Le WorldSBK est prêt pour ses débuts en Thaïlande / WorldSBK ready for Thai debut

La seconde manche de la saison 2015 a lieu cette semaine au Chang International Circuit.

Un mois après l'ouverture du Championnat du Monde eni FIM Superbike 2015 en Australie, le paddock du WorldSBK s'apprête à se réunir à nouveau cette semaine en Thaïlande, au tout nouveau Chang International Circuit, pour une seconde manche programmée du 20 au 22 mars.

Situé à proximité de Buriram (qui se traduirait comme Ville du Bonheur), dans le nord-est du pays, le nouveau circuit thaïlandais sera le 48e de l'histoire du WorldSBK à accueillir une manche du championnat et le 5e à être introduit au calendrier sur les cinq dernières années.

Longue de 4.554 km, la piste a été bâtie sur un terrain complètement plat et comprend douze virages, cinq à gauche et sept à droite. Après une première section composée de deux lignes droites et de deux virages à droites, les pilotes entreront sur un deuxième secteur composé de virages de différents types et menant à la ligne droite de départ/arrivée.

Suite à la première manche de la saison 2015, deux pilotes mènent conjointement le classement général avec une victoire et une seconde place chacun : Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) et Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team). A Phillip Island, les deux Britanniques avaient démontré une excellente adaptation à leurs nouvelles motos respectives et ce dès les qualifications, avant de porter les nombres de victoires d'Aprilia et de Kawasaki en WorldSBK à 50 et 60, respectivement.

Présent à leurs côtés en première ligne, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Superbike Team) les avait aussi accompagnés sur les podiums des deux courses. Pour l'épreuve thaïlandaise, le Gallois sera à nouveau rejoint par le triple Champion du Monde Troy Bayliss, qui continue de remplacer Davide Giugliano après son retour surprise en Australie.

Le Champion en titre Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike) et le vice-Champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) espèreront quant à eux véritablement se lancer dans la saison 2015 après un week-end difficile à Phillip Island, où le Français souffrait de douleurs au cou après avoir subi une vilaine chute à Jerez à la fin du mois de janvier. Le tenant du titre devrait être en meilleure condition physique ce week-end, pour trois journées qui s'annoncent éprouvantes en raison d'un climat local extrêmement chaud et humide. Son coéquipier Michael van der Mark souhaitera pour sa part continuer sur sa lancée après un début réussi en Australie.

Les rookies espagnols Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) et Nico Terol (Althea Racing Ducati) avaient eux aussi fait bonnes impressions lors de la première manche et seront dans une situation plus favorable ce week-end puisqu'aucun pilote de la grille n'a encore roulé au Chang International Circuit.

Alex Lowes et Randy de Puniet seront quant à eux impatients de mettre derrière eux leur douloureux week-end australien et espèreront davantage de fiabilité de la part de la GSX-R du team Voltcom Crescent Suzuki.

Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia) et Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) se familiarisent encore avec les versions 2015 de leurs modèles respectifs mais seront comme d'habitude en quête de bons résultats.

David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) et Niccolò Canepa (Team Hero EBR) ne seront probablement pas à 100% de leurs conditions physiques après s'être blessés à Phillip Island tandis que Gabor Rizmayer ne pourrait quant à lui pas participer ce week-end et sera remplacé par le Polonais Ireneusz Sikora.

Salom sera quant à lui rejoint par le Sud-Africain Greg Gildenhuys, ancien pilote STK1000, qui sera le deuxième pilote du Team Pedercini. En wildcards, Chanon Chumjai (RAC Oil Racing Team BMW) et Anucha Nakcharoensri (YSS TS Racing Honda) porteront le total de pilotes sur la grille à vingt-six.

Les pilotes des catégories WorldSBK et World Supersport bénéficieront d'une première séance d'essais rallongée à 75 minutes vendredi afin de pouvoir apprendre le nouveau tracé.

The Chang International Circuit hosts the second round of the season.

After the thrilling season opener at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia, the eni FIM Superbike World Championship returns to the track for the second outing of the year, taking place on March 20-22 at the brand-new Chang International Circuit in Thailand.

The track located near Buriram (which means City of Happiness), in the North Eastern part of the country, is the 48^th to host a WorldSBK event in the history of the series. The Chang International Circuit is also the fifth new venue to debut on the World Superbike calendar in the past five years.

The track’s 4.554km layout is laid on completely flat terrain and features twelve corners, five left and seven right. Following a first fast section mainly made of two straights and two right-hand turns, the riders enter a mixed second part of the track, which connects back to the start/finish straight.

With just one round completed of the 2015 season, two riders sit atop the standings with one win and a second place apiece. Former teammates Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) had a successful start to their new adventures at Phillip Island as they immediately gelled with their new machines both in qualifying and in the race. The two riders rounded out the race-winning numbers for Aprilia and Kawasaki in the series which now stand at 50 and 60, respectively.

In the mix with both of them for most of the two Australian encounters, fellow Briton Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Superbike Team) left Phillip Island with two encouraging podium finishes and the confidence to consistently challenge for the top step aboard his Panigale R. The Welshman will be joined once again by three-time WorldSBK Champion Troy Bayliss, who is eager to improve his performance after his surprise return to the series at his home round. The soon-to-be 46-year-old will again be the substitute rider for the injured Davide Giugliano.

Last year’s title contenders, the reigning Champion Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike) and runner-up Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) will be aiming to bounce back to the front after a difficult opening round which saw both riders playing catch-up both to the leading trio as well as to their respective teammates.

Still recovering from the neck injury suffered in a testing crash at Jerez at the end of January, Guintoli hopes to be fit enough to face the extreme heat and humidity the riders will encounter in Thailand. The Frenchman is looking forward to making the most out of the Honda package that proved to be very competitive in Australia in the hands of the reigning World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark, who had an excellent Superbike debut at Phillip Island.

After the promising World Superbike debuts of Spanish rookies Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Nico Terol (Althea Racing Ducati), the duo will start from the same level of track-knowledge at Chang as the rest of the field, a factor that could well boost their chances for impressive results in Thailand.

Keen on putting a difficult opening round behind them, the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki pairing of Alex Lowes and Randy de Puniet will try to make the most of the opportunity given by the Thai Round, hoping to quickly find a competitive set-up for their GSX-R machines which suffered a multitude of technical issues at the Phillip Island races.

BMW Motorrad Italia’s Sylvain Barrier and MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s Leon Camier are hoping to put on a good show on in Thailand as they are still familiarising themselves with the 2015 versions of their respective bikes.

David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) and Niccolò Canepa (Team Hero EBR) will tackle the second event of the year despite not being 100% fit after injuries sustained at Phillip Island. It is a no-go for Gabor Rizmayer, whose place will be taken in Thailand by Polish rider Ireneusz Sikora.

Salom will be joined by former STK1000 regular and WorldSBK debutant Greg Gildenhuys from South Africa, who will be Team Pedercini’s second rider. Local wildcard riders Chanon Chumjai (RAC Oil Racing Team BMW) and Anucha Nakcharoensri (YSS TS Racing Honda) elevate the number of entries to twenty-six.

The WorldSBK riders – as well as their World Supersport colleagues – will enjoy an extended, 75-minute opening free practice in order to familiarise themselves with the new track.

The Pursuit of Happiness: A Datsun Roadster With a Turbo Twist

words 

Brad Lord

 

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Larry Chen

As I’m sure anyone who’s ever found themselves in a similar situation will attest, unexpected surprises are something that come with the territory of old school restoration projects. Surprises then – they really shouldn’t be, but no matter how prepared you are for the inevitable, that call from the body shop telling you that you better come in, or that tiny piece of surface rust that just turned into a fist-sized abyss after a couple of light taps with a screwdriver, always seems to come as a shock.

At one end of the spectrum there’s minimal heartbreak and financial cost. At the other, you might be required to cut your losses altogether. But even if that happens, it’s not all bad news, and often dire situations open the door to much better things. Just ask Willy Izaguirre – the proud owner of a very sweet 1968 Datsun 2000 Roadster.

Like many others that have travelled the nostalgic car rebuild road before him, the car that Larry shot at Formula D’s Wall Speedway stop in New Jersey is not the same car that he started this project with.

The first –a 1969 example and therefore one of the last Roadsters produced before the model was superseded by the Z car – had its rust-weakened frame twisted out of shape by the SR20DET that had found its way into the engine bay, prompting a chassis swap. That never happened though, because once the Roadster’s body was pried apart from its underpinnings, it too revealed its true colours. It was bad – so bad in fact that Willy had no choice but to salvage the bits he could, scrap the rest, and go on the hunt for an entirely new car.

After finding a suitable candidate in this ’68 SR311, I’d like to say that’s where the troubles ended for Willy. It reality, there’s been two rounds of panel and paint to get the replacement into the condition it is today. But I think you might agree though: his perseverance has well and truly paid off.

Right from the moment Willy embarked on the original build, he had a clear intention of what he wanted to achieve. On the back of a number of quick turbo Nissans, an SR20DET was always going to power the car, as would a host of supporting modifications around the driveline, suspension and brakes, to give the old Datsun a modern twist.

Marrying new school thinking with old school tradition doesn’t sit well with everyone, but when a nice balance is struck, the result can be rather spectacular. Take the custom carbon fibre bolt-on fender extensions at each corner for instance. I love the contrast between the deep gloss, and the matte finish of the Mercedes-AMG Designo Magno Alanite Grey that’s been liberally applied all over the exterior.

Although the car is mostly driven topless, the custom carbon hardtop is a pretty cool addition too.

The one thing Willy hasn’t done is rid the Roadster of all the things that help shape its identity. While some brightwork around the body has been deleted, or re-coated flat black, the shiny bits at the rear remain intact. That might sound like a bit of a mishmash of ideas, but collectively it works.

CHAPTER TWO

Turbo tuning

The other thing you need to know is, despite its inch-perfect panels and flawless paint, Willy built the car to be used – not parked up in the garage every other day of the year or even worse, trailered around.

That becomes quite apparent the moment you avert your eyes into the engine room; despite the JDM chassis plate telling you a twin carburettor-fed U20 engine still lives there.

While it’s still retaining the baby blue paint hue from the first paint job – the same colour as Willy’s original car – the Datsun’s compact engine bay is home to a S15-spec Nissan SR20DET.

Although the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine features a factory-spec block fit-out, it’s been the receiving end of numerous aftermarket performance parts, including Tomei and Crower valve train components and a pair of Toda 264-degree camshafts. You have to love the wood-grained valve cover too: a cool and somewhat fitting effect that was achieved through hydrographic coating.

On the power-making side of the equation you’ll find a suitably-sized Garrett GT2871R turbocharger perched upon a custom high-mount exhaust manifold and fitted with an HKS wastegate actuator. The set-up benefits from a front-mounted Spearco intercooler plumbed in place by custom aluminium pipes and a Nitrous Express N-tercooler CO2-spraying system with a bottle that’s been wood-grained too.

With supporting fuel and ignition modifications, tuning through its A’PEXi Power FC engine management has realised more than 350hp at the Datsun’s back wheels, which is a plentiful amount considering the car’s light kerb weight.

It comes as no surprise that the driveline has been built tough too. An S14 Silvia five-speed gearbox is used, with an ACT Xtreme clutch and custom driveshaft running out to a Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE (Series 2) LSD-equipped rear end that utilises 4.11 gears and heavy duty axles.

With 225/50R15 Falken tyres wrapped around 15×10.5-inch SSR XR4 Longchamp wheels, there’s some decent rubber out the back, which is good, because it needs all the help it can get. The matte black finish dealt to the classic XR4s is a winner, don’t you think?

FINAL CHAPTER

Fast and fresh

It might look innocent enough, but that’s definitely not the case. Couple the powertrain with a Datsun Competition-spec suspension set-up and four-wheel disc brakes featuring Z32 300ZX gear on the front end, and I only imagine how many bags of fun the little Roadster must be to drive.

The interior re-fit certainly serves to enhance that experience. Being of face-lifted ’68 vintage, the Datsun was originally fitted with a padded dashboard and safety switches. Willy’s taken it back to the old school by retrofitting a much simpler ’67 dash complete with toggles. More of that faux wood-graining completes the picture.

I like what he’s done with the Roadster’s original low-back bucket seats – a fresh lease on life with a Bride gradation fabric re-trim and strapped with Takata harnesses.

That’s a theme carried over to the door panels too.

A much better idea than trying to get the original dials to integrate with the new engine set-up, the full collection of modern, yet retro-flavored gauges – including a GPS-metered speedo – are a cool touch.

There are plenty of little details in the cabin too; like the Corona bottle shifter, and custom wood-grained console that’s been modified to take an iPhone, which when clipped into position doubles as the audio system’s head unit.

Reinventing a classic is tough work at the the best of times, so considering the start he got off to with this project, Willy must be commended for seeing it all the way through to completion.

Walking away would have absolutely been the easier option, but in that case we wouldn’t be here right now and Willy wouldn’t have one of the coolest Datsun Roadsters around to enjoy for many years to come. And that’s exactly what he’s planning to do with OLD JDM.

Brad Lord
brad@speedhunters.com

Photos by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
larry@speedhunters.com

Willy Izaguirre’s 1968 Datsun Roadster 2000

Engine
Nissan S15 SR20DET 2.0-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder, Toda 264-degree in/ex cams, Tomei lifters, Tomei valve springs, Crower titanium retainers, Garrett GT2871R turbocharger, HKS external wastegate, custom top-mount exhaust manifold, custom Spearco intercooler and pipes, GReddy Type S blow-off valve, Nitrous Express N-tercooler C02 intercooler chiller,  HKS heat shield, custom three-inch exhaust system, HKS 740cc injectors, AEM intake, polished intake manifold, Bosch Motorsport 044 fuel pump, A’PEXi Power FC engine management system, Mishimoto radiator with custom cooling plate, GReddy oil filter relocation kits, Optima battery

Driveline
Nissan S14 5-speed manual gearbox, ACT Xtreme clutch, custom driveshaft, Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE  S2 rear end, modified LSD, 4.11:1 final drive, custom axles

Suspension/Brakes
Datsun Super Comp springs, 23mm sway bar  (front), Datsun Competition springs (rear), Nissan 300ZX twin turbo callipers custom two-piece brake rotors (front), Mazda RX-7 S2 GSL-SE rear discs/calipers

Wheels/Tyres
SSR XR4 Longchamps wheels 15×7.5-inch (front), 15×10.5-inch (rear), Falken Ziex tyres 205/50R15 (front), 225/50R15 (rear)

Exterior
Mercedes-AMG Designo Magno Alanite Grey (matte grey) paint, custom carbon fibre fender flares, custom carbon fibre hard top, powdercoated badges, 350Z HID retrofit, custom front valance/airdam

Interior
MOMO Indy steering wheel with quick release, custom roll bar, retrofitted 1967 Datsun Roadster dashboard with woodgrain hydrographics, custom woodgrain hydrographics console, original bucket seats retrimmed with Bride material, Bride retrimmed door panels, Takata harness belts, Corona bottle shifter, GPS gauges, NRG quick-release steering wheel hub, Apple iPod head unit

Thanks
“Jeff Ricca and Jay Cyr  at  240SXmotoring.com, Bobby Frost at One Motion Auto, Paul Chamberlain at Wise Concepts Hydro, Tonny Spitaleri at Carbon Fiber Element, Jeremy Z at Streetmasters, Takata Racing USA, Fox Marketing, Joe at Prodigy Coatings, my two kids Emily and Anthony for being the boost in my life.”

More Datsun posts on Speedhunters

THE WALKING DEAD: THE DARYL DIXON MOTORCYCLE

EXCLUSIVE If you have a television in your house, you probably know AMC’s The Walking Dead. If you’re blessed with a strong constitution, you may even be watching it.

It’s a post-apocalyptic drama series that scores millions of viewers for every episode. And unlike most shows of that ilk, it’s a huge hit with critics too.

The series returned for the second half of its fifth season in February, and with it comes a new addition to the cast: a motorcycle ridden by the character of Daryl Dixon, played by actor Norman Reedus.

If you see elements of the Classified Moto style in this Honda Nighthawk, you’re right. Reedus already has a Classified bike in his garage, and when the producers of The Walking Dead needed a motorcycle, he knew just the man to speak to …

“Norman’s the best,” says Ryland. “Very enthusiastic, straightforward and down to earth—despite millions of fans watching his every move. During one of our conversations, he said he had something in the works that was going to blow my mind. A week later, he introduced me to Scott M. Gimple.”

Gimple is the ‘showrunner’ and an executive producer and writer for The Walking Dead. And he got the show on the road real fast. “Scott liked the Classified Moto style, and wanted us to build a version of what we already do. We didn’t have to get outside our comfort zone—and given the time constraints, that was a good thing.”

“I felt like I was back to my old advertising days when the project got rolling,” says Ryland. “I made some pretty detailed boards to help Scott choose the direction. We had to quickly settle on the platform, the ergonomics and the major design elements.”

To complicate matters, Ryland had to design the bike and then build two identical replicas. He settled on a 1990s CB750 Nighthawk as the platform: “We’ve worked with the Nighthawk a lot lately, and know it really well.”

The most difficult part of the project, however, was not the mechanical side: it was the aging and ‘distressing’ of the bikes. “You might think, ‘Rusty tanks and fenders? Ratty paint? No problem.’ But replicating those irregularities is really hard.”

The motors look like they were cobbled together from several sources—thanks to a paint job by Ryland’s wife Betsy. “She made the engines identical down to the last scratch and smudge, applying layers of different paint colors and then sanding and stripping away those layers.” The effect is subtle and realistic, mimicking wear and tear over many years.

Meanwhile, Ryland was in charge of oxidation and dents. “We didn’t have time to let the parts rust naturally, and even if we did, it’d be impossible to make them look identical. So I made a rust concoction using steel wool, vinegar, peroxide and rust powder.”

Ryland would dab on the rust mixture, drying it with a heat gun between layers. When both sets of parts looked the same, he had them coated in a clear satin powder…after beating the hell out of them with various blunt objects.

Ryland’s chief mechanic Danik handled most of the fabrication—and the electrical and mechanical work, too. There’s even a false kickstarter that moves like a real one, but doesn’t actually start the bike.

Motor builder Jim Carrol did his part in a fraction of the time he usually gets. David Zemla at Progressive Suspension pulled strings to deliver 970-series piggyback shocks at next to no notice, so they could be scuffed up and aged. Dime City Cycles turned on the taps too, delivering a multitude of other small parts faster than a zombie on speed.

Roy Baird upholstered the seats, and then designed a bag that rides under the subframe. “He took a poster board mockup I made and translated it into a fully functional, durable waxed canvas bag. It fits the look of the bike perfectly, and fills some of the empty space under the seat.”

“We got to work a lot with Tom Luse (executive producer) and John Sanders (prop master). It’s cool because we see their names every week in the opening credits—and they really know their stuff.

“Tom kept things moving without any drama—a huge asset on a project like this. John is in charge of every weapon, vehicle, trinket, wine glass or backpack that appears in the show. So he’s a wealth of information about how the props will be used, and what kind of abuse they’ll take.”

Because this is Daryl Dixon’s motorcycle, it needed a crossbow mount. And that’s what the rack above the rear fender is for. It had to look good with or without the crossbow in place, and not interfere with a passenger—potentially one wearing a backpack.

The four padded posts fit into the hollows of the crossbow stock, so Daryl can slam the bow into place and take off in a hurry. It’s a pretty cool setup.

“We’ve done some really out-of-the-ordinary things as Classified Moto, but this project takes the cake,” says Ryland.

“We always love to work with people who appreciate what we bring to the table; getting to do this for one of the most popular shows on TV is really over the top.”

Classified Moto website | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Adam Ewing

DARYL DIXON MOTORCYCLE: BUILD SHEET
Donor: 1992 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
Front end: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front wheel: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front brakes: Yamaha YZF-R6
Rear wheel: Stock Nighthawk
Tires: Kenda Big Block
Shocks: Progressive Suspension 970 piggybacks
Tank: XS650 reproduction
Intake: Twin billet aluminum mesh units CNC milled by Seth Ingham
Exhaust: Modified stock with custom baffles
Seat: Leather, custom upholstered by Roy Baird, Richmond, VA
Battery: Shorai Lithium Ion
Chain: DID X-ring
Rack: Custom crossbow mount

via BIKEexif

Are prices for the air-cooled Porsche 911 Turbo finally shooting up?

Anyone buying a classic Porsche 911 Turbo today will need to take a deep breath before signing the cheque – because they’ve suddenly leapt in price, especially the air-cooled models. We asked the experts to explain the Turbo hype...

The new engine strategy at Porsche has helped to identify the naturally aspirated models as an endangered species – and hence suggests their investment potential. But then again, the death of the classic brand-new Carrera might have no effect on the value of the true, collectors’ models. While enthusiasts might be pretty annoyed that every Porsche 911 is likely, soon, to carry the symbol ‘Turbo’, does this account for the rocketing values of air-cooled specimens of this genus? A look at the catalogues for the upcoming auctions at Amelia Island is enough: a rare Porsche 993 Turbo S (pictured), perhaps the only one in Ocean Jade Metallic, is estimated by Gooding & Co. at 325,000 to 400,000 US dollars. At current exchange rates, that’s 300,000 to 370,000 euros! And one of fewer than 1,500 964 Turbos – the yellow car in the picture – is listed in the catalogue at 300,000 to 350,000 US dollars.

The greatest Turbos of all time

We asked the experts why these air-cooled Turbos are suddenly so expensive, with their rapid increase in value often overtaking the earlier Porsche 930. “The 3.3-litre 911 Turbo with four-speed gearbox remained virtually unchanged from 1978 to 1988, so there are a lot on the market – many of which are now showing signs of corrosion. This is an expensive problem!” warns Josh Sadler of Porsche specialist Autofarm, in Oxfordshire. Philip Raby, of Philip Raby Porsche in Chichester, West Sussex, agrees, adding: “The 964 and 993 Turbos were galvanised and so rust is much less of a problem. Also, the 993 Turbo is a much more useable car with its twin turbochargers, reducing the massive lag that the earlier Turbos suffered from – and its four-wheel drive also makes the power more manageable.” Arguably exempt from these criticisms is the “original Turbo” of the Seventies – the 1974-1977 911 3.0 Turbo is valuable because it is the most original, according to Dino Pannhorst of Pannhorst Classics, who reports that the early Turbos now attract strong prices.

But in general terms, what are the most desirable Turbos of all time? For Dino Pannhorst, it’s the rare Porsche 964 Turbo S and 993 Turbo S. Josh Sadler, however, would prefer a well-ripened 1975 Turbo 3.0. “It was seriously state-of-the-art when it appeared,” he says. Meanwhile Philip Raby stresses that a 911 Turbo was the real poster car among 911s. “That’s also what makes the Turbo – aside from the performance – more desirable for many buyers,” says Raby. 

The next generation

Porsche sold far greater quantities of modern Turbos with water cooling and many collectors currently wonder when and if it will pay to invest in one of the modern generations. Yes, it’s worth it, our respondents agree… but don’t expect major price jumps, at least not for the 997 Turbo. Right now, Raby sees the potential of the 996 Turbo: “People have woken up and realised that the 996 Turbo – at current prices – is a great car. Good, well-maintained examples already generate decent prices because they are becoming increasingly rare.” Dino Pannhorst sees particular potential in the factory-uprated models. Meanwhile, on the question of whether the future of Porsche has an impact on the market for younger generations of the Turbo, Pannhorst responds: “I think the clientele for the original Porsche concept will continue to grow. Many of my customers no longer identify with a modern Porsche.”

Classic Porsche price jump

Since 2014, there has been a positive trend in the market for high-priced collector Porsches worth more than 100,000 euros, according to the analysts of Historic Automobile Group International, also known as HAGI. In 2014, Porsche showed the strongest performance at 32 per cent, with Ferrari at 18 per cent. In 2013, it was a different story: classic Ferraris reached 62 per cent, with the corresponding Porsches off the pace in relative terms, at 24 per cent. As the 2014 figures show, the lower price levels then reached by Porsches is now seen as an advantage. Porsche’s Turbo models benefit from this trend, with HAGI’s price analysis showing that in the last two years, 964 and 993 Turbos have witnessed a real leap in prices. However, it’s well worth remembering that these cars offer not only investment potential, but also a thrilling, involving drive – and it’s for this reason thet they are in such high demand today.

Photos: RM Sotheby's, Bonhams, Gooding & Co.

Porsche 911 Turbos of all model years can be found in the Classic Driver Market.