ArtHitParade
ArtHitParade on Twitter
  • Home
    • Contact
  • Calendar
  • Top 10
    • Origin
    • From 600 BCE to CE
    • Years 1 to 1000
    • Years 1000 to 1300
    • 14th Century
    • 15th Century >
      • Years 1400-1429
      • Years 1430-1459
      • Years 1460-1479
      • Years 1480-1499
    • 16th Century >
      • Years 1500-1519
      • Decade 1520-1529
      • Decade 1530-1539
      • Years 1540-1569
      • Years 1570-1599
    • 17th Century >
      • Decade 1600-1609
      • Decade 1610-1619
      • Decade 1620-1629
      • Decade 1630-1639
      • Decade 1640-1649
      • Decade 1650-1659
      • Years 1660-1679
      • Years 1680-1699
    • 18th Century >
      • Decade 1700-1709
      • Decade 1710-1719
      • Decade 1720-1729
      • Decade 1730-1739
      • Decade 1740-1749
      • Decade 1750-1759
      • Decade 1760-1769
      • Decade 1770-1779 >
        • 1776
      • Decade 1780-1789
      • Decade 1790-1799 >
        • 1792
    • 19th Century >
      • Decade 1800-1809
      • Decade 1810-1819
      • Decade 1820-1829
      • Decade 1830-1839
      • Decade 1840-1849
      • Decade 1850-1859
      • Decade 1860-1869
      • Decade 1870-1879
      • Decade 1880-1889 >
        • 1887
        • 1888
        • 1889
      • Decade 1890-1899 >
        • 1890
        • 1892
        • 1895
        • 1896
    • 20th Century >
      • Decade 1900-1909 >
        • 1902
        • 1903
        • 1904
        • 1905
        • 1907
        • 1908
        • 1909
      • Decade 1910-1919 >
        • 1911
        • 1912
        • 1913
        • 1914
        • 1915
        • 1916
        • 1917
        • 1918
        • 1919
      • Decade 1920-1929 >
        • 1920
        • 1921
        • 1923
        • 1924
        • 1925
        • 1926
        • 1927
        • 1928
        • 1929
      • Decade 1930-1939 >
        • 1930
        • 1931
        • 1932
        • 1933
        • 1934
        • 1935
        • 1936
        • 1937
        • 1938
        • 1939
      • Decade 1940-1949 >
        • 1941
        • 1942
        • 1945
        • 1946
        • 1947
        • 1948
        • 1949
      • Decade 1950-1959 >
        • 1950
        • 1951
        • 1952
        • 1953
        • 1954
        • 1955
        • 1956
        • 1957
        • 1958
        • 1959
      • Decade 1960-1969 >
        • 1960
        • 1961
        • 1962
        • 1963
        • 1964
        • 1965
        • 1966
        • 1967
        • 1968
        • 1969
      • Decade 1970-1979 >
        • 1970
        • 1971
        • 1972
        • 1974
        • 1975
        • 1976
        • 1977
        • 1978
        • 1979
      • Decade 1980-1989 >
        • 1980
        • 1981
        • 1982
        • 1983
        • 1984
        • 1985
        • 1986
        • 1987
        • 1988
        • 1989
      • Decade 1990-1999 >
        • 1990
        • 1991
        • 1992
        • 1993
        • 1994
        • 1995
        • 1996
        • 1997
        • 1998
        • 1999
    • 21st Century >
      • Decade 2000-2009 >
        • 2000
        • 2001
        • 2002
        • 2003
        • 2004
        • 2006
        • 2007
        • 2008
      • Decade 2010-2019 >
        • 2017
      • 2020 to now >
        • 2021
  • Current Art
  • Renaissance
  • Painting
    • Ancient Painting >
      • Rembrandt
      • Oil on Copper
    • 18th Century Painting
  • Ancient Drawing
  • Art on Paper
  • Sculpture
    • Bust
    • Ancient Sculpture >
      • Roman Sculpture
    • Italian Sculpture
    • French Sculpture
    • Sculpture by Painters
  • Women Artists
    • Ancient Art by Women
    • Current Art by Women
    • O'Keeffe
    • Martin
    • Mitchell
    • Yayoi Kusama
  • Furniture
    • Chairs and Seats
    • Colonial Furniture
    • Ancient French Furniture
    • 18th Century Furniture
    • Modern Furniture >
      • Art Deco
    • Modern Tables
  • Prints
    • Ancient Prints
    • Modern Prints
  • Photo
    • Old Photos >
      • Travel Photos
      • Early French Photo
    • Photos 1900s 1910s
    • Photos 1920s 1930s
    • Photos 1970s 1980s
    • Sherman
    • Gursky
  • The Man
  • The Woman
  • Children
  • Man and Woman
  • Groups
  • Self Portrait
    • Self Portrait 2nd page
  • Nude
  • Abstract Art
    • Abstract Art - 2nd page
  • Landscape
    • Midi
    • Alps
    • Mountains in China
  • Cities
    • Venice
    • Paris
    • Los Angeles
  • Flowers
    • Bouquet
  • Animals
    • Bird
    • Cats
    • Horse
  • Dragon
  • Tabletop
  • Early Still Life
  • Music and Dance in Art
    • Music in Old Painting
  • Sport in Art
  • Orientalism
    • Orientalism 1830-1900
  • France
    • Louis XV and XVI
    • Revolution and Empire
    • Louis XVIII to 2nd Empire
    • Ancient French Painting
    • Degas
    • Cézanne
    • Monet >
      • Monet before 1878
      • From Vétheuil to Giverny
      • London and Venice
      • Bassin aux Nymphéas
    • Renoir
    • Gauguin
    • Seurat and Signac
    • Lautrec
    • Matisse
    • Klein
    • Lalanne
    • Post War French Art
  • Italy
    • Ancient Italy >
      • Italian Painting 1280-1700
    • Canaletto
    • Modigliani
    • Fontana
  • Swiss Painting before 1940
    • Hodler
  • Giacometti
    • Giacometti 1947-53
    • Femme Debout
  • Bacon
    • Bacon before 1963
    • Bacon 1963-70
    • Later Bacons
    • Head Triptych
  • UK - 2nd page
    • Ancient England
    • George I to III
    • George IV to Victoria
    • British Royals
    • Turner >
      • Watercolor by Turner
    • Freud
    • Hockney
    • Doig
    • Hirst
    • Banksy
  • Germany
    • Ancient Germany >
      • Cranach
    • Richter >
      • Richter before 1983
    • Germany - 2nd page
  • Van Gogh
  • Mondrian
  • De Kooning
  • Old Flanders and Belgium
    • Flemish Art >
      • Rubens
    • Magritte >
      • Early Magritte
    • Tintin
    • Belgium 2nd page
  • Picasso
    • Picasso before 1907
    • Picasso 1907-1931
    • 1932 Picasso
    • Picasso later 1930s
    • Picasso 1940-1960
    • Picasso in Mougins
    • Prints by Picasso
  • Miro
  • Spain 2nd page
    • Ancient Spain
    • Gris
  • Klimt
  • Schiele
  • USA
    • US Independence
    • Development of USA
    • US Civil War
    • Wild West
    • US Painting before 1940
    • Rockwell
    • Calder
    • Rothko >
      • Early Rothko
      • Rothko 1957-70
    • Still
    • Pollock
    • Lichtenstein >
      • Lichtenstein after 1965
    • Warhol >
      • USA by Warhol
      • Celebrities by Warhol
      • Later Warhols
      • Prints by Warhol
    • Twombly
    • Prince
    • Koons
    • Wool
    • Basquiat
    • USA 2nd page
  • Central and South Americas
  • China
    • Archaic China >
      • Ritual Bronzes
    • Northern Song
    • Southern Song and Yuan
    • Early Ming
    • Later Ming
    • Early Qing
    • Qianlong
    • Modern China >
      • Zhang Daqian
      • Sanyu
      • Zao Wou-Ki
    • New Chinese Painting
    • Chinese Porcelain >
      • Song to Yuan Porcelain
      • Ming Porcelain
      • Qing Porcelain
    • Chinese Art
    • Chinese Calligraphy
    • Chinese Furniture
    • Imperial Seal
    • Jadeite
  • India
    • Modern India >
      • Gaitonde
  • Persia
    • Safavid Carpets
  • Yoshitomo Nara
  • Russia
    • Russia 1700-1900
    • Kandinsky
  • Eastern Europe
    • Chagall
  • Northern Europe
    • Prints by Munch
  • Egypt
  • Tropical Africa
    • Congo
    • Gabon
    • Mask
  • Tribal Oceania
    • Easter Island
  • Australia
    • Colonial Australia
  • Islam
  • Buddhism
    • Early Buddhist Sculpture
    • Tibet and Nepal
  • Judaica
  • Christianity
    • Madonna and Child
  • Cars
    • Birth of Automobile
    • Cars of the 1910s
    • Cars of the 1920s
    • Cars of the 1930s >
      • Cars 1930-33
      • Cars 1934-35
      • Cars 1936-37
      • Cars 1938-39
    • Cars 1940-50
    • Cars of the 1950s >
      • Cars 1951-53
      • Cars 1954-55
      • Cars 1956-57
      • Cars 1958-59
    • Cars of the 1960s >
      • Cars 1960-61
      • Cars 1962-63
      • Cars 1964-65
      • Cars 1966-67
    • Cars 1970s 1980s
    • Supercars
    • Hypercars
    • Ferrari >
      • Early Ferrari
      • From LWB to GTO >
        • California Spider
      • Big Five
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Porsche
    • British Cars >
      • Aston Martin
      • Jaguar
      • McLaren
    • Bugatti
    • French Cars
    • Duesenberg
    • Ford and Shelby
    • Cars in Movies
    • Cars - 2nd page
  • Motorcycles
  • Jewels
    • White Diamond
    • Pink Diamond
    • Blue Diamond
    • African Diamonds
    • Jewels - 2nd page
    • Cartier
  • Silverware
    • Old Silverware
  • Coin
    • Antique Coins
    • Coins 1000-1775
    • Coins 1776-92
    • Coins 1793-99
    • Coins 1800-49
    • Coins 1850-69
    • Coins 1870-99
    • 20th century Coins
    • US Gold Coins
    • Dollars and Eagles >
      • Silver Dollar
    • British Coins
    • Japanese Coins
    • Chinese Coins
  • Paper Currency
  • Medal and Decoration
  • Time Pieces
    • Clocks >
      • Old Clocks
    • Mechanical Craft ca 1800 >
      • Jaquet-Droz and Followers
    • Modern Watches
    • New Watches >
      • OnlyWatch
    • Patek Philippe >
      • Patek Philippe before 1950
      • World Time
      • Perpetual Calendar
    • Rolex
    • Watches 2nd page
    • English Time Pieces
    • French Time Pieces
  • Glass and Crystal
    • Glass before 1900
    • Tiffany Studios
  • From Terracotta to Porcelain
    • Meissen
  • Textiles
  • Garment
  • Fashion
  • Books
    • Incunabula
    • 16th Century Books
    • 17th Century Books
    • Fine Books 1700-1850
  • Literature
    • Literature in English
    • Literature in French
  • Poems and Lyrics
  • Autograph
  • Manuscript
    • Illuminated Christian Manuscript
  • Religious Texts
  • Political Writing
  • Comic Books
  • Illustrators
  • Travel
  • Space
    • Apollo 11
  • Maps
    • Ancient Maps
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Musical Instrument
    • Violin >
      • Violin 2nd page
    • Guitar
    • Musical Instrument 2nd page
  • Pop Music
    • The Beatles
  • Poster
  • Sport
    • Sport Equipment
    • Sport Uniform
    • Sport Document
    • Sport Rewards and Medals
    • T206 Wagner
    • Sport Images before 1940
    • Sport Cards 1940-92
    • Topps Mantle
    • Modern Sport Cards
    • Baseball >
      • Baseball Bat
      • Babe Ruth
      • Lou Gehrig
    • Basketball >
      • Jordan
    • Ice Hockey
    • Sport 2nd page
    • Olympic Games
  • Origins of Sports
  • Historical Arms
    • Blade and Armour
    • Colt 1836-62
    • Later Colts
    • Winchester
    • Firearms - 2nd page
  • Toys
  • Doll
  • Games
  • Stamps
    • World Stamps
    • US Stamps
    • Inverted Jenny
  • Inventions
  • Optical Instrument
  • Sciences
    • Ancient Science
    • Sciences 1600-1800
    • Sciences from 1800
    • Astronomy
    • Physics
    • Medicine
  • Dinosaur
  • Computing
  • Nobel Medals
  • Whisky
    • Whisky 2nd page
  • Wine
  • Plus
    • Plus 17C
    • Plus 1880s
    • Plus 1962-64 Warhol
    • Plus Basquiat

Cars of the 1970s and 1980s

See also : Porsche  French cars  Big Five  Cars in movies 
Chronology : 1970  1979
Cars of the 1960s

​1970 The Preferred Car of Jo Siffert
​2017 SOLD for $ 14M including premium

Porsche had never won the 24 hours of Le Mans. A change in regulations announced after the 1968 season by the ACO for the two classes 3 liters and 5 liters is seized as an opportunity. Porsche creates in parallel the models 908 and 917.

The rule for the 5 liter homologation requires that the model is produced in 25 identical units. Porsche's motivation is so intense that they line up their twenty-five 917 in the yard of the factory as early as April 1969. Success is still questionable because the 917 is very difficult to drive. None of them finished the 24 hours of Le Mans 1969 and a driver died during that race.

Porsche immediately conceived the necessary improvements, resulting in two variants of the chassis for each of the two models : K for Kurz Heck and LH for Lang Heck. The short variant is faster in top speed but less stable. Many drivers will prefer the LH.

On August 18 at Pebble Beach, Gooding sells a historically important 917K, lot 44 estimated $ 13M. Here is the link to the press release.

This car assembled in 1970 was immediately entered in the training and test sessions at Le Mans, Nürburgring and Ehra-Lessien in April and May, demonstrating the exceptional speed achieved by the 917K model.

It is purchased in June 1970 by Jo Siffert who does not use it in competition but leases it for the preparation of the film Le Mans. It is one of three 917K starring in this movie for which they also served as camera cars for shooting at full speed. This 917K was Siffert's favorite car and led his funeral procession in October 1971.

The car was found 30 years later in a Parisian suburb, covered with dust but untouched except for the absence of the engine. The next owner bought an original engine from the same series. The complete restoration was supervised by a former Porsche engineer who still had access to the factory archives of the 917 program.

Please watch the video shared by Gooding.
Porsche
Cars in Movies
1970

1972 The Roar of the Matra
2021 SOLD for € 6.9M including premium

Jean-Luc Lagardère has been Matra's operational manager since 1963 with the position of Directeur général. His mission is to diversify the activities of this company previously focused to the aeronautical and military sector. In 1964 he declares his ambition for Matra to become the leader in automobile competitions within ten years. In the same year, Matra buys the company of the Automobiles René Bonnet.

In a gradual approach, Matra indeed manages to win successively in Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1. In 1969 Jackie Stewart is world champion with a Matra MS 80 equipped with a V8 Cosworth engine. In the following year Matra Sports joins forces with Simca.

For endurance, Matra's learning is a bit slower. In 1972, after several years of failure, the Matra team enters four cars at Le Mans. The race is won by an MS 670 fitted with the 1972 version of the Matra Sports V12 engine. It was piloted by Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill. The latter thus becomes the only motorsport champion to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 500 miles of Indianapolis and the Formula 1 World Championship.

Matra's victory revives French motorsport. Introduced for Formula 1 in 1968, the V12 played an important role in the popularity of the brand. Lagardère wanted its noise to be a roar, which spectators cannot ignore each time a Matra passes through Mulsanne straight.

This car ended its racing career in the following year but was retained by the company. Its many modifications are consistent with the period configuration. It is estimated € 4M for sale by Artcurial in Paris on February 5, lot 5. Please watch the video shared by the auction house and discover therein the howl of the Matra, described by Artcurial as a fabulous symphony.

Matra Sports largely won its challenge and ceased competition after the 1974 season but supplied engines to Ligier until 1978. Lagardère became Chairman and CEO of Matra in 1977.

French cars

1972 The Winning Porsche of the Can-Am
2012 SOLD 5.8 M$ including premium

In the early 1970s, the cars competing in endurance racing change their look and increase their speed. The development of the Porsche 917 in Spyder bodywork is a great success, both in terms of engineering and sport.

And indeed the car for sale in Monterey on August 18 by Mecum had won the best track record of the Porsche 917 model.

In 1972, Porsche subcontracted to Penske Racing the participation in the competitions. Their goal to dominate the prestigious series of events known as the Can-Am (Canadian American Challenge Cup) met a total success.

Driven alternately by the two Penske drivers, George Follmer and Mark Donohue, this serial number 917/10-003 actually won in 1972 no fewer than five of nine races counted for the Can-Am.

Porsche engineers could do better, and they did. Prepared in 1973, the Porsche 917/30 Spyder was later elected by a committee of experts as the greatest racing car of all time. One of the four cars of this model was sold $ 4.4 million including premium by Gooding on March 9, 2012.

I wrote at that time that the overwhelming success of the Porsche 917 had killed the suspense in the Can-Am events. This is not the only reason for the ephemeral career of the 917: the oil crisis also forced the organizers of car racings to cut the costs.

I invite you to play the video introducing the 917/10-003, shared on YouTube by Mecum.

POST SALE COMMENT

Top collectors are finally starting to pay attention to these remarkable cars of the early 1970s, just before the oil crisis. The exceptional prestige of this unit pushed it up to $ 5.5 million, hammer price.

1973 The Porsche 917/30 Spyder
2012 SOLD 4.4 M$ including premium
​2016 SOLD for $ 3M including premium

PRE 2016 SALE DISCUSSION

Porsche dominated the Can-Am in 1972 with the 917/10. Its engineers did even better in 1973 : the Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder is commonly regarded as the best racing car of all time. Its participation to competition was provided by the drivers of the Penske team including Mark Donohue.

With its 5.4-liter engine, 917/30 has an unsurpassed power. Compared to the 917/10, its aerodynamics is improved and a clever system of temporary acceleration raising up to 1500 bph enables to instantly leave any competitor behind.

This ultimate model of motor racing is indeed extremely rare despite its dominant performance : only six chassis were built.

001 is a prototype that had ensured the transition from 917/10 to 917/30. All feats in competition including the speed record of 355 km/h in closed circuit were achieved either by 002 or (mostly) by 003. Both are currently owned by Porsche although 002 was badly damaged in a crash at Watkins Glen.

004 was originally intended for the Penske team but the uninterrupted performance of 002 and 003 did not appeal for a spare unit. No longer needed in 1974 due to the fuel limitation imposed from the oil crisis, it is bought, admired and exhibited by the Porsche importer in Australia without entering a race.

005 and 006 have been much later assembled with smaller engines, 5 and 4.5 liters respectively.

Carefully maintained by its successive collectors and repainted in the livery of Sunoco which had been the main sponsor of the Penske team, 004 was sold for $ 4.4 million including premium by Gooding on March 9, 2012. I had discussed it in this column at that time. Coming now from the collection of Jerry Seinfeld, it is estimated $ 5M for sale by Gooding in Amelia Island on March 11, lot 044. Here is the link to the press release announcing the collection.

1975 Niki Lauda in the Scuderia
​2019 SOLD for $ 6M including premium

Despite his sensational success in the production of sports cars, the track remains the main goal of Enzo Ferrari. However, after the victory of John Surtees in 1964, the Formula One world championships of constructors and drivers escape sustainably his Scuderia.

Reasons for these issues were varied : funding difficulties, poor selection of some drivers, difficulty in developing a competing engine against the Ford Cosworth. In 1969 40% of Ferrari was sold to the FIAT group.

Agnelli is impatient. In 1973 he forces Enzo Ferrari to share his decisions with a young manager, Luca di Montezemolo, who cancels some blunders. Mauro Forghieri returns to his position as technical director. Back in the Scuderia, Clay Regazzoni makes Niki Lauda hired in 1974.

Forghieri had designed the Ferrari 312B in 1971. In 1975 its evolution 312T finally gives the supremacy to the Scuderia, thanks to a transversal gear box which improves the distribution of the masses. The two 312Ts driven in that year by Lauda and Regazzoni in the Grand Prix cumulate pole positions and wins. Ferrari and Lauda are world champions. Three other cars had been built.

Like many models of that period, the 312T is ephemeral. Obsolete in 1976 after a change in the rules for prohibiting the spectacular air box behind the cockpit, it is replaced by the 312T2.

On August 16 at Pebble Beach, Gooding sells a 312T raced by Lauda in 1975. It began its career by winning the Silverstone Trophy, which is not counted in the world championship. Qualified five times in pole position in the Grand Prix of the championship, it won in France.

This car is estimated $ 6M, lot 031. Here is the link to the press release. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

​1979 Paul Newman in the Rain
​2016 SOLD for $ 4.8M including premium

In 1979, the 24 Hours of Le Mans are dominated by cars built by Porsche, driven under the banner of private teams. 19 of the 55 starting cars are Porsche, spreading between the models 934, 935 and 936. The brand occupies the first 4 final positions.

This achievement rewards the effort made by Porsche to meet the complicated rules of the FIA requiring that competition cars of Groups 1 to 5 are based on production models with a minimum quantity. The Porsche 934 matches the Group 4 (special grand touring), the 935 is for Group 5 (sports) and the 936 for Group 6 (prototype). Each year brings further variations to these models.

In heavy rain, Le Mans 1979 is not spectacular in a sporting point of view. Prototypes gradually disappear from race lead after the first hours. The final winner is a Porsche 935 improved by Kremer Racing.

Fortunately, Paul Newman draws the crowd. The actor aged 54 participates for the first time at Le Mans. The Porsche 935 Type 77A driven by Stommelen, Newman and Barbour finishes in the second position.

This is a feat for Newman but also for that new car in its competition debut. Until 1987, it will be extensively raced. It went first overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1981 and at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1983.

This Porsche 935 with a prestigious history is estimated $ 4.5M for sale by Gooding in Pebble Beach on August 20, lot 060. Here is the link to the press release (shared with other Porsche vehicles).

Please watch the video shared by Gooding.
1979

1982 Porsche, Champion of Endurance Racing
2015 SOLD for $ 10.1M including premium

The FIA ​​never has an easy task. Its categories and its racing regulations are a continual compromise, ever changing, with a concern for safety while reducing the fuel consumption and maintaining appealing sport features for the public.

The creation of the Group C, scheduled in 1981 and released in 1982, marks a return of prototype racing to its highest prestige. Porsche is very enthusiastic.

The effort of the engineers focuses on innovations of chassis, suspension and bodywork. Despite a similar engine to that of the 936, the Porsche 956 perfectly meets the intent of the FIA ​​to promote a modernized range of vehicles.

The model 956 along with its further evolution as the 962 is so far ahead of its competitors that Porsche completely dominates the World Endurance Championship for five consecutive years.

Porsche designed the 956 for their own prestige. Ten cars are prepared for the official drivers of the brand and are sponsored by the Rothmans cigarette company. Twelve other units are made for the market.

First races, first triumphs: in May 1982, the 956-001 wins the 6 hours of Silverstone. A month later, the model 956 takes the first three places at Le Mans.

Second at Le Mans in 1982, the 956-003 won its last four races of that year. Its victory at Le Mans in 1983 will be the greatest feat of its prestigious career. Appreciating a few minutes before the end of the 24 hours that the engine is going to expire, Al Holbert manages to keep a short lead ahead of another 956 driven by Derek Bell. It is interesting to note that the 956 cars got the top eight positions in that race.

956-003 is estimated $ 7M for sale by Gooding in Pebble Beach on August 15, lot 050. Here is the link to the press release.

Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

​1985 Porsche on the Paris-Dakar
​2018 SOLD for $ 6M including premium

The Paris-Dakar rally was prestigious for its countless safari-style difficulties through 14000 km in France, Spain and Africa. In 1984 it was won by Metge and Lemoyne in a Porsche 953 with four-wheel drive, a great novelty for the brand. The suspension has also been improved.

Jacky Ickx, who had won the previous edition with a Mercedes-Benz, is also a regular driver for Porsche, including the 956, a model for endurance well suited for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Under his influence Porsche realizes a new development for the Paris-Dakar.

Three prototypes were built in 1985 and three more in 1986. A seventh car was reclassified as Porsche 961 prototype for Le Mans. These cars are an improvement of the 953 with an electronic control of the four-wheel drive. They do not constitute a new reference but benefit from the modernization efforts of the 959 and enter that range.

In 1984 the three entered 953 had finished the Paris-Dakar. 1985 is less glorious when none of the three 959 finish. In 1986 the three new Porsche 959 are 1st, 2nd and 6th overall.

Two of the six 959 Paris-Dakar remain in private hands with only one of them in working condition. This car was one of the three Porsche entered in the 1985 rally where it was driven by Metge and Lemoyne. Retired afterward from competition, it remains highly original. It is estimated $ 3M for sale by RM Sotheby's in Atlanta on October 27, lot 196.

1985 Ferrari 288 GTO
​2022 SOLD for $ 4.4M by RM Sotheby's

FIA regulations have been continuously modified in search of an impossible compromise between performance and risk. In 1982, the Group B restarts an earlier idea of ​​competing cars designed over commercial units of Grand Touring category.

The rules in Group B request that 200 commercial cars are produced. Manufacturers can make design adjustments for race that are referred as Evolution.

Ferrari is interested but reminds the difficulties of homologation twenty years earlier for the 250 GTO and the 250 LM. No risk is taken against the Group B requirements. The introduction of the new model 288 begins in 1984 by the 200 road cars. To assess that their brand is the good guy, the new car is identified by Ferrari as GTO (Omologato).

The 288 GTO is a significant development, with a bodywork inspired by the 308 GTB and modernized by Pininfarina. It is lightweight, powerful and fast. Its top speed is 300 km/h with 100 km/h reached in about 5 seconds. Customers are appealed and the production is increased to 272.

A 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO with 15,000 km from new was sold for $ 4.4M by RM Sotheby's on August, 20, 2022, lot 334. It had been factory optioned with air conditioning.

A car which had been in 1985 the first 288 GTO officially exported to Japan was sold for $ 2.6M by RM Sotheby's on March 12, 2016, lot 148.

Everything is well excepted that the FIA ​​terminates the Group B in 1986 after two fatal accidents. Launched in 5 units, the 288 GTO Evolution was not ready. None will compete. Two of these Evoluzione are modified to be used as prototypes for the F40. Unused in its original application, the 288 GTO has the great merit of opening the two decades of commercial success of the Ferrari supercars : F40, F50 and Enzo.

1987-(1995) Ferrari F40 (LM by Michelotto)
​2019 SOLD for € 4.8M by RM Sotheby's

The first Ferrari supercar was the 288 GTO. This technological marvel was a big disappointment for the brand : ready just when the Group B was canceled for security reasons in 1986, it could never be used in competition.

Ferrari is radically changing its strategy. The F40, the ultimate model that has been approved by Enzo Ferrari, is a road going car based on the 288 GTO. Its performances are similar to a race car : top speed at 200 mph, 60 mph after 3.9 seconds, 100 mph after 8 seconds.

The commercial success of the F40 is considerable despite a very high price. 1,311 F40 are produced in total from 1987 to 1992. The GT competition does not interest Ferrari any more and customers regret the absence of a racing version of the F40. With the agreement of Ferrari, 18 F40 LM are prepared by Michelotto, a Padua company that had a similar successful experience with the 365 GTB/4 Daytona.

The F40 LM is significantly modified from the basic F40. The chassis is reinforced, the body is more aggressive and several major equipment are modified. Lighter and more powerful, it reaches 229 mph, and 60 mph after 3 seconds.

The 18th and final F40 LM of the regular series, completed in 1993 and titled 1994, was sold for $ 3.3M by RM Sotheby's in August 2015, a remarkable price for a car that had never been used in competition .

The third F40 prototype built in 1987 entered the market in 1992. Its first private owner had it upgraded in LM configuration by Michelotto. Its next owner returned it to Michelotto in 1995 to make it benefit from other improvements introduced by this manufacturer in 1994 under the reference F40 GTE. The car finished 12th overall and 2nd GT at Le Mans in 1995.

That 19th F40 LM by Michelotto was sold for € 4.8M by RM Sotheby's on February 6, 2019, lot 126. The photo shared by Wikimedia was made at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​in 2007.
Goodwood2007-025 Ferrari F40 LM (1995)
Big Five
Supercars
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.