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Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid

2010 Porsche Panamera 4S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Buried within Porsche’s recent announcement regarding its plans to test three electric Boxsters, the company openly confirmed that the launch of the Panamera S Hybrid is on track for 2011. Though perhaps not as innovative or as those racy electric vehicles, the Panamera S Hybrid still hails from Stuttgart and, therefore, is bound to be one exhilarating ride.

The upcoming Panamera will borrow the hybrid hardware found in the current Cayenne S Hybrid. That means it will sport a 329-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to a 46 hp electric motor. Like the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Panamera’s parallel hybrid setup boasts the ability to operate at low speeds under electric power alone. When the production Panamera S Hybrid takes to the streets in 2011, it will become the company’s second model to sport a hybrid powertrain, a remarkable achievement considering that few people associate Porsche with fuel efficiency. Follow the jump for more info on Porsche’s fuel-saving plans.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid

Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Almost as Quick as the Car: Porsche builds 25,000th Panamera

Filed under: Sedan, Porsche

2011 Porsche Panamera – Click above for high-res image gallery

When the Porsche Panamera was introduced in 2009, skeptics panned the sedan as oddly proportioned and thoroughly unattractive. Later, as the media began to test and review the all-new Porsche, skepticism gave way to fanaticism as the Panamera’s amazing handling and jaw-dropping powertrains won over even some of its biggest doubters. Less than a year after the vehicle’s introduction, Porsche has ample reason to celebrate as the Leipzig factory has just built Panamera number 25,000. That’s peanuts for a mass-market automaker, but an incredible feat for a sports car maker that in most years is thrilled to produce 100,000 models globally.

Panamera number 25,000 is Ruby Red and packs a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 that was added to the lineup back in May. The special Panamera will be delivered to the U.S. market, where to date 5,000 copies of the sedan have been sold. Porsche looks to keep up the Panamera momentum with a hybrid variant that is expected to bow in 2011. Hit the jump to get the details in the release.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Porsche]

Almost as Quick as the Car: Porsche builds 25,000th Panamera originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 rolls into Jay Leno’s Garage

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Porsche, Celebrities

Porsche’s 911 GT3 pays a visit to Jay Leno’s Garage – click above to watch the video

Porsche recently dropped off a new 911 GT3 at Jay Leno’s garage where racer Justin Bell picked it up for a bit of a road trip. Before the trip, Leno and Bell discuss their preference for normally aspirated manual transmission Porsches over the more powerful turbos and dual-clutch PDKs.

On his way to Laguna Seca for the spring American Le Mans Series event, Bell finds a perfect little road for his own private hill climb and gushes over the responsiveness of the non-turbo engine and enormous Brembo binders. At Laguna, Bell hooks up with factory pilot Patrick Long to discuss the differences between the Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 he races and the roadgoing GT3 which spawned it. Even within the limits of the rules set out by the ACO, Flying Lizard and Porsche have managed to find a lot of creative ways to extract more speed out of their competition machine. Check out the full video after the jump.

[Source: Jay Leno’s Garage]

Continue reading Video: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 rolls into Jay Leno’s Garage

Video: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 rolls into Jay Leno’s Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: 2012 Porsche Cayman Clubsport headed for LA Auto Show

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Rumormill

2010 Porsche Cayman S – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Porsche enthusiast site Planet-9.com, a hardcore version of the Cayman, dubbed CS or Clubsport, will be shown at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show in December. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumblings of a lighter, more powerful Cayman, but now that Porsche has successfully launched the Boxster Spyder, it’s only fitting that the same sort of package be offered on its harder-core hardtop sister.

Expect the Clubsport to produce around 333 horsepower from its 3.4-liter flat-six, an increase of 13 hp over the Cayman S. From there, lightweight 19-inch wheels will be standard, as will fabric door pulls, aluminum body components and a slightly revised front fascia that we’ve seen on the Boxster Spyder. Obviously, the real goal with a Clubsport model is lightness, and Planet-9 reports that the CS should be about 162 to 184 pounds lighter than the stock Cayman S.

If the LA Auto Show reveal stands true, the Cayman CS should be hitting the road sometime in 2011 as a 2012 model, priced from around $66,300. Fingers crossed, everyone.

Gallery: 2010 Porsche Cayman S

[Source: Planet-9]

Rumormill: 2012 Porsche Cayman Clubsport headed for LA Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Jeff Zwart’s Porsche GT3 sets Pikes Peak Time Attack 2WD class record

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Porsche, Racing

Jeff Zwart’s Porsche 911 GT3 scales Pikes Peak – Click above to watch video after the jump

We’ve seen footage of Jeff Zwart practicing for his recent run up Pikes Peak, now filmmaker Will Roegge has delivered unto us the footage from Zwart’s Time Attack 2WD class record.

Zwart ran his 911 GT3 up 12.42 miles and through 156 turns in just 11:31.095, averaging over 65 miles per hour. But you don’t need us to tell you about it – these things tend to speak for themselves. Follow the jump to watch a record being set.

Gallery: Jeff Zwart’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

[Sources: Will Roegge, YouTube]

Video: Jeff Zwart’s Porsche GT3 sets Pikes Peak Time Attack 2WD class record originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Porsche approves 918 Spyder for production

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Hybrid, Porsche, Electric

Porsche 918 Spyder concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

As expected, the Porsche supervisory board has approved the development of the 918 Spyder concept into a series production model. The 918 debuted as a concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show with a plug-in hybrid powertrain claimed to provide 78 miles per gallon.

The concept used a 500-horsepower V8 along with a pair of electric motors with 109 hp each and a lithium ion battery that can provide 16 miles of emissions-free driving from grid energy. The powertrain is not expected to be changed much for production and Porsche has not announced when 918 will be available. There has been speculation that the production model could cost up to €500,000 (about $650,000 USD), although if it comes to the States, it should be eligible for a federal tax credit. Even with up to $7,500 it still makes the Chevrolet Volt look downright cheap.

Before you start looking in your couch cushions for a down payment, check out the official press release after the jump and our high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Porsche 918 Spyder concept

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading BREAKING: Porsche approves 918 Spyder for production

BREAKING: Porsche approves 918 Spyder for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unlikely Ire: Dan Neil excoriates 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Porsche, Design/Style

2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

When we look at the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder rap sheet, it’s hard not go get a bit excited. It looks seriously terrific, it weighs but 2,811 pounds, and it packs 320 mid-mounted ponies. Good stuff. When we spent some time behind the wheel of the Spyder, we fell more than deeply in love with this, the purest of Boxsters. If only automotive super-journo Dan Neil agreed.

Neil’s review of the Boxster Spyder in The Wall Street Journal falls somewhere short of glowing prose – in fact, it’s about 500 miles short of glowing and a mere six inches past poor. The Pulitzer prize-winning author pans the Spyder’s top as beyond difficult (we called it “trick”). Okay, so a convertible top that was designed to save 46 pounds is probably going to shape up as less than ideal (Neil: “Find me the guy who designed the canvas top. Bring me his head on a platter”), but if Neil thinks this top is Erector Set hell, he should get his hands on a Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster.

Anything else wrong here? Well, there’s the power for starters. Neil feels the Spyder’s 320 horses are hamstrung by 273 pound-feet of torque that can only be best accessed when pushing the flat-six hard. And then there is the six-speed manual transmission, which Neil feels is inferior in every way to the PDK dual-clutch tranny (“Those purists out there still clinging to your six-speed manuals, please go home. Your black-and-white TV is on the fritz.”).

So… is the Boxster Spyder God’s gift to lightweight roasters or is it a reason to fire the engineers who designed this Porsche’s lightweight top? We know Dan – he’s a swell guy and one hell of a writer, but even though we’re decidedly short on Pulitzers, we can’t help but think that to slate the Spyder for not being a great everyday car is to miss its point altogether. Factory lightweight specials like this one are always a bit silly for street use, always ask for more concessions of their drivers, and, if they’re German, they always cost a bunch more, too. And yet… we’d still rock the top Boxster any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Oh, and we’re just fine with the three-pedal setup, thanks – like seemingly every dual clutch gearbox, the PDK still has lousy low-speed drivability – and you can call us hopeless romantics, but when it’s not about chalking up lap times, we still love to row our own gears.

Head over to the WSJ to read Neil’s scathing review for yourself.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder

[Source: The Wall Street Journal – sub. req.]

Unlikely Ire: Dan Neil excoriates 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche testing three electric Boxsters in 2011

Filed under: Convertible, Porsche, Electric

2010 Porsche Boxster – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche has been ramping up its vehicle electrification program, ranging from the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder concept and the 911 GT3R Hybrid racer to the new Cayenne hybrid that recently went into production. The latest addition to the electric drive program is a trio of experimental Boxsters that are powered purely by electrons.

Porsche has yet to reveal any technical details about the three drop-top EVs, but they will be used to test the drivetrain systems as well as infrastructure needs. Porsche has indicated that it’s interested in a production version of the 918 Spyder and is likely using these Boxsters to evaluate the battery systems, along with the motors and power electronics. Full details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Porsche Boxster

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche testing three electric Boxsters in 2011

Porsche testing three electric Boxsters in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, Porsche, UK, Humor

Tiff Needell scares the life out of Jason Plato – Click above to watch video after the jump

We revel in watching someone get their wits scared out of them in the passenger seat of a car. It’s why we take the time to watch Subaru’s slew of new ads for the 2011 WRX STI sedan any time we’re feeling down. It would appear that we’re in good company. During filming of a somewhat recent episode of the UK’s Fifth Gear, Tiff Needell was charged with scooting the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet around the show’s test course with Jason Plato in the passenger seat. Based on the outtakes, it looks as if it took a few tries to get Plato around the course without a profusion of expletives.

It’s no secret that Needell is one of the hottest shoes around when it comes to coaxing big speed from a vehicle. With a racing resume packed with references to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula One, the guy could run the wheels off a shopping cart. Hit the jump to see Tiff make Plato hold on for dear life. Thanks for the tip, Brad!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo

Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Porsche

Click above to view the video after the jump

We didn’t make it out to this year’s Spectre 341 Challenge as time just wasn’t on our side. Fortunately, we can live vicariously through a few of the participants, including Automobile scribe Ezra Dyer.

If you’re not familiar with the event, it has roots dating back to the early seventies, when then-president of the Ferrari Owners Club of Southern California, Hans Tanner, organized a hill climb up Nevada Highway 341.

In the years since, the event has waxed and waned, but the purpose has remained the same: run up the 5.2-mile hill, tackle over 20 turns and scrape just north of 6,200 feet in a time of 3:41 – or less. Can Dyer do it in a Porsche 911 Turbo? Make the jump to find out and read more about the event here.

Continue reading Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo

Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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