Tag Archives: vehicles

Auctions

1989 Nissan 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTO is for sale

In the mid-1980s, Nissan launched a new sports car, the 300ZX, which a few years later became the platform for one of the Clayton Cunningham Racing team’s most successful cars. Only seven cars were produced between 1989 and 1995 and one of them, the 1989 Nissan 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTO, is for sale.

This 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTO had seven top-five finishes in 1989 alone, and achieved its first victory in 1990. By the end of 1992, the car had four wins in 45 starts, including Mosport and Road America Mid-Ohio and Mosport, as well as 16 top three finishes.

At the end of the 1992 season, the car was fitted with an additional passenger seat, and was used for Cunningham Racing’s track driving experience. It should also be noted that this is the only car in the series to have a modified chassis for the passenger seat.

A few years later, this 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTO was sold to Toby Bean, who exhibited it at vintage racing events and kept it in race-ready condition. In 2017, it was sold to a new owner who completely restored it, and two years later it won the Long Beach Grand Prix and the Rolex Motorsports Reunion in Monterey.

The car features a fully adjustable front and rear suspension, as well as a liquid-cooled braking system. Unfortunately, the passenger seat has since been removed to meet IMSA specifications. It is powered by a 3.0-L twin-turbo DOHC V-6 engine with 860 hp, mated to a five-speed manual transmission and a Cunningham Racing quick change rear end housing with Hewland VGC internals.

The auction will take place on March 6-7, 2025 and the asking price is $450,000.

Source: Gooding & Company

Gallery:

1989 Nissan 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTO is for sale
News

BMW Group delays EV production in Oxford

The BMW Group had previously announced that all production of the Mini Cooper Electric and Mini Aceman would be moved from China to Oxford. However, the latest information suggests that Mini cars will continue to be imported from China, despite the fact that the EU has imposed additional tariffs on EVs imported from this Asian country. The reason is that the start of production in Oxford has been postponed indefinitely due to the slowdown in sales of electric cars.

BMW has invested more than 600 million pounds in the reconstruction of the factory, as well as the body pressing plant in nearby Swindon. The investment included the expansion of the body shop, the construction of a new area for the installation of batteries and new logistics facilities. A BMW Group spokesman said that they were currently considering restarting production of electric Mini models in Oxford, but did not say when this would happen. He also added that a previously announced government subsidy, which was supposed to be part of the investment in the factory in addition to BMW Group funds, would no longer be used.

The Oxford plant has about 4,000 employees and is expected to produce electric vehicles in the future. The production target of 200,000 units over the next five years seems unrealistic and will definitely be revised.

Source: BMW Group

Gallery:

BMW Group delays EV production in Oxford
News

Renault R5 Turbo 3E coming soon

After four decades, Renault is officially bringing back its sporty hatchback that was produced in the early 1980s. It is a powerful all-electric car, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, which will be produced in just 1980 units.

The car is inspired by the Renault 5 Turbo/Turbo 2 models. It has a retro-futuristic design, a unique lightweight and extremely stiff carbon monocoque chassis, boxy wheel arches that link it to the original 1980s model, accentuated bumpers and sills, a sleeker glass section and better aerodynamics, and large rims with ultra-wide tires. The LED headlights are slightly modified compared to the standard R5, while the rear lights are taken from the RS E-Tech Electric. The charging port is hidden in one of the side intakes, which are designed to cool the electric powertrain.

This mini supercar weighs 1,450 kilograms, and the company claims that it will take off a few more kilograms by the start of production. It uses an 800V platform that allows a maximum charging speed of 350 kW. The lithium-ion 70 kWh battery can be charged from 15 to 80 percent capacity in just 15 minutes, and with a single charge it allows a range of 400 km.

The R5 Turbo 3E is an all-electric car powered by two electric motors with a total output of 536 hp (400 kW). It is Renault’s most powerful production car, and it reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 270 km/h.

Renault will start taking orders soon, while the first deliveries are expected in 2027. The car will be offered in Europe, Australia and the Middle East, and the price is currently unknown.

Source: Renault