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Elton John Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 on eBay

Elton John Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 on eBay

My next building project is knocking down our old lean-to garage to build a new extension, so I had a good Stephen’s Day clear out in the current garage today, dragging some stuff out for eBay, including some Carrera 3.0 bits and pieces which I don’t think I’m going to need on my car.

Elton John Porsche 911 Carrera 30 2

Flicking around eBay at various 911 bits and bobs to get an idea on selling prices, I found this: a 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Coupe for sale with just 93,000 miles, which may have been driven by Sir Elton John. The first Elton John Porsche I have ever heard about.

Owned by Sir Elton’s Limited company – William A Bong Ltd – from 1976 to 1981, the silver Carrera 3.0 went to its second owner at 57,000 miles. It’s had three more owners since, and is not exactly factory fresh, with a few wrong bits and various shades of silver suggesting some work has been done on the body over the years.

Elton John Porsche 911 Carrera 30 3

On eBay at £34k, it’s advertised elsewhere for under £30k and has been around for a few months, so might be bought cheaper. I doubt it owes the dealer anything like £30k, and for sure there is work to do to bring it back to A1 condition. Nevertheless, it may be worth a follow up.

Whilst not a diehard fan, I like a lot of Sir Elton’s music (Songs from the West Coast – brilliant) and find his wit, career and performance ethic quite inspiring. No doubt Sir Elton has been a key player in pop culture since the early 1970s. Perhaps more associated with British cars – Rolls Royce, Jaguar and Bentley – an Elton John Porsche is a rare beast. Given the amount of spare time Elton has to go driving around, I find it difficult to believe that he clocked up 57,000 miles in this 911, so maybe it was an MDs car or similar.

Elton John Porsche 911 Carrera 30 4

With investment in mind, it’s perhaps a better idea to look at this as a lowish-volume air-cooled 911 hardtop in need of some work and price accordingly. Finding a RHD C3 Coupe still with the right engine is rare enough, but those miles and the possibility of a celeb owner for the first five years of life do give it an extra spoon of Stuttgart sugar.

Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica New Zealand

Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica New Zealand

Too many pictures being shared by down-under Porsche friends on Facebook, as they enjoy their summertime with long, sunny days and warm, bright nights. The bad news for them is we’ve just had the Winter Equinox, so the solar pendulum is swinging back towards the Northern Hemisphere.

Targa Florio Porsche sign

The sunshine reminded me of this shot from Porsche buddy Thorsten earlier in the year, as he toured Sicily in a rented Fiat 500: there to see Stuttgart’s planned RSR re-run at the Targa Florio. “The faded sign looks incredibly cool!” said T. “I can’t believe nobody took that over the years. Maybe it’s protected by La Familia!”

Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica

This picture recently arrived from New Zealand might ring a few bells, as it shows a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS replica that I inspected in Frankfurt for a NZ Porscher before the 2013 Nurburgring 24-Hour. The deal went ahead, and the RS has since arrived down in Wellington. New owner Graeme has been enjoying RS competition and some Porsche social, too.

“My car arrived in NZ mid-August but I was away until late September, so couldn’t get it registered. Final compliance took about two weeks and, once the 911 was legal, I drove it the 600km from Auckland to Wellington.

Porsche 1972 RS Carrera replica New Zealand

“Had a 5-day tarmac rally at the end of October, so prep and event took precedence over leisure time. Work has ruled the calendar since, but I’m looking forward to a few drives during the holiday summer break down here in NZ. The pic shows a Porsche Club NZ evening at the Bose Store in Wellington.”

Ah, Summer. We’ll have our revenge on NZ next year with the 2014 Le Mans, Le Mans Classic and all the glorious motoring that goes on here in the sunshine. Can’t wait for it.

1977 Porsche 911 Targa: Past and Present Music

1977 Porsche 911 Targa: Past and Present Music

Just reading an (unpublished) draft post from a few years back on my Classic Porsche Blog, where I spotted a perfectly-preserved 1977 911S Targa in the corner of Tuthill’s yard and mused on how the 2.7 S Targa was once the runt of the 911 line – I mean the absolute worst car you could possibly aspire to – but now would be valued at £30k+ for insurance. Anyone who thinks a 2.5 Boxster Tip will never go up in value should remember the 911S. Porsche may have built thousands, but one day there won’t be so many.

1977 Porsche 911 Targa

Over breakfast, BBC 6 Music played a 1977 Peel session track from The Jam, introducing it with a BBC interview with the band from the same year. “Are you punks?” asked the interviewer. “This time last year, everyone under 20 who played music was a punk,” said Bruce Foxton with a very deft negative. “If you tell me what punk is, I’ll tell you if we fit,” said Weller with another. “We just want to play, to keep getting better, and not be shoved in a bracket. You can already hear music that’s going to last coming out of the movement.”

The trio’s music has certainly lasted. I’ve still got a 6-disc CD changer in my Cayenne (albeit about to go), and one of those discs is The Jam’s “In the City“. Still a visceral listening experience, it’s an electric ropeladder of escape from three guys who know their music has to reach out and be real. Reviewing the album for Record Mirror (who remembers that?!), Barry Cain wrote: “armed and extremely dangerous, The Jam stalk the decrepit grooves. If you don’t like them, hard luck: they’re going to be around for a long time. Seldom do albums actually reflect pre-20 delusions, but this one does.”

1977 Porsche 911 Targa

The best new music of 1977 continues to engage new listeners. I’m thinking The Jam, Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder, Sex Pistols, or Billy Joel’s The Stranger (instantly wish I was in New York every time). In such lofty aural company, flat six sounds from a 911 Targa seem to sit just right. No wonder values are rising for cars this classic.

Classic Porsche 911 SC ownership

Classic Porsche 911 SC ownership

Had a good chat with Robert this morning about an insurance valuation for his Porsche 911 SC. Robert has owned this Porsche 911 SC since it was a year old! The car is now thirty-three years old, so Robert has owned it thirty two years: absolutely brilliant.

Porsche 911 SC UK Ferdinand 1

Many classic Porschers dream of achieving long term ownership: the joy of a bond stretching through a significant proportion of life and its experiences. Owning a car thirty years through raising kids and maybe starting a business, building a house, owning a succession of faithful dogs and so on – it can make an old Porsche harder to part with.

Thing is, older cars get harder to live with as age creeps in. Ongoing injuries make unassisted steering a pain to live with. Low seat height plays havoc with the hips, and cramped cabins put strain on the knees in undignified egress. We can all come up with our own aches and pains.

Porsche 911 SC UK Ferdinand 2

Churchill said: “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.” If you’ve had your Porsche for less than thirty years and feel the need to own something different (perhaps more modern), don’t feel bad.  Chase Churchill perfection, move on and enjoy life!

Share stories of your lengthy Porsche ownership with us via email: I’d love to document a few long term Porsche stories in Ferdinand Magazine.


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Porsche takes majority stake in Manthey Racing

Porsche takes majority stake in Manthey Racing

Porsche has taken a majority stake in Manthey Racing: Olaf Manthey’s Nürburgring-based racing team and motorsport organisation. It’s the latest step in Olaf’s move towards a retirement of sorts (hard to imagine Olaf ever entirely retiring, as he is still “working flat out in my own rev limiter”). Here’s Olaf with his works driver pairing of Marco Holzer and Nick Tandy:

Nick Tandy Porsche Cup 2012 Manthey 4

Following Manthey’s initial merger with Audi racers, Nicki and Martin Raeder last year, Porsche AG has acquired a 51% share of Manthey-Racing GmbH: the organisation which has supported Porsche factory race efforts for a number of years, and counts five Nürburgring 24-Hour victories, two Le Mans wins and an amazing eight Supercup titles amongst its silverware.

Through 2013, Porsche AG Team Manthey together mounted the first works Porsche endurance campaign for over twenty years. 2014 will be a big year for Porsche and no doubt a shorter team name will please the marketing department.

Ferdinand magazine porsche pictures nurburgring 24 manthey 4

But beyond business, Porsche’s involvement with Olaf Manthey is quite a personal one. Following the loss of Olaf’s son in a tragic road accident in 2007, Manthey and Porsche Motorsport boss, Hartmut Kristen, agreed that Porsche would become the ultimate inheritor of Olaf’s incredible competition portfolio, earned since the team was formed in 1996.

“Porsche’s commitment and dedication represents the best possible incentive to our employees,” Olaf is quoted as saying. “Not only can we pool our knowledge and expertise, but with Porsche at our side we can look forward to the future with great confidence”.

The Manthey name has a special place in the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts. Let’s hope it continues to be part of the landscape.