Archive for Porsche

Porsche has released confirmed pricing for the Porsche Panamera grand tourer in the UK. The Panamera will start from £72,266 (RM 397,160) for the Panamera S, going up to £77,269 for the Panamera 4S and £95,298 for the top of the range Panamera Turbo.

The baseline Panamera S comes with a 6-speed manual and rear wheel drive as standard, and can be upgraded to a 7-speed PDK dual clutch gearbox for £2,289. The 4S and Turbo has an active all-wheel drive system with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and features the PDK gearbox as standard.

The all-wheel drive does help with traction especially to get all the power down properly from a standing start, since 0 to 100km/h in the 4S takes only 5 seconds compared to 5.4 seconds on the S model, both with the PDK gearbox.

The Panamera is exclusively V8 at the moment with both normally aspirated versions and a top of the line turbo version, but who is to say a Panamera S Hybrid with the same hyrbid powertrain of a 3.0 supercharged V6 TSI mated to an electric motor from the Cayenne S Hybrid won’t appear later?

Sportec has revealed the SP 550mc which is based on the Porsche 911 Turbo at the Geneva Motor Show. Although the tuner has yet to reveal further details regarding the emissions output of this new project, but we do know that it is an eco-friendly sports car which features a CNG, or compressed natural gas conversion kit which simply means that this new iteration of the 911 Turbo can be fueled with either petrol or CNG.

Performance figures starts off with it being able to sprint from naught to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds, all the way to the 331 km/h top speed mark thanks to its 3.6 liter biturbo power plant mounted at the back which is able to produce 550HP and 705Nm of torque. Other upgrades include a special filter that works with the turbochargers that optimizes flow rate which ensures adequate air supply for the engine, a sports exhaust with high capacity catalytic converters and Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires that offer by up to 19% less rolling resistance.

Sportec has also improved the 911 Turbo’s aerodynamic efficiency by installing unobtrusive side skirts, a new front spoiler, a three part apron as well as a large rear wing spoiler. Continue reading to view two more images of the Sportec SP 550mc.

Click here to read the rest of Geneva 2009: Sportec SP 550mc with CNG

Stuttgart-based sports car maker Porsche has revealed the new 911 GT3 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Given an updated look by improving, among others, the front end and rear design, the rear wing and adding the distinctive LED tail lights, the 911 GT3 is now more powerful with its 3.8 liter naturally-aspirated flat-six engine which is good for 435HP and 429Nm of torque.

The improvement accounts for a 20HP bump in performance which enables the car to do 312 km/h. Other features of the GT3 include Porsche’s Active Stability Management (PASM) system as well as Porsche’s Stability Management (PSM) system and ceramic composite brakes, just to name a few.

The Porsche 911 GT3 goes on sale later this year with a prices starting from 98,100 Euros. Depending on what you opt for, it can go as high as 116,947 Euros. Click here to learn more about the 911 GT3 as well as to view an image gallery.

Automotive tuner; Sportec has revealed that it will showcase an ultra-exclusive, up-rated Porsche 911 in Geneva, Switzerland. Based on the “997” 911 Turbo, the Sportec SPR1 M features a wheel spinning 858HP and a chassis twisting 880Nm of torque thanks to a T80 M (based on the 3.6 liter turbo power plant) engine package.

To take things to a another level, Sportec has completely rebuilt the entire car from the ground up and has used a good deal of carbon fiber to keep things light as feather. With the light weight structure, coupled with an 858HP power plant, this is one seriously fast coupe.

The most interesting thing about the SPR1 M is that only 10 units will ever be produced, which makes me wonder about the price tag, over a factory 911 Turbo. The tuner has yet to release any other performance figures, but the previous SPR1 model managed to hit 100 km/h in 3 seconds and continued till the needle hit 300 km/h, which can be achieved in 18.9 seconds from zero. So expect a slightly lower sprint time and a higher top speed mark.

Sportec will also showcase a number of other vehicles including; an Audi RS 6-based Sportec RS700 as well as the SP750 which is based on the “997” Porsche GT2.

The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid concept from 2007 is now back as the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid! The S moniker indicates the gaso-electric Cayenne will not just be for celebrities who’ve outgrown their Priuses, it’ll also be fast! S could also mean Supercharged, as the engine under the hood is the same 3.0 TFSI V6 from the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid Prototype, so you can’t really call it a Cayenne Turbo Hybrid, and Cayenne Super Hybrid just sounds silly.

In fact if you sit down and compare specifications the Cayenne S Hybrid looks like a reskinned Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid Prototype, since the Cayenne and Touareg share a similiar chassis. It’s got the same 333 PS and 440Nm 3.0 supercharged V6, same 52 horsepower electric motor, and the same 8-speed automatic transmission! The hybrid SUV can reach top speed in 6th gear, and uses the 7th and 8th ratios to lower engine revs for better fuel economy, since there is already so much grunt.

Like its Touareg equivalent, the Cayenne S Hybrid has an electric only mode with a maximum range of about 2km. This is used primarily for coasting along the highways on the 8th gear of the transmission (max speed of 140km/h) as the pressure on the accelerator pedal will restart the combustion engine within 300ms, and Porsche says the restart process together with reengaging the clutches is so smooth that the occupants won’t notice it.

Porsche says a similiar system will find its way into the Porsche Panamera so expect the currently V8-only Porsche Panamera 4-door to also offer a V6 Hybrid version called the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

Here’s a nice 2 minute and 41 second video that Porsche made in conjunction with the launch of the new facelifted Porsche Boxster and Porsche Boxster S with the PDK twin clutch transmission. It starts off going back in time to one of the first Porsches without a roof with some motorsports involvement, and then later you get the see the hot red facelifted Porsche Boxster S negotiating some mountain roads. It’s a pretty good production actually, so check out the video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Porsche Boxster Facelift Promo Footage

The 911 GT3 has been updated and is set to make a public debut at the Geneva show in March, so Porsche has released an initial set of images for those of us hungry to check out the changes made to Porsche’s latest “track car for the road”.

The GT3 is the most powerful normally aspirated Type 997 Porsche 911, as the Turbo and the GT2 are turbocharged. The engine has been upsized to 3.8 liters and peak power is now 435hp, up 20 horses from the pre-facelift model. Porsche VarioCam is now active on both the intake and exhaust valves, as the predecessor only had it on the intake valves. 0 to 100km/h takes 4.1 seconds, if you shift the manual gearbox perfectly.

The new facelifted Type 997 Porsche 911 GT3 now has a sports-oriented variant of the Porsche Stability Management system which offers the driver the choice to deactivate Stability Control and Traction Control in separate steps. If turned off, they won’t kick in even at the most dire of circumstances, only when the driver pushes the necessary buttons to let them kick in again.

The car’s aerodynamics have been improved, and Porsche claims overall air pressure pushing down on the car is more than twice greater than the former model. Both front and rear downforce has been improved. Springs and anti-rollbars are now stiffer, and the wheels are lighter, and all of this improves handling.

Along with the improved VarioCam, the keyword for the updates to the new GT3 seem to be “variable”. The 911 GT3 now has the option of Porsche Active Drivetrain Mount (PADM) engine mountings. The PADM recognises when the driver is driving sportily and automatically makes the engine mounts harder and resistant. During normal day to day driving they remain “elastic”, which improves comfort. The front axle can be raised via the active suspension at the touch of a button. It goes up by 30mm to help the car navigate bumpy surfaces and steep gradients.

The 911 GT3 will go on sale in the UK and Ireland for £81,914 and buyers will also receive a complimentary course at the Porsche Driving Experience Centre in Silverstone. For those that cannot enjoy such a privilege at the moment, look after the jump to enjoy some photos and a video.

Click here to read the rest of New facelifted Porsche 911 GT3 initial details

Click for enlarged image

More and more car manufacturers especially those at the higher end of the price range are entering the aftermarket modification domain, traditionally serviced by the likes of Hamann and etc. Porsche is now selling an optional sports exhaust system for the Porsche 911 Carrera and Targa 4 that goes on sale from February 2009 onwards.

The exhaust system has a quad tailpipe layout and each main silencer has a flap that is activated by the engine’s ECU. A driver can press a “sound mode” button on the center console to vary the sound of the exhaust and switch over to a more sporty sound which is activated by the flap.

The 911’s sporty exhaust system retails for 1,610 Euros including taxes in Europe, or US$ 2,500 in the US. While it will only be available from the factory with new purchases in February, an aftermarkat fitment option will be available from April 2009 onwards.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR has been updated for 2009. From the outside, you’ll notice the larger air outlets on nose, which feed air into the radiators. On the rear you have a rear wing with a wider adjustment range. The brakes and wiring harness have also been “weight-optimised” (lightened) to improve handling.

The engine bay has gone through some big changes. For one, the 3.8 liter boxer-6 engine is now 4.0 liters, thanks to an increased stroke of 80.4mm compared to 76.4mm in the previous car. Peak engine power is now actually lower, putting out 450hp at 7,800rpm compared to the old car’s 465hp at 8,000rpm. The rev limiter is fixed at 9,000rpm although the engine has a maximum speed of 9,400rpm. Peak torque remains the same, with 430 Newton meters achieved at 7,250rpm. Porsche says the engine now makes more power at low revs, so for each RPM range the new GT3 RSR actually puts out more power despite the peak numbers getting a slight drop.

The interior has a new multi-function display located above the dashboard which can indicate optimum shift timing. The car is quite programmable, for example even the blinking frequency of the lights in the front apron can be infinitely adjustable to help pit crew recognise their car when it rolls in during a night race. For easier pit crew work, the new RSR also features an air-jack system. The oil filler has been moved to the rear lid, which provides for easier access.

The price? 380,000 Euros, not including VAT. Look after the jump for more photos and a full list of specifications.

Click here to read the rest of Porsche 911 GT3 RSR updated for 2009

Porsche has released 4 more hi-res images of the Porsche Panamera, together with an official announcement of the car’s debut at the Auto Shanghai 2009 show in China from the 20th of April 2009 to the 28th of April 2009. The 4-door GT will make its showroom debut after that in summer 2009.

Although the China display will only feature the normally aspirated V8 and twin turbocharged V8 models, there will also be an entry level V6 engine producing at least 300 horsepower, and the entire engine range features direct fuel injection. The twin turbocharged Panamera Turbo will come exclusively with Porsche Traction Management with active all-wheel drive, but while the V6 and V8 units come standard with rear wheel drive, PTM is an option.

Another option is the adaptive air suspension system that is an upgrade from the regular steel suspension specified on the Panamera. This air suspension can also adjust ride height on the fly, and lowers the car to the maximum setting in Sport Plus Mode. This provides a lower center of gravity. Also an option is PDCC or Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, which from its description in the press release sounds like an active anti-roll bar which auto-adjusts to fight body roll in corners but releases itself for better straight line bumpy road smoothness.

A 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK twin clutch transmission is available, but Porsche did not reveal in this latest press release which transmissions are standard and optional on which models. So we’ll have to wait until the China show for the full details on this new 4-door GT.

Check out the new photos and the previously released photos, all in glorious high-res, after the jump.

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Click here to read the rest of 2010 Porsche Panamera will make public debut in April at Auto Shanghai 2009