Porsche resurrects V8-powered 911 prototype from the Eighties

These days, we take it for granted that the Porsche 911 uses a flat-six engine. That's because every version of the iconic rear-engined sports car has had one. Right? Well, for the most part. There was the 912 that joined the original in the late Sixties with a flat-four. And in the mid-Eighties, Porsche toyed around with the idea of a V8-powered 911.

After the first-generation 911 had been in production for over two decades, Porsche began development of its successor, the 964, in the 1980s. And one of its ideas was to use a V8 engine. So it took a 964, borrowed a V8 from Audi, gave it the rear bodywork from a 959 and dubbed it the 965.

The idea was to create a more affordable successor to the 959 that included its advanced all-wheel drive system and active suspension. The Audi V8 would have been replaced with one of Porsche's own design - possibly based on the it had built for Indy racing - but Dr. Ulrich Bez (who was then head of Porsche R&D long before taking the reins at Aston Martin) ultimately killed the project.


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Watch Porsche legend Jeff Zwart frolic in the snow in his 356

Racing driver Jeff Zwart picked up a 1953 Porsche 356 Pre A to use as a historical prop in a Cayenne commercial, then decided to keep it when the filming was done. Then, explaining to filmmaker Will Roegge that his vintage toy does really well in slippery conditions, Zwart throws it around in the Colorado snow - on pencil-thin studded tires on 16-inch wheels - to prove the point.

Don't expect roostertails in this winter wonderland video, however; with just about 60 horsepower at sea level, gumption drops to about 40 hp when playing at 9,000 mountainous feet.
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Brits recreate iconic Bullitt chase scene

Recreating the famous chase scene from Bullitt has become almost an art form in its own right. We've seen it done in a music video, with scale models and even in commercials. There are few films that are as defined by a single scene as the 1968 classic. Even if you don't know a single beat of the plot, the Highland Green Ford Mustang racing a Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco is famous. It's so well known that the Silverstone Classic has created a homage to promote its celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Mustang at this year's event in July.

Filmed around the famous UK circuit, the short film generally gets the key points of the scene right. It even has a green Volkswagen Beetle that keeps reappearing, as in the movie. Unfortunately, its Steve McQueen stand-in looks a little too old for the role. While the video shortens the chase considerably, it's still great to see these '60s behemoths leaning and sliding around the track.

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Legendary Indy 500 mechanic A.J. Watson dead at 90

The Indianapolis 500 has lost one of its great competitors just weeks before the 2014 running of the famous race. A.J. Watson (pictured above left) competed multiple times from 1948 to 1984 as a designer, crew chief and mechanic, scoring six wins in his career with his own chassis at the Yard of Bricks. Watson died shortly after his 90th birthday.

Watson competed in the Indy 500 for the first time in 1948 as a mechanic for a team and entered his own chassis for the first time in 1950, at just 26 years old. However, his big breakthrough came in 1956 when he created the Watson Roadster. The racecar featured a drivetrain set to the left of the driver to improve cornering around the oval, and its driver, Pat Flaherty, won the race. From then, his platform won in '59, '60, '62, '63 and '64. While Watson's biggest racing successes came in the '50s and '60s, he continued working in motorsports through the '80s.

"He was a pioneer. He came out against Kurtis and built the Watson roadster and I was lucky enough to win with it," said famous racing driver A.J. Foyt to National Speed Sport News. Foyt won in a Watson chassis in the '64 Indy 500.

Racing has clearly lost one of its icons, and our condolences go out to his friends and family.
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eBay Find of the Day: 1993 Chevy Highlander is a Body Glove-era concept

Oh, the early '90s. Gas was cheap; Seinfeld was at its peak, and apparently neon green and purple paint were appropriate for a concept car. The retina-burning Chevrolet Highlander concept is currently for sale on eBay, and it personifies the look of its era perfectly.

With a combination of bright green, gray plastic and purple trim, the Highlander certainly draws the eye. According to the Chicago Auto Show's history page, the concept was on display there in 1993 as a preview for the 1994 S-10 extended cab pickup. It was meant to show off an off-road ready truck and featured a tool compartment and adjustable roll bar. According to the current seller, the Chevy also has a fabric top that rolls down when the bar is up and a power rear window that can fold flat to access the bed. Power comes from a 4.3-liter V6 with an automatic shuffling those ponies to all four wheels. It carries a Buy It Now price of $17,000.

If you need this in your garage, keep in mind driving it could be tough. The seller does say that it runs and drives, but like most automotive concepts, there is no VIN or title, just a bill of sale. That makes getting it registered very difficult. The next owner is basically buying the Highlander based on its '90s looks, which means they had better feel awfully nostalgic for that particular era.
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Morocco offering 'cash for clunkers' program for Mercedes W123 taxis

As the models continue to grow older, the Ford Crown Victoria is slowly but surely disappearing from US cities as the prevailing taxicab. The same thing is happening in Morocco with its huge fleet of Mercedes-Benz W123-chassis taxis thanks to a little help from the government. The authorities cite safety and environmental reasons for the decades-old sedans to be removed from the road in a cash-for-clunkers-style program slated to start by the end of the year.

According to Ran When Parked, there are about 55,000 W123 taxis operating in Morocco. The body style was built throughout the '70s and '80s with a variety of gasoline and diesel engines, and they earned a reputation for doing high miles with great reliability. The cab drivers like them because they can cram several people in and still fit on the crowded streets. To stop the stream of old Mercedes cabs, the country's government made it quite expensive to import vehicles more than five years old.

In addition to improving air quality, the cash-for-clunkers program might stimulate local business. Renault and Dacia operate a factory in Tangier, Morocco, that builds some vans, including the Dacia Dokker. Ran When Parked claims the authorities would give drivers about 50,000 Dirhams ($6,100) to trade in their cars, and Renault would provide an additional 10,000 Dirhams ($1,200) to switch to one of its vehicles. Maybe it's finally time for the W123 to pass the torch...
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Pennzoil and Penske bringing 'Yellow Submarine' livery back for Indy 500

The 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 will feature at least one rather blinding blast from the past. Team Penske and Pennzoil have teamed up to bring back their iconic "Yellow Submarine" livery for the 2014 race with a bright yellow body, red pinstripes and black graphics. Even at high speeds around the Indy oval, the car will surely stand out.

While Team Penske may not have been the first to use the canary yellow paint job for its cars, it likely did the most to popularize it. Four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears drove the Pennzoil-sponsored car and won the race in 1984 and 1988 (pictured above) with it.

For 2014, the No. 3 Chevrolet of three-time Indy winner Helio Castroneves gets the historic guise, and he has a lot riding on it. If Castroneves triumphs this year, he ties Mears with four victories in the race. The two drivers have brought Roger Penske's teams 7 of their 15 Indy 500 wins.
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