porsche Archives | Page 3 of 17

Rumormill: Porsche forum claims eco-friendly 911 Blu coming to Frankfurt

Filed under: Porsche, Rumormill

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera Blu Edition front three-quarter

The fiftieth anniversary of the Porsche 911 has been a nearly year-long affair, with unique tributes and even a special anniversary edition with plenty of retro throwbacks. The party is expected to continue through the end of 2013, and if one 911 enthusiast forum is right, we’ll see yet another special edition model near the anniversary of the original car’s September 1963 debut, when it arrives at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show.

It’s called the 911 Blu, and where the 911 50 Years Edition was more expensive than a 911 Carrera S hardtop, the Blu would be an entry level special edition. That’s right, a limited run car that actually slots in at the very bottom of the 911 range. According to Porsche forum 911UK.com, the new car would be priced at 74,600 euros ($98,718 at today’s rates) or 64,750 pounds. That undercuts the price of a base 911 in Germany by nearly 16,000 euros and in the UK by nearly 8700 pounds (although to be fair, it’s roughly identical to the price of a base 911 C2S in the US).

This 911 will reportedly feature a detuned flat-six with 300 horsepower and 211 pound-feet of torque.

This 911 will reportedly feature a detuned flat-six with 300 horsepower and 211 pound-feet of torque, while cylinder deactivation and active grille shutters should help with economy. Stop-start technology will be standard, along with Porsche’s new Regeneration System. (There’s no explanation of what this system is, by the way.) The wheels will be 18-inchers, and will use hollow spokes for less weight. Porsche’s Active Suspension Management will be an optional item rather than standard. Finally, the Blu is reportedly a hardtop convertible.

If you’re like us, you’re mainlining salt by this point. There are so many things about this proposed special edition that don’t make sense that it’s difficult to cover them all here. And that’s without us even mentioning the woeful Riviera Blue/Guards Red exterior seen above. (No, we aren’t kidding.)

First and foremost, there’s been nothing from Porsche about this car. Not a peep, not a spy shot, not so much as a hint that something special was coming to Frankfurt. The oft-rumored budget 911 is already available – it’s called the Cayman S. There’s even a convertible version called the Boxster S. The reported run to 62 takes 5.4 seconds in the PDK-only car, meaning you will get trampled by most other sports cars that cost half as much as this 911. Who, but the most diehard 911 fanatic, is going to spend this kind of money on a car that will be slower and more expensive than a Cayman S? Also, if Porsche had developed some kind of “revolutionary” hardtop for the 911, why not show it on one of the more robust Carrera models? We could go on.

According to the forum, the 911 Blu will be limited to 911 units (cute), with 300 earmarked for the US market. We’ll see if any of this is true when we attend the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

Porsche forum claims eco-friendly 911 Blu coming to Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Rumormill: Porsche forum claims eco-friendly 911 Blu coming to Frankfurt”

Spy Shots: Porsche Macan caught completely uncovered

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Crossover, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche Macan Spy Photo front three-quarter tight

Porsche is preparing to launch its sub-Cayenne CUV, with a suspected debut at the 2013 Los Angeles International Auto Show, which means we’re right about at the point where undisguised models start scampering around the cities and towns of Germany. Our spy photographers snagged just such a model, with only the headlights and taillights concealed by camouflage (no, those comically large lamps aren’t a production item).

The undisguised car looks like a tiny Cayenne. Not really surprising, we know, but it’s impressive to see how the Cayenne’s styling works with the smaller proportions of the Macan. It looks squat, athletic and poised, like it’s a small, “sporty” crossover we’d actually want to drive. Both the Macan and the Macan Turbo are shown, with the more powerful model sporting a set of quad exhausts.

The only big questions now concern the shape of the lights and the interior. From the photos, we can see a rough outline of the headlights, although the taillights are more difficult to discern. The interior remains a mystery.

Thankfully, LA is less than four months away, so we won’t have too long to wait to see a fully uncovered Macan.

Porsche Macan caught completely uncovered originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Porsche Macan caught completely uncovered”

Video: Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record

Filed under: Videos, Porsche, UK

Porsche 911 parade lapping Silverstone Grand Prix circuit

Porsche has been spending the majority of 2013 celebrating the 50th birthday of the 911, with its latest stunt taking the German brand to the home of British motorsports, Silverstone. To celebrate, Porsche invited enthusiasts to take their personal 911s on a lap of the former airfield, and boy, did the Porschephiles show up. 1,208 911s took part in the lap around the Grand Prix circuit, making it the largest-ever gathering of the iconic, rear-engined cars.

This wasn’t just a celebration of 50 years for the 911, though. Funds raised were channeled towards Hope For Tomorrow, a cancer charity that works with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service in operating mobile chemothereapy units that make life just a little bit easier on cancer patients.

Take a look at the long video below, and enjoy the passing of what are likely examples of every 911 model ever built.

Continue reading Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record

Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jul 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Watch 1,208 Porsche 911s collect at Silverstone for world record”

Video: Watch Larry Kosilla resurrect the finish of this barn-find 1966 Porsche 912

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Etc., Videos, Porsche

Barn-find 1966 Porsche 912 gets a clean up job - video screencap

Larry Kosilla, the founder of the Ammo NYC line of car cleaning products, has his own show YouTube’s Drive network – we saw his work before when he gave a Ferrari 288 GTO a two-day detailing job. On this episode, Kosilla gets called in to do his best with a 1966 Porsche 912, a car that was last registered in 1990 and recently found in a barn in Connecticut.

Among the expected dirt and cobwebs, the Irish Green Porsche is also covered what is assumed to be cat fur and “waste.” The car is in such delicate condition, however, that Kosilla can’t wash it for fear of getting more water in it than on it, so he has to steam and wipe the entire thing down before he begins the paint correction process. In addition to the thorough knowledge of his work and his ability to explain it simply, the episode is captioned with further information one of Porsche’s popular but less regarded models, and how Kosilla does what he does.

You’ll find a compelling 29 minute masterclass in the video below.

Continue reading Watch Larry Kosilla resurrect the finish of this barn-find 1966 Porsche 912

Watch Larry Kosilla resurrect the finish of this barn-find 1966 Porsche 912 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Watch Larry Kosilla resurrect the finish of this barn-find 1966 Porsche 912”

Quick Spin: 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Quick Spins

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S - front three-quarter view, red

I don’t care who you are; when a new Porsche 911 rolls up in your driveway, that’s a pretty good day. This was my very first experience with Porsche’s 991 911, and after having spent time with just about every tune and trim of the last car, I was hotly anticipating comparing and contrasting.

Somehow (I don’t remember sending out any cash-filled, unmarked envelopes) I’d scored a week in the 911 Carrera 4S over a long holiday weekend, too. That meant that I’d get to A) log a ton of miles in one of the best cars in the world, B) get to show-off the Porsche to family and friends and C) tempt cops in three states to pull me over. Good thing I’ve got the Autoblog traffic lawyer on speed dial…

Driving Notes

I’ve never been one to find every-single 911 ever completely attractive – I find the 996 Cabriolets are a particularly bad representation of the legend’s style – but I think the 991 generation is sexy as hell. When my test car showed up in Guards Red over black wheels, I was smitten right away. Silver or black might be safer choices with this body shape, but I can’t help but think the profile of the car – sleeker than ever now – is nearly perfect. With that said, erecting the retractable rear spoiler completely ruins the body line, even if it helps keep the car pinned to the Earth at triple digit speeds.
The longer wheelbase of the 991 Carrera does set the car up as a better all-around driver and grand touring car than its 997 predecessor. On the negative side, this means that this 911 doesn’t feel quite as quick to turn in and rotate on a dime. Also, slightly more grown-up chassis and suspension tuning mean that I get less of a sense of overall road feedback, too. The positive side of that trade-off is a greater level of high-speed stability, with what remains an ultra-smooth, ultra-confident driving experience on the best of roads. And, while the electric power steering system’s feel might not be quite as good as the last-gen 911’s hydraulic setup, or the current Boxster and Cayman, it’s still light years ahead of many other sports cars.
I put more than 700 miles on this Porsche over the long 4th of July weekend, with a trip to Chicago from Ann Arbor, including plenty of backroads along the way. It’s not particularly sexy to say so, but the Carrera 4S is as just about as practical as anything in the “near-supercar” category is likely to get. Seats for the two passengers up front are comfortable and supportive, with plenty of head, elbow, and leg room for a car this size. Visibility is actually pretty decent, too, considering the silhouette of the machine. I was shocked to see highway fuel economy over the EPA estimated rating of 26 miles per gallon, especially considering I was doing a pretty steady 80 miles per hour most of the time I was on the interstate. And, it’s a story you’ve heard before, but there’s more than enough luggage space for two people as long as both occupants can get along with two standard-size rollerboard suitcases.
Of the roughly $40,000 worth of options on my 911 4S (stickering at $145,305 over a base of $105,630), perhaps the best value was the $360 rear windshield wiper. (In fact, in terms of German-car options sheets, that’s downright thievery.) Every car should have a rear wiper – I’ll now be saddened every time I see a 911 without one, knowing the owner was just a couple hundred bucks away from all-weather rear visibility.
There aren’t too many cars in the world that are this fast and this grippy. I had to resort to flooring the throttle, with a whole handful of lock on a wet road to kick the heavy tail out with any conviction. The all-wheel-drive system is impressive, to be sure. And, considering the output figures of 400 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque aren’t all that impressive by modern sports car standards, this Carrera 4S still feels astonishingly quick from point to point. Wide open throttle – in Sport mode with the exhaust opened all the way up – sounds about as close to perfect as it gets, too. If you have the chance, drive this car.

2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Quick Spin: 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S”

Video: See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Porsche, Luxury

Restorer John Willhoit's Porsche 911 gets the Petrolicious video treatment - screencap

You’ll often hear Porsche 911 owners say the same thing about how they ended up buying one: They could never forget the feeling they experienced during their first ride. Top-flight Porsche restorer John Willhoit will comment on how the rear-engine layout gives the 911 its unique handling and plenty of room in the interior, but he’ll also tell you that, after his first ride in one, he was hooked.

Willhoit’s 1971 Pastel Blue 911T wasn’t his first Porsche; it was a one-owner basketcase parked outside his sister’s neighbor’s garage when he found it 20 years ago. Rain water had been draining onto and into it for years, so it was clear to him when he saw it in person that it would be a labor of love to bring it back to life. Of all the things we would expect in a restoration done to this level, it would be a paint job, but, amazingly, the paint is original! Everything else, however, isn’t.

Scroll below to watch this new video from Petrolicious, where you’ll find out what Willhoit did to restore his personal 911 hotrod and stuff 300 horsepower into it. Just don’t think he’ll do the same for your Porsche – unless you don’t mind waiting a year to get your car into his shop and have a cool $300,000 to spend on the restoration. Enjoy!

Continue reading See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing

See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing”

Spy Shots: 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spy shots

The Porsche 911 wouldn’t be the Porsche 911 unless there were twenty-something different models to choose from (note: we are not complaining), and the latest one was just spied by our trusty photographers out on Germany’s Nürburgring. Feast your eyes on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet – the droptop version of the new Turbo wonder that debuted in May – looking all sorts of stealth in its black-on-black-on-black prototype scheme.

Mechanically, the 911 Turbo Cab should be identical to the fixed-roof version, meaning a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine will live in the car’s rump, putting out something like 520 horsepower. Of course, there’s also the hotter Turbo S version of the coupe, and we expect that to get the droptop treatment, as well, with 560 horsepower on tap. The added weight of the folding top and additional structural supports will likely make for slightly slower 0-60 times for both cars, though considering the base Turbo will hit 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, “slower” is a very relative term indeed. All that force will run to the ground via all-wheel drive, managed by Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.

The wide stance of the 911 Turbo Coupe carries over to the Cabriolet, no doubt fitted with the same (standard) 20-inch wheels. Inside, the usual luxury amenities will be on hand, along with nearly endless customization options.

Given that the Frankfurt Motor Show isn’t too far off in the future, we expect to see the Turbo Cabriolet officially bow before then. For now, check it out in the high-res spy shot gallery above.

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude”

Video: Seinfeld takes Seth Meyers out in the perfect Porsche

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Porsche, Celebrities, Humor

The latest episode of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee features Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live fame riding shotgun in what is a very special Porsche from host Jerry Seinfeld’s collection: a 1973 911 Carrera RS 2.7. Seinfeld chose the “no-nonsense” sports car because he thought it fit his guest’s personality (Meyers thinks motorcycles “are like the cigarette of transportation”), but we enjoy the chance to see one of these rare, über-valuable Porsches being driven on city streets – and in the rain, no less! What we don’t like seeing is the Carrera RS being parallel parked behind a pick-up truck, though, fortunately, it seems that Seinfeld was able to avoid any front-end damage to the comparatively fragile Porsche.

Once at the coffee shop, the two comedians have a candid conversation about Meyers’ time with SNL, from his early days on the show when he didn’t think he was good enough to be a cast member to some of the high points in his career, such as SNL‘s “Really!?” segment that he performed in and how he became a writer for the show.

After coffee, when they’re back in the car and Seinfeld opens up the throttle of the lightweight RS 2.7, he manages to eke out a big grin from Meyers – or maybe it was a grimace at the thought of driving in the rain on old tires. Whatever the case, be sure to watch the video below (and stay tuned until the end for a surprise).

Continue reading Seinfeld takes Seth Meyers out in the perfect Porsche

Seinfeld takes Seth Meyers out in the perfect Porsche originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Jul 2013 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Seinfeld takes Seth Meyers out in the perfect Porsche”

Spy Shots: Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Europe, Crossover, Porsche, Luxury

Look what spy photographers have spotted sprinting around the Nürburgring. Our shooters nabbed a few photos of the all-new Porsche 911 GT2 in its native habitat without any of the bulky camouflage or cladding we’re used to seeing. The result is our first truly clear view at the upcoming successor to the GT2 throne. From the looks of it, the new model will boast wider fender arches front and rear, and hefty air intakes set into the machine’s hips should help feed a beastly 3.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine. Early guesses put the engine output somewhere around 560 horsepower.

Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the engine should propel this rear-engined heathen to 62 miles per hour in under three seconds. Top speed? Try somewhere around 200 mph. If that’s true, the next-generation 911 GT2 will be the fastest 911 in Porsche history.

Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad”

Official: Mark Webber to quit F1, join Porsche for 2014 Le Mans

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

Pro driver Mark Webber

Mark Webber has announced he’s leaving the Red Bull F1 team to join Porsche in that company’s quest for victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Australian has signed a contract that will keep him with his new employer for the next “several years.” Porsche says Webber will helm the company’s new LMP1 sports prototype at Le Mans and will also compete in the World Endurance Championship. This won’t be his first go at the legendary 24-hour race – Webber has competed at Le Mans twice before. Now he’ll be joined by Porsche works drivers Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas.

Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen is likely to fill Webber’s seat at Red Bull. The team originally wanted to pull Jenson Button from McLaren, but was unable to lure the British driver from his seat. Toro Rosso drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne are other possibilities for the open slot at Red Bull. You can read the brief Porsche press release on the move below for more information.

Continue reading Mark Webber to quit F1, join Porsche for 2014 Le Mans

Mark Webber to quit F1, join Porsche for 2014 Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Official: Mark Webber to quit F1, join Porsche for 2014 Le Mans”