Design Car: Classics

Under the "Revive the Passion" motto, Porsche Classic began a 12 month restoration project of a 1973 911 T Coupe (US model) on behalf of the Porsche Club of America (PCA) in August 2010. The fully restored classic will be raffled off among PCA members and presented to the winner at the U.S. Porsche Parade in August 2011. The video after the break explains what Porsche Classic is all about and how the cars are being brought back to life.

This T Coupe is a "narrow body" 911, known as the F model, and it's a favorite amongst collectors. It was also delivered in the classic color combination – silver exterior/black interior – and, since it was built in the last model year, its value performance is considered especially high.

In its better days, the 2.4-liter six-cylinder Boxer engine was good for 140HP at 5,600 rpm. Tipping the scale at just above 1 ton (1,050 kg or 2,315 lbs), the 911 T can (and will, once restored) reach a respectable top speed of 205 km/h (127 mph).

By Csaba Daradics

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After 84 years, Pontiac, the once proud maker of American icons such as the Trans Am and GTO, breathed its last breath on Monday with the sale of the last remaining new cars. The closure comes one year after General Motors announced that it would terminate the brand as part of a restructuring plan.

Even though production of the last Pontiac, the Vibe, ended in August 2009, there were many new cars left in stock, so a deal was struck with dealers who received official backing to sell them. The agreement ended on Sunday, so Pontiac fans didn't actually get any treats for Halloween, only the confirmation that their favorite manufacturer is really dead.

It was a long year of clinical death, as buyers' interest towards the brand was insignificant. The New York Times reported that, at the end of August, GM dealers had fewer than 125 Pontiacs in stock, of which only eight were sold in September.

A sad end for a manufacturer whose name was once synonymous with "driving excitement". At the height of its existence, in 1973, Pontiac sold 920,000 cars, but after that it was mostly a downhill ride.

Pontiac did offer a few interesting cars in its final years – like the G8 and the Solstice -, but it was not enough to bring back the glory days, when GTOs, Firebirds /Trans Ams sold like hot cakes.

It may be of some comfort to Pontiac fans that General Motors has kept the rights for the brand, so who knows, maybe it will be resurrected sometime in the future. Until then, take a look at the gallery and videos below and keep the legacy of Pontiac in your hearts.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: NY Times

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