Can you say Le Mans?
There are few motorsports events as prestigious as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and any manufacturer worth their weight in carbon fiber will have at least attempted to finish this grueling test of man and machine. One manufacturer that has proven itself capable is Porsche, which has sent many a 911 to the frontlines to do battle with competitors such as the Aston Martin Vantage and Chevrolet Corvette. But what happens to these race cars after they cross the checkered flag? They get snapped up by millionaire collectors of course. RM Sotheby's has recently listed an ultra-rare 1980 Porsche 935 JLP-2 race car, and it can be yours for a trifling $2,100,000.
This car was derived from the Porsche 911 Type 930 Turbo and was massively successful during its tenure under the American father-and-son team of John Paul Senior and Junior. The JLP-2 was naturally preceded by the JLP-1, and the Paul family would continue to build more radical machines, culminating in the JLP-4. All of these cars proved massively successful, and some of their titles include the 1982 Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours (in JBL-3 configuration).
After the 1979 racing season and the unfortunate demise of the JLP-1, the team decided to build the number two car. This vehicle saw improvements in chassis rigidity, and an increase in power up to 740 horsepower thanks to twin KKK turbochargers. The JLP-2 managed a class win, and a third overall finish at the 1980 Silverstone Six Hours; as well as a 9th overall and 2nd in class at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The car's final success story was a win at the Road America 500 Miles. "We really modified that car, especially stiffening the tub and sills. We'd later get into trouble with Porsche for stuff like that. I went right from Formula Fords into the JLP-2. I was using the same braking points at Road Atlanta as in my Ford, but I was going about twice as fast. That's how good the brakes were," said Paul Jr. in a recent interview.
As the car stands currently, it features the original 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans livery and is supplied with FFSA (French Federation of Automobile Sport) passport number 77290. You can't put a price on this type of heritage (that'll be $2.1 million thank you).
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