All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Manhart TR 800 based on the Porsche 911 Turbo S

After presenting the Manhart TR 750 last month, the German tuner Manhart has now offered an even more powerful set of equipment for fans of one of the most powerful models, but also one of the fastest production cars in the world, from the Stuttgart-based company. It is a Manhart TR 800 based on the Porsche 911 Turbo S.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine with 650 hp (478 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. However, thanks to a new equipment kit that includes remapping, new turbochargers, an upgraded intercooler and a more open adaptive exhaust system, the 3.8-liter engine now delivers 833 hp (613 kW) and 712 lb-ft (965 Nm) of torque. That’s 83 hp more than the TR 750. The engine is mated to an 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission (PDK) that sends power to both axles.

Manhart hasn’t released performance figures for the tuned TR 800, but we expect nothing less than what the Porsche 911 Turbo S can do, 62 mph in 2.7 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph (330 kph).

The TR 800 is painted orange with a black roof and black details on the hood. Inside, Manhart offers a leather interior with individually chosen accents.

The set of special equipment brings the Carbon Body Kit from TopCar Design, which includes a new front spoiler, front frames, carbon mirror covers, side skirts, side air intakes, a new rear diffuser, rear side air ducts, a new rear spoiler, a new decal set and engine air vents. There is also a stainless steel exhaust system with valve control by Kline Innovation, downpipes race without catalytic converters or downpipes sport with 100 or 200 cell HJS catalysts, new carbon tailpipes, suspension tuning and H&R springs that lower the car by an additional 30 mm. It is equipped with a new set of 21 and 22 inch forged concave one rims in Silk Matt Black wrapped in 255/30 ZR21 (front) and 335/25 ZR22 (rear) tires.

Source: Manhart

1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth “Special version” is for sale

Ford introduced the “Homologation special version” Escort RS Cosworth for the European market in 1992. The car was produced until 1996, and 7,145 cars were produced. The last produced 1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth is owned by the former manager of Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) department. Dieter Hahne, and is now up for sale.

When production of the model ended in January 1996, the team found that there were enough parts for two more cars, so two special cars were produced. Both were manufactured to original specifications, but they did not fit the 1991 bonnet, so 1993 bonnets were used instead. This car was bought by Wilhelm Karmann Jr who was the president of Wilhelm Karmann GmbH at the time, and has only had two owners so far.

The body of the car is painted in Auralis blue, while the interior is upholstered in black leather. Under the hood is the standard powertrain so the Ford Escort RS Cosworth is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 224 hp (165 kW) and 224 lb-ft (304 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to all wheels via a five-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip differential. It sits on 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/45 ZR16 tires. It has 97,882 km on the odometer.

The car is in excellent condition and currently the highest bid is EUR €26,250.

Source: Collecting cars

1990 Ferrari Testarossa Pininfarina Spider “Special Production” is for sale

If you have ever wanted to own a collector car that is extremely valuable and worth every cent, then the 1990 Ferrari Testarossa Pininfarina Spider “Special Production” is the car for you. It is a car that has only 413 kilometers on the odometer.

Ferrari produced 7,177 examples of the Testarossa, but there was no production convertible version, which is why the Pininfarina Spider “Special Production” is truly special. Customers requested the production of the Testarossa Spider, but Ferrari agreed to make only one for FIAT president Gianni Agnelli. All other copies of the Testarossa cabriolet were produced by another company and in a limited edition. Seven examples of the Spider were produced for the Royal Family of Brunei as well as other important clients. One of these copies is for sale.

Interestingly, the car was never registered for road use. For a long time it was an exhibition specimen, and last year a restoration was carried out where Pininfarina technicians restored the hood to functional condition, and the interior of the car was refreshed by the carrozzeria, which cost €94,300. Carrozzeria Zanasi installed a new clutch and fuel pump, disassembled, cleaned and restored the engine and suspension, returning the car to outstanding condition. All this cost an additional €83,170, which is a total of €177,470 EUR for the complete restoration.

The car will be sold at an auction that will take place on November 5, 2022. The estimated value of the car is between
£1,400,000 – £1,800,000 GBP (US$1,600,000 – 2,050,000).

Source: RM Sotheby’s