At first, this prototype for the next-generation Porsche 911 didn't look like much. In fact, it didn't even look like a new test mule given all the 997-series bodywork. But look closer and it's clear there are a few changes to this prototype that aren't on the current model.
Most notable is the "double bubble" roof, although in this case it's less like individual bubbles and more like a dent in the middle. Also note the covered tail section and revised rear bumper. Hard to tell what's going on back there, but clearly some changes are in store as nearly every prototype we've seen has featured similar camouflage.
The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place this weekend, July 3-5. You might not have booked your airfare to England yet, but fortunately you can use your friend the Internet to take a good look at what has become one of the foremost celebrations of automotive culture.
The Brits don't have a tradition of burnouts in the parking lot, so instead they do hillclimbs. And the Goodwood Festival of Speed is essentially a 1.16-mile hillclimb in someone's front yard, only this someone is the Earl of March and his estate at Goodwood becomes a stage for fast cars, famous people, and everything that's good about a life with automobiles.You can get a glimpse of the Goodwood Festival of Speed with what the event principals refer to as The Movie.
Porsche's first run at a four-door was actually this hideous 911-- a one-off vehicle literally put together from two crashed 1967 911s. To add to its look, suicide doors were obviously a must. California coachbuilder Troutman-Barnes built the car with the go-ahead from Porsche, and it has since disappeared - we would bet it was involved in a mysterious accident, sparing the German automaker from any more embarrassment.
It's taken Porsche a long time to get to this point, but we all knew it was coming. The Panamera sedan is finally here and our Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot just returned from Germany where he drove all three versions.
Not surprisingly, he found them all plenty fast and surprisingly nimble. A four-door 911 it is not, but it will more than hold its own against any other sedan in its class. And it's comfortable too, up front and in back.
The only question left now is whether or not luxury sedan buyers will accept this new sedan as a true Porsche. Given their response to the Cayenne SUV, we're betting they won't have a problem with the Panamera sedan. Video after the jump.
Tired of trying to figure out how the Porsche and the Piech families fit together? Did you always want to know who designed the original 911? Is it Porsche, or Por-sha? Why does the Cayenne exist?
All those answers and more are now available on this lovely DVD titled "The Porsche Way". At over two hours in length, it's a virtual feature film on the history of the German sportscar company.
"This is the first time that a car maker is presented so exhaustively on a DVD", according to Dieter Landenberger, the Director of the Porsche Archives. And if we know the Germans, it will be exhaustively detailed indeed.
Peugeot beat Audi to pole position for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday, June 13. Both teams had spent much of the qualifying sessions working on race setups, but with ten minutes to go in the second session, Stephane Sarrazin took his no. 8 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP onto the circuit with orders to grab pole position away from Allan McNish in the no. 1 Audi R15 TDI.
Sarrazin threaded his way through slower cars on the 8.5-mile track to record a lap in 3:22.888, just 0.8 seconds quicker than McNish, for an average speed of 149.8 mph. This is the third consecutive pole at Le Mans for the Peugeot, while Audi has won the race overall eight of the last nine years. Both the diesel-powered sports cars are slightly slower around the track this year because of new regulations to make the gasoline-powered cars more competitive. The no. 7 Lola Aston-Martin was the quickest of these with a lap of 3:27.704.
Caspar Elgaard drove a Porsche Spyder RS to the pole in the LMP2 class in 3:37.720. The no. 63 Chevrolet Corvette C.6R of Jan Magnussen took the pole in the LM GT1 category with a best lap of 3.54.230, while the Porsche GT3 RSR of Flying Lizard Racing's Jorg Bergmeister took the pole for the GT2 category with a 4:03.202.
Audi's narrow victory over Peugeot in last year's race has revived interest in the endurance contest after a decade of dominance by Audi (and Bentley, its subsidiary), and enthusiasm has also been aroused by access through the Internet. Audi offers coverage through its own site (http://www.audir15tdi.com/) as well as sites on Facebook (fb.audir15tdi.com), Twitter (tw.audir15tdi.com), and YouTube (yt.audir15tdi).
If you have never driven on a race track, you should. If your skills are weak, track time will make them better. And if you think you're an undiscovered Tony Stewart, well then, get out there and prove it. The list that follows after the jump gives some ideas where you might try your luck both on the road and in the dirt.
Writing about the best used performance cars for $5,000 was a challenge. At that price point, you're either going to get lucky and find a gem, or get unlucky and end up shelling out another $5,000 to keep a basket case running.
So with that in mind, we decided to bump the price floor to $10K to start and see what we could find. The talent pool is much deeper for sure, although the possibility of a clunker is still there if you're not careful.
So take a look at our list and see what you think. Anything we missed?
Will we ever get this hopped up TT in the U.S.? The jury is still out, but as contributor Alistair Weaver points out, as good as it looks on paper, the Audi TT-RS doesn't always feel like the Boxster-killer that its spec sheet suggests. See why in our exclusive test drive from Europe.
If you didn't find a way to watch German TV over the holiday weekend, there's now plenty of footage of the 2009 ADAC Nurburgring 24 Hour Race for online consumption. Here's an extra long video of the Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 RSR that won the Nurburgring 24. The 911 started on pole, and was driven by Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas, Marc Lieb and Marcel Tiemann.
One of the four Abt Sportsline-built Audi R8 LMS cars took second at the Nurburgring 24. It was driven by Christian Abt, Jean-Francois Hemroulle, Pierre Kaffer and Lucas Luhr. More details on the finishers can be found here.
Interestingly, Berhard and Dumas, both former Porsche Spyder RS shoes, announced today that they will team up with Alexandre Premat to drive Audi R15 TDI number 3 at Le Mans.
Two more videos after the jump. One shows the Manthey Porsche on the Nordschleife at night, since this is after all a 24-hour race. The other shows the start of the race.
Fresh off a mid-cycle update for 2009, the Porsche Boxster is already well into the development phase of the fully redesigned 2011 model. Seen here lapping the Nurburgring and ripping through the German countryside, this Boxster looks and sounds much like the current model.
There was a rumor circulating late last year that Porsche might be considering a turbocharged, four-cylinder powerplant as the base engine for the next Boxster. This prototype certainly doesn't sound like it's a four-cylinder, but that doesn't rule out the possibility in the future. After all, Porsche has to meet the same fuel economy regulations that everybody else does.
Tony Danza speaks Italian but drives German. TMZ caught the Hollywood D-lister climbing into his piss poor Porsche Speedster replica recently in Malibu. There's even a close up of the cracks in the fiberglass body. Man, what a POS. Come on Tony, if you're going to drive a fakey doo, at least make it a big-block Cobra.
Now anybody can sit around agonizing over which wheels to order on their new Porsche Panamera Turbo. A well-built configurator is now live on Porsche's Web site and it provides a good look at all the various options available for the new Porsche sedan.
You want your Panamera in purple (that's Amethyst Metallic) or maybe a nice sea foam green? Check out the two-tone interior colors, too, they're a much better idea than the "special" exterior colors.
If you don't already know the difference between a standard 911 and the 911 GT3, read the first couple paragraphs of contributor Andrew Frankel's first drive. After that, you'll know whether you care or not.
Some won't, as the GT3 is built for a select group of 911 enthusiasts, and we're not talking about the Porsche hat and golf shirt group. No, this is a Porsche 911 in a more classic role, and it's one we rarely grow tired of.
Porsche engineers told Inside Line that an RS version of the latest GT3 is definitely in the works. It will arrive in Europe later this year as a 2010 model. The U.S. version will take a bit longer, more like early next year as a 2011.
The talkative engineers also gave us one more bit of interesting information. Remember that 911 prototype that was spotted on the Nurburgring with the huge fixed wing stuck to its rear end?
Well, turns out that was just another 998 prototype. The engineers thought it would be amusing to see what kind of speculation it generated. See, those Germans aren't so stuffy after all.
Just when you thought Porsche might eventually swallow Volkswagen, now comes a report from the Financial Times that it might actually be the other way around. VW might buy up Porsche's sports car business.
You'll recall that Porsche increased its stake in Volkswagen to over 50 percent in January and said it would keep buying up shares in VW until it had a 75-percent stake. Note that it's Porsche SE, a holding company jointly owned by the Porsche and Piech families, that owns the stake.
FT reports that Ferdinand Piech, chair of Volkswagen and co-owner of Porsche, is considering buying up Porsche's automotive division (Porsche AG) and integrating it into the VW family as a 10th brand. This sale would possibly pay down some of the debt Porsche SE is said to have amassed during its buying spree. The holding company would keep its stake in VW.
So how did Porsche get its new Panamera up to the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center for the sedan's world debut? By the collective will of the Communist people of course. Oh, and one particularly large freight elevator helped too.
Oh come on, you weren't expecting anything else from the next-generation 2011 Porsche 911 were you? It has looked this way for decades, so no matter how extensive the mechanical changes are to the 998-series of this classic sportscar, it's always going to look familiar on the outside.
More info and video of this prototype on the Nurburgring after the jump.
In what can only be called anti-climatic, the 2010 Porsche Panamera made its first public appearance at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. This after years of seeing lightly disguised prototypes crisscrossing the world, not to mention a recent technical briefing and ride along at Porsche's research center.
If anything, this look at the Porsche Panamera is another chance to give it the once over and contemplate whether you would rather have this sedan over a new BMW 7-Series or the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
After its recent freshening, the Porsche Boxster is headed toward a full redesign. Of course, in the Boxster's case that doesn't mean much as there's only so much you can do with its basic mid-engine, two-passenger layout.
This prototype was caught just outside the Nurburgring with a few extra body panels bolted on, but it's hard to tell what what's permanent and what's merely disguise. Expect to see this car in production form in roughly two years time.
With a name like 2010 Cayenne GTS Porsche® Design Edition 3, how can you resist this $89,000 SUV?
Set for export to the U.S. in limited quantities, this gussied up Cayenne GTS features special paint, standard 21-inch SportPlus wheels and sport stripes. The interior gets black leather with contrasting red stitching and Alcantara inserts.
In other words, this special edition Cayenne is all about looking cool. Then again, if that's what you're after maybe it's best to start off with something other than a Cayenne.
Porsche recently invited journalists to see its new Panamera sedan first hand at its Weissach research facility. No one was able to get behind the wheel, but Porsche did offer rides in the back seat. Our own Director of Testing Dan Edmunds pulled out his camera to get a shaky video of the experience. See for yourself after the jump.
With a world debut officially scheduled for the Shanghai auto show next month, the 2010 Porsche Panamera is edging slowly toward production. Additional information has been released on the some of its more unique features. They include a start/stop ignition, retractable rear wing and a nearly flat undercarriage for improved aerodynamics.
Porsche released more details on its upcoming 2010 Cayenne S Hybrid last week, including a sound-bite producing line about going 86 mph without using the gasoline motor.
Sounds impressive, but don't get too excited about the prospect of zipping up to highway speeds in complete silence just yet.
You see, Porsche said that its engineers "have been able to drive at speeds up to 86 mph without at all using the combustion engine." In other words, the Cayenne Hybrid's electric motor is capable of maintaining the vehicle's speed on the highway. Of course, actually getting up to highway speeds requires the other half of its hybrid equation, namely a 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 sourced from Audi.
Porsche wordplay aside, the Cayenne Hybrid should still put up some decent numbers when it goes on sale next year. A 0-to-60mph time of 6.8-seconds is expected along with highway mileage of around 24mpg.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we're introducing a new feature on Straightline called "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
The Porsche Cayenne may not please company loyalists, but they don't buy enough cars to have the final say. Since its introduction, the Cayenne has slowly become less of a true SUV and more of a tall wagon with all-wheel drive. It's also the best-selling vehicle Porsche builds by a long shot, so anyone who dismisses the Cayenne's existence should be thankful that it pays the bills for development of cars like the GT3.
With the Cayenne GTS it's all about street performance. Porsche's engineers got rid of all the SUV hardware and laced up a set of 21-inch wheels and tires at each corner. The GTS is also the only V8-powered Cayenne in the U.S. that offers an optional 6-speed manual. Sad to say, but our test vehicle had a Tiptronic automatic, but it still put down some impressive numbers at the track.
No big surprise here. Porsches aren't exactly inconspicuous buys in a down economy. Cayenne sales were impressive though, down only 6% compared to last January and up 10% from last month. For a vehicle that's so often held up as the poster child for Porsche's decline, it's doing its part to keep the company profitable.
Half of our average day at the office is spent staring longingly at a huge, framed picture of a Kermit-green 2007 Porsche GT3 RS (shot by our crack staff photographer, Scott Jacobs).
We're afraid we might have to soon re-decorate the joint. Or we will once we get our sweaty hands on the car pictured here, the 2010 Porsche GT3. Porsche will unveil the car at the Geneva auto show in March. Join us after the jump for the details.
Much like Death Valley in August, January in the Arctic Circle is prime time prototype testing season. First we saw the Porsche 911, then the Mercedes-Benz CLS, and now the 2012 Porsche Boxster has hit the streets.
Does it look any different? Not really, but there's some speculation that this Boxster could usher in a new engine configuration that would help Porsche meet the more stringent U.S. fuel economy standards looming in its future.
On January 31, the Porsche Museum will officially open its doors in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. With typical Porsche modesty, the press release describes the new facility as "one of the greatest and most spectacular building projects in the history of Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG."
Clearly, Porsche is quite proud of the new place, and judging by the numerous photographs, it is an impressive structure indeed. There are 80 cars spread throughout the museum's 60,000 square feet of floor space. The designers also managed to squeeze in a restaurant, coffee bar and a glass-walled workshop where visitors can observe cars undergoing active restoration.
With sales of the latest 997 under way, development of the 2011 Porsche 911 is moving right along. These 998 prototypes were spotted recently during some late night cold-weather testing in the Arctic Circle.
Like every other 911 prototype spotted over the last four decades, these test mules look much like their predecessors. The only noticeable change? The location of the side mirrors. Current models have them mounted to the bottom of the A-pillars while these prototypes have them on the doors.
The exhaust tips and wheel designs are slightly different too, but that's to be expected. Oh, and those "air intakes" on the rear fenders appear to be nothing more than stickers. Expect to see about a thousand more 911 prototypes before it finally goes on sale in early 2011.
Porsche has announced pricing for the 2009 Porsche Boxster and 2009 Porsche Cayman, both of which will go on sale in the U.S. in March. Porsche says the new prices take effect Feb. 3.
The 2009 Porsche Boxster has a base price of $46,600 compared to the $45,800 MSRP on the 2008 version. If you go for the 2009 Boxster S, it's going to be $56,700 versus $55,700 in 2008.
The 2009 Porsche Cayman comes in at $50,300 in base trim and $60,200 in S flavor. Respective 2008 prices were $49,400 and $59,100.
You may have already seen the sales totals for December, and 2008 as a whole. If not, here's a summary: not good. For a more detailed look, check out the industry wide 2008 sales analysis over at AutoObserver.
We assembled something a little different though. Instead of assessing the big picture, we looked at the sales numbers for individual models. Which new models flopped, which old models recovered, that sort of thing. Some of the results we expected, others were a little more eye opening. See for yourself after the jump.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every one gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we're introducing a new feature on Straightline called "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
All-new for 2009, the Porsche 911's most distinguishing new feature is the new PDK double clutch transmission. It's a nice piece of work, and we found it quite impressive during our first test of the 2009 911 Carrera 2.
But Porsche still offers one of the best standard gearboxes around, so we sampled another 2009 911 with the six-speed manual transmission. And unlike the rear-wheel-drive cabriolet we tested the first time, this was an all-wheel-drive coupe. See how it matched up to the PDK after the jump.
Adolf Merckle, a German billionaire, threw himself in front a train after coming to terms with the fact that his business empire was crumbling. Although Mr. Merckle's business interests ranged from cement companies to pharmaceuticals, it was revealed in October that his VEM investment group had lost hundreds of millions of euros betting on the decline of Volkswagen stock. An unprecedented surge in the share price of Volkswagen stock in late October briefly made the German company the world's largest corporation in terms of market capitalization.
Just yesterday, Porsche increased its stake in Volkswagen to over 50%. The move was no surprise as Porsche officials said publicly in December that they planned to increase Porsche's stake once Volkswagen shares had returned to normal after their spectacular October run up. Porsche plans to continue buying up shares of Volkswagen until it reaches roughly 75% ownership.
Although it was widely reported over a month ago, the 2010 Porsche Panamera is now officially set to debut at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show in April. Porsche didn't specify why it made the change from the more established show in Geneva to the up-and-coming Shanghai event, but something about a growing number of rich people in China probably has something to do with it.
According to the press release, the Panamera will hit U.S. dealers this fall. The rear-wheel drive Panamera S and all-wheel drive Panamera 4S models will use a normally aspirated V8. The top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo gets a turbocharged V8 and standard all-wheel drive. All U.S.-bound Panameras will get Porsche's new PDK dual clutch transmission. Both V6 and Hybrid models will be added later.
A little over a week ago Honda announced that they were dropping their F1 team (Audi and Honda drop racing teams), and now they have announced that they are also pulling out of AMA road racing with their bikes (here). With the bikes there is a sub-plot in that there are a lot of bike teams upset with the new AMA road-racing governing body (Daytona Motorsports Group), so I guess this financial mess was the last straw.
Porsche and Subaru too!
After the announcement of Audi pulling out of the American Le Mans Series, we now have learned that Porsche too is pulling out of this racing venue (here).
Subaru is leaving the WRC as well (here). This is a company that has spent 20 years in the WRC!. At least SOA is continuing with their effort in the American Rally series. Wow, talk about a collapse of the racing industry.
Wendelin Wiedeking, chief executive of Porsche, said it could be only a matter of time before hedge funds took majority control of one of the US car manufacturers that had inflicted damage on themselves with ruinous discounts and hugely subsidised leasing rates. Cerberus, who owns Chrysler, is a hedge fund; so we know what that means...
Wiedeking also stated at Porsche's annual press conference: "We need banks to give credit, not just talk about credit ratings but start real actual lending to companies. These rules are choking us today.
"Stabilisation of the financial system has to take place rather than banks shifting hundreds of billions of euros to the European Central Bank to earn interest. They should be injecting money so healthy companies survive."
With Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, Nissan and Infiniti being no-shows at the NAIAS, that gives the Chinese automakers a better chance to display their products. Formally these vehicles have been delegated to pretty much second-class floor space in the basement of Cobo Hall, better known as Michigan Hall.
Not anymore, as there is now some prime real estate now available up on the main floor. Two Chinese brands moving up to the "show" are BYD Auto and Brilliance.
Talk about boosting your "street cred" among sports car fans! That's just what happened to the tiny upstart Tesla electric sports car company. It turns out that Porsche is on the waiting list to get one, presumably so they can tear it apart to see what makes it tick.
Looking somewhat like a 911 stretch limo in profile, we've finally got "official" images (well, sort of as they were leaked over the weekend), of the new 4-door sports car from Porsche, the Panamera.
Available in either RWD or AWD, the Panamera will be powered by a 3.6-liter V6 putting out 300 hp, or a 400 hp 4.8-liter V8 Panamera S, or a top-dog Panamera (twin-) Turbo, with an estimated 500 hp. The new Porsche will use their new PDK dual-clutch gearbox. A diesel model is not currently in the cards, but a V6-hybrid variant with 350 hp will be offered later.
One of the unique elements of the L.A. auto show is the Porsche display. Instead of occupying some corner of a big hall, Porsche always sets up shop in its own small venue just off the main corridor. You walk in one door, through the display, and out the other side, kind of like an amusement park ride. They call it the Porsche Experience, and it usually lives up to the name. Here's a quick tour of this year's setup.
Porsche brought out the big guns when it came time to introduce the 2009 Boxster. And no, we're not talking about Jerry Seinfeld, who happened to be sitting in the front row, or the numerous executives and racing legends who sat on either side of him. Porsche actually went one bigger -- it bought out numero uno, as in the very first Porsche ever built.
Next to the 2009 Boxster, the silver 356 looked, well...gorgeous. Simple in its lines and purpose. Porsche executives rambled on for several minutes about how it set the tone for all Porsches after it. Strangely, they did not go into detail about how that philosphy was applied to the Cayenne.
As for the Boxster, it looks about the same as it did for 2008. New headlights, a few extra LEDs and different wheel designs are the only changes on the outside. There are new engines and a dual clutch transmission, too. You can read about all the details on the 2009 Porsche Boxster here.
We mentioned that GM had canceled any and all announcements at the LA auto show. Porsche has passed on the Detroit show, as will Suzuki. Now word is out that Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce have backed out of the Detroit show. Wow...
A train carrying 106 Porsches, most likely from the factory, crashed into another train, this one carrying oil (how ironic!). The result being a whole bunch of expensive Porsches ended up being spilled all over the tracks, including 18 that were declared a total loss.
Let it be said that Porsche is not immune to "teaser marketing," as they have just released a video of their upcoming 4-door coupe, the Panamera. So after viewing this, are you more excited about this vehicle? Or do you think that, like the Cayenne, this is a questionable move on Porsche's part?
Motor Authority has an image of the tweaked 2010 Porsche Cayman up on their site. It goes without saying that the Boxster will also get the same upgrades.
As you can see the headlights and lower front bumper has been revised. Also being reported are the tail lights will be LED units.
More important are the changes under the skin:
The engine, is expected to grow to 2.9L, and will put out 265hp (197kW) and 222lb-ft (300Nm) of torque,which is 20hp (14kW) and 20lb-ft (27Nm) over the current model. Also expected to be available is the PDK dual-clutch gearbox The base model will also reportedly be offered with an optional limited-slip differential (LSD) for the first time.
The S model, with the addition of direct-injection (which is skipped on the base 2.9L unit), will get a power increase to 320hp (231kW) and 274lb-ft (370Nm) of torque.
There have been several stories coming out of Europe recently about Porsche offering a sports car under the Boxster (Porsche entry-level model rumors), a true entry-level model, so to speak. In doing so, Porsche would most likely do it in partnership with VW. They did this 30-plus years ago with the VW/Porsche 914.
Now we have a story from the UK's car magazine saying that VW is seriously considering a mid-engine sports car to take on the Lotus Elise. Now when you consider to those Porsche rumors, things are start to fall into place.
If this comes to pass, this sportster would likely hit the market around 2013.
Looks like there may indeed be some truth to a possible new entry-level Porsche. Not too long ago Straightline reported that there may be a new 4-cylinder model (Porsche and BMW may be considering 4-cylinder engines), possibly a Boxster or perhaps even a 911. Now there is this latest rumor that adds credibility to the fact that Porsche is thinking of offering a less expensive model to their lineup.
This rumor, however, suggests a small hatch, and that it may be developed with VW, and targeted at the BMW 1-Series hatch. What's not clear (actually there's a lot that's not clear at this point) is whether VW will also get a variant of this model. That was the case with the original 914, in that both Porsche and VW sold versions of this car.
Porsche doesn't believe the 7:29:03 Nürburgring lap time that Nissan claims to have produced for their new GT-R.
They took a US-spec GT-R and tried to replicate that record time and could only come within 25 seconds of it. So the obvious question is how could they be so far off. A few seconds? Perhaps; but 25 seconds off? It does give one something to think about.
While there has been much coverage on these various 'Ring lap times, I haven't been following the details that closely. Isn't there some governing body that verifies all this?
Porsche has just increased its share of VW to 35.1 percent, up from 31 percent. In doing so, Porsche has gained "de facto" control over Volkswagen AG. Also, by increasing its ownership stake, Porsche is required by law to submit a formal offer to buy Volkswagen's subsidiary Audi.
Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche's CEO, said that the automaker has no intentions of separating Audi from the Volkswagen Group.
"We see Audi as an integral part of VW group and have no interest in taking the company out of the group."
"Our goal continues to be to increase our stake in Volkswagen to more than 50 percent," Wiedeking added. "Today's step is a further milestone along this road."
Latest rumor out there suggests that Porsche may once again be considering a 4-cylinder engine. Obviously this is a response to the current fuel situation.
Now before everyone panics, remember that until 1965 all Porsches were 4-cylinder cars. Only when the 911 replaced the 356, did a 6-cylinder appear. It was called the 911-6, and was sold along side the 911-4. Also, 4-cylinder Porsches remained in the lineup for another 20+ years.
As to what models it might be found in, that's up in the air. Certainly a new 911-4 is possible. My guess however would be that the Boxster to be the most likely candidate, as being the base model, it is most subject to customers with fuel price concerns.
One of the beauties of a boxer configuration is that it is relatively easy to lop off a pair of cylinders. If they did that to the 3.6 H-6, you would end up with a 2.4 H-4.
BMW too It looks like BMW is looking at 4-cylinder engines again, this time being turbocharged.
"This will be a high tech 4-cylinder engine; obviously turbo charged," said Jim O'Donnell, a BMW spokesman. "We can't really confirm or deny when it is going to come into the US, if it is going to come into the US until after the election and the government makes it clear what is going to be the platform that manufacturers have got to work to."
Out to prove that a Porsche Cayenne is in fact the real deal when it comes to off-roading, they are going to offer a limited run of Cayanne Transsyberia models. There are patterned after the 4000 mile race that goes from Russia to Mongolia, an event in which Porsche has won the last three events.
These Transsyberia versions differ from the Plain-Jane Cayenne in that a 4.11 final drive is standard. They are also equipped with air suspension and Porsche
Active Suspension Management (PASM). A permanent all-wheel drive system
divides the torque between the front and rear, with a 62% rear-bias. The SUVs will be available exclusively in four different color combinations: black, silver metallic, black with meteor grey accents,
and meteor grey with silver accents. Other features include 18in
alloys, 'Cayenne S Transsyberia' side strips and optional offroad roof
lights. An optional off-road package that features a variable and lockable
rear differential, rock rails with integrated skid plates, a reinforced
engine-bay guard, and enhanced protection for the fuel tank and rear
axle will also be available. Prices will start at $70,800.Just the vehicle for über-rich soccer moms (or is it now hockey moms?) to head over to the mall in. Seriously, I'd like to see Porsche enter more off-road races with this vehicle, much as they do with their road cars.Full story here.
There's been a lot of news on the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance recently, and Straightline has sure done its share of posting on that event. However, there's several other classic car news events worthy to report on as well.
How about getting chance to bid on Carroll Shelby's 1949 MG TC? This car, which by the way, set him off on a career in auto racing, will be going up for auction at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Las Vegas this October.
Here are a couple from the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA.
Porsche through Time, August 16-21 August 24-27
Porsche Cars North America will be hosting a North American dealer training event here in Hershey with special events at the AACA Museum. As part the updated 2009 911 Carrera training, Porsche will bring a total of six (6) vintage 911 cars for public display at the Museum from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily.
This exhibit will include the earliest 911, which is actually a 1963 Porsche 901 Prototype with chassis 13327. It is the only survivor of the original development prototypes.
Visitors will be able to see more than forty years of evolutionary advances in engineering, technology and styling to the iconic 911 model line.
PRESERVATION TREASURES, INCLUDING FIRST PRODUCTION PORSCHE, TO APPEAR AT AUG. 17 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d'ELEGANCE
Prewar and postwar preservation classes show cars can be original only once
Every third Sunday in August, rows and rows of pristinely restored Duesenbergs, Packards and Bugattis decorate the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links®. It's the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance®, an automotive time capsule where entries are judged for their elegance and authenticity.
In recent years, though, some graying interlopers have cropped up amidst the spotless, automotive jewels.
Immaculately restored vehicles assuredly still capture the majority of the Concours limelight, but the unrefurbished cars of the Pebble Beach prewar and postwar preservation classes are garnering more and more public and media attention.
"There's something stately about these treasures that actually show their history; once regal vehicles that have been left unrestored by their owners," says Sandra Kasky Button, Pebble Beach Concours Chairman. "Some have sat untouched for decades in barns, under tarps or buried in the back of deserted warehouses while others have been lovingly driven around town. In each instance, they're unique, beautiful and bear witness to the passage of time -- not only to those who created them, but to those who drove them."
A prime example of historic beauty and relevance in this year's Concours is Porsche
No. 1. Dr. Ferry Porsche once said, "I couldn't find the car I'd been dreaming of. So I decided to build it myself."
On June 8, 1948 his dream car became a reality and signaled the birth of the sports car company bearing his name. The car spent many years with numerous owners before being recovered and returned in 1958 to the Porsche headquarters in Stuttgart, where it has remained the centerpiece of Porsche's automotive history.
Porsche No. 1's appearance at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance is Porsche's second chance to display this piece of history in the U.S. Ten years ago, on the occasion of the company's 50th anniversary, the first attempt was foiled by a shipping accident that damaged the car and prevented its debut. On Aug. 17, though, Porsche will make good on its quest to show No. 1 in its original glory at Pebble Beach when it joins 16 of its preservation brethren to create the largest showing of unrestored cars in the event's history.
When horseless carriages began ruling the road about 100 years ago, many vehicles were discarded once they began to age. By the late 1950s, as the collector car pastime began to blossom, the emphasis was solely focused on restoring these older cars -- making them as good or better than new. More recently, though, some auto aficionados have come to believe that cars restored to "as new" condition can lose a portion of their historical significance. While some purists are still unable to see beauty amid the chipped paint, rusted rims and sun-shredded upholstery, leaders in the preservation movement insist that the patina of age has a beauty all its own, that these "rescued" automotive time capsules maintain peak historical importance by keeping the cars in their original unchanged condition.
The Pebble Beach Concours initially recognized preservation cars in 1999 when a trophy was awarded for Best Preserved Car. The first class at Pebble Beach solely devoted to pre-war preservation vehicles was in 2001, and in 2007 a post-war preservation class was created.
"Our preservation classes cover a wide range of cars - from the untouched, long-hidden finds to much-loved automobiles that have been used, well maintained (but not restored) and passed down through many generations of owners," says Button. "Everyone talks about the untouched barn find and bemoans the fact that they're increasingly rare. To be truly preserved for a long period of time, though, cars require lots of care. So over time, I think everybody's preference will swing toward lovingly preserved cars."
LeftLaneNews is reporting that a possible new mid-engine sportscar from VW may be in the works, and may be displayed at the LA auto show. If true, this would be a 'halo' car for the VW brand. Even more intrieging is that Audi and Porsche may also get versions.
Think of this as being a modern-day VW/Porsche 914. Also think Lotus Elise-fighter, but cheaper; well the VW version will be cheaper. A couple of engine could be used, all based on a four inline four-cylinder format set in front of the rear axles. As to specifics, a gasoline 1.4-liter turbo engine making 168 horsepower and a new 1.6-liter diesel with 125hp are under consideration. Either engine will likely use a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Audi version would likely use the 211hp 2.0TFSI engine, with the option of a twin-turbo 2.0-liter TDI good for 204hp. Porsche may even revive the 914 nameplate for their model.
Also expected is an aluminum spaceframe. If true, the car would weigh in at under 2,200lbs, which would mean great performance as well as fuel economy.
The future of Cobo Hall is beginning to look as overcast as the image above. This past year Porsche dropped out of the NAIAS, next year Suzuki will be passing on it, and now there's word of another luxury car brand that's considering on not showing up.
So what brand is it? More important: what's going on here? Don't know, and don't know, but clearly Cobo Hall (and Detroit) have a problem on their hands here. One of those problems is that people come to this show to ooh, ah and dream--but they don't buy. Now that may sound strange, but that's what Manny Lopez of The Detroit News says.
I've long felt, that of the all the Porsche 997 (911) models offered, that the Targa had the most sex appeal. Now seeing this updated model, I feel even more so that this is the case. That tapering chrome lip that runs along the top of the side windows is the icing on an already delicious cake.
The car reportedly goes on sale at the end of July.
With all this interest and fuss about lap times at the Nürburgring, Jalopnik has posted some info and several videos of other vehicles lapping this famous track. So while the Corvette ZR1 Nissan GT-R lap times are amazing, they're nowhere near the time posted by the Porsche 956, which has lapped the 'Ring at 6:11.13.
Lots of new stuff on the 2009 Porsche 911, but you'd never know by just looking at them. Nope, all the big changes are under the skin, with only a few cosmetic changes to be seen.
Man, this Nürburgring lap record thing has really taken off. Might the word "obsession" be even a better descriptor?
Ever since the Nissan GT-R recently posted a record-breaking time, we've Cadillac, Honda and others going after the 'Ring's brass ring, so to speak... So here's Porsche too trying to cash in here—which makes sense, as they have perhaps the most to gain (or lose) by posting record lap time times there...
It's called the PDK, or Doppelkupplung which is German for "double clutch." It's an all-new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and will be offered on the 2009 Porsche 911. While new to production Porsches, they fooled around with this concept back in the 1980s on their 962 race car.
The new 911s also get direct injection, so that combined with this new transmission option, means more power and better economy; sort of like having your cake and being able to eat it too. Just thinking about it is making me hungry...
Good news for car, SUV and truck buyers, as the quality of vehicles built for consumers continues to improve. J. D. Power and Associate's has just just-released their 2008 Initial Quality Study, which measures quality in the first 90 days of ownership...
If the government gets it way, cars like Porsche, Ferrari and even Subaru could be in a heap of trouble down the road. You see what the govenment want to do is to classify vehicles by their "footprint," or the amount of square feet they occupy.
In doing so a Toyota Camry would be classified along with cars like the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. That means both cars (mid-size by this new standard) would have to achieve 30 mpg, which wouldn't be that tough for the Camry, but much so difficult for the Ferrari...
A new SUV has hit the Nurburgring and it’s causing quite a stir. With its Cayenne bodywork it appears to be a smaller, compact version of Porsche’s SUV. We’re not so sure, however, as Porsche has said repeatedly that it’s not interesting in going into cheaper segments of the SUV market.
Porsche obviously sees plenty of potential in the Chinese market. So much so that it staged the world premiere of its most expensive SUV, the 2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, here in Beijing.
This new Cayenne Turbo S gets a slight bump in horsepower along with a few minor mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. The twin turbo 4.8-liter in the Turbo S produces 550 horsepower, a 50-hp bump compared to the standard Turbo. Porsche says a revised exhaust system and "improvements in engine control" account for the increase. Torque is up to 553 pound-feet as well.
London's Mayor Livingston, if re-elected, wants a 20 mph speed limit in residential sections of the city. If you recall, this is the same guy who wanted to apply a "congestion tax" to vehicles entering the city, which prompted a request for a judicial review by Porsche.
So, what are the odds of this guy getting re-elected to a third term? Think he's going to get the gearhead (or local business) vote?
If you recall, last year Porsche developed a special Cayenne to compete in the 4,400 mile Moscow-to-Mongolia Transsyberia Rally. Now they've come up with a new-and-improved version for this year's race.
Improvements over last year's racer include a new sump guard, a beefier tire package, tweaked air suspension, a shorter final drive ratio (shared with the new Cayenne GTS), plus updates to the transmission programming, dynamic chassis control and traction management systems. Also, an upgrade conversion package is available for those who own last year's model...
Frankly I'm not surprised to hear this, as Audi has done wonders with diesels in racing. My guess is the Touareg V10 diesel will be the basis from which Porsche will undoubtedly tweak so that it meets their needs. In addition to this, there are rumors that there could be a Panamera hybrid as well.
Not only not exist as we know it, but maybe not exist at all if the proposed European CO2 rules go into effect, so says Porsche management.
The proposed CO2 reductions would require Porsche to achieve a 40 percent cut in its fleetwide average, now 242 grams per kilometer (85 pounds per 100 miles) by the beginning of 2015. The German car maker would be subject to fines of $149 for every gram over the limit.
That means that the Cayenne S would be slapped with a $15,211 fine after 2014...
There have been rumors for a very long time that Porsche wanted more of a stake in VW than it currently has. It's been an unofficial on-and-off thing for quite a while.
Now, it is indeed official, as they (Porsche) are going to buy more than 50% of VW, effectively taking control of the company. It should also be noted that Porsche does not plan on merging the two companies...
Not surprisingly a recent poll indicates that 74 percent of Londoners disagree with the new proposed "CongestionTax," which levies a fee on those driving into London. In addition, larger vehicles and performance vehicles will be taxed higher, which has in turn has gotten the goat of Porsche UK. The Brit distributor of this high-end sports car has taken London's mayor Ken Livingston, who proposed this tax, to task on it (here). The overwhelming feeling is that this will ultimately hurt business in London...
"The Porsche RS Spyder was launched in this same Chicago room a year ago," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, "and look at the successful year it had."
But superstition isn't the only reason Porsche decided to unveil its new 2008 Cayenne GTS in the Windy City. As Schwarzenbauer explained, "Chicago is the fifth largest Porsche market in North America, and 50 percent of Porsche sales in Chicago are Cayenne."
Porsche is hoping Chicagoans will embrace the 405-horsepower Cayenne GTS, complete with a Cayenne Turbo front fascia, standard 21-inch tires and sport seats for front and rear passengers.
Two new colors will be exclusive to the Cayenne GTS: Nordic Gold and GTS Red. Unfortunately, we're forced to show you the SUV in everyday silver...
Porsche has announced that it is developing a hybrid drive version of its highly anticipated four-door Gran Turismo. The Panamera Hybrid will utilize the same gas-electric drive concept as the Cayenne Hybrid that comes to market at the end of the decade and will claim a remarkable 30% reduction of fuel consumption.
The Panamera's full parallel hybrid system will be configured with the battery unit positioned below the luggage compartment, and hybrid module, which comprises an additional clutch and electric motor, and will be located between the engine and transmission. Depending on driving conditions, the hybrid module has the ability to disengage either the combustion engine or the electric motor, or to combine both drive systems as one joint power unit. This flexibility results in benefits such as a zero emissions driving mode, fuel savings in both city and highway driving and maximum performance when desired.
The Panamera, will be Porsche’s fourth model line, and will debut in 2009...
There had been rumors that Porsche may offer another SUV, but a smaller one than that of the Cayenne. Those rumors have since been squashed by Porsche.
Or have they?
There may in fact be some truth to that rumor afterall—but with a twist. That "twist" being that the rumored smaller SUV may in fact be the next Cayenne!..
Is Porsche getting cold feet on this hybrid idea? Remember they announced not long a go that they would introduce a Cayenne hybrid by 2010. Now apparently that date has been pushed back to 2013 or so.
The Porsche exhibit was light on excitement this week, except of course for the basic fact it was filled with Porsches. Unlike all the other manufacturers, Porsche had its own large exhibit hall to itself including a pretty nifty entry way. Instead of describing it to you, though, here is the final Martin Scorcese short from the 2007 LA Auto Show. I think Marty outdid himself on this one...
Probably the most interesting figure stated during the Porsche press conference related to the company's history in fuel efficiency. According to Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, the brand's model lineup has averaged a 2 percent gain in fuel mileage, year-over-year, during the past 20 years. Two percent may not sound like much, but compare that to most automakers' history of fuel mileage over the past two decades. Porsche reps were also quick to point out that Ferdinand Porsche created his first all-electric car at the age of 23 and displayed it at the Paris auto show in 1900.
As for the future of "green" Porsches, you can expect not only a Cayenne Hybrid (capable of speeds up to 75 mph on pure electricity!) by the end of this decade, but a Panamera Hybrid to follow the sedan's 2009 launch.
There were plenty of enthusiasts who scoffed when Nissan's engineers started dragging a 911 Turbo around with them while testing the 2009 GT-R. It seemed like a lofty benchmark for a car that's expected to cost around $75,000, but the latest word from Germany suggests Nissan may have met its goals.
Prototypes of the 2009 GT-R started circling the Nurburgring yesterday, and according to spy shooters on the scene it was clear that the GT-R was running at full steam. With that in mind, they pulled out their stop watches to get an idea just how fast the GT-R was getting around the Nordschleife...
Looks like the 2009 Porsche 911 Turbo is getting a little touch up. This prototype spotted in Germany looks like the current model, but we noticed a few minor changes that indicate an imminent midcycle refresh. The front end is unmolested as far as we can tell, but the rear end has new taillights with LEDs and a slightly different lens arrangement. Reshaped tailpipes indicate a reworked exhaust, so there could be a few extra horsepower on tap for a car that's already one of the fastest we've ever tested...
Please enjoy these pictures of the Porsche 911 GT2. We don't have much to add to our First Look story (link below) other than that seeing it in person, in red, brought us a great deal of joy. --Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit, Inside Line
Porsche announced today at the Frankfurt show that it will produce exactly one infinity of variations on its Cayenne SUV. There will be a Cayenne for everyone. There's the Cayenne, the Cayenne S, the Cayenne Turbo, the Cayenne Bob, the Cayenne powered by rabid squirrels and many, many more. Or at least there will be two new Cayennes: the GTS and the Hybrid...
Porsche has just announced a new version of their Cayenne SUV: the GTS.
This model is clearly aimed at those who prefer carving up back roads rather than carving up dirt trails. It features a lowered suspension, turbo-like front and rear panels. In addition it has 21" wheels sporting 295/35R21 tires, and comes painted in either a bright red or gold...
One of the best things about the Porsche 911 is that it really is a sports car that can double as an every day driver. The Targa 4S features the Carrera 4's all-wheel-drive system and packs a 3.8-liter boxer engine capable of 355 horsepower.
With the retractable glass roof, it's even more pleasant.
Inside Line conducted a not-really-a-comparison test by pitting the BMW M3 against some of our favorite cars. There was no track testing involved, just an all-out drive across Spain.
The players were a 2008 BMW M3, a VW Golf GTI, an Audi RS4, a Porsche 911 GT3 and an Audi R8.
Joint hybrid technology research by Audi, Porsche and VW is about to bear fruit, as Porsche Cayenne and Panamera hybrids will appear by the end of the decade.
The basis for the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid is the Cayenne V6 with its 290-hp 3.6-liter V6 and six-speed Tiptronic automatic.
Look past the large hybrid stickers on the side and tell us what you think.
A few days ago Straightline ran a story on the upcoming Porsche Cayenne hybrid (Porsche Cayenne hybrid to use 1/3 less fuel). Now, thanks to Jalopnik, we have more info on the vehicle. According to Porsche, the Cayenne hybrid will be off-road capable. Now that may not mean much to US customers, but outside our borders (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia) this is important, as these vehicles do go off road. Also—and perhaps more important—this same system will be used on the VW Touareg hybrid, which will definitely be used more off road worldwide.
Reuters (via AutoblogGreen) is reporting that the upcoming 2009 Porsche Cayenne hybrid will use one third less fuel than the current model. If this is true, it's great news, as so far we have not seen great improvements in fuel mileage from larger SUV hybrids. Maybe this new Porsche will change that reality and perception?
The hybrid version is reported to get 26.8 mpg, whereas the the standard model gets 18.5 mpg. Porsche claims the vehicle can cruise at 70 mph with the engine off—meaning using no gasoline!
With a 480-horsepower twin-turbo 3.6-liter engine, all-wheel drive, and a power retractable soft top, the new 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet is a fun and attractive car. So why do people love to say it is not a pure Porsche?
Porsche continues the amazing success story of its iconic 911 sports car with the 100,000th unit built since production began in April 2004. The landmark was achieved with the latest (997) model produced at the Company's main plant in Zuffenhausen, Germany.
"It is with great pride that we celebrate this outstanding achievement for the 911, a vehicle renowned for its performance and style," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "We look forward to many more years of delighting sports car enthusiasts who have long looked to Porsche to deliver unsurpassed engineering excellence."
Last year was a record sales year for the 911 in the United States, Porsche's largest market, with 12,045 units sold...
We were hoping that the 2010 Porsche Panamera would get better looking as the camouflage came off, but as these latest spy photos from Germany show, the new Porsche sedan is still a gangly mess of odd curves and strange proportions. The front doesn't look bad, but the Panamera's profile still looks like a 911 with a couple feet of bodywork added in the middle. These are the first spy photos to show the rear window line and it's not helping matters much. From the rear, you can clearly see that this new sedan will actually have a sizable hatchback...
AutoExpress is reporting that the Lexus LF-A coupe may get a V10 engine. The genesis of this engine was the Toyota's F1 effort, which developed the V10. The production version could well have over 500 horsepower.
The front-engined, rear-wheel-drive car appears to be aimed directly at the Aston Martin DB9, as well as the Ferrari F430, Mercedes SL65 AMG, and the Porsche 911 turbo...
Did you know that Ford experimented with rear-engined cars back in the 1930s? ...And not only that, but also with both inline and transverse engine arrangements. Ford also played around with 4-wheel steering, as well as rear-engined cars that powered the front wheels!..
Everyone loves a parade, especially if it features about a 1,000 Porsches cruising down the road. That'll be the scene as Yokohama Tire Corporation® sponsors several Porsche-related events during the Porsche Club of America's 52nd annual Porsche Parade, July 1-5 in San Diego. Yokohama has been a sponsor of the popular event for 20 years.
Events include the difficult and precise TSD (time, speed and distance) rally, the gimmick rally, the Porsche radio control car and die-cast car event and the North Island Beach awards dinner...
This makes absolutely no sense. Porsche states in Crain's Detroit Business that they sold only 290 cars in Michigan last year, and therefore has decided to exhibit their cars where they sell better, as in places like California (8,827), Florida (4,177), New York (2,172), etc.
Are they nuts? They're treating the Detroit show as if it were a minor league auto show. Have they forgotten that this show is arguably the most important auto show on the planet? This show is not about selling more sports cars in Kalamazoo, but rather having a strong presence on the world's biggest and most important automotive stage. I just hope other exotic carmakers, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, etc. don't latch on to this fuzzy thinking.
Finally some good news for Ford as the Mustang, Lincoln MKZ and the Mercury Milan all get top scores from the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Other winners are the Porsche Boxster and Kia Rio.
Specifically the winners of those listed are:
Compact Premium Sportycar: The 2007 Porsche Boxster
Midsize Sporty Car: The 2007 Ford Mustang
Midsize Car: The 2007 Mercury Milan which beat out such competitors as the Honda Accord and Mitsubishi Galant
Entry Premium Car: The 2007 Lincoln MKZ, which was ahead of the Acura TSX and the Cadillac CTS
Subcompact Car: The Kia Rio
Power noted that 14 Ford models placed in the top three of the respective segments...
Those who debate the "bike vs. car" argument should enjoy this 8+ minute video. Here a driver of a Porsche GT3 follows a Yamaha R1 sport bike around the famous Nurinburgring race track in Germany. On the straightaways the Yamaha eats the Porsche live, while in the corners the Porsche quickly closes the gap...
Volkswagen management has rejected Porsche's takeover offer. "The value of Volkswagen shares is superior to the price offered," is the reason for the rejection.
Back in March Porsche stated it would increase its share in VW by 3.6 percent. In doing so, that would raise Porsche's ownership to 30.9 percent, thereby triggering a German law requiring a public launch takeover of all outstanding VW shares...
In what has to be among the most unusual (and exciting) rescue vehicles ever, Porsche has created a rescue vehicle out of the Cayenne S. The project was done by 15 Porsche trainees in Germany. It will be used by the Health and Safety Services.
Porsche trainees have since gained extensive experience in equipping special vehicles...
Here are a few images of Porsche's Boxster Special Edition which was on display at a Porsche driving event we attended earlier this week. We ran the full story on Monday.
I was wondering how long it would take for Porsche to come up with a race-ready Cayenne. I mean, after all, Porsche seems to race everything they make, no? Besides, the Cayenne as been sorely in need of some Porsche racing pedigree; if for no other reason as to snuff out critics saying it's nothing more than a slick SUV for wealthy soccer-moms, and that it's not a true Porsche.
Well it looks like Porsche has finally stepped up to the plate with this rally-ready Transsyberia model...
Of all the Porsches, I think the Cayman is my favorite. That's mainly due to the fact that it reminds me of the 1960-era 904, which has to be one of my all time favorite Porsches.
Now Ruf, who takes normal Porsches, and makes them really special, has turned their attention to the Cayman. The result being this stunning CTR3 supercar...
We recently delivered a full test of the 2007 Porsche 911 GT3. In short, it was the sickest 911 we had ever driven. So where does that leave the upcoming 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 you see in our latest spy photos? With as much as 500 horsepower expected from its turbocharged flat six and a suspension setup similar to the GT3, it's safe to say the GT2 could become our new favorite 911. Expect to see it official debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September...
The roll out of the 997 series continues. This prototype of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 spotted during cold weather testing shows a few unique new body panels in addition to a set of serious looking brakes. Some of the more outlandish styling elements are probably nothing more than a little camouflage, but the deep front diffuser looks ready for production. Also note the roll cage bars behind the front seats. Given that the standard 911 Turbo is rated 480 horsepower, expect the GT2 to push beyond the 500 mark when it debuts later this year.
Back in January I reported that Porsche may offer a hybrid version of the Cayenne (VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne to get hybrids). Well, that rumor is now fact, as it's been confirmed by Porsche's Australian managing director, Michael Winkler.
The 4-door Porsche Panamera was caught by Wheels24, an automotive site from South Africa. The vehicle is scheduled to make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. It will go head-to-head with the Aston Martin Rapide and Mercedes CLS 4-door coupes.
Full story here ( you may have to scroll down the page to find it)...
No sane Boxster owner would subject his softop sportscar to this kind of cold weather punishment, so it's pretty obvious that the Porsche in our latest spy photos is a prototype. We guessing it's the 2009 Porsche Boxster as there's minor camouflage on the headlights and taillights. The front air dam has been reconfigured as well, but the rest of the car looks unchanged. Expect the usual level of horsepower and torque enhancements, although given there's already 280 horsepower 236 pound-feet of torque in the Boxster S, the need for even more power seems unwarranted.
We've all seen "art cars," in which artistic owners apply anything from glued on seashells to whatever on their daily drivers. Rarely, however, do we see "restraint" or "understatement" applied to these vehicles. Most if not all the art cars I've seen hit you over the head with the visual statement they're making.
Not so with this Porsche: If you look closely you will see the silver paint very subtly picks up the paisley pattern exhibited by the racing stripes...
"Development of the Panamera is on schedule and going very well," explained Wolfgang Durheimer over the din of the crowded Porsche display. Durheimer is the Executive Vice President of Research and Development at the German automaker, so he should know how the development of Porsche's first sedan is progressing. "We're finished with the design and the car is looking really sharp," he added. "We started with a brand new platform, the car will be state of the art and future Porsche sports cars will benefit from the development of the Panamera."
When the 2009 Panamera reaches dealers Durheimer pegs the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes CLS and BMW M5 as it main rivals...
In a darkly shrouded room below Cobo Hall, Porsche introduced its new 2008 Porsche Cayenne. The German automaker says it touched every part of the Cayenne in order to make it more attractive for the future. Not that the Cayenne has been floundering since its introduction in 2002. The first generation has sold 150,000 units to date, 60,000 of those in the U.S...
Porsche just debuted their facelifted Cayenne in Germany. Besides getting a freshened front and rear, there are significant power upgrades across the board.
The base 6-cylinder engine has gone from a 3.2L engine to a 3.6L engine, with power now at 290 bhp. The Cayenne S now has a larger 4.8L engine putting out 385 bhp, and the twin-turbo "Turbo" model now puts out 500 bhp...
Art imitates life? When I first spotted this mangled Porsche Carrera GT, I assumed it was the one that committed seppuku into a telephone pole a few days ago. Instead, it's a prop used in the movie Red Line, which looks to be an unholy union of The Fast and the Furious and the Dupont Registry.
Porsche is one of the few exhibits at the LA Auto Show to occupy its own private space, and if you make time to visit Petree Hall, you won't be disappointed. Officially, this morning's press conference was the North American debut of the 2007 Porsche 911 Targa, which goes on sale this weekend, but with Bob Varsha on hand as the main presenter, there was plenty of other stuff to see as well.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 550 Spyder's 1956 Targa Florio win, and Porsche's press conference lead with a cool video rich with Porsche's racing heritage.
There have been a number of stories recently about Porsche increasing their percentage of VW ownership, perhaps even raising it to a point in which they would have a controlling interest.
Is this a good thing? Matthew Lynn of Bloomberg News thinks not. His point being why would Porsche want to take on all the baggage and headaches that are associated with VW?..
According to TopSpeed, Porsche will revive the 928 nameplate for 2011. The car will be inspired by the upcoming Panamera, which is Porsches answer for the new trend of 4-door coupes. The new 928 will be powered by a V8, or possibly even a V10.
Not much going on in this week's Automotive News as far as future vehicles are concerned. The most notable story concerned the second generation Chrysler PT Cruiser, or lack thereof. Seems as though it was supposed to come out along side the Caliber, but Chrysler had trouble deciding how to revamp the styling of its retro compact. Now the plan is for a less stylized model that will debut for the 2010 model year possibly under the name PV Cruiser...
Think way back to the early '70s. Remember the 911 2.7 RS? The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS, given its public introduction earlier today here in Paris, lifts its style and bloodline from that iconic model. If we were unaware of their storied history, we would say that the zoomy side graphics on the 997-based GT3 RS on display on the Porsche stand looked, well, pretty tacky...
Porsche is the only manufacturer that can get away with naming a model for its style of roof without coming off as cheesey.
Here in Paris, Porsche introduced the 997-based 911 Targa, announcing that for the first time, Targas will be available in AWD form only--no RWD Targas will be made.
With model designations Targa 4 and Targa 4S, these are essentially Carrera 4 and 4S models with a gigantic sliding moonroof and pop-up rear glass. This means that all Targa models also share those models' widebody sheetmetal, which is 44mm wider than a standard Carrera Coupe.
The 997-based Targa's retractable roof panel and hatch assembly are installed as a module...
A Porsche Panamera test mule was caught sans most of the camo, and was published on the French car site caradisiac.com. Judging by the image they found it on a German site. In any event, you'll need to translate the text. Here's a teaser...
Singer and former Chevy truck pitchman Bob Seger drives not Chevys, but instead a Porsche Boxster and/or a Nissan pickup.
Snippet: As for Chevrolet, the brand he also eulogized in his 1976 top-10 smash "Night Moves?"
"I don't have any of them anymore," he said. "Not one, no." (A spokeswoman clarified that Seger does own an 11-year-old Chevy work van, which he uses for business purposes.)
Back in 1990, he licensed his tune "Like A Rock" to General Motors for its line of Chevy pickup trucks...
LEDs are the key. At least when it comes to turbocharged Porsches. The newest 911 Turbo was the first to get LED turn signal indicators up front, and now it looks as though the refreshed 2008 Cayenne Turbo will get similar blinkers when it goes on sale next spring. Porsche has already announced that the current Cayenne will skip the '07 model year while the refreshed version will debut at the Detroit auto show in January. The Cayenne Turbo shown in these spy photos will probably get a Geneva debut with U.S. sales starting next summer.
So Porsche will bypass 2007 for the Cayenne, only to have it return for '08 with a mid-life update. Porsche states that there will be enough '06 models produced to tide them over until the '08 model arrives.
Translation: This is Porsche's solution to clear out excess inventory (as of of August 1, they had a 51-day supply), as more and more customers, regardless of their wealth, look to purchase more efficient crossover SUVs.
From the looks of this prototype spotted testing in Death Valley, the 2008 Porsche 911 will get a few minor exterior updates. We had to put the picture of the prototype next to a shot of the current car just to pick them out, but there are clear differences.
In November 2006 Porsche will begin offering two new 911 Targas, the Targa 4 and Targa 4S. Both will be AWD, as noted by the "4" designation. This will be the first time Porsche has offered the 911 Targa "exclusively" with AWD. Mechanically the Targa follows the traditional 911 Carrera 4 / 911 Carrera 4S formula, using a 3.6L boxer engine putting out 325 horsepower for the base model, and 355 horsepower for the "S" model...
No big surprise here. The 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo coupe is already on sale, so we're expecting to see the production version of the 911 Turbo cabriolet showing up any day now. Until then, these spy photos of the 480hp drop top Turbo are as close as you're going to get.
When we posted pictures of the 911 GT3 RS and GT2 we thought the 997 chapter was finally closed, but it looks like there's one more variation headed for production. This spy shot shows what looks to be a production ready Targa, which is essentially a standard coupe with a really big sunroof. Actually, nearly the entire area above the driver's head is glass and the whole piece slides back for a near convertible experience. It's pretty slick, but Porsche sold so few of them the last time around we're not guaranteed to get it in the States.
Last week Porsche's board of management confirmed it will build the Panamera in the company's Leipzig plant. Just this morning we received this shot from Germany of a Panamera prototype testing on the Nurburgring. Sure it looks like a BMW M5, but that's what you're supposed to think. According to shooters in the area, Porsche has been using everything from Cayennes to Audis to this BMW to hide the inner workings of the new super sedan...
So your Cayman S isn't fast enough for you? How about a 4.1L version putting out 420 HP? Well if that tickles your right foot, tuning specialists, Dortmund Porsche, may have just the ride for you: the 9ff CR42.
Snippet: Dortmund Porsche tuning specialists 9ff, well-known for their record breaking 911 GT3, have administered a tonic to the Cayman S...
Porsche will introduce a new lower priced Cayman this summer. It will be positioned just below the current Cayman S. The engine will be a 2.7L H-6 unit putting out 245 bhp. It will come standard with a 5-speed manual, with a 6-speed manual and 5-speed Tiptronic optional...
Last Saturday, the Grand American Road Racing series brought it cars and stars to Phoenix International Raceway. With the first of the three headline races starting at 1:00 pm, and the last ending at 9:45 pm, our intrepid SoCal team of Jay and Silent Dan decided to streak across the desert and back in one day. So was it worth the sleep depravation? You bet!
For the second year in a row, a nationwide survey by the New York-based Luxury Institute found that the Porsche brand rates at the very top of the luxury car ladder. The list of vehicles that Porsche topped included Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes, Saab, and Volvo.
Snippet: "We are gratified that for the second time in a row, a majority of discriminating, sophisticated owners has rated Porsche the number one luxury brand," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "It reaffirms our belief that by remaining true to our sports car values and history, the Porsche brand maintains its position as one of the world's most respected and desirable names...
Porsche has released official details on the 2007 911 GT3 that will debut in Geneva next week. It has a 415hp 3.6-liter flat six making it the most powerful normally-aspirated 911 ever. A revised six-speed manual gearbox with shorter throws and lower ratios for 2nd through 6th is the only transmission. It sends the power through a mechanical limited slip and 19-inch rear wheels. Porsche is claiming a 0-to-60 time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 193mph. This GT3 will also be the first with Porsche's Active Suspension Management. The 2007 911 GT3 goes on sale in August for a mere $106,000.
Just a week or two ago I got the latest footage of a Porsche 911 GT3 making time at the Nurburgring. Now comes all the details from what looks to be a leaked brochure via Autoblog. If it's the real deal then the GT3 gets a 409hp version of Porsche's 3.6-liter flat six complete with an 8,400rpm redline and a six-speed manual transmission. Porsche Active Suspension Management is standard and the GT3 rides on 19-inch wheels with 235/35 tires up front and 305/30 rubber in back...
So were the critics of the Cayenne correct when they said Porsche has no business building SUVs?
Hard to say, but my gut feeling is no, I think Porsche did the right
thing by building the Cayenne. It's certainly not a vehicle I would
buy, but if I could afford one... who knows...
