The Porsche Cayman is a perfect example of a good car that gets an unfair characterization, both from enthusiasts and the motoring press. You’ve probably heard someone say that it’s a car that's been compromised from the very beginning – that it’s not allowed to be better than a 911, otherwise there’s no point in buying a 911. So instead you get a car that feels like it’s being held back. Others say that it’s just a car people buy when they can’t afford a 911. Porsche have revealed the Cayenne GTS – taking its place between the Cayenne S and Turbo models. The new GTS, like the previous GTS, gets a reworked version of the S’ V8 engine – a 4.8-litre unit producing 420hp. Power is sent exclusively through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all wheels, enabling a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 162mph. The suspension has also been lowered and stiffened compared to the standard S, with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) coming as standard. A stop/start function is also included, with Porsche claiming a combined fuel economy figure of 26.4 mpg. The 2012 Geneva Motor Show is anything but short of exciting new cars. There are far too many cool cars to have them all posted here, but with more than 100 photos, it's more than just a taste of what the show has to offer. Make sure you come back next week for the ultimate standouts of the show.
If you’re a car enthusiast, people close to you might have asked you “why do you like cars so much?” And chances are you weren’t able to give them a direct answer. There are many things that make us tick when in comes to a car; the design, the quality, the noise it makes, the history, the performance, etc. But occasionally we get other things, like flames shooting out of the exhaust. If like me, the sight of flames (the real kind, no flamethrower kits here) coming out of the exhaust causes the caveman in you to come out, then you’ll enjoy checking out these videos of awesome flame spitters.
Porsche has revealed its all new 911 (known as 991 internally), and will make its public debut at Frankfurt’s Motor Show in mid-September. If it weren’t for the much thinner looking rear lights, you would be forgiven for thinking that the new 911 isn’t new at all. Luckily mechanical changes aren’t as minimal as the styling. At launch the Carrera will have a 3.4-litre flat-six engine producing 350hp, while the Carrera S will have a 3.8-litre engine with 400hp. The new 911 will have a seven-speed manual transmission – the first of any road car – as well as Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission. Acceleration times for PDK equipped cars from 0-62mph are 4.1 seconds for the Carrera S, and 4.4 seconds for the Carrera. Top speed for the Carrera S is 188mph (300.8km/h) and 179 mph (286.4km/h) for the Carrera. After several rumours and photo leaks, Porsche has officially revealed the last of the current generation 911s - the GT3 RS 4.0.
The new GT3 RS 4.0 is a limited edition race-car based special, sharing several components with Porsche’s 911 GT3 RSR race-car. The standout feature is indeed the engine, a 4.0-litre flat-six engine, the biggest size of any road-going 911, producing 500 hp at 8,250 rpm and 339 lb ft of torque at 5,750 rpm. The crankshaft, forged pistons, and titanium connecting rods have all been lifted straight from the RSR into the 4.0. There’s no denying that Porsche does its best to cater to all kinds of drivers, and for those wishing for an all-weather, four-dour coupe that can get from 0-62mph in less than four seconds, the Panamera Turbo S might just be the car for them. The Panamera Turbo S comes with the same twin-turbo 4.8 litre V8 engine found in the standard Panamera Turbo, but with 550 hp it has an extra 50 hp. Torque is quoted at 553 lb ft (750 Nm), but up to 590 lb ft (800 Nm) is available with an overboost function - which is activated during kick-down acceleration. The extra power comes thanks to updated turbos that make use of titanium-aluminium turbine wheels, and an updated engine management system. Power is then sent through Porsche’s dual-clutch transmission (PDK) to all four wheels, which enables the Turbo S to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.8 sec and reach a top speed of 191 mph. Pair one of the world's best ever racing drivers, Walter Rohrl, with a fantastic sounding Porsche 904 GTS from the 1960s, and you get a youtube video that you'll definitely watch more than once. Great stuff. It hasn't been that long since the revised version of the 997 Turbo was revealed, but here we are - a few months later - and Porsche have produced another variant of the Turbo, the Turbo S. The Turbo S comes with a 30hp advantage over the normal Turbo, giving a total of 530hp and a potent 513 lb ft of torque from its 3.8l twin turbo flat six. The Turbo S is only available with Porsche's latest 7 speed double-clutch gearbox, PDK, and is able to sprint from 0-60mph in 3.3 sec and onto a top speed of 315 km/h (195 mph). Despite the increse in perfomance, Porsche is also claiming no change in the fuel economy figures over the standard Turbo, 11.4 litres for every 100 kilometres (24.8 mpg). The Turbo S benefits from having carbon ceramic brakes, Porsche's Traction Management system (PTM) which monitors proper distribution of power and traction through all four wheels, dynamic engine mounts, a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle, and 19 inch RS design wheels with central locking. The Turbo S will be available at dealerships as of May 2010, with a price tag of 173,241 Euros for the coupe version, and 184,546 Euros for the cabriolet version. Just a few weeks after Porsche unveiled the new 911 GT3 RS, Porsche presents to the world a special limited edition 911 called the Sport Classic. The design of the new 911 Sport Classic is based heavily on the legendary 911 RS from the 1970s, complete with a ducktail spoiler and 19 inch Fuchs-style wheels. Also included in the design of the new car are a new spoiler lip, bi-xenon headlights with black surrounds, a double-dome roof, new side sills, a unique rear panel, unique exhaust tips, and rear light clusters in clear glass. The only colour available is Sport Classic grey. The 911 Sport Classic is based on the Carrera S, however the rear end is based on the All wheel drive versions (Carrera4, 4s), making it 44m wider, meaning that the rear track also increases by 34mm. The engine of the Sport Classic is the same 3.8l naturally aspirated flat six unit found in the Carrera S models, but with several modifications. The modifications include a newly developed resonance intake system with switching butterflies, modified cylinder heads, a new engine management system, and a new exhaust system. The combination of these modifications amounts to a 23hp increase over standard Carrera S models, bringing the power output to a total of 408hp. This power figure enables a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 4.6 secs and a top speed of 302 km/h. Porsche also claims the increase in power has not affected the fuel economy or CO2 figures in anyway. The 911 Sport Classic will only be available with a six speed manual transmission, with Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package Plus package available as standard. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is also available, while the ride height has been reduced by 20mm, and a limited slip differential can be found between the rear wheels. Cross-drilled carbon ceramic brakes have been given the task of shedding speed off the Sport Classic. They are inner-vented and measure 350mm in diameter and weigh 50 per cent less than cast iron equivalents. The Sport Classic will go sale in January 2010, with an eye-watering price tag of £140,049, making it more expensive than Porsche’s current performance flagship vehicle, the 911 GT2. But with a production target of only 250 cars, the Sport Classic is set to be a very sought after item in the collector car market. Enjoy the savage bark of that flat six from the video below. |
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