News

Stellantis could shut down some of its brands

Stellantis is one of the world’s largest conglomerates, created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group, which owns 14 car manufacturers, and according to the latest information, it could happen that some of them will be shut down in the near future.

In an interview with Reuters, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said that the company cannot afford to have brands that are not profitable. “If they’re not making money, we’re going to shut them down.” Speculations have already begun about which brands within the Group are at risk, while some are considered to have no reason to worry, such as Fiat, Opel, Peugeot, Citroen, Jeep and Ram. Lancia and DS have the best chance of being shut down in the near future.

Some believe that Stellantis could sell some of the brands and thus avoid a negative financial risk. This primarily refers to Maserati, Dodge, and Chrysler.

This way of thinking in the company is not surprising since the business results in the first half of the year are devastating. Since the beginning of the year, Stellantis shares have fallen by over 20%, net revenues are down 14 percent, and net profit is down 48 percent. Also, operating income fell by 40 percent. The reason is bad sales results in North America, where 18 percent fewer vehicles were delivered in the first six months than in the same period in 2023.

In some markets, such as the Middle East and Africa, sales of Stellantis vehicles increased (+3%), but this can be attributed primarily to good demand for Fiat cars.

Source: Reuters

Auctions

Ultra-rare 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 is up for auction

In 1972, Porsche unveiled a special version of the 911 model, the Carrera RS, which was developed to meet the homologation requirements in motorsport. Two years later, the Carrera RS 3.0 was developed with Carrera RSR 3.0 homologation, and only 55 examples were produced. All the cars were sold to racing teams, and very few survived. One of the best preserved examples in existence, the 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 is up for auction.

The car is finished in Grand Prix White with striking Gold lettering over a Midnight leatherette interior, and is in excellent condition. While sharing many design cues with the Carrera RS 2.7, the Carrera RS 3.0 received wider Fuchs wheels, ventilated disc brakes borrowed from the 917, and strengthened chassis and suspension components. The five-digit odometer shows 29,453 kilometers (~18,302 miles).

This car was a demonstration car for prospective buyers, and after the duty was done, it was sold to the first owner, Sydney Butler, in the United States, and that’s when the interesting story of this car begins. After three years of ownership, Butler sold the car to his friend Charles Stoddard, and it was not the first time he encountered this car. When Porsche premiered this model, a number of people were able to enjoy a demonstration drive around the Hockenheimring, and Charles was in the passenger seat in this car driven by Jürgen Bart. He owned the car for 20 years, kept it in the garage and maintained it as needed. The car was then sold to Japan to return to the United States in 2004, and was sold to the current owner in 2017 when it became part of the White Collection.

The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 is powered by a 3.0-L engine with around 230 horsepower. It is fitted with the original Pirelli tires that were present on initial delivery.

The auction will take place August 15 – 17, 2024 in Monterey, and the estimated value of the car is between $1,600,000 – $1,800,000 USD.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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Ultra-rare 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 is up for auction
News

Aston Martin returns to WEC with the Valkyrie AMR-LMH

Aston Martin is one of the teams that have not competed in the WEC (World Endurance Championship) for years, and now they are returning to the competition in the 2025 season. They will compete in the Hypercar class and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with two Valkyrie AMR-LMH cars.

Both cars will be in the colors of the Heart of Racing team and will be powered by the Cosworth RA 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine. It is an improved engine that in the standard version has over 1,000 hp at 11,000 rpm.

The car is currently in the testing stages, which Aston Martin will run on European and North American tracks until the end of autumn. At the first tests held at the British tracks Donington and Silverstone, racers Darren Turner, Mario Farnbacher and Harry Tincknell were behind the wheel.

It will be the return of another manufacturer that will join Ferrari, which after half a century returned to the WEC. At this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari won with the Ferrari LMH 499P. The car is powered by a twinturbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with 680 hp (500 kW), which in combination with an electric motor with 272 hp (200 kW), produces a total of 952 hp (700 kW). The engine is paired with a seven-speed sequential gearbox. It is equipped with a 900-volt battery from Formula 1, which is charged by deceleration and braking.

It has not yet been confirmed whether Aston Martin will appear at the IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2025.

Source: Aston Martin

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Aston Martin returns to WEC with the Valkyrie AMR-LMH

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