1962 Porsche 356 B/1600 Reutter Cabriolet on 2040-cars

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McQueen's Porsche 917 from Le Mans races to the auction block

Steve McQueen may have been the headline actor of the motorsport cult classic film Le Mans, but we all know who the real star was. Or rather, what: the Porsche 917. More specifically, it was the Gulf-liveried #22 - not McQueen's #21 - that won the race, making it one of the most iconic cars ever to drive across the silver screen. And now it's going up for auction.
This 1969 Porsche 917K, chassis 917-024, has a storied history both on and off the screen, even if it didn't win any (off-screen) races of note. This example was the first 917 to be campaigned in an actual race when Porsche handed it to Jo Siffert to drive against the Ferrari 312P and Ford GT40 at the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Km race in 1969. Siffert found the early example too unstable and ultimately drove an earlier 908 to the checkered flag, but after 917-024 set the fastest time at the following year's Le Mans test day, Siffert acquired it outright.
The Swiss racing driver loaned the car to Solar Productions for use in the film, after which it returned to Siffert's collection until he was killed in an F1 exposition race at Brands Hatch in 1971. In a testament to how much he loved the car, it was 917-024 that lead the funeral procession. The car subsequently fell off the radar until it resurfaced in 2001 as one of the greatest barn finds of the new millennium. Now fully restored and resplendent in its original baby blue and orange, 917-024 is headed to the auction block at Pebble Beach where you can be sure that Gooding & Company will bring in a suitably high price for arguably the most iconic example of one of the most iconic Porsches of all time.

Road & Track names its 2013 Performance Car of the Year

Road & Track recently staged its first annual Performance Car of the Year test, pitting 13 new and updated performance cars against each other on track, then graduating the top six to a road test before picking a winner. Additionally, the magazine staff picked the best automobiles of the year in eight categories.
But first, let's cover the PCotY segment. Here's the list of cars brought to the comparison test: Audi R8 V10 Plus; BMW 435i; BMW M6 Competition Package; Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51; Ferrari F12 Berlinetta; Ford Fiesta ST; Jaguar F-Type V8 S; Jaguar XFR-S; Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S-Model Wagon; Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series; Mini John Cooper Works GP; Nissan GT-R Track Edition; and Porsche Cayman S.
To find out the results of the comparison, head over to Road & Track's website or check the press release below, where you'll also find the magazine's top-rated vehicles in eight categories. Want more? Head over to the 2013 PCotY hub. But before you do that, take a stab at guessing the winner of PCotY (we'll give you one hint: it isn't a Porsche).

The 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S brings 50 extra ponies to Detroit

Porsche has announced a new version of its popular SUV today at the Detroit Auto Show: the 550-horsepower 2014 Cayenne Turbo S.
This newly minted "flagship" of the Cayenne lineup is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 engine, and offers 50 hp more than the Cayenne Turbo. Performance figures are impressive for the sleek utility vehicle: 0-60 miles per hour can be dashed off in 4.3 seconds, while maximum speed is rated at 175 mph. The Turbo S also gets dynamic chassis control, torque vectoring and Porsche's Sport Chrono package - all standard equipment.
Visually the Cayenne Turbo S differentiates itself from the lesser models in pretty subtle ways. Gloss black trim decorates the gawping front air intakes, as well as rear-view mirror trim panel. The SUV also wears 21-inch Turbo II wheels, a la the 911 Turbo.