2000 Porsche 911 on 2040-cars

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A 1985 Ford Escort for $915,000? If it was owned by Princess Diana

What makes a used car worth more than the car itself? If it was owned by John Lennon. Or Muhammad Ali. Michael Schumacher, perhaps, or Stirling Moss. This year’s edition from the Hagerty organization of its “Power List” makes for amusing reading even if youÂ’re not on it. But you can make believe that you are. Essentially, the list, which was launched only last year, tracks the impact of celebrity ownership of a vehicle on its value, as measured by its worth at auction. Nearly 400 sales of celebrity cars and bikes have been analyzed from around the world by Hagerty using market data and “expert” analytics. Hagerty is aware, certainly, that famous folks — from royalty, sports, movies and music — grab gobs of attention from ordinary people. ThatÂ’s why the 2023 Power List comprises these categories: Art Cars, Racing Drivers, Movies and TV, Musicians, Royalty, Screen Stars, Sporting Icons. But you don't have to be a rock star or a F1 pilot to get listed: Princess Diana, besides an Escort Turbo RS that she owned between 1985 and 1988, numbered a convertible 1994 Audi 80 Cabriolet and a Jaguar XJS Cabriolet among her rides. HereÂ’s a look at some of the more notable entries: Racing driver category: In pole position was an unlikely titleholder, a 1976 Ford Bronco. This was the car bought new by legendary Canadian Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve and untouched since his death; it sold at the Aguttes auction in Paris last December for $148,000, a huge 210% increase over the $47,800 that Hagerty would value a regular example in the same condition. Just a note: The list doesnÂ’t include race cars, only vehicles kept privately by the drivers. Musicians: A 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow had been Freddie MercuryÂ’s personal chauffeur-driven transport from 1979 until his death in 1991. Without celebrity ownership, Hagerty would value the Silver Shadow at a lowly $9,500, a car that would take a lot of time, effort and money to restore properly. But add in MercuryÂ’s aura and bids ended at $362,500. “ItÂ’s no surprise that MercuryÂ’s car dominated our Musicians list on the 2023 Hagerty Power List,” the company said. Movies and TV: For those readers now emerging from hibernation since 1968, the news is that the historic Highland Green Mustang from “Bullitt” remains at the top of the Power List for the second year running.

Porsche 911 Carrera gets turbocharged engine for under $90k

There's a new Porsche 911 Carrera blowing into dealerships in March of 2016, and it will be the first such model from the German automaker to boast a turbocharged engine. Making 370 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque from 3.0 liters of displacement, the new flat-six engine in the base Carrera is 20-hp stronger than it was in 2015. Carrera S models bump the power level to 420 ponies and 368 lb-ft thanks to tweaked tuning parameters. The added grunt makes these the fastest 911 Carrera models ever, with Porsche touting a 7:30 lap – a full 10 seconds faster than before – of the famed Nurburgring track in Germany as proof. Those who only care about going fast in a straight line will be delighted by the 4.0-second 0-60 time of the base Carrera and even more impressed by the S model's 3.7-second run. Top speeds are 183 and 191 miles per hour, respectively. A seven-speed manual transmission is standard, and Porsche's Doppelkupplung (PDK) automated manual gearbox is optional. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. When equipped with the Sport Chrono Package, the 911 Carrera features a new mode switch on the steering wheel with settings for Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual. Porsche Active Suspension Management is standard on all models, and, in another first for a Carrera, rear-wheel steering is optional. Efficiency hasn't been forgotten for 2016, either. Porsche says its new 911 Carrera models will be as much as 12-percent more fuel economy with their new turbocharged engines. Tech buffs will surely appreciate the new Porsche Communication Management infotainment system, which features multi-touch gesture capability and handwriting recognition right on the seven-inch display. Apple CarPlay is also supported, and Google Earth and Streetview are new to PCM for 2016. The 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera is slated to hit the States with an MSRP of $89,400 (we assume that won't include destination, which in 2015 equals $995), which is about $5,000 more expensive than the 2015 model that's currently available. The 2016 Carrera S will carry a sticker price of $103,400, which is a $4,500 increase. Cabriolet models will run from $101,700 to $115,700. Porsche will show its latest 911 Carrera off at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, but you can read all the details right now in the press release below.

Audi could enter F1 with McLaren partnership

HAMBURG — Audi's supervisory board will discuss on Wednesday ways for the company to enter Formula One, including via possible partnership with McLaren Automotive, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday, adding no decision has yet been made. The board of Volkswagen, which owns Audi, discussed the matter of getting a foot into the Formula One market at a meeting last week, said two sources who declined to be named. Audi CEO Markus Duesmann and Porsche CEO Oliver Blume were known as "ardent fans of Formula One", one source said. McLaren Automotive on Monday denied a report that Audi had bought the British luxury sportscar maker, but left the door open to technological collaboration "with relevant partners and suppliers." A spokesperson for Audi told Reuters it was "looking at various cooperation ideas" but did not confirm whether it was discussing a possible sale with McLaren. Acquiring the carmaker would put a second supercar in Audi's books alongside Lamborghini, which it has owned since 1998. German publication Automobilwoche reported on Sunday that Audi was particularly interested in the Formula 1 division. Watch episode 04 of the Autoblog Show: Motorsports Audi McLaren Porsche Volkswagen Racing Vehicles F1