You are one of those lucky souls who happens to own a Porsche Carrera GT. You love it: the way it looks, the way it sounds, the way it drives. So you're sitting in your garage, staring at your CGT, wondering what it would take to get a few buddies together who also happen to have one of these Porsche supercars. A phone call here, an email there and before you know it you have 20 CGTs signed up for a nice drive along PCH in Orange County, California. Sounds like some kind of automotive wet dream, but it actually happened.

Read

Porsche decided to do a little 'Ring running in three different 2009-spec 911 models and quietly let the results slip during a press event. A 2009 911S fitted with Porsche's new twin clutch system (PDK: Porsche Doppelkupplung), Porsche Active Stability Management and "sport tires" took the top place, scoring a 7:50. The new PDK shifts a whopping 60-percent faster than the old Tiptronic S.

Read

Every time we hit up our local newsstand, ten minutes is inevitably spent flipping through the automotive masterwork known as Car. Unfortunately, we have a hard time justifying the exorbitant price tag, so it's a rare occasion when we walk up to the register and plunk down our hard-earned $10.95. But when the August 2008 issue hits the shelves, it's coming home.

Read

We received an email this afternoon from a loyal WCF reader with a very official looking PDF file attached. In its contents were details for all of the Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4 and Targa variants of the facelifted 2009 Porsche 911 except for the GT2, GT3 and Turbo models. With a little due diligence, we soon discovered the document had already been circulating around Porsche enthusiasts forums. Nonetheless, we're happy to pass on the info.

First and foremost, Porsche has upgraded the 3.6 and 3.8-liter engines to direct injection making 345 hp (+20 hp), 390 Nm torque (+20 Nm) and 385 hp (+30 hp), 420 Nm torque (+20 Nm) respectively. All-wheel-drive models get a limited slip differential as standard and for the first time a 7-speed dual clutch transmission called Porsche Double Clutch (PDK) with flappy paddles on a new three spoke steering wheel is introduced.

Read

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has extended its third model line by the addition of the top of the range Cayenne Turbo S. The Turbo S, the most powerful Cayenne of them all, is driven by a 4.8 liter V8 engine with twin turbo forced induction, delivering 550 hp (404 kW).

The Turbo S is Porsche’s response to the wishes of its customers. There is huge demand, especially in the new emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia, for exclusive sports-style SUVs with top quality physical handling dynamics. Despite the fact that Porsche has managed to give the new Turbo S even better drive performance than the regular Turbo model (500 hp / 368 kW), the fuel efficiency figures for the Turbo S are exactly the same as those for the Cayenne Turbo (as per the calculation methods stipulated under the New European Operating Cycle – NEFZ).

Read

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource, has been providing vehicle buyers and sellers with new and second-hand vehicle tidings they need to realize their aspirations with coolness. Porsche became the proud winner of 2008 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award for Best Exterior Design in the Sports Car/Convertible category. David Pryor, vice president of Marketing for Porsche Cars North America received the coveted prize. With its design lingo Porsche has enabled itself an unbelievable exploit, i.e., making its sports cars look classic and contemporary all at once. Porsche displayed its array of sports cars and sport-utility vehicles at New York International Auto Show.

Porsche Cars imports the products through North America Inc., located in Atlanta, Ga., and Canada Ltd., based in Mississauga, Ontario. Consumer Vehicle Information Powerhouse, while recognizing the Stuttgart, Germany based car manufacturer for ‘Best Exterior Design – Sports Car/Convertible’, would surely go on to influence consumer’s vehicle-purchasing decisions positively.

Read

German tuning house speedART has taken the wraps off its latest mad-Porsche, a heavily boosted version of the already extreme 997 GT2. After going under the knife the car comes out with increased power and torque, custom alloys and suspension upgrades, lifting performance to the levels expected from only the most exotic of supercars. Furthermore speedART offers individual interior design, sport seats, sport steering wheels and special leather or alcantara applications depending on customer requests.

Final numbers for the modified GT2 stand at 650hp and 859Nm of torque. This increase of 120hp and 180Nm over the standard car’s 530hp and 685Nm of torque is possible due to modified VTG turbochargers, a sport exhaust with twin tail pipes, sport catalytic converters, new headers, bigger intercoolers and an optimized Motronic ECU update. The acceleration from 0 – 62mph now takes just 3.2 seconds and the top speed is a staggering 216mph. This makes the speedART GT2 quicker to 60mph than a Ferrari Enzo supercar, and almost as quick in terms of top speed.

Read

The end is in sight for work on the building site for the new museum for Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart. At present, over 40 different companies with up to 250 tradesmen and specialists are at work at the Porscheplatz. “Work is going well according to plan. Wind and weather allowing, the museum should be completed by the end of the year,” says Anton Hunger, Publicity and Press Manager for Porsche AG with responsibility for the new museum.

The steel construction, which houses 5,600 square meters of exhibition space, was successfully lowered into position on three steel-reinforced concrete plates in autumn 2007. Immediately after this operation, work began on the actual exhibition areas. This work included steel-reinforced ceilings between the floors and generously proportioned ramps and stairways.

Read

For a lot of people, adding performance to a Porsche 911 is just unnecessary - it’s already blazingly quick. But to make it look unique, that’s something worth spending some time on. Cue Gemballa’s GT 380 appearance package.

Replacing the front skirt, the bonnet, the side and rear skirts, the rear spoiler and adding 20″ racing black-on-black wheels, the Gemballa GT 380 kit makes the 997 Carrera look as fast as it is.

Gemballa is known for producing some of the most mind-bendingly insane power-pumpers, but when they turn their hands to adding tasteful tweaks to an otherwise stock car, they are equally successful. For some of Gemballa’s more petrol-thirsty work, check out the 850hp 911 Turbo, the Gemballa Porsche GT (dubbed the Mirage GT) and the Gemballa Porsche Cayenne.

Read

Last year, Porsche built a series of race-ready Cayenne S Transsyberia SUVs for use in the rally event bearing the same name. Lessons were learned, and so for the 2008 running of the Transsyberia, Porsche is offering the teams who bought the trucks last year a conversion package that features a number of upgrades. These include a new sump guard, a beefier tire package, tweaked air suspension, a shorter final drive ratio (same as the new Cayenne GTS), plus updates to the transmission programming, dynamic chassis control and traction management systems. Driving from Moscow to Mongolia is no picnic, and these upgrades should make the already-robust Cayenne S Transsyberia even better-suited to handle the rough-and-tumble 4,400-mile course. You can check out the full specs after the jump, and see last year's post on the truck's unveiling for a peek at many of the other modifications that came as part of the standard package.

Read

Porsche has officially applied for a judicial review challenging the increase in London's Congestion Charge to £25 from October 27 by issuing its case in the High Court.

Porsche says that the increase of the congestion charge from £8 a day to £25 is both unfair and disproportionate and claims that Transport for London itself is forecasting that the charge will increase congestion and damage air quality in the capital.

It seems that Porsche is taking this action this for entirely altruistic and environmentally responsible reasons, and has nothing to do with the fact that only two cars in its range - the 2.7-litre-engined Boxster and Cayman - emit less than 225g/kg of CO2, the figure at which the full £25 charge will be levied.

Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche Cars GB, underlined these reasons by saying: 'Not only is this new tax on motorists unfair, it is also a disproportionate and illegal use of power by the mayor. The Porsche case is about protecting London and Londoners from a new tax that will not only fail to reduce CO2 emissions in central London, but also increase congestion and damage air quality.'

Read

Porsche reported new car sales of 2,467 units in the U.S. for last month, a 25% decrease from 3,278 units sold in March 2007. However, the sales of its Cayenne SUV hit 1,169 units, a 33% percent increase over March 2007 sales of 877 units. Year-to-date, Cayenne sales were up 11%.

In a recent report, Porsche’s plans for adding a smaller SUV are back on now that Porsche is looking to increase its shares in Volkswagen by more than 50 percent. Originally, plans were cancelled since Audi feared a compact Porsche SUV would threaten sales of its upcoming Audi Q5.

Dealers also sold 35 Porsche approved certified pre-owned cars in March as compared to 27 units in March 2007.

Read

Porsche is displaying the RS 60 Spyder, which is ready to go on sale tomorrow, at the 2008 New York Auto Show. The 2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder pays tribute to the legacy of the original RS 60 with style and substance.

Power comes from a 3.4L mid-mounted engine that delivers 303-hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 comes in at 5.1 seconds with at top speed of 170mph. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission with a five-speed Tiptronic S automatic as an option.

The new 2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder goes on sale tomorrow in the U.S. with a MSRP of $64,900. Only 1,960 will be built which coincides with the 1960 12-Hours of Sebring won by the 550 Spyder Type 718 RS60.

Read

Don’t get too excited by the title like we did. Porsche just released a press release titled “Three Porsche Firsts To Be Shown At The Greater New York International Auto Show.” However, none of the cars mentioned in the press release are a ‘first.’

We already saw the Porsche 911 GT2 at the LA Auto Show in November 2007 and the Cayenne GTS made its auto show debut at Chicago earlier this February. The only exciting cars on the list are the Limited Edition Boxster RS 60 and RS Spyder, which will make their auto show debut in New York.

Nice try Porsche. You almost had us, not to mention we’re highly disappointed now. We’re going to stick taking pics of the RS 60 and RS Spyder on Wednesday. Would’ve been nice to see the Panamera or even the Cayenne Hybrid.

Read

Porsche has said in a statement that reports of it planning to increase its 31 percent stake in Volkswagen to 75 percent were pure speculation. The report was in Focus magazine, but cited no Porsche representative in its assertion.

"The speculation that it would increase it to 75 percent ignores the reality in the VW shareholder structure," Porsche said. "The background of these latest media reports are apparently bourse speculations which can be traced to ideas being mooted about by analysts and investors."

Porsche is currently the single biggest shareholder in Europe’s biggest carmaker, followed by the German state of Lower Saxony with its 20 percent shareholding. Even if Porsche were to attempt a stab at acquiring the remaining shares on the open market it would be extremely difficult; Germany’s powerful unions would probably not take too kindly to such a move, even though Porsche most likely saved VW from a possible foreign takeover by its shareholding move.

Read