A quest renewed; a new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sighting, with a lesson in numeration thrown in for good measure…

Posted on October 10, 2014 by digitaldtour

I recently had the opportunity to renew my long-standing quest of recording as many series/ build numbers possible from my personal encounters with Porsches 911GT3 RS4.0 model. The example shown below has now become the latest addition to my ongoing sightings list.

As I approached this white RS4.0 for a closer look, my initial thought was could this be one of my previous white bodied, white wheeled RS4.0 sightings? However, as soon as I saw its license plate, I knew this would be a brand new sighting. Now there was just one remaining clue to search out, which would reveal the final clue as to this RS4.0s true identity.

So onto the interior… as seen, standard issue on the 911 GT3 RS4.0.

A quick look at the glove box mounted, serial number build plaque revealed that this GT3 RS4.0 was chassis #040 of 600 total worldwide! This car immediately jumped to the top of my spotters list (and marked my 12th sighting), by virtue of this car being the absolute lowest series number I’ve encountered to date.

As I’ve noted in previous posts, my very first in – person GT3 RS4.0 sighting occurred back in October 2011, at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV held in Monterey, California (as recorded below).

Back at cars&coffee, time to continue the photo documentation of my latest sighting.

As I made my way to the rear of the car to continue my explorations, the owner (who had been standing back watching me shooting his car), came over and introduced himself. I told him about my long-standing interest and passion for Porsches and my quest to record as many GT3 RS4.0 sighting as possible. He responded by sharing with me his passion for collecting Porsche 911 RS models, and in particular Porsches top-tier 911GT3 RS. It turns out that this owner has a rather deep collection of 911RS and GT3RS models in addition to his GT3 RS4.0. However, there is still one key player absent from his collection, and that has alluded him, and ironically the one that started it all; Porsches 1973 911 Carrera RS.

Our next topic of conversation addressed the incredibly low series build number assigned to his RS4.0. It turns out that the owner has an interest in numeration. Webster’s dictionary defines numeration as “an act or instance of designating by a number”. The owner was also a strong believer in lucky numbers.

I then learned that when Porsche introduced the GT3 RS4.0 in 2011, the owner contacted Porsche and expressed his interest in purchasing one of the new models, in particular chassis # 040, to commemorate his 40th birthday. Obviously the car parked before me was proof of his negotiation skills. This same interest and focus applied to his quest for the license plate seen below.

According to a friend standing nearby, the owner spent a small fortune to secure the license plate with the 777 designation, which apparently is his lucky number, and is now proudly displayed at both ends of the Porsche.

When the owner returned to his car, our conversation continued, and he shared his anxiety over waiting to take delivery of his latest Porsche acquisition ; one special ordered 918 Spyder. Any guess at what the chassis / series build number will be (out of the 918 total Porsche is targeted to produce)?

For now, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if a certain, low series build number Porsche 918 Spyder gets imported into the states, and reveals itself some early Saturday morning at a certain car show.

(All photos by the author)

Finally, a brand new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sighting, and the latest offerings from Dutchman Motorbikes…

Posted on July 27, 2013 by digitaldtour

Well it finally happened… a brand new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sighting!

Saturday morning July 13 finally saw the end of my Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings drought. At half past 6, I watched as a white GT3 RS4.0 made its way through the parking lot in search of a space. As it passed by, I noticed that it wore a Montana license plate, which meant this would be a brand new RS4.0 to add to my spotters list. So after a brief search through the parking lot, I finally found the white RS4.0 in question.

After giving the car a quick once-over, I headed to the passenger side window in order to check out the dashboard plaque located on the glove box, identifying the cars series build number. It turned out that this car was number 513 out of the total production of 600 GT3 RS4.0 models. It also marks the eleventh RS4.0 that I have been fortunate enough to see in person, and currently represents the highest serial number I’ve encountered.

Visually, the car appeared to be a stock RS4.0, with the model specific silver and red striping and graphics. However, when it came to the wheels, the owner obviously opted for black (as seen below), instead of the standard white or silver option wheels.

Located on the outside end of the next row over from the Porsche was another gathering of unique high performance vehicles; in this case the latest offerings from Dutchman Motorbikes…

Below is an example of one of Mark’s latest creations; a tribute to the late James Dean and his silver Porsche 550 Spyder.

The bike even included (in the form of an applied graphic on the hard tail), the nickname Dean had given his Porsche 550 Spyder…

Two other bikes from this morning grouping also happened to share details (graphics and / or color) with several Porsche models that just happened to be present at the show that morning…

For anyone interesting in checking out the latest offerings or to contact Mark at Dutchman Motorbikes, please check out this link to view his site.

And don’t be surprised if while attending August’s Monterey Historics, you encounter some of these very motorbikes serving as pit transportation for a number of race drivers and their teams…

(All photos by the author)

California Festival of Speed 2013, Part 2; Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts…

Posted on April 24, 2013 by digitaldtour

Having spent the better part of the morning pouring over and photographing all of the participants and activities associated to the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911, it was time for me to pursue another of my photographic passions; the purpose-built Porsche race cars of the Club racing program.

So as I made my way towards Garage 3, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a car up to that time that I had only seen in photos, but never in person until earlier that morning at check-in. Now I was face to face with the car, and ironically it was parked immediately across from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 911 display. The car in question belonged to none other than Magnus Walker, a high-profile member of the Southern California Porsche community, recognized collector of early 911s and creator of the Urban Outlaw brand. Now in front of me was the latest project come to life; his 1972 Porsche 911STR #002.

Magnus’s signature cross drilled and re-chromed door handles..

The spartan, 911ST inspired interior, enhanced by a vintage Racemark steering wheel…

The very cool, gold satin finished Group 4 PAG 15 wheels mounted up front -15″ x 8″ rims on Hoosier tires (as seen below)…

and out back – 15″ X 10″ Group 4 PAG 15 wheels, also on Hoosier rubber.

from the back, even more visible examples of Magnus Walker’s signature details; the Porsche side stripes, louvered rear deck lid, and the custom profiled fender flares (front and rear), complete with integrated 911R inspired tail lights…

The race inspired Porsche graphics installed on the louvered rear decklid, sourced from graphic designer, photographer, Porsche owner and blogger Bob Tilton of werkcrew.com.

Now it was time to visit Garage 3 to see what photographic opportunities awaited…

As I rounded the corner, I caught this silver Porsche GT3 below just as it was pulling back into the Garage area, and in time to watch one of the crew approach with one of the specially designed torque wrenches, specially created for tightening center lock hubs. What I found surprising was the amount of re-tightening that each wheel required. And as the morning wore on, this was a scene I saw repeated by the majority of teams running Porsche GT3 Cup cars. And if I recall, the center lock hubs need to be torqued to approximately 340 foot pounds, thus its overall size in order to generate sufficient leverage, and achieve the required torque setting.

The return and latest iteration of the DiscounTechnology Porsche GT3 Cup car below, which made a similar appearance at last years event…

And parked to its immediate left, was this pair of orange 2007 Porsche GT3 RS…

Keeping with the Porsche theme for the weekend, was this beautifully restored Porsche Junior Diesel tractor and trailer, parked outside of the 911 Design hospitality tent (which was located between Garage 3 and 2), which I had watched navigate throughout the parking lot.

Another beauty parked outside of the 911 design tent; a white 911 GT3RS…

And parked immediately to its left, was the centerpiece of the 911 design display: their Porsche 996 GT2 RSR. This is the same car that was featured on the cover of Excellence magazines May 2013 issue, and which was the subject of one of several featured articles.

A truly unique, highly modified custom one of a kind 996 GT2 from any angle…

As I continued through the parking lot, I came across a familiar looking GT3RS 4.0. and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be series # 239, making an encore appearance at this years event. I first encountered this very same car during last years event, and quickly added it to my growing list of GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

My next stop would be Garage 2… Once inside even more Porsche GT3 Cup cars to experience…

Venturing to the north end of the garage, I came across a bevy of GT3 Cup cars from the folks at TruSpeed…

Below, the tails of TruSpeed…

And for couple of little kids, there was even the opportunity for a thrill ride through the parking lot, courtesy of Continental tire (as seen below)…

My next destination would be to the east end of the covered seating area overlooking pit row. This additional elevation affords a great view of the cars flying by on the banking, as they approach turn one…

With the queuing up of the GT class cars in the grid area (below), this signaled the completion of the current on track session, and preparation for the next event…

The first lap formation at speed, accelerating from the start / finish line…

At the completion of the cup car event, and as I prepared to wrap up my shooting for the day, I came across this red 991 pictured below, which turned out to be the track escort for the weekends racing events.

So if this years event, and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Porsche 911 utilized a 2013 991 Carrera S as the lead, escort car, what do you suppose the lead car for next year event will be? Perhaps one of the new 991 GT3’s, since 2014 will witness the return of a Porsche LMP-1 race car to the 24 Hours of Le Mans? I guess we’ll just have to wait until next year to find out…

(All photos by the author)

A Potpourri of Porsche GT3…

Posted on December 22, 2012 by digitaldtour

With winter weather having blanketed Southern California over the past several weeks, washing out each weekends planned car shows, I figured this was as good a time as any to revisit my photographic archive, for inspiration and as potential imagery to use in my next blog post.

One of my favorite cars, and a fixture within many of my previous posts has been the Porsche GT3, along with its performance enhanced brethren, the GT3RS and GT3 RS4.0. However, due to the lack of recent cars shows to attend, now seemed like an ideal time to select some of my favorite GT3 images, as source material for use in my next blog post, showcasing this amazing car. And in regards to my ongoing interest in the Porsche GT3 RS4.0, I’m still pursuing my quest to photograph as many GT3 RS4.0 models as possible, in addition to recording each cars unique serial / build number. And even though my RS4.0 sightings have slowed, I’m still determined to try to capture as many of the 600 total that Porsche produced (my current tally stands at 10 cars). I was even fortunate enough during 2012 to have experienced some seat time behind the wheel of a friends 2007 GT3RS (thanks Matt), which was an eye-opening experience to say the least, especially when compared to my 1986 Carrera coupe.

The following GT3 images were shot at a variety of automotive events, and were all sourced from the digitaldtour archives…

And last but not least: Santa’s sleigh of choice for 2012, staged and awaiting Christmas Eve…

(All photos by the Author)

Rot,Weiss und Blau: Technicolor Porsches and the return of a unique blue GT3RS 4.0…

Posted on November 24, 2012 by digitaldtour

Once again, while the rest of the country continued to experience the effects of a stormy winter, Saturday morning (November 10) in the early pre dawn hours here in Southern California dawned clear, but as I walked out my back door and headed towards my garage, I was greeted with a chilly embrace. Winter temperatures had finally arrived. So protected from the morning chill by my trusty jacket, I fired up the Carrera, and headed south to Cars&Coffee.

By the time I arrived in Irvine, the temperatures seemed even cooler than when I left my house. Pulling into the parking lot, I quickly looked around to see if my friends (Gene, Ryan, Dave or Jeff) had arrived, since we usually park as a group. No sign of them, so I decided to park with the regulars over on Porsche row. And that’s when I saw it; the blue, Porsche 911 GT3RS 4.0 had returned. So with camera in hand, I was off to take another look at this truly unique car.

As noted in one of my previous posts (see link), this particular RS 4.0 was a special order car, not only for its Dark blue paint, but the graphics delete / elimination of the traditional RS 4.0 exterior stripes and Porsche text usually found on the rear wing.

One exception made to the graphics delete option, and located out back, was the retention of the RS 4.0 badging found on the rear deck lid, just below the rear wing.

However, since the cars last appearance, there has been a subtle graphic added to the rear valence, placed just to the right of the rear bumperette (as seen above and below). The significance of this graphic affixed to this car makes perfect sense, given the owners record of multiple class wins at Pikes Peak behind the wheel of various Porsche 911s.

Parked immediately to the left of the dark blue GT3RS 4.0’s, was this beautiful 1971 Porsche 911E, painted in another of the rare Porsche blues.

Depending upon the lighting that morning, this cars color shifted from the bright blue as seen above, to the darker, blue – gray value as seen below.

This Porsche also happened to be another car that has been absent from this event for some time, but is always rewarding to see in person. A 911E that has been beautifully restored, both inside and out.

And for anyone interested in restoring an early 911, this is a car that needs to be seen in person, to fully appreciate the level and attention to detail employed on this restoration, and the results that can be achieved when done correctly.

Parked towards the opposite end of Porsche row was another unique example, this one a beautiful red1996 993 turbo, wearing a set of RUF wheels, RUF lower front spoiler/valence, and running a sport exhaust system. I learned that this car was the latest acquisition made by Truspeed Motorsports, to be added to their current “for sale” inventory.

Parked across the aisle from Porsche row, was another very cool 911; in this case a Grand Prix white, ’07/’08 vintage GT3, that has been configured for club racing.

The track set up goodies for this GT3 also included a set of the very cool, 19″ GMG WC-GT Monoblock wheels in Charcoal gray (above and below).

Following on the mornings apparent rot, weiss und blau Porsche theme but with a twist, was this pair of Arena Red metallic Porsches, ; a 993 turbo on the left, and to its right, a 986 Boxster.

After making the rounds on Porsche row, I headed off to explore the rest of the parking lot. Just two rows over, and parked on the outside end of the row, I encountered this modified 2011 911 GT3RS, with GMG license plate.

After taking a quick visual inventory, it became apparent that the most obvious changes made over a stock GT3RS, were to the wheels and rear wing.

Given the overall width and profile of the carbon fiber rear wing, as well as the taller, red support struts, it appeared these parts had been sourced from the Porsche Motorsports / GT3 Cup Car parts bin (above and below).

A quick inspection of the wheels revealed what appeared to be a set of the GMG, WC- GT Monoblock centerlocks, color matched to the cars red graphics and accents…

As the mornings participants began to thin, this beautiful red, Porsche type 997 GT3 was revealed, parked all by itself…

And what Porsche fan in his right mind would not stop to check out a pristine red, Porsche GT3?

Porsche’s GT3 rear wing, specific to the 2007/2008 models (below). I’ve also heard this rear wing referred to as the “taco wing”, due to the folded contours and profile of the wing, and its resemblance to a taco shell…

These wings also came equipped with a black “Gurney strip”, located immediately behind the dual air intake scoops, to enhance and balance the aerodynamic downforce (as seen below).

It wasn’t until I arrived back home and began looking through my photos, that I suddenly realized the mornings theme obviously had to relate to the range of Technicolor Porsches that I had been fortunate enough to photograph that morning.

(All photos by the author)

California Festival of Speed, and two new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

Posted on April 27, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning, April 21 dawned warm and hazy. However, on this morning I would not be making my weekly trek down to Cars&Coffee/Irvine, but would instead be driving out to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California to catch day two of the scheduled three-day “Festival of Speed” event. The weekend was marketed as an “Event for Porsche enthusiasts”, however there were other makes and models of street and race cars also present.

After arriving at the race track, my first stop was at the registration building. After signing the required liability waiver, I was issued a black & white checkerboard wristband (secured onto the left wrist of every participant by the registration staff), and given my parking pass. Now it was time to drive over to the infield parking area that had been designated for the weekends festivities. By now, the sun had begun to burn off the mornings haze, and was starting to bring some heat to Fontana. Exiting my car, I could hear the unmistakable sound of Porsche race cars with their distinctive exhaust notes echoing off of the grandstands, as they screamed past the start/finish line, beginning another lap.

As I made my way past the entry portal that divides the parking lot from the infield garage area, I noticed a cast bronze plaque mounted onto the vertical support column and went over for a closer look. It turned out to be a dedication plaque honoring Les Richter, for his contribution to the construction and completion of this racing facility. It also acknowledged his involvement in professional sports with inductions into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Now it was time to find out what treasures awaited out in the infield garages…

First up was this Gray Porsche 997 GT3RS, prepared by the folks from the GMG /Global Motorsport Group.

Its stable mate to the left was this black, GMG prepared Audi R8, with what appeared to be a combination of components sourced from Audi’s R8GT3 and LMS parts bin, and powered by a V-10 motor.

Located on the other side of the block wall, opposite the Audi R8 bay, was a bevy of Porsche GT3 Cup cars, all being prepared for the days scheduled events…

A Porsche 996 GT3 Cup car…

Now imagine my surprise when I looked over and saw this black 2012 Porsche GT3 RS4.0, casually tucked in amongst its GT3 brethren. This is the first and only RS4.0 that I have seen configured for racing, and also marks my 9th GT3 RS4.0 sighting. After I finished shooting the car, all that remained was to discover the series number for this car. A quick look inside, specifically at the cars glove box door ID plaque, revealed this car as being #239 out of 600.

O.Z. centerlock racing wheels…

Positioned next to the Black RS4.0 was the “DISCOUNTECHNOLOGY”, 2012 Porsche GT3 Cup car, and seeing it in person was one of those deja-vu moments; my son and I had watched this very car compete at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV back in October at Laguna Seca. Here’s the same car at speed, shot while competing at Rennsport IV (see below)…

And located just one bay over to the right, was this spectacular blue 2011 997 GT3. This is the only Porsche GT3 that I have seen wearing this particular shade of blue. After shooting multiple images of the car, my interests in this particular GT3 finally caught the attention of its owner, who came over and introduced himself. I soon learned that this particular color (Aqua Blue metallic), was in fact a very rare color to be seen on a GT3. And apparently the people from Porsche were just as impressed, after seeing the car in person at Rennsport Reunion IV. Because of the rarity of this color being optioned on the GT3 model, the owner was asked by Porsche to put his car on display at Rennsport Reunion IV. The collective belief is that this may be one of the only 2011 GT3’s in North America painted Aqua blue metallic.

A very cool set of GMG / WC-GT centerlock race wheels…

My next stop was Garage 2, where I found even more Porsche GT3 Cup cars…

One of several examples of Porsche brand new 2012 GT3 Cup cars (seen above and below)…

And one of the largest torque wrenches you’ll ever see; the perfect tool for torquing down Porsches GT3 centerlock race wheels to approximately 340 ft lbs…

Located outside and parked in the rows between Garage 2 and 3, was this immaculate gray and red GT3RS, with its identical twin parked just off to its right…

After making the rounds at the two garages, it was time to check out the vendor row. The blue Porsche 997 turbo seen above was on display courtesy of Walter’s Porsche, and paired with a new black Porsche 991 cabriolet. In talking with the sales rep, I learned that this particular color had been sourced from Porsches 356 color palette, originally available for the 1957 to 1959 models, and known as Meissen Blue.

Situated down the row from the Walter’s Porsche display, were these seat shells from Lou’s Metal Shaping (phone# -562-201-4658, email – mr_mallet@yahoo.com). These beautiful, hand formed aluminum seat shells are intended for use in Porsche 356 speedsters, 550 spyders, and for Porsche 911 owners wanting an aluminum Scheel seat shell/s for their 911…

By now it was getting close to noon time; time to grab some lunch and something cold to drink. With food, drink and camera in hand, it was time to find a shady place to sit down, eat and get ready for the afternoons PCA (Porsche Club of America) club racing to begin. Fortunately, this track has covered infield seating that sets on top of the pit lane suites, and runs the length of and overlooks pit lane, offering up a great view of the racetrack, especially the start / finish line.

By 1 PM, the first group of cars was unleashed, and the first race underway, complete with an Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo spyder and a collection of Porsche 911’s (see photos below)…

White Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder (above), with blue 3M masking tape applied as a protective covering…

The second race of the afternoon was the Porsche Club of America Club race for the GT2A class. The first two photos below capture the start of the race…

In formation, rolling up on the start / finish line, awaiting the drop of the green flag…

Hard acceleration after crossing the start / finish line…

The afternoons GT2A class winner (as seen above), streaking across the start / finish line…

After the races concluded, I headed back into the garage area, to make one last pass through before heading home. As I was approaching Garage 1, I saw my friend Eric sitting on his bike, visiting with his fellow racers. I had been looking for Eric and his race car all morning ( a red,1999 Porsche 996 GT3 Koni Challenge Cup car), but had been unsuccessful in locating him. I soon learned that he had been out on track earlier that morning (apparently while I was roaming the garages), thus I missed seeing his time out on the track. Unfortunately, with the summer like weather and high temperatures on this day, his car had begun experiencing overheating problems. Rather than risk catastrophic damage to his motor, Eric made the painful decision to sit out the afternoon race, and was now in the process of trying to locate a new water pump for his car ( believed to be the cause of his overheating problem). Eric pointed me in the direction of his car (parked over behind his trailer), so I could check it out and get some photos. He then rode off into the pit area on his quest to locate a water pump.

After shooting his car, I ran into Eric and his wife, still searching for the elusive water pump. As they headed back to their motor home to cool off from the afternoon heat, I said my goodbyes and was off for one last pass through the garage areas.

Just as I rounded the corner of Garage 1, the back-end of a white Porsche 911 caught my eye. As I headed in its direction, I initially thought it to be a GT3RS. However as I got closer, and was able to make out the graphics, I quickly saw that it was instead a GT3 RS4.0.

Given the rarity of these cars, I’m still amazed to this day that I have seen as many as I have in person, and now this latest encounter brought my total sightings up to ten. The day had presented me with another amazing opportunity to witness not just one but two of these rare GT3 RS4.0’s (in person and on the same day). I made my way over to the passenger side of the car to get a look at the glove box plaque, which revealed that this car was series # 331 of 600.

Now all I have to do is find one car from the 100 series and 500 series, and I will have experienced a complete sampling of the entire RS4.0 production range. And who knows what surprises or opportunities await tomorrow morning at Cars&Coffe / Irvine?

(All photos by the author)

Of Speedsters, Spyders, Porsche GT3 RS4.0’s, and more…

Posted on April 7, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning, March 31 once again dawned cool, gray and damp. So much for spring weather here in Southern California… and for the past several weeks, we have been witness to storm fronts blowing in, just as the weekend was coming into view. Lately, my Friday evenings have been spent watching the 11PM news, to see what possible surprises Mother Nature has planned that could negatively impact Saturday morning’s Cars&Coffee event. And this past Saturday was no exception. However instead of rain, we were treated to sporadic, light drizzle. Just enough to mess with a freshly detailed car… My first encounter with the drizzle was while heading down to connect up with the southbound 5 freeway. I was definitely becoming concerned, especially with each new pocket of drizzle that I encountered. Luckily, the further south I drove, the drier it became. By the time I arrived in Irvine, there were low, gray clouds everywhere, but no rain. And gauging by the number of cars already present at 6AM, there were a lot of other drivers with similar hopes for a dry morning.

While I was assembling my camera gear for the mornings shoot, I noticed what appeared to be an early 1970’s vintage, white Porsche 911 make its way up the nearby parking row, and come to a stop one row over behind where I was parked, faced towards me. From the sound of the exhaust, it was apparent he was running a modified exhaust system on a healthy sounding motor. After shutting off the motor, the driver exited, locked his car and disappeared into the crowd. The glowing white visage was enough to get my attention, so I headed over for a closer look.

The interior was in keeping with the race inspired exterior; stripped down with an RS carpet kit, door panels, roll bar, RS steering wheel, shoulder and lap belts, and dual racing sport seats…

Even the fuch wheels (front and rear) received the race prepped treatment: long wheel studs with steel lug nuts, to securely anchor each wheel in place.

This is only the third Porsche 911 that I have ever seen fitted with a set of the rare Cibie Biode headlights ( as shown above).

And situated just one row over from this white 911, was Porsche Row. Below is a small sampling of a few of the cars found along the row…

My next stop was over at the featured parking lot, where this beautiful red, Porsche 356 Speedster was being displayed…

This particular car has a rare, hardtop option, which includes a hinged vent window, located just behind each door window…

The Speedster reflected in the yellow, award-winning (European model) Ferrari 246 Dino’s rear wheel knock-off, parked to the left of the Speedster…

And then along came a Spyder…

…a white Boxster Spyder to be precise, complete with Porsche 934 styled rear fender flares, GT3 RS4.0 fender flares up front, and a GT2 RS inspired front hood.

And parked several rows over, back on Porsche Row, was this beautifully restored, green 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS (as seen below). And yes, it is a REAL 911 Carrera RS (# 280), and not a clone.

After shooting the Carrera RS, I moved down the row and noticed some of the reflections being cast onto the cars by their neighbors…

It was while I was walking back to have another look at the red Speedster, that I saw this white 2011 GT3 RS4.0 parked at the end of the aisle. After noticing the red-painted headlight washers, I realized this was a car new to Cars&Coffee, and one that I had not seen before. A BRAND NEW SIGHTING, making this the 9th car to be added to my GT3 RS4.0 sighting list…!

Knowing that the dash mounted plaque would reveal this cars series number, I walked over to the passenger side, and peering through the open window, saw that this car was # 222 of 600.

I suddenly realized that this was A BRAND NEW SIGHTING, making this the 9th car to be added to my GT3 RS4.0 sightings list !

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, as I walked back to my car I spotted a second white GT3 RS4.0 parked right behind my car! Not recognizing any of the people standing nearby, I walked over to get a look at the cars series number dash tag. I immediately recognized the number (#490) as being my 7th RS4.0 sighting, made several weeks earlier at Cars&Coffee. And with different lighting conditions this morning, it was time to capture a few more shots to add to my ever-increasing archive…

(I received an email from a friend this afternoon, letting me know of a special tribute being planned for tomorrow morning (April 7) at Cars &Coffee, in remembrance of Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche who passed away on Thursday. Please stay tuned for my coverage from Saturdays event…

(All photos by the author)

Reflections on a summery Saturday morning, and two new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

Posted on March 14, 2012 by digitaldtour

For the second weekend in a row, Southern California was once again blessed with summer like weather, complete with warm breezes and sunny, cloudless crystal blue skies. This past Saturday was another stunning example, and what better time to undertake another study of reflections, and explore the contrast of shadow and light and their collective impact on the automotive form.

The following photos represent my latest study, with lighting effects provided courtesy of Mother Nature, and additional fill provided by my Nikon SB600 Speedlight…

After shooting the Ferrari Daytona coupe seen above, I ran into a friend who asked if I had seen the Ferrari Enzo and Bugatti Veyron parked by the catering tables. I told him no, and then asked if the Bugatti was the blue-tinted carbon fiber model that had been at the event 2 weeks earlier. He said no, that this one was a two-tone, red on black, and that the Enzo parked just in front was a blood orange color. So off I went in search of these two cars, which can be seen below. I was definitely surprised to see each car displaying a KONY 2012 placard, an apparent effort by each owner to draw attention to the atrocities committed by African warlord Joseph Kony, against the children of his country…

I then noticed that another crowd was gathered towards the middle of the parking lot and decided to find out what was drawings the crowd. There parked at the end of the row, was a spectacular looking hot rod, and then it hit me. This was a Chip Foose creation, and walking towards the back confirmed it. This was the Foose HemiSFear…

And with the rear deck opened, even the valve covers confirmed that this was in fact the HemiSFear.

My next stop was on Mercedes row, to check out a beautifully restored Triumph motorcycle parked next to an amazing black Mercedes-Benz 190 SL roadster, both the source of some amazing shadows and reflections…

And now an update on my two latest Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

On Saturday March 3, I added another GT3 RS4.0 sighting (#7) to my list of cars encountered since October 2011 at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV. This car was another example of the white exterior with the RS4.0 exterior graphics package, with the white wheel configuration.

After talking with the owner, I learned that he’s had the car for only three months, but from the smile on his face it was obvious he thoroughly enjoys ownership. It was then time to ask him my standard GT3 RS4.0 question – What series number is your car out of the total 600 built? Fortunately, every RS4.0 owner faced with my question has been gracious enough to share their cars series number. And keeping the trend alive, this owner shared with me that his car was #490 out of 600.

Sighting #8, and my second sighting for March, occurred this past Saturday, and was once again at Cars&Coffee /Irvine. This particular car appeared to be brand new; also white and wearing the traditional RS4.0 exterior graphics package, but in this case its wheels were black.

Realizing that this was a brand new car, and not one that I had seen before, I immediately looked around for the owner in hopes of asking him about his car, and adding its series number to my GT3 RS4.0 sighting list. No owner was to be found, so I circled that car a few more times, adding more images to my collection and studying the various reflective surfaces found on the car.

I returned to the car a little later and was lucky enough to catch the owner, just as he was getting ready to leave. I quickly introduced myself, and explained my interest in the Porsche GT3 RS4.0, along with my quest to document each of my RS4.0 sightings since seeing my first at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV. I learned that the owner had also attended Rennsport Reunion IV, and had even participated in the weekends racing. It was then time for me to ask my question, and this owner kept the tradition alive by sharing with me that his car was series #491. I then shared with him that I had encountered another white GT3 RS4.0 one week earlier, which was series # 490. We both agreed on the rarity of finding two cars with sequential series numbers, from such a limited worldwide production.

Now only 592 GT3 RS4.0’s remaining…

(All photos by the author)

digitaldtour

A photographic journey through the Southern California car culture

Category Archives: Porsche GT3 RS4.0

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