To celebrate Porsche's 70th anniversary, RM Sotheby's will host a dedicated auction later this month at Porsche's North American headquarters in Atlanta. A wide variety of Porsches has been consigned and today we take a detailed look at three competition cars.
Our favourite is this ex-John Fitzpatrick Racing Porsche 956. Completed in May of 1983, it raced at Le Mans twice, won at Brands Hatch and also became the only 956 to win a race in North America at the 1983 Watkins Glen Can-Am race. Following its contemporary racing career, chassis 956-110 has had just two long-term owners and is now expected to sell for over $5 million.
Raced extensively and as recently as the Le Mans Classic in the summer was this Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0. It was one just 10 built in 1975 and was campaigned in period by the German Tebernum and Gelo teams. Its most recent owner drover 911 560 9121 to class victories at the Le Mans Classic in July and back in 2016 as well. Ready to go, it can be yours for just over $2 million.
Rarer and far less well known is the 935 K4 consigned. One of two built, this was the Kremer Brothers' ultimate development of the 935. The example on offer was sold new to Ted Field's Interscope team.
Due to debut in 2019, Acura have revealed the Evo version of the NSX GT3. Compared to the original GT3, it boasts revised bodywork and new turbochargers for improved performance. These upgrades can be fitted to existing cars as well but some of the revised electronics and ABS system are only found on freshly built NSX GT3 Evos.

One of the great driving forces in sports car racing over the last few decades has been Don Panoz, who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago. He ran the Panoz company, organised the Petit Le Mans race and was also one of the founders of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The Panoz racing cars were rarely conventional and that was certainly the case for the LMP-1 Roadster S that was raced between 1999 and 2003 with considerable success. While all other Le Mans Prototypes of the day were mid-engined, the Panoz featured a distinct front-engined layout. The V8-engined machines were nevertheless front runners for many seasons and the featured example won the Petit Le Mans in 1999. At this weekend's, 20th anniversary edition of the Petit Le Mans, the late Don Panoz will rightly be honoured.
Last night, Ligier revealed the all-new JS2 R, which is a tribute to the fabulous JS2 that raced at Le Mans in 1975 and also serves as a 50th anniversary celebration of the marque. Aimed at track use only, it is powered by a 330bhp Ford V6 yet weighs only 980kg. The first JS2 Rs should be delivered to customers early in 2019.

Although it could do no better than a fifth in a race, one of the most famous cars to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is the Volvo 850 Estate. Built and run for Volvo by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), it was raced in the 1994 season by Jan Lammers and Rickard Rydell. Used for a single year only, it was replaced by the more conventional and successful saloon version from 1995 onwards. Only three examples were built and the first one was demonstrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the BTCC.
Another superb touring car that starred at Goodwood was this BMW M3 that was reunited with original driver Steve Soper for the occasion. He had driven this very car in period to an outright victory in the 1992 Spa 24 Hours together with Christian Danner and Jean-Michel Martin.
In addition to historic racing cars, the Festival of Speed also features brand-new supercars. Among the most spectacular this year was the Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta. Famously priced at $15 million each, this special edition Zonda was built for Horacio Pagani himself. Two further examples of the most powerful road-going Zonda yet went to customers, who had already acquired the car long before it broke cover. Among the very fastest cars on the hill this year was the Nio EP9. The all-electric supercar features four electric motors for a combined 1 MW of power. In the hands of Peter Dumbreck, the EP9 was the second fastest car of the weekend.

This weekend, Aston Martin debuted the all-new Vantage GT3 car during a VLN round on the Nurburgring Nordschleiffe. Not fully homologated, the new Aston Martin was forced to start in the SPX class for prototypes, which meant a relegation on the start grid and lengthened pit-stops. While forced to start at the back of the first group, the Vantage GT3 did set the fastest time in qualifying and ultimately finished fourth overall after a flawless run.
At this weekend's very successful Bonhams Zoute Sale it was another Aston Martin that grabbed the headlines. This DB4 Vantage topped the sale as it found a new owner for just over Euro 1.1 million.
It is a very busy period for Bonhams as the British company will again host a sale today, at the Philadelphia Simeone Automotive Museum. The eclectic mix of cars consigned is headlined by a trio of pre-War machinery. Among them is this lovely Bentley 6½-Litre that has had a very colourful life. Its first owner covered a startling 35,000 miles with the car in just 24 months. Accident damage incurred in 1932 prompted a rebuild at the factory during which the All Weather Touring car body that it still wears today was fitted.
Another rare combination is this Isotta Fraschini 8A, which is one of just three chassis by the Italian marque fitted with a body by Lancefield. It has survived in remarkably original condition despite serving as an ambulance during the War.
One of the earliest cars consigned is this Stutz Bearcat from 1913. It was discovered on a farm in Montana during the 1970s by an aerial surveillance pilot, who in his spare time scoured the photographs he had made for hidden away cars. He acquired the car but it would take close to four decades for it be fully restored to its current condition.

One of the highlights of this historic racing season were the Global Endurance Legends high speed demonstrations during the Peter Auto events. These brought out a wide variety of machinery like the Jaguar XJR-15 that ran at both the Spa Classic and Le Mans Classic. Originally owned and raced by Bob Wollek, the featured example was a particularly great specimen of the thinly disguised Group C racer that was built for a short-lived one-make series. Like the prototype racers, it was based on, the XJR-15 features a carbon-fibre composite monocoque and a howling V12 engine.
This weekend, the Belgian North Sea coast town of Knokke-Heist will host the annual Zoute Concours d'Elegance. As part of the proceedings, British auctioneer Bonhams will stage a sale on Friday evening. One of the headliners is this beautifully restored Ferrari 250 GT Coupe. Even though it was earmarked for California, it was actually delivered new to a Belgian enthusiast and as such has come full circle. Chassis 1625GT is estimated to sell for Euro 600,000 - 800,000.
Our eye was also caught by the pair of mighty mid-engined Renault 5 Turbos consigned. The sale includes both a Turbo 1 and the later Turbo 2. The early and more hardcore Turbo 1 is particularly interesting as it is in virtually brand new condition.