2018 Le Mans Classic

The biennial Le Mans Classic has celebrated the rich history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race since 2002. Like the contemporary 24-hour race, the main event runs through the night, in this case from 4 p.m. on Saturday to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and a 400-plus-strong field is spread over six groups that run three sessions of roughly 45 minutes long each. The cars that star in the main event cover the period from 1923 to 1981, although supporting programs have expanded over the years to include a Saturday race for Group C and GTP cars, which stretches the history to 1993. This year, the addition of the Global Endurance Legends series saw the period now cover virtually to the present day, while Porsche’s 70th anniversary celebration played a central role, which including a dedicated race. Here are 10 of the cars we found most interesting from the more than 500 we saw on track or on display in the paddock:

Toyota GT-One

This year Toyota finally scored the company’s first outright victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Japanese manufacturer came achingly close at many occasions, usually missing out because of bad luck. That was certainly the case in 1999 when Toyota fielded three examples of the fabulous GT-One. Powered by a twin-turbo V-8, it was the among the fastest cars during that race until several tire failures thwarted the charge. Gifted to designer Andre de Cortanze, this is the only example in private hands and was wheeled out for the Global Endurance Legends showcase by its recent new owner. In period, it had qualified on pole position only to crash out after a high-speed puncture at one of the fastest parts of the track.

Porsche 911 ST

It’s hard to imagine a GT class in practically any race series these days that does not feature a Porsche 911. However, it would take several years after the road cars launched before the German manufacturer started producing factory competition versions of the 911. Among the earliest racers were the 911 ST models built in the early 1970s. With the ST undergoing continuous development, no two examples were quite the same. The car that was raced this year in the Porsche Classic race was built specifically for the 1970 Tour de France with Gérard Larrousse at the wheel. Porsche initially intended to race a sports prototype, but after inspecting the roads some time prior to the event decided a road-car-based racer would be more suitable. Stripped down to its bare bones, it weighed less than 1800 pounds, making it the lightest 911 racing car ever. When Porsche showed up for the actual race, the German company was mortified to find that the entire route had just been resurfaced, which conveniently provided the advantage to the French Matra prototypes, which duly finished first and second. Larrousse finished third, probably much closer to the Matras than a road car should have been. Fittingly, the French ace was reunited with his old ST for the Porsche race.

Ford GT40 MkII

One of the most important cars that took part in the main event this year was the actual Ford GT40 MkII that won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans outright, scoring the first overall victory for the Blue Oval. After disappointing results in 1964 and 1965, Ford supported no fewer than eight GT40s in 1966, which were entered by several teams. This car was built to big-block MkII specifications and was entered by Holman & Moody for ‘Kiwis’ Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Ford finally managed to beat Ferrari in 1966 with its one-two-three victory. To drive the point home, the cars were brought together as they crossed the finish line for a picture-perfect ending, just as Ferrari did a few months earlier at Daytona. As a twist, the car that crossed the line in second was ultimately declared the winner as it had started further down the order and thus had covered the most distance. There was additional confusion later over which car was the winner, as Ford painted several MkIIs in the Le Mans winner for publicity reasons. As a result, this example—the actual winning car, by the way—was sold off and spent many years hidden away in a Belgian shed. It was eventually discovered and is today in the caring hands of American vintage racer and NASCAR team owner Rob Kauffman, who was brave enough to race the priceless machine at Le Mans once more.

Peugeot 905

Group C cars have achieved a mythical stature for many sports-car-racing enthusiasts. Raced between 1982 and 1993, the original breed of Group C cars had relatively few restrictions, with a limited fuel supply providing the balance between the different cars. A second generation of Group C cars was introduced in the early 1990s with 3.5-liter engine regulations that were similar to those for Formula 1. Most historians make the point that this was a cynical plan on the part of the governing body to lure the many manufacturers active in Group C back to Formula 1. That was certainly the case with Peugeot but before it moved on, the team scored two Le Mans wins with the glorious V-10–engined 905s. Hugely complicated to run and incredibly fast, they are a very rare sight. Yet this year’s Group C race featured not one, but two of the machines, marking in all likelihood the first time a pair have raced together since Le Mans in 1993. Run by French specialists Equipe Europe, the cars now benefit from more modern engine management that allow the V10s to run a little better and longer. This was developed—probably at no small cost—by Oreca. Peugeot’s subsequent spell as an engine supplier in Formula 1 was an utter disaster, with the V-10 universally hated by the teams that ran it.

Talbot 105 Team Car

Before World War II, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was dominated for lengthy periods by single makes, including Bentley in the late 1920s and then Alfa Romeo in the first half of the 1930s. Not among them was the British marque Talbot, but the 105 racers built between 1931 and 1934 are today among the fastest prewar cars to compete in vintage racing. In period these six-cylinder cars were bodied, prepared, and fielded by Fox & Nicholl. The ‘Team Cars’ were liveried in a striking green color and were commonly referred to by their registration numbers. Although they could do no better than third at Le Mans, they were hugely successful elsewhere, including at Brooklands and in the Alpine Trial road rally. Today these cars are raced with great verve by a group of mostly British enthusiasts and the first class—or plateau—that covers cars from 1923 to 1929 was won by one of the Talbots. The other amusingly often lit up the inside rear tire on acceleration.

Team Joest Porsche 956

Well over a dozen examples of the Porsche 956 and 962 were at Le Mans during the Classic weekend but the one that is perhaps the most inconspicuous was the most interesting. This was the ex-Team Joest Porsche 956B that was displayed in a special section dedicated to competition Porsches. Built as one of the final customer cars, it was raced extensively by Team Joest and in fact may be the single most successful Group C car of all. It won at Le Mans in 1984 with Klaus Ludwig and Henri Pescarolo at the wheel when the works team decided to skip the race. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it won again the following year with Ludwig joined this time by Paolo Barilla and Louis Krages, a.k.a. “John Winter.” This time, crucially, the works team was out in force with three examples of the brand new 962C. This would not be the last time that Joest would best the factory team with a customer car, but Reinhold Joest cherished this example—the only Group C car to win Le Mans twice—and displayed it for many years in his private museum. He only sold the car last year to the current British custodian, who has a formidable selection of sports racing cars.

Ferrari 250 LM

With values going through the roof these days, it is increasingly rare to see a “run-of-the-mill” Ferrari race in historic events. Rarer still is to see one of the fewer than three dozen 250 LMs being raced with great verve. Fortunately, there is one enthusiast who campaigns his eight-figure machine and also entrusts it to professional racers. During the night session we even spotted glowing discs on the ex-Maranello Concessionaires example. Finished in striking red and “Cambridge Blue” colors, this 250 LM was raced by the likes of Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier, and Denny Hulme in period. It was later part of some of the most formidable classic-car collections in the world. We’re lucky that it’s now in just the right pair of hands.

It can be hard to remember that deep under the flared wheel arches and ultra-wide body panels of a Porsche 935, there is in fact a Porsche 911 hidden away—a 911 Turbo to be precise. These silhouette racers dominated the GT class from the second half of the 1970s and even scored numerous outright wins, including at Le Mans in 1979. Many variants of these cars took to the track at Le Mans, including the wild ‘K3’ variant built by the Kremer Brothers. (It was this type that scored that ’79 victory.) Also out on track was one of just two works cars that are in private hands. Restored by Porsche specialist Manfred Freisinger, this Martini-liveried car was driven by current works driver Romain Dumas, who had just two weeks earlier set a new outright record at the Pikes Peak hill climb. Usually belching out big flames on the overrun, the big yet deceivingly fast 935s were among the most spectacular cars in action during the weekend, and their legend is such that Porsche recently announced a limited series of new 935s based on the current GT2 RS.

Lola T600

The cutoff year for the sixth and final plateau of classic 24 Hours cars is 1981, the year before the new Group C regulations came into effect. Desperately short on entries in what would be the final year for the current regulations, the organizers were a little more lenient in 1981. Among the cars allowed in was the brand-new Lola T600, which had been built to the new GTP regulations devised by IMSA in the United States but for all intents and purposes was a Group C car. It boasted superior ground-effect aerodynamics and was allowed to run a slightly larger engine than the regular Group 6 prototypes. It really was surprising that it took until this year for one of these cars to make an appearance at Le Mans Classic. Raced at Le Mans in period, the Cosworth V-8–engined machine looks like a rocket ship on wheels. For a variety of reasons, this one could not quite vie for victory in its group but we understand a second one is currently being prepared, which should be even quicker still.

Porsche 917

One of the most mythical of all Porsches, the 917 made history by scoring Porsche’s first two outright victories at Le Mans, in 1970 and 1971. The winning cars, however, looked little like the original 917s of 1969, which had a very bad reputation. Porsche chief engineer Ferdinand Piëch cared only about top speed on the long straights and this made those earlier cars absolutely terrifying to drive, as the lift at high speeds caused them to wander from left to right and be virtually uncontrollable. Their reputation was such that most factory drivers refused to drive the cars, so one of the 917s entered in 1969 was actually driven by gentleman racer John Woolfe. Sadly, he was involved in a fiery crash on the opening lap that cost him his life. After 1969, all 917s were updated with revised bodywork that made them more stable and ultimately hugely successful. A British enthusiast acquired what was left of and the title to the John Woolfe car and had it rebuilt to its original specification, and the car was entered at the Le Mans Classic almost 50 years after that tragic day. Unfortunately, it was crashed once more. There was a second 1969-specification 917 entered as well (it was prepared by Freisinger), and Porsche factory driver Dumas reported many of the same drivability issues as his predecessors did back in ’69.

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

10 Hugely Interesting Vintage Racers from the 2018 Le Mans Classic

The biennial Le Mans Classic has celebrated the rich history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race since 2002. Like the contemporary 24-hour race, the main event runs through the night, in this case from 4 p.m. on Saturday to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and a 400-plus-strong field is spread over six groups that run three sessions of roughly 45 minutes long each. The cars that star in the main event cover the period from 1923 to 1981, although supporting programs have expanded over the years to include a Saturday race for Group C and GTP cars, which stretches the history to 1993. This year, the addition of the Global Endurance Legends series saw the period now cover virtually to the present day, while Porsche’s 70th anniversary celebration played a central role, which including a dedicated race. Here are 10 of the cars we found most interesting from the more than 500 we saw on track or on display in the paddock:

Toyota GT-One

This year Toyota finally scored the company’s first outright victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Japanese manufacturer came achingly close at many occasions, usually missing out because of bad luck. That was certainly the case in 1999 when Toyota fielded three examples of the fabulous GT-One. Powered by a twin-turbo V-8, it was the among the fastest cars during that race until several tire failures thwarted the charge. Gifted to designer Andre de Cortanze, this is the only example in private hands and was wheeled out for the Global Endurance Legends showcase by its recent new owner. In period, it had qualified on pole position only to crash out after a high-speed puncture at one of the fastest parts of the track.

Porsche 911 ST

It’s hard to imagine a GT class in practically any race series these days that does not feature a Porsche 911. However, it would take several years after the road cars launched before the German manufacturer started producing factory competition versions of the 911. Among the earliest racers were the 911 ST models built in the early 1970s. With the ST undergoing continuous development, no two examples were quite the same. The car that was raced this year in the Porsche Classic race was built specifically for the 1970 Tour de France with Gérard Larrousse at the wheel. Porsche initially intended to race a sports prototype, but after inspecting the roads some time prior to the event decided a road-car-based racer would be more suitable. Stripped down to its bare bones, it weighed less than 1800 pounds, making it the lightest 911 racing car ever. When Porsche showed up for the actual race, the German company was mortified to find that the entire route had just been resurfaced, which conveniently provided the advantage to the French Matra prototypes, which duly finished first and second. Larrousse finished third, probably much closer to the Matras than a road car should have been. Fittingly, the French ace was reunited with his old ST for the Porsche race.

Ford GT40 MkII

One of the most important cars that took part in the main event this year was the actual Ford GT40 MkII that won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans outright, scoring the first overall victory for the Blue Oval. After disappointing results in 1964 and 1965, Ford supported no fewer than eight GT40s in 1966, which were entered by several teams. This car was built to big-block MkII specifications and was entered by Holman & Moody for ‘Kiwis’ Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Ford finally managed to beat Ferrari in 1966 with its one-two-three victory. To drive the point home, the cars were brought together as they crossed the finish line for a picture-perfect ending, just as Ferrari did a few months earlier at Daytona. As a twist, the car that crossed the line in second was ultimately declared the winner as it had started further down the order and thus had covered the most distance. There was additional confusion later over which car was the winner, as Ford painted several MkIIs in the Le Mans winner for publicity reasons. As a result, this example—the actual winning car, by the way—was sold off and spent many years hidden away in a Belgian shed. It was eventually discovered and is today in the caring hands of American vintage racer and NASCAR team owner Rob Kauffman, who was brave enough to race the priceless machine at Le Mans once more.

Peugeot 905

Group C cars have achieved a mythical stature for many sports-car-racing enthusiasts. Raced between 1982 and 1993, the original breed of Group C cars had relatively few restrictions, with a limited fuel supply providing the balance between the different cars. A second generation of Group C cars was introduced in the early 1990s with 3.5-liter engine regulations that were similar to those for Formula 1. Most historians make the point that this was a cynical plan on the part of the governing body to lure the many manufacturers active in Group C back to Formula 1. That was certainly the case with Peugeot but before it moved on, the team scored two Le Mans wins with the glorious V-10–engined 905s. Hugely complicated to run and incredibly fast, they are a very rare sight. Yet this year’s Group C race featured not one, but two of the machines, marking in all likelihood the first time a pair have raced together since Le Mans in 1993. Run by French specialists Equipe Europe, the cars now benefit from more modern engine management that allow the V10s to run a little better and longer. This was developed—probably at no small cost—by Oreca. Peugeot’s subsequent spell as an engine supplier in Formula 1 was an utter disaster, with the V-10 universally hated by the teams that ran it.

Talbot 105 Team Car

Before World War II, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was dominated for lengthy periods by single makes, including Bentley in the late 1920s and then Alfa Romeo in the first half of the 1930s. Not among them was the British marque Talbot, but the 105 racers built between 1931 and 1934 are today among the fastest prewar cars to compete in vintage racing. In period these six-cylinder cars were bodied, prepared, and fielded by Fox & Nicholl. The ‘Team Cars’ were liveried in a striking green color and were commonly referred to by their registration numbers. Although they could do no better than third at Le Mans, they were hugely successful elsewhere, including at Brooklands and in the Alpine Trial road rally. Today these cars are raced with great verve by a group of mostly British enthusiasts and the first class—or plateau—that covers cars from 1923 to 1929 was won by one of the Talbots. The other amusingly often lit up the inside rear tire on acceleration.

Team Joest Porsche 956

Well over a dozen examples of the Porsche 956 and 962 were at Le Mans during the Classic weekend but the one that is perhaps the most inconspicuous was the most interesting. This was the ex-Team Joest Porsche 956B that was displayed in a special section dedicated to competition Porsches. Built as one of the final customer cars, it was raced extensively by Team Joest and in fact may be the single most successful Group C car of all. It won at Le Mans in 1984 with Klaus Ludwig and Henri Pescarolo at the wheel when the works team decided to skip the race. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it won again the following year with Ludwig joined this time by Paolo Barilla and Louis Krages, a.k.a. “John Winter.” This time, crucially, the works team was out in force with three examples of the brand new 962C. This would not be the last time that Joest would best the factory team with a customer car, but Reinhold Joest cherished this example—the only Group C car to win Le Mans twice—and displayed it for many years in his private museum. He only sold the car last year to the current British custodian, who has a formidable selection of sports racing cars.

Ferrari 250 LM

With values going through the roof these days, it is increasingly rare to see a “run-of-the-mill” Ferrari race in historic events. Rarer still is to see one of the fewer than three dozen 250 LMs being raced with great verve. Fortunately, there is one enthusiast who campaigns his eight-figure machine and also entrusts it to professional racers. During the night session we even spotted glowing discs on the ex-Maranello Concessionaires example. Finished in striking red and “Cambridge Blue” colors, this 250 LM was raced by the likes of Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier, and Denny Hulme in period. It was later part of some of the most formidable classic-car collections in the world. We’re lucky that it’s now in just the right pair of hands.

It can be hard to remember that deep under the flared wheel arches and ultra-wide body panels of a Porsche 935, there is in fact a Porsche 911 hidden away—a 911 Turbo to be precise. These silhouette racers dominated the GT class from the second half of the 1970s and even scored numerous outright wins, including at Le Mans in 1979. Many variants of these cars took to the track at Le Mans, including the wild ‘K3’ variant built by the Kremer Brothers. (It was this type that scored that ’79 victory.) Also out on track was one of just two works cars that are in private hands. Restored by Porsche specialist Manfred Freisinger, this Martini-liveried car was driven by current works driver Romain Dumas, who had just two weeks earlier set a new outright record at the Pikes Peak hill climb. Usually belching out big flames on the overrun, the big yet deceivingly fast 935s were among the most spectacular cars in action during the weekend, and their legend is such that Porsche recently announced a limited series of new 935s based on the current GT2 RS.

Lola T600

The cutoff year for the sixth and final plateau of classic 24 Hours cars is 1981, the year before the new Group C regulations came into effect. Desperately short on entries in what would be the final year for the current regulations, the organizers were a little more lenient in 1981. Among the cars allowed in was the brand-new Lola T600, which had been built to the new GTP regulations devised by IMSA in the United States but for all intents and purposes was a Group C car. It boasted superior ground-effect aerodynamics and was allowed to run a slightly larger engine than the regular Group 6 prototypes. It really was surprising that it took until this year for one of these cars to make an appearance at Le Mans Classic. Raced at Le Mans in period, the Cosworth V-8–engined machine looks like a rocket ship on wheels. For a variety of reasons, this one could not quite vie for victory in its group but we understand a second one is currently being prepared, which should be even quicker still.

Porsche 917

One of the most mythical of all Porsches, the 917 made history by scoring Porsche’s first two outright victories at Le Mans, in 1970 and 1971. The winning cars, however, looked little like the original 917s of 1969, which had a very bad reputation. Porsche chief engineer Ferdinand Piëch cared only about top speed on the long straights and this made those earlier cars absolutely terrifying to drive, as the lift at high speeds caused them to wander from left to right and be virtually uncontrollable. Their reputation was such that most factory drivers refused to drive the cars, so one of the 917s entered in 1969 was actually driven by gentleman racer John Woolfe. Sadly, he was involved in a fiery crash on the opening lap that cost him his life. After 1969, all 917s were updated with revised bodywork that made them more stable and ultimately hugely successful. A British enthusiast acquired what was left of and the title to the John Woolfe car and had it rebuilt to its original specification, and the car was entered at the Le Mans Classic almost 50 years after that tragic day. Unfortunately, it was crashed once more. There was a second 1969-specification 917 entered as well (it was prepared by Freisinger), and Porsche factory driver Dumas reported many of the same drivability issues as his predecessors did back in ’69.

[jonathanbelloblog]

10 Hugely Interesting Vintage Racers from the 2018 Le Mans Classic

The biennial Le Mans Classic has celebrated the rich history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race since 2002. Like the contemporary 24-hour race, the main event runs through the night, in this case from 4 p.m. on Saturday to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and a 400-plus-strong field is spread over six groups that run three sessions of roughly 45 minutes long each. The cars that star in the main event cover the period from 1923 to 1981, although supporting programs have expanded over the years to include a Saturday race for Group C and GTP cars, which stretches the history to 1993. This year, the addition of the Global Endurance Legends series saw the period now cover virtually to the present day, while Porsche’s 70th anniversary celebration played a central role, which including a dedicated race. Here are 10 of the cars we found most interesting from the more than 500 we saw on track or on display in the paddock:

Toyota GT-One

This year Toyota finally scored the company’s first outright victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Japanese manufacturer came achingly close at many occasions, usually missing out because of bad luck. That was certainly the case in 1999 when Toyota fielded three examples of the fabulous GT-One. Powered by a twin-turbo V-8, it was the among the fastest cars during that race until several tire failures thwarted the charge. Gifted to designer Andre de Cortanze, this is the only example in private hands and was wheeled out for the Global Endurance Legends showcase by its recent new owner. In period, it had qualified on pole position only to crash out after a high-speed puncture at one of the fastest parts of the track.

Porsche 911 ST

It’s hard to imagine a GT class in practically any race series these days that does not feature a Porsche 911. However, it would take several years after the road cars launched before the German manufacturer started producing factory competition versions of the 911. Among the earliest racers were the 911 ST models built in the early 1970s. With the ST undergoing continuous development, no two examples were quite the same. The car that was raced this year in the Porsche Classic race was built specifically for the 1970 Tour de France with Gérard Larrousse at the wheel. Porsche initially intended to race a sports prototype, but after inspecting the roads some time prior to the event decided a road-car-based racer would be more suitable. Stripped down to its bare bones, it weighed less than 1800 pounds, making it the lightest 911 racing car ever. When Porsche showed up for the actual race, the German company was mortified to find that the entire route had just been resurfaced, which conveniently provided the advantage to the French Matra prototypes, which duly finished first and second. Larrousse finished third, probably much closer to the Matras than a road car should have been. Fittingly, the French ace was reunited with his old ST for the Porsche race.

Ford GT40 MkII

One of the most important cars that took part in the main event this year was the actual Ford GT40 MkII that won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans outright, scoring the first overall victory for the Blue Oval. After disappointing results in 1964 and 1965, Ford supported no fewer than eight GT40s in 1966, which were entered by several teams. This car was built to big-block MkII specifications and was entered by Holman & Moody for ‘Kiwis’ Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Ford finally managed to beat Ferrari in 1966 with its one-two-three victory. To drive the point home, the cars were brought together as they crossed the finish line for a picture-perfect ending, just as Ferrari did a few months earlier at Daytona. As a twist, the car that crossed the line in second was ultimately declared the winner as it had started further down the order and thus had covered the most distance. There was additional confusion later over which car was the winner, as Ford painted several MkIIs in the Le Mans winner for publicity reasons. As a result, this example—the actual winning car, by the way—was sold off and spent many years hidden away in a Belgian shed. It was eventually discovered and is today in the caring hands of American vintage racer and NASCAR team owner Rob Kauffman, who was brave enough to race the priceless machine at Le Mans once more.

Peugeot 905

Group C cars have achieved a mythical stature for many sports-car-racing enthusiasts. Raced between 1982 and 1993, the original breed of Group C cars had relatively few restrictions, with a limited fuel supply providing the balance between the different cars. A second generation of Group C cars was introduced in the early 1990s with 3.5-liter engine regulations that were similar to those for Formula 1. Most historians make the point that this was a cynical plan on the part of the governing body to lure the many manufacturers active in Group C back to Formula 1. That was certainly the case with Peugeot but before it moved on, the team scored two Le Mans wins with the glorious V-10–engined 905s. Hugely complicated to run and incredibly fast, they are a very rare sight. Yet this year’s Group C race featured not one, but two of the machines, marking in all likelihood the first time a pair have raced together since Le Mans in 1993. Run by French specialists Equipe Europe, the cars now benefit from more modern engine management that allow the V10s to run a little better and longer. This was developed—probably at no small cost—by Oreca. Peugeot’s subsequent spell as an engine supplier in Formula 1 was an utter disaster, with the V-10 universally hated by the teams that ran it.

Talbot 105 Team Car

Before World War II, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was dominated for lengthy periods by single makes, including Bentley in the late 1920s and then Alfa Romeo in the first half of the 1930s. Not among them was the British marque Talbot, but the 105 racers built between 1931 and 1934 are today among the fastest prewar cars to compete in vintage racing. In period these six-cylinder cars were bodied, prepared, and fielded by Fox & Nicholl. The ‘Team Cars’ were liveried in a striking green color and were commonly referred to by their registration numbers. Although they could do no better than third at Le Mans, they were hugely successful elsewhere, including at Brooklands and in the Alpine Trial road rally. Today these cars are raced with great verve by a group of mostly British enthusiasts and the first class—or plateau—that covers cars from 1923 to 1929 was won by one of the Talbots. The other amusingly often lit up the inside rear tire on acceleration.

Team Joest Porsche 956

Well over a dozen examples of the Porsche 956 and 962 were at Le Mans during the Classic weekend but the one that is perhaps the most inconspicuous was the most interesting. This was the ex-Team Joest Porsche 956B that was displayed in a special section dedicated to competition Porsches. Built as one of the final customer cars, it was raced extensively by Team Joest and in fact may be the single most successful Group C car of all. It won at Le Mans in 1984 with Klaus Ludwig and Henri Pescarolo at the wheel when the works team decided to skip the race. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it won again the following year with Ludwig joined this time by Paolo Barilla and Louis Krages, a.k.a. “John Winter.” This time, crucially, the works team was out in force with three examples of the brand new 962C. This would not be the last time that Joest would best the factory team with a customer car, but Reinhold Joest cherished this example—the only Group C car to win Le Mans twice—and displayed it for many years in his private museum. He only sold the car last year to the current British custodian, who has a formidable selection of sports racing cars.

Ferrari 250 LM

With values going through the roof these days, it is increasingly rare to see a “run-of-the-mill” Ferrari race in historic events. Rarer still is to see one of the fewer than three dozen 250 LMs being raced with great verve. Fortunately, there is one enthusiast who campaigns his eight-figure machine and also entrusts it to professional racers. During the night session we even spotted glowing discs on the ex-Maranello Concessionaires example. Finished in striking red and “Cambridge Blue” colors, this 250 LM was raced by the likes of Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier, and Denny Hulme in period. It was later part of some of the most formidable classic-car collections in the world. We’re lucky that it’s now in just the right pair of hands.

It can be hard to remember that deep under the flared wheel arches and ultra-wide body panels of a Porsche 935, there is in fact a Porsche 911 hidden away—a 911 Turbo to be precise. These silhouette racers dominated the GT class from the second half of the 1970s and even scored numerous outright wins, including at Le Mans in 1979. Many variants of these cars took to the track at Le Mans, including the wild ‘K3’ variant built by the Kremer Brothers. (It was this type that scored that ’79 victory.) Also out on track was one of just two works cars that are in private hands. Restored by Porsche specialist Manfred Freisinger, this Martini-liveried car was driven by current works driver Romain Dumas, who had just two weeks earlier set a new outright record at the Pikes Peak hill climb. Usually belching out big flames on the overrun, the big yet deceivingly fast 935s were among the most spectacular cars in action during the weekend, and their legend is such that Porsche recently announced a limited series of new 935s based on the current GT2 RS.

Lola T600

The cutoff year for the sixth and final plateau of classic 24 Hours cars is 1981, the year before the new Group C regulations came into effect. Desperately short on entries in what would be the final year for the current regulations, the organizers were a little more lenient in 1981. Among the cars allowed in was the brand-new Lola T600, which had been built to the new GTP regulations devised by IMSA in the United States but for all intents and purposes was a Group C car. It boasted superior ground-effect aerodynamics and was allowed to run a slightly larger engine than the regular Group 6 prototypes. It really was surprising that it took until this year for one of these cars to make an appearance at Le Mans Classic. Raced at Le Mans in period, the Cosworth V-8–engined machine looks like a rocket ship on wheels. For a variety of reasons, this one could not quite vie for victory in its group but we understand a second one is currently being prepared, which should be even quicker still.

Porsche 917

One of the most mythical of all Porsches, the 917 made history by scoring Porsche’s first two outright victories at Le Mans, in 1970 and 1971. The winning cars, however, looked little like the original 917s of 1969, which had a very bad reputation. Porsche chief engineer Ferdinand Piëch cared only about top speed on the long straights and this made those earlier cars absolutely terrifying to drive, as the lift at high speeds caused them to wander from left to right and be virtually uncontrollable. Their reputation was such that most factory drivers refused to drive the cars, so one of the 917s entered in 1969 was actually driven by gentleman racer John Woolfe. Sadly, he was involved in a fiery crash on the opening lap that cost him his life. After 1969, all 917s were updated with revised bodywork that made them more stable and ultimately hugely successful. A British enthusiast acquired what was left of and the title to the John Woolfe car and had it rebuilt to its original specification, and the car was entered at the Le Mans Classic almost 50 years after that tragic day. Unfortunately, it was crashed once more. There was a second 1969-specification 917 entered as well (it was prepared by Freisinger), and Porsche factory driver Dumas reported many of the same drivability issues as his predecessors did back in ’69.

IFTTT

[ramialkarmi]

Tesla's future is completely inhuman — and we shouldn't be surprised (TSLA)

Tesla has been on an epic run since the beginning of 2017.

Its market cap, at around $50 billion, passed Ford's and now rivals General Motors. If all goes according to schedule, the Model 3 mass-market car will launch in about a month. 

But not all is well in Tesla land. There's been chatter about a union-organizing effort at the company's Fremont, Calif. factory.

And a Guardian report this week saw some Tesla workers characterize the plant as a dangerous place to work, and the pace that the carmaker and CEO Elon Musk sets to be brutal.

Welcome to the auto industry. Building cars is demanding physically. On modern assembly lines, it isn't as tough as it used to be, but it's still demanding. And even though the industry has taken a leadership role in automation — auto plants have been heavily automated for decades — a lot of man- (and woman-) hours are required to bolt a vehicle together. Hundreds of thousands of people are employed in the US doing just that.

Auto manufacturing is about as efficient as it can be these days without a massive leap in technology. But a massive leap is what Musk wants. You could accuse Tesla of being somewhat unfriendly to human concerns, given its recent bad press around labor. But what Musk truly has in mind is something completely inhuman.

Or more accurately, something posthuman. His goal is to radically remake not simply auto manufacturing but all manufacturing by using a much higher degree of automation. To that end, Tesla bought a German firm, Grohmann Engineering, that specializes in automated processes.

But that's merely a baby step. When talking about his "Master Plan, Part Deux" last year, Musk outlined what he called the "alien dreadnought" factory — a plant so different from what we see today, even at the most advanced facilities, that it would be unrecognizable. It would be alien in its innovation.

Getting past human speed

The overarching goal is to get past the limits of human speed. A fully automated factory could, in Musk's thinking, be operated by a few human experts, but otherwise, raw materials would go in one end and finished cars would roll out the other. In between, robots would do everything, a very high speed — speeds too dangerous to risk around frail human bodies.

Now you might ask, "What about the people?" Doesn't Tesla want to keep employing California auto workers? 

Actually, no. At some level, although Musk admires and appreciates the dedication of his workforce, he doesn't think auto assembly is the best use of human life. We can argue about whether he's right, but the dice is already cast. Tesla's next big vehicle, the Model Y compact SUV, will be an experiment in Musk's manufacturing ambitions. I expect it to be as much robot-built as current technology will allow.

Bear in mind that there will likely still be a place for people who want to build cars. I recently toured Ferrari's factory in Maranello, Italy and there I saw many powerfully engaged workers, on a high-tech assembly line, building Ferraris largely by hand. In fact, Ferrari uses almost now fully automated assembly systems — the only ones at the factory perform tasks that are too hazardous or awkward for human workers. Otherwise, most of a Ferrari is handmade.

And that's the way customers want it. Ferraris sell for over $200,000 (and up) and production is limited to under 10,000 units per years. Tesla wants to be delivering a million vehicles annually by 2020. Bespoke assembly isn't going to cut it.

Time for a new leap?

We should give Musk the benefit of the doubt here, even if his likely choice to use the Model Y as a test bed, given the importance of that vehicle to Tesla's future fortunes, is ill-advised. The last major advance in auto manufacturing was the so-called "Toyota Production System," which gave rise to "lean" or "just in time" assembly of cars. All the world's major carmaker have more or less adopted it as this point, and the quality of vehicles has dramatically improved.

The industry consensus has been that we'll continue to see steady refinement of lean manufacturing, perhaps with incremental improvements in automation. But no wholesale switch to autonomous systems. 

Much as Musk doesn't want to tolerate the 40,000 annual auto-related deaths in the US alone — he wants to put self-driving tech in every Tesla to reduce that number — he doesn't like the 20th-century dangers of the auto factory. Robots and artificial intelligence are the solution there.

The plan is inhuman. But Musk aims to get the people out so Tesla can be more humane. Will he succeed? It's going to be tough. But if you'd said ten years ago that a startup electric-car company selling almost no vehicles would be worth as much as General Motors in a decade, no one would have taken you seriously.

Prepare for the inhuman alien dreadnought — and maybe welcome the invasion.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk has discovered a new passion in life — and it could be Tesla's best product yet

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[robot-radar]

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Review

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR you will have seen that face 1000ps power, however most likely wouldn’t fret that McLaren couldn’t do 1014HP. This would permit you to call a genuine auto, the all the more conservatively these qualities were figured in the 1000 hp, doubtlessly. In any case, the PC a little more than a 986bhp somewhat “less alluring and should remain it.

You can perceive that it is so natural to enter the quantity of such smooth autos and now that I drove as quick as I can go and do it until the main groan the consuming torment shot through my neck muscles, I discovered this entertaining. The execution is fascinating – exceptionally intriguing. Be that as it may, it is a great deal less fascinating than a portion of alternate things that do the auto.

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2017 Mclaren P1 GTR 0-60

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Accessories

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Black

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Powertrains and Performance

As you built up the 2017 Mclaren P1 GTR is an auto much know an indistinguishable work from the Ferrari FXX and its posterity and most likely some place in the work of doing it, the individuals who are reluctantly appreciative to Maranello are to demonstrate the idea of millions Car that is utilized neither on race nor out and about. As strategies for success appeared to be probably not going to go, however Ferrari went for the same.

As McLaren. It offered the proprietors P1 RWGs just existing and was pummeled down the request book when an assume that expects offers of a little more than 30 broken parking spots 40 units. Like Ferrari, which will be given to occasions on the principle courses the world over, its pilots will prepare in wellness and sustenance and offer upward lessons to a set out toward the individuals who need it.

Be that as it may, the proprietors can likewise take their auto home and do with them the way they need. I cannot envision an excessive number of individuals are confronted with a day of “running what you bring” in Mallory Park, yet in the event that they needed it they could. You could likewise take the Nürburgring.

While McLaren’s main pilot Chris Goodwin trusts that the GTR in the vicinity of five and 10 seconds for every lap is speedier than P1 on the North Loop Losail around four circumstances the length of the Losail and P1 has as of now passed under seven minutes, T require a mini-computer to get the genuine Frightening potential inside these shot-pumped-shot pumps.

However, in all actuality a little part of this additional speed originates from the crude vitality and extra weight reduction of 50 kg. The downforce is a critical device, yet the distinction amongst day and night is the tires. Goodwin portrays the P1 tire out and about on the grounds that the auto combine the powerless connection in its plan and you can perceive any reason why.

Despite the nature of his work, Pirelli has dependably possessed the capacity to make an adequately capable tire to work in every single climate condition for a huge number of kilometers over an unmistakable quantifiable life in months and years.

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2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Front

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Inside

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Price

Envision such a tire without these restrictions, with the need to take a couple of minutes and no more assault. P1 on slicks, in light of the fact that in basic words advanced streamlined Imagine is put away that the GTR. The lodge of the GTR is at any rate known. Boss specialist Dan Parry Williams said that for all shows from the fiction of the auto, individuals still needed the P1 GTR to associate their autos and in this way, be consoled.

McLaren street auto run number one and comes in covered catches, not just for the control of the “push to pass” existing frameworks and DRS detailed by the road auto additionally say that the breaks in the driver’s seat, additionally the limiter of Speed catch pit lane high bar and starter.

I wound with your thumb and a little bomb detonates behind his correct ear as the 3.8 liter bi-turbo motor blazes by his new and unclear titanium and Inconel deplete pins. Bends on the entryway, and they are in a case of carbon fiber alone trusting that the machine feeling moved and not me.

Take the P1 GTR, how a twofold programmed grip: Pulling an oar on the pedal pushers and guide into the obscure. How would you manage what will come next? I need to help me in the experience however today the McLaren presents the GTR to potential clients and clearly in the event that you have two million pounds to spend on what makes you more imperative than me. So, I put my foot on the floor and feel promptly physically debilitated.

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2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Review

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Interior

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Rear

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Driving Impressions

This is the thing that happens when your internal ear on the less than desirable end of something absolutely sudden. It is not the power and torque you get as much as it can make various adaptable tablecloths also, and that is, toss all the group of hot black-top Qatar.

Just now that we understand frameworks how great and discrete footing work that typical P1. Be that as it may, I cannot remain here asking why the lunch counter in light of the fact that there is no work to be finished. So I begin at a similar speed variator as I utilized as a part of a stage had P1 auto way on which practically no one could a machine on the premise of a street configuration could envision a treat. In any case, in the GTA is not a sort of test.

I can feel GTR look irritated at the clock and asked where Goodwin went. Oversteer or understeer or on the off chance that you don’t fluid around the quick dissolving top, and P1 as these channels. Heads. It feels lighter Arcade and in this sense truly not as much as the additionally energizing personality of his sister with the tags.

Pushing harder does that exacerbate the situation, in light of the fact that your failure to feel insufficient is to discover its cutoff points emerge as to making a polygon through the base of the brain. We attempt to overlook the requests of your feeling of survival as you tilt at a specific speed in a bend and ludicrous is the P1 GTR delicately stroking the upper cladding at the exit and saving its nails as it does.

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2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Side View

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Specs

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Proficiency and Execution

So, you need to stop. Going out to drink espresso by walking to do is take this wicked machine. I thought, now I am over by compel and power would be inebriated; truth be told, I never felt calm in my life. We have to investigate the matter in the eye and inquire as to whether you are better than sufficiently average to carry out this employment to drive this auto to have the capacity to recount its story.

My lone comfort is that Goodwin is not astonished by my response, nor is Parry Williams, sufficiently kind to disclose to me that I neglected to inhale when he drove it. Also, “this sort of auto.

When I carbonafide riding for the second time, it was as though I had the McLaren autos supplanted by P1 GTR dream constantly. I won’t be the first to notice that the mind is an astounding organ and, only a bit ‘time to handle the stream of data that has quite recently been sustained, it can give its practically interminable ability to adjust to its condition.

This time, I am neither perplexed nor foul in human cannonball over each time I turned the gas throttle just energized the press, what I introduced the limit of a street auto, however it was just a follow climate changed at the level worldwide are.

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Body Styles, Trim Levels and Choices

Presently the P1 and saved her sewing Optionally costs move through the suspension and its wings started to talk once more. Course appeared to be clear overflowed and we feel beat once more, he disclosed to me that the auto begins to slide. In any case, this is not unnerving, but rather consoling. Presently I know where the cutoff is and I like what I listen.

I thought it would be built up as a present day GT3 driver to acknowledge beneath the greatest speeding up, with no time without quickening agent on both pieces adjust between the two, the most extreme braking. Be that as it may, the GTR is most certainly not.

It’s quicker to delicately facilitate the ability to include somewhat ‘additional square, constructed understeer steadily, yet it is significantly more enjoyable to break with a marginally hot foot football in this. There is a minute I expected that I can achieve such a stage in Bahrain, however now I can hear the auto approach a wonderful state way lack of bias more from supply administration framework and each corner all controlled with a deferral of zero politeness the half breed drive provided.

Eventually, it is the fast breaks for the ensuing agony. With the twist in the correct bearing, it comes to the P1 GTR right around 200 mph all over is sufficient weight on the pedal at that speed.

The yield is so huge thus solid Akebono plates that I can score on this pedal with all the vitality I can summon, and all that the world is going ahead around me, is pushed in the face like a dolly zoom in Hitchcock film. I need to go an alternate, yet my time with McLaren P1 GTR and the Losail circuit is available.

Leaving the circuit, it is that toward the finish of the second session at the top of the priority list, the increasing speed that had actually harmed me at an early stage the initial introduction, it is not typical, then in any event common and not more than satisfactory in the earth in which I got myself. Furthermore, I know how this is ludicrous.

By a wide margin the most remarkable is a casing that will draw in more than 2.5 g page, however recall that, regardless of his cadence splash, what is most critical is not how quick you go, but rather you have a fabulous time to go quick.

What does this mean 2017 Mclaren P1 GTR ? Envision an auto with as near 1000 hp, which has no effect that weighs under 1,400 kg dry. Think can quicken that are educated, lead and after that, this is the minimum intriguing thing back. This is the genuine measure of the P1 GTR. Notwithstanding, shockingly it appears to you to take my pledge that no composition chequeen the machine down not completely retain.

2017 Mclaren P1 GTR – As Strategies for success appeared to be probably not going to go, however Ferrari went for the same 2017 Mclaren P1 GTR Review 2017 Mclaren P1 GTR you will have seen that face 1000ps power, however most likely wouldn't fret that McLaren couldn't do 1014HP. 

[jesusvasser]

10 Hugely Interesting Vintage Racers from the 2018 Le Mans Classic

The biennial Le Mans Classic has celebrated the rich history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race since 2002. Like the contemporary 24-hour race, the main event runs through the night, in this case from 4 p.m. on Saturday to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and a 400-plus-strong field is spread over six groups that run three sessions of roughly 45 minutes long each. The cars that star in the main event cover the period from 1923 to 1981, although supporting programs have expanded over the years to include a Saturday race for Group C and GTP cars, which stretches the history to 1993. This year, the addition of the Global Endurance Legends series saw the period now cover virtually to the present day, while Porsche’s 70th anniversary celebration played a central role, which including a dedicated race. Here are 10 of the cars we found most interesting from the more than 500 we saw on track or on display in the paddock:

Toyota GT-One

This year Toyota finally scored the company’s first outright victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Japanese manufacturer came achingly close at many occasions, usually missing out because of bad luck. That was certainly the case in 1999 when Toyota fielded three examples of the fabulous GT-One. Powered by a twin-turbo V-8, it was the among the fastest cars during that race until several tire failures thwarted the charge. Gifted to designer Andre de Cortanze, this is the only example in private hands and was wheeled out for the Global Endurance Legends showcase by its recent new owner. In period, it had qualified on pole position only to crash out after a high-speed puncture at one of the fastest parts of the track.

Porsche 911 ST

It’s hard to imagine a GT class in practically any race series these days that does not feature a Porsche 911. However, it would take several years after the road cars launched before the German manufacturer started producing factory competition versions of the 911. Among the earliest racers were the 911 ST models built in the early 1970s. With the ST undergoing continuous development, no two examples were quite the same. The car that was raced this year in the Porsche Classic race was built specifically for the 1970 Tour de France with Gérard Larrousse at the wheel. Porsche initially intended to race a sports prototype, but after inspecting the roads some time prior to the event decided a road-car-based racer would be more suitable. Stripped down to its bare bones, it weighed less than 1800 pounds, making it the lightest 911 racing car ever. When Porsche showed up for the actual race, the German company was mortified to find that the entire route had just been resurfaced, which conveniently provided the advantage to the French Matra prototypes, which duly finished first and second. Larrousse finished third, probably much closer to the Matras than a road car should have been. Fittingly, the French ace was reunited with his old ST for the Porsche race.

Ford GT40 MkII

One of the most important cars that took part in the main event this year was the actual Ford GT40 MkII that won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans outright, scoring the first overall victory for the Blue Oval. After disappointing results in 1964 and 1965, Ford supported no fewer than eight GT40s in 1966, which were entered by several teams. This car was built to big-block MkII specifications and was entered by Holman & Moody for ‘Kiwis’ Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Ford finally managed to beat Ferrari in 1966 with its one-two-three victory. To drive the point home, the cars were brought together as they crossed the finish line for a picture-perfect ending, just as Ferrari did a few months earlier at Daytona. As a twist, the car that crossed the line in second was ultimately declared the winner as it had started further down the order and thus had covered the most distance. There was additional confusion later over which car was the winner, as Ford painted several MkIIs in the Le Mans winner for publicity reasons. As a result, this example—the actual winning car, by the way—was sold off and spent many years hidden away in a Belgian shed. It was eventually discovered and is today in the caring hands of American vintage racer and NASCAR team owner Rob Kauffman, who was brave enough to race the priceless machine at Le Mans once more.

Peugeot 905

Group C cars have achieved a mythical stature for many sports-car-racing enthusiasts. Raced between 1982 and 1993, the original breed of Group C cars had relatively few restrictions, with a limited fuel supply providing the balance between the different cars. A second generation of Group C cars was introduced in the early 1990s with 3.5-liter engine regulations that were similar to those for Formula 1. Most historians make the point that this was a cynical plan on the part of the governing body to lure the many manufacturers active in Group C back to Formula 1. That was certainly the case with Peugeot but before it moved on, the team scored two Le Mans wins with the glorious V-10–engined 905s. Hugely complicated to run and incredibly fast, they are a very rare sight. Yet this year’s Group C race featured not one, but two of the machines, marking in all likelihood the first time a pair have raced together since Le Mans in 1993. Run by French specialists Equipe Europe, the cars now benefit from more modern engine management that allow the V10s to run a little better and longer. This was developed—probably at no small cost—by Oreca. Peugeot’s subsequent spell as an engine supplier in Formula 1 was an utter disaster, with the V-10 universally hated by the teams that ran it.

Talbot 105 Team Car

Before World War II, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was dominated for lengthy periods by single makes, including Bentley in the late 1920s and then Alfa Romeo in the first half of the 1930s. Not among them was the British marque Talbot, but the 105 racers built between 1931 and 1934 are today among the fastest prewar cars to compete in vintage racing. In period these six-cylinder cars were bodied, prepared, and fielded by Fox & Nicholl. The ‘Team Cars’ were liveried in a striking green color and were commonly referred to by their registration numbers. Although they could do no better than third at Le Mans, they were hugely successful elsewhere, including at Brooklands and in the Alpine Trial road rally. Today these cars are raced with great verve by a group of mostly British enthusiasts and the first class—or plateau—that covers cars from 1923 to 1929 was won by one of the Talbots. The other amusingly often lit up the inside rear tire on acceleration.

Team Joest Porsche 956

Well over a dozen examples of the Porsche 956 and 962 were at Le Mans during the Classic weekend but the one that is perhaps the most inconspicuous was the most interesting. This was the ex-Team Joest Porsche 956B that was displayed in a special section dedicated to competition Porsches. Built as one of the final customer cars, it was raced extensively by Team Joest and in fact may be the single most successful Group C car of all. It won at Le Mans in 1984 with Klaus Ludwig and Henri Pescarolo at the wheel when the works team decided to skip the race. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it won again the following year with Ludwig joined this time by Paolo Barilla and Louis Krages, a.k.a. “John Winter.” This time, crucially, the works team was out in force with three examples of the brand new 962C. This would not be the last time that Joest would best the factory team with a customer car, but Reinhold Joest cherished this example—the only Group C car to win Le Mans twice—and displayed it for many years in his private museum. He only sold the car last year to the current British custodian, who has a formidable selection of sports racing cars.

Ferrari 250 LM

With values going through the roof these days, it is increasingly rare to see a “run-of-the-mill” Ferrari race in historic events. Rarer still is to see one of the fewer than three dozen 250 LMs being raced with great verve. Fortunately, there is one enthusiast who campaigns his eight-figure machine and also entrusts it to professional racers. During the night session we even spotted glowing discs on the ex-Maranello Concessionaires example. Finished in striking red and “Cambridge Blue” colors, this 250 LM was raced by the likes of Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier, and Denny Hulme in period. It was later part of some of the most formidable classic-car collections in the world. We’re lucky that it’s now in just the right pair of hands.

It can be hard to remember that deep under the flared wheel arches and ultra-wide body panels of a Porsche 935, there is in fact a Porsche 911 hidden away—a 911 Turbo to be precise. These silhouette racers dominated the GT class from the second half of the 1970s and even scored numerous outright wins, including at Le Mans in 1979. Many variants of these cars took to the track at Le Mans, including the wild ‘K3’ variant built by the Kremer Brothers. (It was this type that scored that ’79 victory.) Also out on track was one of just two works cars that are in private hands. Restored by Porsche specialist Manfred Freisinger, this Martini-liveried car was driven by current works driver Romain Dumas, who had just two weeks earlier set a new outright record at the Pikes Peak hill climb. Usually belching out big flames on the overrun, the big yet deceivingly fast 935s were among the most spectacular cars in action during the weekend, and their legend is such that Porsche recently announced a limited series of new 935s based on the current GT2 RS.

Lola T600

The cutoff year for the sixth and final plateau of classic 24 Hours cars is 1981, the year before the new Group C regulations came into effect. Desperately short on entries in what would be the final year for the current regulations, the organizers were a little more lenient in 1981. Among the cars allowed in was the brand-new Lola T600, which had been built to the new GTP regulations devised by IMSA in the United States but for all intents and purposes was a Group C car. It boasted superior ground-effect aerodynamics and was allowed to run a slightly larger engine than the regular Group 6 prototypes. It really was surprising that it took until this year for one of these cars to make an appearance at Le Mans Classic. Raced at Le Mans in period, the Cosworth V-8–engined machine looks like a rocket ship on wheels. For a variety of reasons, this one could not quite vie for victory in its group but we understand a second one is currently being prepared, which should be even quicker still.

Porsche 917

One of the most mythical of all Porsches, the 917 made history by scoring Porsche’s first two outright victories at Le Mans, in 1970 and 1971. The winning cars, however, looked little like the original 917s of 1969, which had a very bad reputation. Porsche chief engineer Ferdinand Piëch cared only about top speed on the long straights and this made those earlier cars absolutely terrifying to drive, as the lift at high speeds caused them to wander from left to right and be virtually uncontrollable. Their reputation was such that most factory drivers refused to drive the cars, so one of the 917s entered in 1969 was actually driven by gentleman racer John Woolfe. Sadly, he was involved in a fiery crash on the opening lap that cost him his life. After 1969, all 917s were updated with revised bodywork that made them more stable and ultimately hugely successful. A British enthusiast acquired what was left of and the title to the John Woolfe car and had it rebuilt to its original specification, and the car was entered at the Le Mans Classic almost 50 years after that tragic day. Unfortunately, it was crashed once more. There was a second 1969-specification 917 entered as well (it was prepared by Freisinger), and Porsche factory driver Dumas reported many of the same drivability issues as his predecessors did back in ’69.