Indholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2021 i GT Porsche

The observant among you will have noticed a change of hands as I have taken over from previous editor Dan Furr, who has done a fine job in delivering your bi-monthly Porsche reading fix. My earliest Porsche fix has to be in the form of a close family friends’ 1978 911 SC, which years later he sold on for a song, and it’s something I regret not buying to this day. I won’t divulge what the dealer offered him, as you could regard me as an idiot. Since missing out on that SC I have been lucky enough to experience all manner of 911s, new and old, each one leaving a lasting impression. In 2016 I got the opportunity to race an early SWB 911 at Le Mans Classic. A…

Now in its 29th season, the 2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup calendar has been announced by organisers. Consisting of eight races, this international one-make championship runs exclusively as support races to the FIA Formula One World Championship. Kicking off in Monte Carlo on 23 May, as the season progresses the penultimate race will take place at the newly introduced circuit, Zandvoort, which has been thoroughly redesigned and modernised in recent times. Drivers will also do battle in Le Castellet (France) as well as Spielberg (Austria), Silverstone (England), Budapest (Hungary), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) while the season finale will take place at Monza (Italy). Teams will each race with the latest generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, which is due to debut just after the February/March issue of GT Porsche goes to press. The…

AUTOGLYM BODYWORK, WHEELS & INTERIOR COLLECTION Ideal for the winter months is this comprehensive giveaway from car care specialist Autoglym. With an RRP of £75.20 its Bodywork, Wheels & Interior Collection has everything required to detail your Porsche. The bodywork side of the collection features Autoglym’s best known products, including a bottle of Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner, Super Resin Polish (four-time winner of Detailing World’s Polish of the Year award), and Extra Gloss Protection. The wheels products consist of Clean Wheels, Instant Tyre Dressing and Wheel Protector. Finally, the collection includes a large bottle of Interior Shampoo, Fast Glass to remove unsightly marks on glazing, and a bottle of Vinyl & Rubber Care. The kit also includes applicators and cloths, namely a sponge, and a Hi-Tech finishing cloth and microfibre drying…

I got started in motorsport with my father buying a kart for my brother, who is two years older than me. He didn’t really enjoy it so I asked my dad if I could have a go, he said “yes” and it has snowballed from there to where I find myself in the TOCA paddock driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car! I am still young, so I am still enjoying this ride I am on. I haven’t really sat back and reflected on it all, I have always been quite keen to keep bettering myself, but maybe at the end of this year I will have a look and think about this being a year to remember, but I want to keep pushing forward, striving to do the best…

Porsche had long harboured an ambition to enter the eSports arena and in 2019 it established the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition, a sim racing championship jointly organised with iRacing – the leading online racing simulation platform. This continued in 2020 and was bolstered by the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge – a new series using the Cayman GT4 Clubsport. This summer Porsche GB organised The Porsche GB Forza Experience, open to competitors on Xbox One or Windows 10 PC. It provided gamers the opportunity to virtually challenge 2020/2021 Porsche GB Junior driver, Harry King, with the chance of winning a real-life driving experience at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone, in a 992. One of the most interesting developments in Porsche eSports recently has come from Porsche Club GB –…

The new-for-2020 Cayman Islands Porsche Sprint Challenge GB for 425hp 982 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport cars further strengthens the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid – linking the lower and upper levels of the triangle. Establishing a new level for competitors in the UK between Porsche Club GB Motorsport and Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Cayman Islands Porsche Sprint Challenge GB accommodates both amateur and professional drivers alike – graded at Race Interclub level, the championship operates a two-category structure: Pro and Am for aspiring professionals and amateur gentleman drivers too. Providing for the varying aspirations of competitors, the championship is more affordable and accessible than its bigger brother – Porsche Carrera Cup GB, while also providing maximum commercial exposure with rounds on the Porsche Club GB Motorsport, British GT and TOCA packages –…

When the Porsche 959 arrived in 1986, it recalibrated expectations of what a supercar could deliver, both in terms of performance and technology. Magazines inevitably compared it with the more visceral Ferrari F40 that debuted the following year, but equally important was the 959 supercar’s role in fast-forwarding the underdeveloped 911 sports car into the modern era. In fact, so advanced was the 959 that it’s taken until now for a 911 Carrera to match its performance. To learn more, we’re driving a Carrera 4S back-to-back with a perfect 959 from the Porsche Museum at Sonoma Raceway, near San Francisco, finding both commonalities and differences between two Porsches that feature flat-six twin-turbocharged engines, all-wheel drive and 0-62mph times separated by just a tenth. In a roundabout way, the origins of…

I’ve owned my 996 Carrera since September 2017, but the journey really started with a visit to Autofarm that March. The only 996 I’d driven previously was a baggy Turbo, so when Autofarm founder Josh Sadler kindly chucked me the keys to his 2002 Carrera, I was blown away. It felt compact and light, with incredible steering feel, a gorgeously balanced chassis and more than ample performance from the charismatic flat six (though Josh’s car did have the M030 lowered factory suspension and Autofarm’s 3.9-litre engine upgrade). I told Autofarm to think of me if a customer 996 Carrera ever came up, and in September one did. Just not the one I’d envisaged. I’d originally set my heart (and budget) on a 3.6 facelifted model with around 70-80k miles, partly…

On paper it’s easy to be drawn in by power and torque figures, especially when it comes to 911s, as the most powerful often look most menacing on the road, with their hunched arches and aero. Longstanding Porsche enthusiast Simon Moore has come to the realisation that for him, there is more joy to be had in extracting all 60bhp from his 1958 356 A. ‘I got my first 911 20 years ago, a Grand Prix White Carrera 3.2 on Fuchs with a whale tail. I had that for 18 months, and started doing European road trips, including going to the Austrian Grand Prix. I changed it for a 993 C2, which I really enjoyed, then moved onto a 964 3.3 turbo, which we did the Cannonball Run with,’ Simon…

The genesis of the 944 is convoluted and serpentine, and it all begins with a mooted joint project between Porsche and Volkswagen. The front-engined, water-cooled 924 of 1976 was originally a product of the VW-Porsche merger team set up to develop the 1969 914. When the idea to sell the 924 as a VW, Porsche or Audi in various different markets didn’t bear fruit, Porsche purchased the designs outright, continued development, and pushed it to market with an Audi-derived 2.0-litre engine. The model drew praise and criticism in equal measure – some loved its poise and tactility, others felt that the humble origins of certain parts did much to dilute the brand – and Porsche sought to mollify the naysayers in 1979 with the 924 Turbo. This was a capable…

Somewhat ignominiously for Porsche, already famed for its engineering prowess by the time the 924 was launched in 1976, its very first production car to feature a water-cooled engine used a powerplant provided by another manufacturer. That was Volkswagen of course, and those that look down on the 924 are all too happy to point out that its engine was also used in a Volkswagen van. That is true, but the 924 and its successors were incredibly important to Porsche’s continued existence through the 1970s and 1980s, so we should be grateful for it, regardless of its roots. But there’s no denying those. The 924 project kicked off in 1970, a joint project between Volkswagen and Porsche to create an inexpensive mass-produced sports coupe, potentially to be marketed separately under…

PORSCHE CLUB GB Following its new eSports path Porsche Club GB offers well established routes into real life motorsport, providing drivers of all abilities with an entry point into the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid. Porsche Club GB’s Paul Grainger elaborated: “In the past 20 years, Porsche Club GB have organised over 350 track days, offering almost 12,000 driver places at approved race circuits throughout the UK – our days run from April to November,” Paul explained. “The ethos of our Club track days is to encourage members, from novices to racing drivers, to drive their Porsches in their natural environment – a safe, controlled circuit where they can explore the car’s abilities and improve their driving skills. Club track days also offer the chance to share an event with like-minded enthusiasts,…

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the top of the Porsche Motorsport GB tree and a gateway to international motorsport. Using the 485hp second-generation 991 GT3 Cup, the championship is broadcast live on ITV4 and it’s likely you have watched it before. Three categories; Pro, Pro-Am and Am allow competition for drivers of differing abilities with some of the biggest prize pots in UK motorsport. Youngsters with genuine star talent can compete for the role of the Porsche GB Junior – the two-year programme is supported by Porsche and seeks to identify and nurture young racing talent. It includes an £85,000 budget contribution per season and is designed to create future world champions. Underlining that point is the fact that over half of the current roster of Porsche factory drivers…

In the mid 1990s Karl Chopra started helping friends forward date their 911s, by fitting larger 964-style bumpers onto G model cars. This expanded to customer vehicles and then into a business providing such a service, hence the name the company carries today. As time progressed the business model has evolved into a worldwide parts supplier for the marque. Based in Essex, UK, Design 911 employs over 40 people and carries over one million parts in stock consisting of OE replacement, aftermarket, and performance parts. ‘One of our USPs is that we sell every brand under one roof,’ explains Karl. ‘We also have exclusive parts only supplied by ourselves. Within an online basket someone could buy a service kit for their 996, and a set of Ohlins dampers for example.’…

Not all Porsche owners are fastidious, and 987-model Boxsters can be seen advertised with part service history. These are often purchased as a short-term fix, for that bucket list summer road trip and promptly sold on when the nights draw in. Such examples can be minefields lurking within the classifieds, as a more caring owner could face big bills when delving into previously unloved mechanicals. We spoke to Chris Lansbury of Suffolk based PIE Performance to see what is usually unearthed beyond the areas that needed attention within this guide; ‘The majority of the 987s we see are well cared for, but those that have been neglected can cost a fortune to put right. They are getting to that age now where brake pipes are becoming problematic due to corrosion.…

SUBSCRIBE TO GT PORSCHE SEE PAGE 72 FOR DETAILS 1965 356 C It goes without saying that 2020 has been an unusual year for car shows – principally because, for obvious reasons, there haven’t been very many. This has had a significant impact on the auction sphere, because high-end sales traditionally tend to go hand-in-hand with high-end events. Take Goodwood, for example: the three key events of the calendar – the Members’ Meeting, the Festival of Speed, and the Revival – all run huge auctions offering world-class fare, but none of those shows have been able to run this year. Thankfully, as we’ve seen all across the motoring scene, core elements have found a new home online, and as auction houses switch their sales to digital remote affairs, so the…

The Turbo S has a V8 petrol/electric powertrain developing 700 PS (514 kW) and the capability to deliver over 30 miles of all-electric range. It combines a 571 PS 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with a 100 kW (136 PS) electric motor. The new battery and optimised driving modes has increased range by up to 30 per cent. The same electric motor has also made its way into the new 4 E-Hybrid, which uses a twin-turbocharged V6 for internal combustion, bringing overall power output to 462 PS. The gross capacity of the high-voltage battery has been increased from 14.1 to 17.9 kWh, thanks to the use of optimised cells, and the driving modes have been adapted for more efficiency. Thi gives the new Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid an all-electric range of up…

With the RSR already having achieved success in the FIA WEC, it also proved to be the car to beat in the IMSA series. At the first six meetings of 2020, the two RSR Core Autosport / works cars set pole lap times four times and lead the field over a distance of nearly 2,200 miles. The first race victory was at the ten-hour Petit Le Mans, then again at Laguna Seca, which was a first for a factory entered 911. For the season finale at Sebring, Britain’s Nick Tandy, Frédéric Makowiecki from France and Earl Bamber scored a victory with the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR. The New Zealander celebrated twice after he clinched second place in the No. 912 car, which he shared with teammates Laurens Vanthoor from…

When was 911 Virgin established? 911 Virgin formed as a limited company in 1996 and we moved to our current site just outside Uxbridge, West London, in 1998. My brother Tom joined in 2000 and we have grown from there. By training I’m actually an industrial designer / model maker. Having never worked for anyone in the motor trade I think we’ve always forged our own path based around quite traditional values. If someone has a problem it’s our problem until resolved. How has the Porsche market changed since the company formed? We’ve seen a lot of people come and go over the years. Some arriving in a blaze of glory then crash out with significant collateral damage. I love the ability to communicate on equal terms with large organisations…

Porsche has been inextricably linked with motorsport since the very early days. Success in classic long distance races such as the Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio set the scene, while now legendary triumphs in sports car racing followed – such as those at the 24-Hours of Le Mans – to cement the legacy. Today the Porsche motorsport net is cast far and wide, from competitive single marque championships to World Endurance racing and Formula E, Porsche maintains a passionate link between racing and its road car offerings. The same is true of its dedicated followers. It is probably fair to say that most Porsche enthusiasts have some level of interest in motorsport, from simple spectating to track day enthusiasts rising to those with racing ambitions on a far larger scale.…

PETRO-CANADA LUBRICANTS PORSCHE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WITH PIRELLI Many with an appetite for motorsport will see circuit racing as the ultimate goal. Porsche Club GB Motorsport’s Porsche Classic Boxster Cup – an evolution of the successful Restoracing Championship of 2018 and 2019 (created in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 986 Boxster) for mechanically identical 986 Boxster S race cars is perfect for those seeking an accessible, budget conscious, route into track competition. The Porsche Classic Boxster Cup sits underneath Porsche Club GB Motorsport’s Petro-Canada Lubricants Porsche Club Championship with Pirelli which allows drivers to compete with various Porsche cars in three distinct categories (Class One, Class Two, and Class Three) fostering competitive racing. Porsche Club GB’s Mandy Sear explains: “The Petro-Canada Lubricants Porsche Club Championship with Pirelli is perfect…

Absolutely not!’ That was the emphatic reaction from Jürgen Barth when asked if the factory had ever planned to take Porsche’s new 924 racing. Quoted in author Roy Smith’s tome on the 924 Carrera, Barth continued: ‘The management’s position was that the 924 was an important addition to our range to boost sales and bring a new car to the public at a good price. But we engineers did not want to challenge the 911, which was proving very successful.’ So how is it, then, that the car shown here not only raced in period but won a single-model race series backed by Porsche Cars Great Britain? Launched in the UK in 1977, the 924 was seen by many as little more than an entry-level model, the purpose of which…

When and how did you start in motor racing? My father did karting and circuit racing and we used to watch him in the Monaco Cup. I got to stand on the podium and at that point it clicked that motorsport was something I wanted to get into. I carefully asked my father if I could start doing it, and for my 8th birthday I was given a kart as a surprise. I did karting up until the age of 16 or 17 and then moved into the Ginetta Junior Scholarship. I didn’t win the scholarship, but it gave me a taster of racing cars. After racing Ginettas we went into the GT Cup with a Cayman GT4 Clubsport with my team-mate James Birch. I did that for two years…

The first chapter in Porsche’s hardcore racers for the road story, the Carrera RS 2.7, has been enshrined as a 911 icon for 48 years. Developed to compete in Group 3 Special GT racing, 1,580 examples of the 210bhp road rocket rolled out of Zuffenhausen. Over two decades later, the 996 GT3 of 1999 re-introduced the idea of a road-going 911 racer. Its creation steered by two-time World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl and race engineer Roland Kussmaul along with Porsche Motorsport in Weissach, the stripped-out 355bhp tarmac terror was a mouth-watering recipe. A hard act to follow, the 409bhp 997 GT3 added even more spice, the new version of Porsche’s race-cum-road burner its most piquant yet. Unveiled alongside the 997 Turbo at the 2006 Geneva motor show, a small number…