All posts by Francis Mitterrand

2004 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS is up for auction

December 12, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

Kenneth Paul Block is not the most successful American rally driver, but he is certainly one of the most famous. His career began in 2005 when he competed in the Rally America National Championship as a member of the Vermont SportsCar team, and in that season he won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award. In 2017, he finished his career in the World Rallycross Championship, and at the beginning of 2023, he died in a snowmobile accident near his ranch in Woodland, Utah. One of the cars that Block drove in the X Games, the 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS is up for auction.

Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS is powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four engine. Power is sent to all wheels via a KAPS five-speed dog-box manual transmission, a driver-controlled center differential, and Cusco front and rear limited-slip differentials. It sits on gold-finished 15″ Speedline Corse Rally wheels wrapped in 215/65 BFGoodrich g-force tires.

This car is finished in Java Black and wrapped in black vinyl with #43 Monster Energy livery. It is equipped with PIAA driving lights, a hood scoop, a vented hood, a rear wing, a roof ventilator, mud flaps, a rear tow anchor, four-wheel disc brakes with AP rotors, four-piston calipers, Ferodo pads, and a Tilton bias adjuster and master cylinders, Öhlins shock absorbers, Cusco rear suspension links, 20mm front and rear anti-roll bars, and a 2.5:1 steering rack.

The interior of the car is completely original with Recaro Pro Racer SPA HANS racing seats, Sabelt six-point harnesses, a roll cage, a carbon-fiber dashboard and door panels, a Coralba Giant rally computer, a custom fuse and relay panel, three-spoke Sparco steering wheel, a Tilton pedal box, a passenger foot brace, and a fire suppression system. The car does not have an odometer, so the total mileage is unknown.

The Carfax report shows that the car sustained water damage and was declared a total loss in 2005. The car comes with an autographed build book, a fuel transfer pump, an ECU link harness, a Carfax report, and an Oregon title in the seller’s name.

The auction ends on December 20 and the highest bid at the time of writing was USD $46,250.

Source: Bring a Trailer

Gallery:

2004 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS is up for auction

Auctions

1989 Porsche 928 GT Flachbau is up for auction

December 12, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

In 1978, Porsche began the “Sonderwunsch” program, which modified production cars into unique cars. One of the examples is this 1989 Porsche 928 GT Flachbau, which four months ago was featured in a six-page Porsche Fahrer feature, outlining the unique and special qualities of this rare car. It is now up for auction.

The car was bought new, and then the owner handed it over to the experts of the Porsche Exclusive Department, who turned it into a unique car. It is equipped with covered pop-up headlights (option “XA2”) replacing circular lights, wider body skirts (option “XB2”), wider rear wheel arches (“XC1”), deep-dish wheel spacers and aerodynamically improved wing mirrors.

It was properly maintained by Porsche service centers and specialist workshops and had only one owner. It is powered by a 5.0L V8 engine with 326 hp (243 kW) compared to the 928 S4 which had 315 hp (235 kW) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a manual gearbox.

In 2003, the original odometer unit was replaced with a new one showing 56,636 kilometers. Documentation on file verifies that at the time of replacement, the original unit had recorded no more than 11,500 kilometers.

The auction will take place in Paris on January 31, 2024 and the estimated value of the car is between €180,000 – €280,000 EUR.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Gallery:

1989 Porsche 928 GT Flachbau is up for auction

Tuning

Lamborghini Urus as Apocalypse 6×6

December 11, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

Ten years ago, the Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6×6 was one of the first cars to be transformed into a six-wheeler, which later proved popular with pickup enthusiasts. Now, South Florida Jeeps has transformed the powerful Lamborghini Urus into an Apocalypse 6×6 vehicle.

Two months ago, a video of this crazy beast was published on the Sliderz_Official YouTube channel. The car looks like an unfinished project, but what can be seen is breathtaking. It is finished in red with black carbon side mirror housings, door sills, fenders, and large wheels. The extension of the roof line and the rear part made it possible to install a third axle and two additional wheels. A new diffuser, lip spoiler and additional spoiler mounted on the roof were installed.

When it comes to the powertrain, it is not known if there have been any changes. The standard Lamborghini Urus is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with 650 hp (478 kW) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. It reaches 62 mph in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km / h).

This isn’t the first car that South Florida Jeeps has transformed into a 6X6 over the years. Before the Urus, the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and even the Land Rover Defender underwent a similar transformation.