While being a motoring journalist certainly has its perks, it can also have its pits! Auto journalist Mark Hales, 62, has been ordered to shell out damages and costs totaling $175,000 after burning up the motor in a rare Porsche! Our Porsche rentals are not a challenge to operate like the classics often are. The drivability difference is often a shock for even experienced drivers when they get their hands on a classic car.
Journalist blows Porsche engine, is found responsible for repairs.
Hales borrowed the Porsche 917 replica owned by former F1 driver David Piper. Hales intended to pit the Porsche against a classic Ferrari owned by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. Instead of an awesome glossy magazine feature, Hales has ended up in financial chaos. Judge Simon Brown agreed with Piper that the Porsche had been over-revved, hitting 8,200 rpms when it should not exceed 7,000, causing the engine damage.