The 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
ONEIGHTURBO
The new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is ready to race. The top model of Porsche Motorsport’s customer racing vehicles will head into the 2012 season with extensive modifications. Particularly striking at first glance are the changes to the body: the width of the new GT3 RSR has grown by 48 millimeters. Built to conform to the A.C.O. “LM” GTE regulations, the 911 represents the crowning pinnacle of a range of successful customer sport race cars that are based on the 997 type 911 GT3 RS street sports car. Read more…
Porsche officially unveils the Panamera Turbo S ahead of New York debut
We reported yesterday that a Panamera Turbo S could be in the works with an official debut coming at theNew York Auto Show in April. We didn’t have to wait long to find out, as Porsche has released the first details about its new flagship four-door.
As expected, the Turbo S gets a power increase up to 550 horsepower, 50 more than the standard Turbo model, thanks to new twin turbochargers with enhanced turbines and modified engine programming. Torque is also up, 553 lb-ft compared to 516 lb-ft. Porsche says that the Panamera Turbo S is capable of reaching 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds as well as a top speed of 190 mph, all while returning an estimated 15/23 mpg. The car will reach showrooms later this Spring, with pricing in the U.S. starting at $173,200. You can read full details about the Porsche Panamera Turbo S in the official press release after the jump. Read more…
Porsche working on “Pajun” baby Panamera?
Remember taking your SATs? They were filled with reasoning questions like this one: Cajun is to Cayenneas ___ is to Panamera. Give up? The answer, according to the latest reports from Germany, is “Pajun.”
That’s the tentative name rounding the rumormill in connection to a potential baby brother to the PorschePanamera. Just as the automaker is developing a Cayenne Junior dubbed Cajun, so too could a Panamera Junior be in the cards.
There doesn’t appear to be much detail in the reports beyond speculation, but the reasoning strikes us as sound enough. If the Boxster and Cayman have proven successful underneath the 911, and the business model for the Cajun has been approved to slot in below the Cayenne, why not follow the same path with a smaller Panamera? Read more…
2011 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid
After we know Porsche was plan release a hybrid Porsche Cayenne at the Geneva Show, news of a hybrid 911 admittedly caught us a little off guard. But the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car, which will join the Cayenne on Porsche’s Geneva stand, is a far cry from your conventional hybrid. The main principle of making the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid is as more power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions on the race track and on the road.
The new 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid is clearly distinguishable from the 2010 model. Thanks to the optimisation of the hybrid system’s high voltage components, the large louvres in front of the rear fenders were no longer necessary. This reduces drag and also lowers fuel consumption. All in all, the weight of the vehicle decreased from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms. The system’s primary benefit, Porsche says, is in fuel economy gains. Porsche is going to enter its newest creation in the 24-hour Nurburgring endurance race, where better mileage should make a significant impact by requiring fewer pit stops. Read more…
LA 2010: Porsche pulls the covers off 2011 Cayman R
Porsche has pulled the silk off its all-new 2011 Cayman R, the latest variant of the German automaker’s two-seat coupe. Aside from the obligatory decals and badging designed to differentiate this new flagship Cayman from its siblings, the Cayman R boasts a chassis that has been lightened by about 120 pounds and a handful of other tweaks.
Inside the cabin, the Cayman R features Alcantara and leather upholstery, sport seats, strap door handles and a painted console color-keyed to the exterior. Under the skin, the suspension has been enhanced with shorter, more rigid springs and there are customized anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles (the ride height is about 20 millimeters lower than the Cayman S).
Motivation comes from Porsche’s 3.4-liter flat-six, bumped up slightly to 330 horsepower, while transmission choices include Porsche’s excellent PDK automatic gearbox or a traditional six-speed manual. According to the automaker, the 2,855-pound Cayman R will hit 62 miles per hour in less than five seconds and top out at 175 mph. Look for the Cayman R in dealers wearing a $66,000 price tag before the end of the year.
Read more…
Categories: Auto Show, coupe, LA Auto Show, Porsche Tags: LA Auto Show, Porsche
Paris 2010 Preview: Porsche 911 Speedster channels original 356
So many Porsches, so little time. Reports came in just yesterday that Stuttgart was planning an ultra-hardcore GT3 RS as well, but the German automaker has now announced an altogether different variant of its iconic sports car: the Porsches 911 Carrera GTS, which will make its official debut at the fast-approaching Paris Motor Show.
Recalling the original 356 and the three successive Speedsters to come since, the new 911 Speedster cuts a classic (if a bit awkward) hunchback profile and 60mm lower windshield. The wide-body stance is the same found on the Carrera 4 and the aforementioned GTS, with which it also shares (along with the similarly retro 911 Sport Classic) its 408-horsepower flat-six engine, driving the rear wheels through the company’s PDK dual-clutch gearbox.
Created by the Porsche Exclusive department, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the 911 Speedster honors the 1950′s classic from which it draws its inspiration, with only 356 examples on offer. The unique shade of French racing blue comes standard, and continues on the rather, um… interesting two-seat interior, with Porsches 911 Carrera available at no extra charge.
Categories: Paris Motor Show, Porsche Tags: Porsche
Porsche 911 Turbo body kit by Misha Design
Engineers at Los Angeles-based tuning firm Misha Design have created a new GTM aero kit for the Porsche 997 Turbo. While some aspects of the kit may be desirable, by and large the package makes the once elegant car look like an insect.
2011 Porsche Cayenne sports a 300-hp V6, but its engine isn’t the focus
The Porsche Cayenne wears many hats. It masquerades as both the automaker’s entry-level vehicle and as its flagship turbocharged SUV. Broad-shouldered in stature, one variant can blast to 60 mph in less than five seconds and top 170 mph, while another may be propelled quietly under the emissions-free power of electricity. Regardless of where they rank in the hierarchy, multi-talented Cayenne models are capable of traversing deep streams, towing 7,700-pound trailers and carrying five passengers and their luggage into the hands of waiting luxury hotel valets.
The six-cylinder Porsche Cayenne is hardly the automaker’s crown jewel, but it’s frequently one of the best-selling models in the lineup. Following on the heels of its more powerful siblings, the entry-level SUV can’t hide behind its engine displacement – it must prove itself through luxury, improved performance, fuel efficiency and value.
We just spent a couple days driving the all-new Cayenne in Germany, and unlike two months ago, when we put the flagship Cayenne Turbo and the eight-cylinder Cayenne S to the test at the beautiful circuit and off-road course at Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park, the European venue gave us the opportunity to drive the entry-level Cayenne in crowded city streets and on the wide-open Autobahn. What’s under the hood of the six-cylinder Cayenne, and why is it unique? How does it drive compared to its eight-cylinder siblings? Most importantly, how does it compare to its competition?
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Porsche, SUV Tags: Porsche
