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Auto journalist ordered to pay big money for blowing up Porsche 917 engine [UPDATE]

Racecars blow engines all the time, but a Porsche 917 isn't just a run-of-the-mill racecar. British automotive writer Mark Hales reportedly borrowed a 917 from 82-year-old former Formula One racer David Piper for a magazine article, and mechanical tragedy ensued. Nobody is arguing that the engine failed after being spun to 8,200 rpm. However, Hales was warned not to exceed 7,000 rpm, says owner Piper, and the affair landed in English courts with Piper seeking £50,000 - over $79,000 US - in reimbursement funds for an engine rebuild and loss of use of the car while it was being repaired. Judge Simon Brown ruled in favor of car owner Piper, putting Hales on the hook for £110,000 ($174,000) including legal fees - a whole lot of money in any language.
Hales says the Porsche suffered a mechanical fault while lapping that allowed it to slip out of gear and over-rev. Piper wasn't convinced, and sought to have the repair paid for by the guy who broke the racer, saying "If you bend it, you mend it." It's not like Hales is a novice driver, having seat time in both professional and amateur races over 30 years, notching about 150 wins, but even the best drivers sometimes miss a shift, and that's what Piper contended happened to his car.
According to reports, Hales has had to sell most of his valuables to pay his lawyers and is now facing bankruptcy with the ruling against him. Members of the Pistonheads website are trying to coordinate a collection to help him out, as well.

Ex-F1 driver Mark Webber has tough life, shakes down Porsche 911 GT3 RS

It's good work if you can get it, and Mark Webber has got it. The works driver for the Porsche World Endurance Championship Team was apparently asked to moonlight in a video shoot for the company's new 911 GT3 RS at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and what do you know, he complied. They don't appear to be going too quickly, and a racing driver asked to rein in what will be one of the most blistering cars we'll see this year must be very serious work, because Webber doesn't appear to be smiling at all. We'll guess there's a big smile on the inside, though, and some tales to tell to his Porsche teammates at the next WEC race. Maybe the next time we see the 911 GT3 RS at the 'Ring, it will be doing the timed lap we're all waiting for. Related Video:

Porsche 911 R might be manual-only with a GT3 engine

Two of Porsche's best cars only come with two pedals and a PDK transmission. That automatic is inarguably one of the very best on the planet, but it's still not the same. The debut of the latest Porsche 911 GT3 was met with much moaning and groaning when it was revealed it would be PDK-only. A rumor from our friends at Car and Driver could signal that three-pedal fans may finally get the Porsche they really want. C/D is claiming that Porsche might resurrect the 911 R badge for a limited-edition Carrera. Such a vehicle would feature not only a nearly 500-horsepower, naturally aspirated flat-six derived from the GT3's engine, but also a do-it-yourself manual transmission. We're betting it'd be the Carrera's well-regarded seven-speed manual, provided it could handle the output. As for how this car will look, that is perhaps the most exciting angle. According to C/D, Porsche insiders called the 911 R "a wolf in sheep's clothing," describing subdued sheetmetal that won't trumpet this car's high-performance nature. Yes, there's could be a sleeper 911. We'll keep our eyes open for anything that corroborates Car and Driver's rumor, but until then, take this news with a grain of salt. If the 911 R does see the light of day, it will likely be in March at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. News Source: Car and Driver Rumormill Geneva Motor Show Porsche Coupe Racing Vehicles Performance rumor porsche 911 r