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Spy Shots: 998 Porsche 911

The next Porsche 911, the 998, is doing the rounds on German public roads. By the looks of it, the headlights are more vertical than the current model, and based on what's covered, the front and rear bumpers and valances will see the majority of the work. Intriguingly, the side mirrors on the car are from the 993, which we imagine are for testing purposes only. If the lower rear valance is any indication, the exhaust outlets could come in for revision, as well.
posted : 11/30/2008 @7:34:04 PM
Porsche on the waiting list for Tesla Roadster

Electric vehicles... they're so hot right now. And none are hotter at the moment than the Tesla Roadster, which looks positively sublime in Very Orange paint. Even Porsche, the longtime purveyor of some of the world's best sporting hardware, is interested in the little electron powered machine. In fact, rumor has it that the German automaker is much more impressed with Silicon Valley's first ever sports car than it is with the lithium ion-powered E-Ruf electric 911. Is it too slow; too heavy; too expensive? Nobody knows for sure outside of Stuttgart's engineering offices, but we do know that the German automaker has placed an order for a Tesla Roadster of their very own for closer scrutiny. We'd imagine that the EV's dissection could offer some enlightening revelations to Porsche, rumored to be hard at work on an electric sportscar of its very own. Considering Porsche's recent history with other automaker's wares, this could get very interesting.
posted : 11/28/2008 @5:07:29 PM
Spy Shots: Porsche GT3 RSComing to the meaty part of the 911 model line revamp, the 2010 GT3 RS has been spotted after some time in wardrobe wearing slightly different clothes. These are subtle alterations, with LED daytime running lights, bigger intakes, a new air dam lip up front and revised taillights out back. The bigger news is that the GT3 RS will get more power with the addition of direct injection, and even faster gear changes when equipped with the PDK gearbox. And that means even faster acceleration, because you can never get enough of that. The car should start making its rounds around the auto show circuit next year.
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:14:25 PM
Road and Track tests battery-powered E-Ruf 911

We only heard about the latest modified Porsche from Ruf about a week and a half ago when the tuner unveiled its new E-Ruf via press release. Apparently we weren't the first to learn of the all-electric 911, as Road & Track has already driven it and just published its first impressions, including details about the car's inner workings that were previously unknown. Unlike most Ruf Porsches, the E-Ruf hasn't had its internal combustion engine boosted to within an inch of its life. It doesn't even have an ICE. Instead, the staff in Germany have ripped out the boxer 6-cylinder, back seat and fuel tank. The back seat area and front trunk have been stuffed full of lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor's been bolted to the stock 6-speed gearbox. Turns out that the E-Ruf is very different from other high-profile EVs like the Tesla Roadster in some interesting ways, but you'll have to click through to Road and Track to find out exactly why and what it means for the future of EVs.
posted : 10/22/2008 @10:40:41 PM
Roock celebrates Le Mans win with RST 600 LM

About a decade ago, Roock Racing was one of the most dominant GT racing teams at Le Mans and a short time later in the ALMS with their Porsche GT2 race cars. Since then they have focused their attention on tuning street Porsches, the latest of which is the RST 600 LM that commemorates their victory in the GT2 class at the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. The package includes upgraded turbochargers, a titanium exhaust system, and an upgraded ECU good for just over 600 horsepower and 611 lb-ft torque. Performance numbers are a claimed 3.1 second sprint to 60 mph and a top end of 211 mph. Roock also adds a carbon fiber clutch, fully tuned suspension, and massive 380mm drilled and vented brakes. Inside, the RST 600 LM gets carbon fiber trim, oil and temperature gauges, and custom seats with four point harnesses. Finally, subtle exterior modifications are added including a new front splitter, rear diffuser, rear spoiler, and lightweight aluminum racing wheels.
posted : 10/16/2008 @5:56:19 PM
RUF's electric Porsche breaks cover

Rumors of RUF's impending electric Porsche were true, except that the actual vehicle is based on a Porsche 911, not the Cayman as previously reported. Powered by a three-phase electric motor that offers about 200 horsepower along with an impressive 480 lb.-ft. of torque, the eRUF Model A can reportedly hit 60 miles per hour in under seven seconds and can reach a top speed of 160. Power comes from a lithium iron phosphate battery pack, which produces 317-volts and 480-amps and is made up from 96 individual cells. A full charge takes a rather long 10-hours, and regenerative braking is included in the package allowing for a range of up to 180 miles. From the outside, you'd never really know that something was different about this 997, except that it doesn't produce that soul-stirring flat-six sound. This is still just a concept and its specifications are subject to change. We can be sure, though, that this isn't the last electrically-powered sportscar set to hit the market.
posted : 10/15/2008 @7:45:56 PM
Porsche accuses Nissan GT-R of cheating the 'Ring

Sour grapes or legitimate complaint? That's the question we're left pondering after reading that Porsche believes Nissan must have cheated to record its 7:29:03 lap time of the famed Nürburgring race circuit. Porsche claims that it had been suspicious of the Nissan's lap times, so it acquired a U.S.-spec GT-R for testing back-to-back with its own 911 Turbo and GT2. The result? The mighty Godzilla was toppled by the Teutonic German duo, with the GT-R posting times a good 25-seconds slower than Nissan's claim. How can Porsche explain the discrepancy? "This wonder car with 7:29 could not have been a regular series production car. For us, it's not clear how this time is possible. What we can imagine with this Nissan is they used other tires," says August Achleitner, the man in charge of the 911 program. There is footage of the GT-R lapping the 'Ring at high speed, but it's taken from inside the car where the tires cannot be seen. Considering the fact that Nissan saw fit to issue a press release commemorating the car's fast-lap, we doubt this is something that will be taken lightly. There's a big can 'o worms here, and Porsche's in the corner holding the opener.
posted : 10/5/2008 @2:28:27 PM
CAR spies the next Porsche 911, big changes coming in the next decade

CAR has gotten its hands on the Porsche Cayman spy shots we featured earlier, along with a few new snaps of the next 911 undergoing testing. While the Boxster facelift – due to be unveiled at the LA Auto Show this November – and the tweaked Cayman – coming out early next year – won't be anything revolutionary, CAR has revealed speculated that big changes are underfoot for the 911, taking technology, power delivery and driver comfort to levels never thought possible in the iconic coupe. Check out what we're talking about after the jump. The next 911, internally code-named the 991, is due out in late 2011 and will share several components with the 981 Boxster and Cayman. According to CAR's Porsche source, Mr. Durheimer, "The design can of course be evolutionary, but beneath the skin, almost anything is possible." To the first point, Durheimer says that "there is no need for old-fashioned protruding door mirrors" and that the newly adopted pedestrian crash standards will cause Porsche to make obvious alterations to the front of the car. The rear will be reshaped to further enhance aerodynamics, along with a new active rear spoiler, adjustable front splitter, integrated "jet vents" in the wheel arches to keep the 911 planted at speed and a new floor pan design. On the engineering front, the new dual-clutch PDK transmission will be around until 2018, when Porsche may implement a seven-speed CVT (!) into it's range-topping coupe. New materials are also part of the package, and with the knowledge gleaned from the Carrera GT, Porsche hopes to reduce the 911's curb weight by 10 percent through the use of composite materials replacing aluminum. Within the next decade, Porsche plans to use more active steering and torque vectoring on its new models, along with next-generation PSM stability management, a water-level sensor to combat hydroplaning and, of all things, a parking system with a rear-mounted camera similar to that found on the Lexus LS range and some new Volkswagen products.
posted : 9/23/2008 @10:30:57 PM
Spy Shots: New Porsche 911 GT3 spied in Spain

Hardcore Porschephiles rejoice, for Stuttgart is preparing a new 911 GT3. It should come as no big surprise since the entire 911 range has once again received a facelift, so following the Carrera, Carrera 4 and Targa models, we can expect a new Turbo, a new GT3 and a new GT2. Apparently the naturally-aspirated hardcore model is the next up to bat, if these spy shots snapped cliffside in Spain serve as any indication. The shots make for easy comparison: the new GT3 seems to blend elements from the outgoing model and its yet more hardcore brother the GT3 RS, both of which can be seen alongside the new test mule (second from the right, straight on till morning). Expect the same updates found on the rest of the revised range, plus a wing that lies somewhere in between that found on the current GT3 and the current GT3 RS. The centrally-mounted exhaust pipes look bigger than the previous version, but that's all we can tell from the rear shots at this point. With a little patience, we'll be able to see the new GT3 undisguised shortly.
posted : 9/23/2008 @10:16:47 PM
2008 Porsche Carrera S

As we approach the 45th birthday of the Porsche 911 and the dawn of yet another generation, we've finally managed to snag one in the Autoblog Garage for a full review. The 911 is the most direct descendant of the very earliest sports cars to wear that legendary German automotive name. It still uses the same basic layout as the first Porsche, the 356 (except for prototype No.1, which was mid-engined) with a horizontally opposed engine hanging out behind the rear axle. Of course, the 911 has two more cylinders now, and these days the engines are cooled by liquid rather then air, but the basic premise remains. Even though the 911 has gone through five generations, with another refresh for 2009 arriving momentarily, it remains instantly recognizable as what it is. Even with what some may consider an archaic drivetrain layout, the 2008 Porsche Carrera S remains one of the finest sports cars in the world.
posted : 9/13/2008 @3:23:14 AM
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