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Porsche acquires Kyalami race track at auction

With more victories under its belt than any other manufacturer, you could say, in a figurative sense at least, that Porsche owns countless numbers of race tracks around the world. But here we're not talking about figuratively owning a track - we're talking about literally buying one. And Porsche has just bought Kyalami.
Kylamai, for those unfamiliar, is a grand prix circuit near Johannesburg in South Africa. Between 1967 and 1985, and again in '92 and '93, it was home to the South African Grand Prix, and has since hosted a variety of local and lower-level international races, but apparently fell on hard times. As a result, the track's owners - listed as Universal Property Professionals - put it up for auction. Bidders had to deposit four million Rand (about $380k) to participate, but after just 50 seconds, the auction was over.
The winning bid was placed - via telephone from the local press launch for the Macan - by Porsche South Africa CEO Toby Venter, who bid a reported 205 million rand (about $19.5 million) to take over the complex. The German automaker's South African division reportedly intends to keep the track open for racing, but could also be expected to use the facility for testing, customer track days and such moving forward.

Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer First Drive [w/video]

"There's still a couple hundred rpm left," coaxes the voice from the passenger seat. Though I'm wailing down a mercilessly knotted up Southern California canyon road in someone else's half-million dollar coupe, my manic pace apparently isn't sufficient for the Singer Vehicle Design rep in the right seat. On one hand, my Irish co-pilot with more than a passing resemblance to Bruce Willis is playfully ribbing me because I've been driving hard, but haven't yet hit the 4.0-liter engine's 7,200-rpm rev limiter. On the other hand, if you've never heard of an Irish bloke who doesn't drink because he's got control issues – well, now you have, because the dude's stocky paws are white knuckling the car's rain gutter like his life depends on it. Within my microcosm of itinerant auto writing some days are odder than others; this particular Monday is beginning to look like one of the weirder ones. Rolling, In My Four-Point-Oh The car in question, according to a release I've signed prior to the drive, is a "Porsche 911," a "Porsche," or a "911," but certainly not a "Singer Porsche," a "Singer 911," or any number of variants thereafter. Sigh. I suppose "Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer Vehicle Design" will suffice? Oh, legal department. Nomenclature aside, what started life as a 1990 Porsche 911 has been dismantled and rebodied with a carbon fiber skin that makes it more closely resemble a small-bumpered, wide-hipped 1960s-era 911 than it does its melted bumper donor car. According to company founder (and former Catherine Wheel vocalist) Rob Dickinson, the decision to source a 964-series 911 was based on its delicate foothold between the model's combination of heritage and drivability. "I think the 964 is in the sweet spot of having one foot in old school 911 thinking with the [semi-trailing] rear suspension, which honors every earlier 911, while having a front end which is very much of the modern era and allows the car not to feel like an antique," he tells Autoblog. The specimen I'm driving is the latest evolution of Singer's vision of the reinterpreted 911, distinguished by a 4.0-liter powerplant that's been heavily modified by Ed Pink Racing (and, in Singer tradition, the serial number matches the donor car's chassis). The Van Nuys, California-based firm knows a thing or two about high-strung Porsche mills: the tuner has a long history of rebuilding such mechanical exotica such as 917, 935, and 962 race engines.

Porsche engine wizard Wolfgang Hatz resigns

Wolfganag Hatz has resigned from his position as Member of the Porsche Executive Board with responsibility for Research and Development. He has held that title since 2011. Hatz's storied career came to an abrupt end in September when he was suspended pending investigation into the Volkswagen diesel scandal. Before the Porsche job, Hatz was the head of engine and powertrain development for the Volkswagen Group. It has been alleged that he is at the center of the investigation into the company cheating on emissions testing, but so far there has been no direct link made to him, according to Porsche's announcement today. Hatz has worked at a variety of European automakers, including Audi, BMW, Opel, and Fiat. He is considered the father of the BMW S14 engine, which powered the E30 M3, and also developed the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8. He was also very involved in Porsche's motorsports efforts, including the recent return to the prototype class and a short-lived F1 V12 engine project. Ulrich Hackenberg, most recently VW's lead engineer and a board member at Audi, was also suspended at the same time as Hatz and resigned shortly thereafter. It's not clear why Hatz waited so long to do the same, but Porsche claims his resignation was voluntary. Michael Steiner has been named Hatz's replacement as head of Porsche R&D. Steiner has been with Porsche since 2002 and seems like a forward-thinking sort, having headed the innovation and concepts division, lead Panamera development, and, most recently, been in charge of complete vehicle engineering. Prior to his time at Porsche, Steiner held positions at Daimler. The change in leadership is effective immediately. Related Video: