1976 - Porsche 911 on 2040-cars

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Gary Cooper's 1935 Duesenberg SSJ fetches record price at Pebble Beach

The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ formerly owned by Gary Cooper sold for a jaw-dropping $22 million over the weekend at the Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach auction, setting a record for the most valuable pre-war car ever sold at auction. It also appears to have become the most expensive American collector car ever sold at auction, eclipsing the very first Shelby Cobra ever made, which sold for $13.75 million in 2016. The Duesenberg was also the lone American-made entrant in the list of top 10 sellers, which was crowded with the names Ferrari and Porsche. You have to go all the way down the list to No. 21 to find the next American car: a 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Phaeton, which sold for a mere $1.127 million. All told, Gooding & Co. said it realized more than $116.5 million in auction sales over the weekend, with a whopping 25 cars sold for north of $1 million, an 84 percent sales rate and an average transaction price of $947,174. Clearly this is how the other half 1 percent lives. Gooding & Co. said there were five world-record sales at the auction. Joining the Duesenberg were a 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II, which sold for $5.005 million; a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta, $6.6 million; a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale, $3.41 million; and a one-of-two 1966 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta GT, $3.08 million. Oh, and that 1969 Ford Bronco test vehicle we told you about? The one that was rebadged by Holman & Moody as a Bronco Hunter? It sold for $121,000, which was well below the expected range of $180,000 to $220,000. Perhaps it was the presence of all those gorgeous Porsche Spyders and Ferraris that meant collectors weren't interested in boxy, utilitarian off-roaders. View 24 Photos Gooding and Co. had expected the convertible Duesenberg coupe to go for more than $10 million. It was one of only two of its kind built by Duesenberg — the other having gone to Clark Gable — with a specially shortened, 125-inch wheelbase and a supercharged straight-eight with double overhead cams, able to produce around 400 horsepower and a top speed of 140 miles per hour. It features a lightweight open-roadster bobtail body produced by LaGrande out of Connersville, Ind. The car was also owned at one point by race driver Briggs Cunningham.

Porsche caught testing sub-Panamera-sized sedan

Anyone remember the Porsche Pajun? It was supposed to be Porsche's long-rumored entry level sedan before it mostly dropped off the radar. Now, it might have blipped its way back onto our screens, thanks to a series of spy shots showing what on the surface looks like a Panamera. While our spies point to this being a coupe mule riding on a shortened version of the Panamera's platform, we're leaning towards a smaller sedan. Even with the rear windows obscured, the wheelbase and driver's seating position (which we'll admit is remarkably low and coupe-like) seem wrong for a two-door model, even a disguised one. The cutlines in the rear doors look too deep to be camouflage, and based on the look of those door handles, the rear doors are definitely real. As for what's not real, we wouldn't read too much into those rivet-like things at the front and rear. They're just there to secure the camouflage. We might not be on the same page as our spies about what this car actually is, but they make a strong argument for its eventual styling, which should be a mix of 911 and Panamera. There's a slim strip of taillight hiding beneath the rear camo – you'll need to zoom way in, but the white housings are there – that reminds us of the new 911. It should be more Panamera in the front fascia, aside from the headlights, which might be the only styling element that draws inspiration from the 718. Based on the state of this car, we're thinking it's still quite early in the Pajun's development process. Whether the development timeline lines up with this 2019 prediction remains to be seen. Related Video: Featured Gallery Porsche Pajun: Spy Shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Porsche Luxury Performance Sedan porsche pajun

The holidays are coming and this Singer Designs book is great

None of us should expect to get one of Singer's beautifully reimagined Porsche 911s for the holidays, but a new book titled One More than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911 at least lets you give, or receive, some sensational photos of them. The 275-page book tells the story of Singer founder Rob Dickinson and what inspires him to put so much effort into making 911s even better. The opinions of auto writers and industry personalities accompany Dickinson's tale, but the lavish photography is the true highlight. Based on the preview photos in the gallery above, the shots perfectly capture the company's machines from all the best angles. Former Autoblogger Michael Harley co-authors the book. There might still be time to order the $85 book for a friend (or yourself) in time for the holidays because the publisher guarantees delivery by Christmas for the first 200 of them. Dickinson will also sign copies at the Petersen Museum's re-opening preview day on Dec. 6. The publisher will also offer 100 copies of a limited edition for a hefty $911. These will come in a custom display case from Singer's craftspeople, and they'll include exclusive artwork. SINGER VEHICLE DESIGN EXCLUSIVITY MAY NOW BE MORE ATTAINABLE AS POINT OF ENTRY BEGINS WITH BACKGROUND STORY "One More than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911" New Book – Perfect Holiday Gift for Porsche 911 Fans PR Newswire, LOS ANGELES – November 10, 2015 As the world continues to take notice of a little restoration shop in Southern California that has provided a re-birth of sorts to old and tired Porsche 964s, many have come to believe the ability to enter the inner circle of Singer Vehicle Design was well beyond reach. However, as the holiday season draws upon us, there's one pathway to ownership within a less limited perspective that enthusiasts just may find easier on their pocket-book too – that being the release of the background story of the impeccable craftsmanship within Rob Dickinson's "re"imagination of Porsche 911s and the launch of his book "One More Than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911" currently available at www.singervehicledesign.com on a pre-order basis, as well as through publishing house Stance & Speed at http://www.stanceandspeed.com/automotive-books/one-more-than-10-singer-and-the-porsche-911.