Over the years, there has been a lot written on the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, a race which has earned the reputation as one of the most challenging endurance races on the international motorsport calendar. The 24 Heures du Mans enjoys the reputation as the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, and has been held annually since 1923, with the … [Read more...]
Working for Porsche in Stuttgart in the 1960s Part I
For two years in the early 1960s, South African André Loubser had the time of his life, working not just for Porsche in Stuttgart, but for Huschke von Hanstein, one of the most colourful figures in the company's history. Von Hanstein’s death, in early 1996, prompted Loubser to recall those far-off days and to write this remarkable account of his time at Zuffenhausen, … [Read more...]
Grossmutter 718 W-RS Spyder – one of a kind
The word unique is a much-overused word today, as it is applied, it seems, to just about anything that is produced in small numbers, or even just to enhance a claim about something unusual. In fact, the word unique should really only be applied to something when it is: the only one of its kind; unlike anything else; existing as the only one or as the sole example. So, when we … [Read more...]
Porsche and the Triple Crown of endurance racing
There are three Sports Car endurance races that have been run over the past sixty-plus years that have been referred to as the ‘Triple Crown’. Arguably, some can say other races should also be included, but these three have withstood the test of time, and they are the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, and the Daytona 24 Hours. The Le Mans 24 Hours started in 1923, … [Read more...]
Can-Am 50th Anniversary
First impressions – Can-Am 50th Anniversary is a big book! It’s not that it is so thick, but dimensionally it is large in length and breadth, so you had best find yourself a nice big, comfy armchair, and settle back for the ride of a lifetime. The publisher’s marketing blurb puts it this way, “Feel the speed in this dazzlingly illustrated book on the over the top, no … [Read more...]
Video: Porsche Top 5 – Best air-cooled models
Dan Gurney 1931-2018
Dan Gurney, the well-known racing driver, passed away on 14 January 2018. Where does one start with a driver like Dan Gurney? He was an inspiration to many, admired by both rivals and friends alike, and an all-round good guy. His racing achievements are so numerous and his victories so varied, that it would take a book to do them justice. But under that tough, competitive … [Read more...]