Cars

The ‘Hippie’ Porsche 917

Considering the current level of excitement in the Classic Driver office, we wouldn't have thought anyone could be anticipating the imminent 74th Members’ Meeting more highly. Then we spoke with the event’s patriarch, Lord March. Talking to us from Goodwood House, he told us “the circuit is looking wonderful in the Spring sunshine, and the cars are beginning to arrive as we speak. I’m very excited at the prospect of our first bike race at the Members’ Meeting – it should look and sound fantastic.

Race of records

Whether built to satisfy the requirements of homologation or those of its die-hard enthusiasts, Porsche has produced no-holds-barred racing cars for the road on numerous occasions: famous examples include the Carerra 2.7 RS, the 930 Turbo and the current 911 GT3. But the pinnacle of racing homologation – in performance terms at least – came in the late 1990s, when Porsche was required to produce a short run of road-going ‘Straßenversions’ to homologate its 911 GT1 for entry into the top tier of the FIA GT Championship.

This year, the special features alone make the trip to Stuttgart worthwhile. No fewer than eight cars from the prestigious Louwman museum will be on display, while the GM Futureliner will make a stop-off and the legendary Bugatti Royale ‘Esders’ Roadster will make a return in the form of a faithful recreation. Elsewhere, near-forgotten marques such as Veritas and Laverda will be honoured.

Although last year’s memorable result for the Baillon Cal’ Spider remains unsurpassed, the strong price for Gooding’s Amelia 2016 car puts it (just) ahead of the covered-headlamp car it sold at Pebble Beach last year. Meanwhile, the top-seller of the RM Sotheby’s Amelia sale was another Ferrari from the same era: a 1962 400 Superamerica LWB, which sold for 4.4m dollars including premium – a new World Record for the model. Bonhams’ star car was the Vanden Plas-bodied Bugatti Type 57SC, which sold for 9.735m dollars.