Innholdsfortegnelse for #322 22-13 i Just Cars

The record price for a car sold at auction has been smashed, with a rare Mercedes-Benz setting the new benchmark at an invitation-only auction event in Germany. Conducted by RM Sothebys at the Mercedes-Benz Museum on 5 May, the auction consisted of single lot, which was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR coupe. One of only two built for sports car racing but never actually used in competition, the car offered had been in the possession of Mercedes-Benz since it was built. It was thought the manufacturer would never release either car for sale, but after what has been described as patient, persistent lobbying over the course of 18 months, Mercedes finally agreed to sell the second of the two 300 SLR coupes built. Proceeds from the sale would be used…

Although Holden officially left Supercars in 2020 and their presence on the grid will finally come to an end this year, there’s still time to achieve some milestones. One of those took place at Perth’s Wanneroo Raceway (aka Barbagallo) on 30 April. Ahead of the Bunnings Trade Perth SuperNight round of this year’s Repco Australian Supercars Championship, Holden had 599 race wins, accrued across the Australian Touring Car Championship and Supercars era, comfortably ahead of Ford’s 409 wins. With Holden drivers victorious in all nine races of the 2022 season leading up to this round, achieving the magic 600 mark seemed merely a formality. It wasn’t guaranteed, though, as Holden’s leading driver, Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen, had never won a Supercars race at Wanneroo. That task was…

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the first manned supersonic flight, so it’s fitting that a Mustang Mach 1 – a car that took its name from this groundbreaking event - has been modified in tribute to the aircraft that achieved it. Auctioned by Burns & Co. this past April, the Mustang Mach 1 featured was customised locally, but the inspiration behind it comes from a place – and time - much further away. THE MYSTERY OF THE SOUND BARRIER When propeller-driven aircraft ruled the skies, the idea of flying faster than the speed of sound seemed fanciful. Even the most advanced piston-engined fighter planes from World War II could only reach around 500mph (804km/h) – a good 250mph short of the speed of sound, known as ‘Mach 1’…

A star attraction – literally - at Barrett-Jackson’s upcoming Las Vegas auction is a new 2022 Chevrolet Corvette convertible originally owned by legendary KISS frontman and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, Paul Stanley. “Offering vehicles with celebrity provenance is something Barrett-Jackson is well known for, especially during our annual Las Vegas Auction,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. Last year, Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auction saw several cars owned by major US celebrities cross the block, from the likes of Wayne Newton and the estate of Siegfried & Roy, as well as vehicles previously owned by Frank Sinatra and music producer Deadmau5. “We’re thrilled to return to the entertainment capital of the world with an iconic C8 Corvette owned by one of the most famous names in…

At the same Supercars round that saw Holden achieve their 600th race win in ATCC/Supercars competition, Shell V-Power Racing’s Will Davison broke a six-year winless streak in the category. In the second of three races for the Bunnings Trade SuperNight round at Wanneroo Raceway in Perth, Davison crossed the line in second place behind Monster Energy Racing’s Cam Waters. However, a 5-second time penalty for Waters - due to an unsafe return to the track at turn 7 when the two were battling for position earlier in the race - elevated Davison to the victory and demoted Waters to fourth. Davison’s team mate Anton De Pasquale also benefitted, making it a 1-2 for the Shell V-Power Racing Team. “Relief is more the word,” Davison said after the controversial victory. “You…

Continuing a collaboration that dates back to 1966, Shelby American and Hertz have announced a new “custom car partnership” that will see a batch of 2022-model Shelby Mustangs available to rent from selected Hertz locations throughout the USA, in line with Shelby American’s 60th Anniversary this year. “Shelby teamed with Hertz to create the 1966 Shelby GT350-H, which immediately became one of the most exciting rental cars in the world,” said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American. “Together, we made history again with both a reborn Shelby GT-H in 2006, 2007 and 2016. Now we’re going even further with the first Mustang Shelby GT500-H, which is the most powerful rental car that Shelby has ever built.” SHELBY GT500-H A Mustang Shelby GT500-H is being offered for the first time since…

Walkinshaw Andretti United has dropped a bombshell in the Repco Australian Supercars Championship, announcing they will be running Ford Mustangs next year, rather than update their ZB Commodores to the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 when the Gen 3 regulations come into effect. Announced on 6 May, the end of an association with Holden and General Motors that’s lasted three decades and delivered multiple drivers’ championships, teams’ championships and Bathurst 1000 victories also ends speculation around the Victorian team potentially luring a new manufacturer into the category. According to Ryan Walkinshaw, son of Tom Walkinshaw, and a co-owner and Director at Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU), the decision to go with Ford and not adopt the Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 Supercars season came down to manufacturer support, which Ford were prepared to…

A1966 Mustang convertible with a connection to “Ford royalty” was one of the highlights of Barrett-Jackson’s 2021 Las Vegas auction, and while it looked like a tidy, first-generation Mustang GT soft top at first glance, it was much more than that. This Mustang’s relative obscurity until it came to auction with Barrett-Jackson last year is explained by the fact it had spent most of its life up to that point in Europe. What made it much more than your run-of-the-mill Mustang convertible was the fact it had been modified specially for Henry Ford II. A FAMILY AFFAIR Henry Ford’s grandson and Edsel Ford’s eldest son, Henry Ford II was pre-destined to be a part of Ford Motor Company. In 1940, he dropped out of his studies at Yale University to…