CAFÉ RACER 76

Porsche, Porsche, Porsche at RM Arizona

For the annual season kick-off in Arizona, RM Auctions will offer three exceptional Porsche racing and sports cars: a 718 RS 61 Spyder, a road-legal 906 Carrera 6 and an ultra-rare 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Speedster. We're already dreaming…

Ex-Bob Donner and Don Wester 1961 Porsche 718 RS 61 Spyder

This RS 61 Spyder (chassis number 718-066) boasts a successful competition history, claiming numerous podiums in the SCCA and USRRC championships. Although we’re still waiting for photos of this particular car, RM promises that it has been faithfully restored and is in fantastic condition. The car is returning to the market for the first time in 20 years and is likely to make between 2.8m and 3.2 US dollars, according to RM.

Street-legal 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6

This Porsche 906 Carrera 6 (chassis number 906-116) placed first at the Norisring in 1968, and at the Hockenheim finale in 1969. What’s more, this is one of three known 906s that is fully road-legal. It has a traceable history (all owners are documented since delivery in 1966), has been lovingly restored and is ‘ready to race’. It’s expected to make between 1.2m and 1.6m US dollars.

1957 Porsche 356A 1500 GS Carrera Speedster by Reutter

A stunning 356A 1500 GS Carrera Speedster completes the trio. Built in 1957 with a Reutter body (chassis 83087), this rare example is fresh from a restoration and equipped with a four-cam GS racing engine. Its estimated value is between 1.1m and 1.5m US dollars.

Photos: RM Auctions

La 8e « Nuit des Lions » partira du Neubourg (27)

Samedi 11 janvier prochain, 58 équipages prendront le départ du rallye Historique « La Nuit des Lions ». Pour la première fois, les bolides en lice s’élanceront de la place du Vieux Château au Neubourg. C’est Vincent Legenne au volant de son Opel Commodore GS de 1974 (double vainqueur) qui aura l’honneur d’ouvrir la marche.

Le plateau pour cette huitième édition est très varié avec en lice 10 Porsche de modèle différents, plusieurs Lancia dont la très désirable Lancia Fulvia HF, 3 superbes et performantes Triumph TR6 et un « gros cheptel » de Mini et Austin de tous les modèles.

Assurément les amateurs de belles mécaniques seront ravis. Les voitures seront stationnées sur la Place du Vieux Château entre 10 heures et 14 heures. Cette épreuve est organisée par le Rétro Rallye Sport et les Rétros du Plateau.

> Site internet : www.retro-rallye-sport.com

Squadra Corse on ice: Farewell trip with the last Lamborghini Gallardo

The Gallardo arrived 10 years ago, at the dawn of a new era for Sant’Agata. Now, the most successful Lamborghini of all time is to be replaced – and we have a farewell rendezvous with its last and most radical incarnation, the Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse…

Not even the schoolchildren of Sant’Agata could differentiate between all the different Gallardos

A certain melancholy creeps over us. The last V10 roar; the final feel of the grippy Alcantara between your fingers while the tachometer nervously twitches at idle. It’s a familiar, yet no less special, feeling for us: we’ve fittingly sampled a cocaine-white Spyder in Miami; pitched the very first Superleggera against a 911 GT3 RS; and tested the LP 570-4 Super Trofeo on the road. The entire editorial staff was rather taken by the ‘little bull’, so uncompromisingly edgy and charismatic.

Requiem for a V10

The last Gallardo is the most radical: the Squadra Corse is derived from the LP 570-4 Super Trofeo racing car, reduced to its elements to compete in a one-model racing series, as well as GT3 racing. This equates to reduced weight (to 1,370kg), more power (562bhp), and racing addenda such as a quick-release bonnet and giant carbonfibre rear wing. But the close allegiance to the racing car offers us little more than a hint at its potential, as Switzerland at this time of year is under a carpet of snow, with a blanket of fog obscuring vision for each upcoming curve. Unleashing the bull’s full force in these conditions is not a wise idea, even taking the four-wheel-drive system into account. We instead practice moderation and use our journey as a mental requiem, even though any associations with Wolfgang Amadeus must be renounced due to the lack of a sound system.

The last of its kind?

The first design by Luc Donckerwolke was a manifestation of pure yet extreme lines. Then, the names became longer, the spoilers became bigger, and by the end of its career, not even the schoolchildren of Sant’Agata could differentiate between the different Gallardos. Now, after 10 long years – and far too many special editions – it’s due for replacement. The stubborn bull is still as brutal and uncompromising as it was the day the first model left the factory, but it no longer has the same everyday driveability or practicality as its new-school rivals, the Ferrari 458 or McLaren 12C. Its replacement will lock horns with them from next year’s Geneva show onwards but, until then, we’ll enjoy the rough and raw Lamborghini experience for possibly the last time – as it might be the last of its kind.

Photos: Jan Baedeker

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