JAY KAY BRINGS 914-6 PORSCHE TO RACE RETRO 2012 FOR RALLY REUNION

Jamiroquai front man and self-confessed petrolhead Jay Kay is bringing his Porsche 914-6 to this year’s Race Retro for a reunion with one of its original drivers, rally legend Bjorn Waldegard. Bjorn will be seeing if the car stands the test of time on the high octane Live Rally Stage on Saturday 25th and Sunday 25th February, before Jay Kay himself gets behind the wheel.

Bjorn drove the 914-6 in the Monte Carlo Rally, an event in which the Porsche was expected to excel. Three works-prepared cars were entered, driven by Bjorn, Ake Andersson and Gerard Larrousse, all highly skilled drivers who knew the Monte course like the backs of their hands. But the weather was to deal the Porsche team a cruel blow.

The 1971 Monte Carlo Rally was the snowiest on record. Andersson and Larrousse were forced to retire with gearbox problems, but Bjorn soldiered on to finish a worthy third overall. Sadly this marked the end of Porsche's support for the 914-6 in competition despite the fact that a 914-6 GT had won its class at Le Mans in 1970.

The 914-6 is just one of the amazing vehicles in singer Jay Kay’s collection of over 37 rare classics and luxurious supercars. Jay is a keen competitor when it comes to cars, having topped the leaderboard on Top Gear’s Star in a Reasonably Priced Car challenge so he’s bound to push the car to the limits on the specially designed course at Stoneleigh Park.

Adult tickets for Race Retro, sponsored by Peter James Insurance, start at £20 in advance with children’s tickets at £5 for Friday and Saturday and free on Sunday. Car parking is free and has been moved to a hard surface area nearer to the halls. The show is open from 9.30am each day and closes at 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 4.30pm on Sunday. To book tickets and for the latest updates, visit www.raceretro.com.

Now available in eBook format! Porsche 914 & 914-6 – The definitive history of the road & competition cars By Brian Long.
Perceived as a reasonably priced entry level model for Porsche, the 914's early history was blighted by political problems with VW’s new management. However, by the end of production, almost 119,000 examples had been sold. This book records the full international story of the mid-engined 914, from concept through to the final production car, illustrated throughout with contemporary material. Today the 914 is an affordable and practical classic. iBookstore, Kindle, Waterstones.