All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions

1959 Porsche 356A Coupe is up for auction

In 1955, Porsche introduced the first version of the sports model 356, the “Type 1”, the first production car from the Stuttgart-based carmaker. It was produced until 1959, and about 15,500 cars left the production lines. One of them, a 1959 Porsche 356A Coupe is up for auction.

The Porsche 356A Coupe is powered by a replacement air-cooled 1,720cc flat-four engine from the 1965 Porsche 912. It is mated to a four-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. The engine was overhauled 12 years ago, and dual carburetors, mesh air cleaners, and a billet oil sump plate, Bosch ignition coil, and gray-finished fan shroud were installed.

The car is finished in silver and is in good condition. It is equipped with headlight guards, Mobil Pegasus decals, a left-side mirror, a rear luggage rack, dual exhaust outlets, and body-color bumpers with bright-finished overriders, front sway bar, and four-wheel brake drums. It sits on chrome-finished 15″ steel wheels wrapped in 165-series Vredestein Sprint Classic tires.

Inside, the seats are upholstered in red leather that covers the door panels and the upper part of the dashboard. In front of the driver is a two-spoke steering wheel behind which is a five-digit odometer reading 21,403 miles. Additional equipment includes gray carpets, rear luggage straps, a fire extinguisher, a Blaupunkt radio, and a flashlight stored in the glovebox.

The car comes with car show awards, refurbishment photos, and British Columbia registration.

The auction ends on August 2nd and the current highest bid is USD $75,000.

Source: Bring a Trailer

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1959 Porsche 356A Coupe is up for auction
News

2023 Geneva International Motor Show Qatar

The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show that will be held this year in Doha, Qatar, where 30 car manufacturers will participate. Those planning to come to the fair have something to look forward to, as ten new cars will be presented.

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic canceled the Geneva International Motor Show. This was the reason for the organizers to look for an alternative, so they reached an agreement with the government of Qatar that, for the next two years (2021 and 2022), the biennial exhibitions will be held in Doha during the fourth quarter along with the annual exhibitions in Switzerland during the first quarter. That will happen this year as well.

“Excitement is building for the first edition of the Qatar show in Doha, which is only a few months away. We are on track to make this event the new, premier car show in the Middle East and to bridge the gap between the exciting automotive industries in the East and the West. One of our exhibitor has participated in every edition of the Geneva Motor Show since 1924 and will join us in Doha with the same enthusiasm,” said Sandro Mesquita, Director of the International Geneva Motor Show.

The event will begin with an exclusive opening ceremony on October 5, and two days later the general public will be able to visit the event. GIMS Qatar is scheduled to take place at the same time as the Formula 1 race weekend in Qatar (between October 6 and 8). In addition to the unveiling of the new cars, the Qatar National Museum will host a forum on the future of automotive design.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the next GIMS, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and the focus will be on the development of mobility. “Geneva offers an opportunity to highlight the path of industry in the next century on this special anniversary. It will be a platform to showcase the outstanding research and development work of companies around the world,” concluded Mesquita.

Source: Geneva International Motor Show

News

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

In a few days, Toyota will present the new generation of its Land Cruiser SUV, and predictions have already begun as to what it might look like. The automotive magazine Kolesa has published its renderings based on available photos.

The new generation is inspired by the FJ62 model from the late eighties of the last century. The new Land Cruiser has a slightly different front end with rectangular headlights and simple side fenders, the windows look big and there’s a prominent roof rack.

The interior is still unknown. Only one photo has surfaced showing a toggle switch to select between high and low gears and a medium setting for the H4L, presumably referring to high gears with a locked differential.

When it comes to the powertrain, there is no information there either. There are many speculations, and some say that it will be based on Toyota’s GA-F platform (body-on-frame). The same platform is used by the Lexus GX, which is powered by a 3.4-liter V6 twin-turbo engine with 349 hp (257 kW) and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to all wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission with a Torsen limited-slip differential.

Source: Kolesa