All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions, News

1988 Ferrari Testarossa is for sale

In 1984, at the Paris Motor Show, Ferrari presented the Model Testarossa as the successor to the Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer. By 1996, around 10,000 cars had been produced, making it one of the most mass-produced Ferrari cars of all time. However, during that period Ferrari produced 390 examples for the North American market and one such 1988 Ferrari Testarossa is for sale.

The car was produced in March 1988 and two months later it was shipped to the USA via Autohaus Inc. to Massachusetts. It was in his collection until 2010 when it was sold to another person. It remained in the ownership of another buyer until September 2014, when it changed several owners.

It is painted in the rare Marrone Metalizzato color, and has had four owners so far. It received the Ferrari Cassiche certificate seven years ago, as well as the Platinum Award at the 2015 Cavallino Classic XXIV Concours d’Elegance. The interior is upholstered in light brown leather, while the dashboard is black.

The Ferrari Testarossa has only 6,611 miles (10,639.4 km) on the odometer and is powered by a 4.9L flat-12 engine with 380 hp (283 kW) and 356 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. It reaches 62 mph in 6.1 seconds with a top speed of 181 mph (291 km/h).

The car will be offered on Saturday, 20 August 2022. It is expected to be sold for a price between $150,000 – $225,000 USD.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

News, Tuning

Porsche 993R

Among the many companies involved in the restoration and modification of the most famous cars, Paul Stephens Autoart is perhaps one of the best. Their latest work is the Porsche 993R based on the 911 Carrera (993).

The restoration of the car took five years. The weight of the car has been reduced and the number of horsepower has been increased, and the result is a great car. Now the 993R weighs 1,190 kilograms (1,220 kg wet), which is 180 kilograms less than the original Porsche 993 Carrera. This was achieved by installing lightweight aluminum parts, but also by removing the electric sunroof, installing lightweight manual electric mirrors, installing Porsche Motorsport glass for side and rear windows, bumpers were replaced with lightweight PS Autoart composite items. The original suspension was replaced with custom Porsche Motorsport parts.

Inside, most of the interior has been removed. Now the minimalist interior contains carbon fiber Recaro bucket seats trimmed in the finest materials, a sports steering wheel, a new dashboard without a glovebox, audio and center console.

The 993R is powered by a 3.8-liter flat-six engine with 360 hp (265 kW). As a reminder, the Standard 911 Carrera is powered by a 3.6-liter engine with 270 hp (199 kW). Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a refined manual 6-speed gearbox with lightweight flywheel and clutch. Performance is not known but it will certainly be better than what the 911 Carrera offers, up to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds with a top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h). It’s mounted on a set of 18-inch rims wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

Source: Paul Stephens Autoart

News

Flying Tiger is the first VW flying taxi

Just as the sky is not the limit for the South Korean company Hyundai, the same could be said for VW. The German car manufacturer has unveiled its first flying taxi, the Flying Tiger.

This flying taxi is 11.2 meters long and 10.6 meters wide, and is the work of Volkswagen Group China. The eVTOL-type aircraft has the ability to take off and land vertically, and is equipped with eight vertical rotors and two horizontal rotors, allowing it to move in all directions.

Flying Tiger is still in the prototype phase and according to information coming from Volkswagen, it should have a range of 200 km and enough space to accommodate four people. More information about this craft, VW should release soon.

VW expects that the Flying Tiger should go into production next year, when it should have its first official flight. It is an ambitious plan considering that Hyundai has announced its autonomous flying taxi Supernal by 2028. It is expected that, due to zero-emission, it will attract a certain number of interested parties and replace a large number of helicopters that are currently used in short-distance transport.

Source: Volkswagen