Porsche 911 Carrera on 2040-cars

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Matt LeBlanc nearly runs over cameraman during Top Gear shoot

Matt LeBlanc almost caused a bad start to the new season of Top Gear when the former Friends star narrowly avoided running over a cameraman. The new host reportedly needed to take a few hours off afterward to get his head together, according to The Mirror. An unnamed Top Gear insider tells the British tabloid that the near tragedy happened while filming in South Africa last month. During a break in the action, LeBlanc decided to take a drive in a Porsche that the show was reviewing. What he didn't realize was that a cameraman was laying on the ground shooting static footage sports car. Another cameraman saw what was happening and got LeBlanc's attention to avert the crisis. "It was one of those instances where, if the tracking man and Matt had reacted even a few seconds later, it could have been really serious. Both of them appreciated what a lucky escape it was," the source told The Mirror. While everyone was okay, the incident reportedly left LeBlanc upset. He needed to take a few hours off to regain his composure and checked to make sure the cameraman wasn't injured. Top Gear announced LeBlanc as a new cast member in February, and welcomed him with a drive in a convertible Reliant Robin, which wore a Stars and Stripes paint scheme. The show's recent trailer highlighted more of LeBlanc's trip, and the car definitely had some problems. Top Gear returns in May to televisions in the UK. There's no word yet on a US premiere date. News Source: The MirrorImage Credit: Neil Mockford / Alex Huckle / GC Images Celebrities TV/Movies Porsche matt leblanc

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. But that's still plenty to work as a testament to the phrase, "If you've got it, flaunt it," and you can watch it below.

1985 Porsche 911 rally-style classic to be auctioned for good cause

Porsches are supposed to inhabit race tracks, winding roads, and wide, flashy boulevards, right? Not all of them. Take this 1985 911 Carrera, which was has been converted into a rally-style toy that we'd love to sample on a dusty, tree-lined section of dirt. Nicknamed #Luftauto, this lovely 911 is being auctioned off by RM Sothebys during Luftgekuhlt, an event dedicated to air-cooled Porsches and put together in part by Porsche racer Patrick Long. The car has been extensively modified, both aesthetically and in terms of outright performance. We're digging the 15-inch Braid wheels, custom rally lights, and an Auto Foreign Services roof rack on the exterior. The cabin gets a custom rollbar, but it's the driver interfaces we're really drooling over – there's an OMP steering wheel and a CNC-milled shift knob made of walnut and maple, while driver and passenger will be kept in their fancy Recaro seats by Schroth Rallye harnesses. The limited tweaks to the numbers-matching, 3.2-liter flat-six – the headers and exhaust have been swapped with SSi units – do wonders for the Porsche's already impressive soundtrack. The engine isn't a new unit, of course, but it's fresh off a major round of service. There are ample suspension mods, too, with a custom-designed KW setup and long-travel dampers. A cool car being put up for auction is exciting enough, but the profits from #Luftauto are going to something even cooler – cancer research. In particular, the money made will be donated to the Autumn Leaves Project, a charity that's dedicated to battling pancreatic cancer. For those not familiar, pancreatic cancer is one of the most despised, merciless forms of cancer around, infamous for its ability to remain undetected until it's far too late to combat. It's a truly hateful disease. You can check out #Luftauto in action in the video up top. It crosses the block on April 10 in Los Angeles. Additional details can be found at the Luftgekuhlt website. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.