All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

McLaren is returning to the WEC with the 720S GT3 Evo

Although earlier rumors said that McLaren is returning to the strongest class of the WEC, this will not happen. The British company announces that it will return to the most famous endurance races from 2024 with two 720S GT3 Evo cars but in LMGT3.

Both cars will be in the colors of the British team United Autosports, in which they have been successfully racing for years in the LMP2 class, which will no longer be present in the World Endurance Championship from next season. Thus, only the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes remain.

With the return to the World Endurance Championship in which they competed with the F1 GTR model in the LMGT1 class from 1995 to 1998, McLaren focused their special attention on the biggest race of today (24 Hours of Le Mans) in which in 1995 they were first in the general standings, and two years later first in the LMGT1 class with only a lap behind the LMP prototype TWR Porsche WSC-95.

Also, a few days ago, Aston Martin announced that it will participate in the FIA WEC (World Endurance Championship) and the IMSA Championship in the most powerful Hypercar class from the 2025 season, with a prototype based on the Aston Martin Valkyrie.

The car will be adapted to the rules of the Hypercar class (LMH – Le Mans Hypercar) and will have slightly less horsepower than the current endurance-focused Aston Martin Valkyrie. The Valkyrie is powered by a Cosworth 6.5L naturally-aspirated V12 engine assisted by an electric motor totaling 1,160 hp (865 kW) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed Ricardo single-clutch automated manual transmission. It reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.6 seconds with a top speed of 402 km/h (250 mph).

Source: McLaren

Auctions

Modified 1982 Porsche 911SC coupe is up for auction

In 1978, Porsche reintroduced the SC designation for the first time since the 356SC, Porsche 911SC. It was produced until 1983 in the body styles Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet, and over 57,000 cars left the production line. One of them modified in 930 Turbo-style, 1982 Porsche 911SC coupe is up for auction.

This 911SC is powered by an air-cooled 3.8L flat-six engine by Torque Power Engines of Reno. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Type 915 five-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. It is mounted on gold 15″ Group 4 wheels wrapped in Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring (front) and Nitto NT555R (rear) tires.

This car is finished in black, and is equipped with modified fiberglass bumpers, steel fender flares, adjustable torsion bars, a rear spoiler, a custom exhaust system, a Steve Wong chip, a front-mount oil cooler, H4 headlights, a sunroof, Vitaloni Californian dual side mirrors, Bilstein shocks and rear helper springs, Rebel Racing RSR-style spring plate bushings, Elephant Racing ball joints, Elephant Racing bump steer kit, 930 Turbo rear torsion bars, and 930 Turbo tie rod ends.

Inside, the sport seats are upholstered in blue fabric with Tartan inserts, while the door panels and dashboard are covered in black vinyl. In front of the driver is a three-spoke MOMO steering wheel and a six-digit odometer showing 13,573 miles (total mileage is unknown). Additional equipment includes an aftermarket harness bar, a JWest Engineering Rennshift shifter, a 917-style shift knob, power windows, RS-style door panels, and metal pedal covers.

The car has a clean Carfax report that shows no accidents or other damage. It comes with recent service records, an accident-free Carfax report, and a clean California title.

The auction ends on October 10 and the highest bid at the time of writing is $72,000 USD.

Source: Bring a Trailer

Gallery:

Modified 1982 Porsche 911SC coupe is up for auction
News

Ghana is the new European scrapyard

Have you ever wondered where old cars go? Well, Eastern Europe has long been where used cars from Western Europe were sold. However, according to the latest data, it seems that Europe has found a new scrapyard, that is Ghana.

Ghana has become the new graveyard of European cars and the urban area in the capital city of Accra, Agbogbloshie, is where about 250,000 tons of sorted computers, smartphones, air conditioners and other devices end up every year. In the same place there is a vegetable market, a scrap yard, a large slum, an industrial area and a household waste dump.

Agbogbloshie used to be a swamp, an area where 100,000 people now live and all those who have visited this place say it looks apocalyptic, some have even called it “Sodom and Gomorrah”. A place of survival for 6,000 employed women, men and children, who live from recycling.

Ghana imports about 100,000 old cars a year, and most of them arrive at this car scrap yard broken down or in very poor condition. It is mainly about old German cars, which have the highest value on the local market, which when they finally “die”, end up here at this junkyard. However, this is a place where not all cars are recycled, some of them are taken apart and brought back to life.

After the car is disassembled, the parts that can be used are sold to local mechanics and body shops, or at the market. Unusable parts end up as waste.

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Ghana is the new European scrapyard