My twitter buddy from across the pond @MasterLudo gave me heads up on this latest piece by Caradisiac.com, which is the biggest car enthusiast site in France. In this piece Cardisiac pits young vs old as Bob Sejourne, a “seasoned” automotive journalist and skilled driver and Soheil Ayari a young hot-shoe who is a GT Open Champion and regular test-driver for Caradisiac both compare notes on the iconic 1973 Porsche Carrera RS and the 2009 Porsche GT3 RS. While there is some excellent eye candy in the video below it is all in French. If you happen to understand French then you will probably enjoy this video much more than I did. If not then feel free to skip around to the driving footage and enjoy.
If you want to read the story for yourself, I have included a google-translate link below! Enjoy!
In myregular combing of my usual internet haunts I came across something at CEC’s website that caught my attention. It looks like CEC will no longer be a distributor of famed Porsche tuner TECHART. I am not sure why this is but as a result CEC is selling off all their current TECHART stock at deep discounts to make room for a new Porsche tuner brand that they will be carrying soon. They have not made an announcement but there are not many Porsche tuner brands out there that are on TECHART’s level so the list is short. Could it be Gemballa? RUF? Vorsteiner? I guess we will have to wait and see. In the meantime if you want to get some genuine TECHART gear at a good price then now is the time to hit up CEC before they run out!
We know what you are going to say. “This Porsche is everywhere!” Yes, it is everywhere and now it is here because it is awesome. You have probably seen tons of pics of this car elsewhere but can someone ever really see too many pictures of something that looks this good? This Porsche was easily one of the most anticipated builds of the show this year marking RAUH-Welt Begriff’s (RWB) official foray into the American market. Nakai-san of RWB set up shop just across the way from the Fatlace Paddock and from that point on it was a match made in heaven! Both Nakai-san and Mark Arcenal of Fatlace immediately got to work putting together the first RWB Porsche built on American soil and what you see here is the end result. Nakai-san is known for naming each one of his builds, usually after a favorite brand of alcohol or borrowing from some other point of popular culture. This build, was named “Pandora One.” We are not sure why, but who cares! Pandora One is beautiful, functional, and that is all that matters to us. Expect to Pandora One at select track events in 2012.
Many of us have heard of automotive illustrator Jon Sibal but another artist near and dear to us is simply known as “Dsalni” AKA Dennis. Dennis is known for stylized artistc recreations of some of our favorite builds. However, he also illustrates classic cars in their beautiful stock form like this Porsche Carrera RS print. Class up your joint by hanging this awesome large canvas print. It will set you back about 200 bucks but you pay for quality which makes this artwork well worth the asking price!
Have a spare 2 minutes? Then you should spend them checking out the pair of beautiful Mansory Porsche Panameras built by RTW Motoring. These guys are making me fall in love with the Panamera and that is not an easy task because I was not much of a fan of the car in its stock trim. Besides the exterior stuff Mansory also gave the Panamera some extra push by adding an exhaust and a re-tuned ECU. We likey..
There have been many car show series that have come and gone but the one name that has always had the respect of the import car enthusiasts is “Showoff”. Import Showoff has been around since the mid-90s and while they aren’t quite the force they used to be the name will still bring out the core enthusiasts. The annual Nisei Week Showoff in Little Tokyo is the one show many of us still anticipate with real enthusiasim. Why does the Nisei Showoff stand out? On the surface it doesn’t seem like much. The Nisei Showoff is usually small (ranges from 100-200 cars) but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in quality and atmosphere. Nisei Week Showoff is the show that all the cars the kids jock on the forums go to. So as you can imagine we were stoked to make the trip out to Little Tokyo again for Showoff this year.
While the car count was slightly lower this year compared to last year, Ken Miyoshi and Mainstream Productions certainly did not dissapoint when it came to the quality and variety of cars on hand. There was everything from old school Mazdas and F2o powered classic Celicas to a Lexus LF-A! There was even some European flavor with a few Porsches and a Lamborghini Murcielago parked next to a Gallardo. There were a few classics that we never seen before thus cannot really describe to you but feel free to look through the pictures below and the full photo set in our Facebook gallery to see if you can recgonize everything we shot!
We don’t usually post about SUV stuff very often but we like the Cayenne so we wanted to give any Cayenne owners out there a heads up that RTW Motoring will be bringing the authentic Mansory Cayenne tuning package here for order! If you aren’t familiar with the Mansory package for the Cayenne, it literally transforms the Porsche SUV aerodynamically and shaves some weight on by using a plethora of carbon fiber components including hood, fender extensions, headlight covers, rear spoiler and more. The package also includes LED lights and fog-lights in the front bumper and is finished off with a set of Mansory monoblock 21 inch wheels. This package will easily take a Cayenne from stock to fresh in one stroke. If this kit is your style then hit up RTW Motoring in Hollywood, CA and get yourself set up. For a full list of modifications check out the press release below.
RTW Motoring Releases MANSORY Switzerland’s Tuning Package for the Porsche Cayenne
Los Angeles, Calif. – July 19, 2011 – It takes a lot of confidence to modify one of the planet’s most respected, well-built and aspirational automobile brands. MANSORY tuning of Switzerland not only has the confidence to modify the Porsche Cayenne, they have the vision to enhance and transform an already attractive vehicle. RTW Motoring, MANSORY Switzerland’s exclusive distributor in North America, is a hands-on partner that also skillfully performs the Cayenne tuning package install and paint at their Southern California facility.
At-a-glance, MANSORY’S most prominent modifications to the Cayenne are the high-quality PU-RIM front and rear fender extensions – widening the front by 60mm and the rear by 80mm.
Visual muscle and improved aerodynamics are achieved with the lightweight carbon fiber bonnet, large front air inlets, front and rear bumpers and side skirts. A set of 21” black MANSORY c5/1 mono-block wheels grounds the look and again aides in refining performance. Lightweight wheels help boost acceleration and decrease braking distance. *(see entire list of modifications below).RTW Motoring customized the transformation even further with contrasting black window trim and a black roof rack. RTW was built on providing excellent customer service and superior install of quality products. They are the complete one-stop source providing expert onsite painting and installation of EVERY MANSORY part. RTW never outsources work and can coordinate pick-up and delivery of vehicles anywhere in North America.
For more information visit: www.rtwmotoring.com
*MANSORY Switzerland modifications for Porsche Cayenne:
Front bumper w/ LED lights & fog lights • 21″ Mansory c5/1 wheels
The Panamera is the latest P-car to get a full body massage by the German car fanatics at Vorsteiner. They’ve created tuning program with aero mods, wheels, and a light-weight exhaust all wrapped up in a package that they refer to as the V-PT. As you may have expected all of the body pannels are constructed of Vorsteiner’s signature autoclave dry-carbon fiber. The wheels are chosen by the customer and they have several styles that can be custom made to order. To finish it all off Vorsteiner created a titanium exhaust that shaves 40lbs off the stock unit while adding 10hp. Not bad huh? Even if you don’t like the Panamera you have to admit that the V-PT package does make it a little more enticing than before. If you were already a Panamera fan then this will make Porsche’s sedan downright irresistable to you!
Press Release:
Introducing the Vorsteiner V-PT Edition Panamera
The Panamera V-PT embodies Perfection Redefined. Steeped in tradition, Vorsteiner produces performance minded aerodynamics while maintaining the core of our company values. The V-PT aligns with the classic style associated with Porsche while transforming the Panamera to an aggressive state of mind. Functionality melds perfectly into the components of the V-PT to give your Panamera the edge you desire.
All of the V-PT aerodynamic components are made using our state of the art pre-preg autoclave carbon fiber technology that is then finished off in a multiple layers of UV inhibiting automotive clear laquer. We have also used other exotic materials such as Titanium Forged Aluminum to continue on the uncompromising quality and uncompromising performance additions that encompass the V-PT package for the Porsche Panamera.
V-PT Front Bumper Cover Functionality became the cornerstone of the V-PT kit, and our designers took extra care in making sure the shape of the front fascia maintained a balance of aggression and elegance. This element of design extends throughout the entirety of the exterior package.
The front bumper cover incorporates a splitter which has a removable carbon fiber insert. If there is ever an instance in which the splitter is damaged, the insert can be removed and replaced. To further align with our goal of adding functionality, we have created an optional carbon fiber duct to channel air into the factory radiator and intercoolers. This provides an option to display our high quality carbon fiber weave, or go with a more subtle look and hide the duct behind an aluminum mesh grill insert specially shaped to fit the V-PT air dam. The V-PT front bumper will lend a striking prowess to your Panamera Turbo.
V-PT Side Skirts Vorsteiner’s signature high quality carbon fiber craftsmanship was seamlessly integrated into the design of the V-PT side skirts. The unique style allows for customization of the carbon fiber finish.
V-PT “Ducktail” Rear Spoiler The V-PT Ducktail rear spoiler continues the performance-oriented design. The design of the spoiler conveys a sense of strength and style while keeping functionality in mind as its shape adds down force to the rear of the Panamera. The factory electronic wing remains completely functional with the V-PT rear spoiler in place.
V-PT Rear Bumper A key visual aspect of the V-PT package was achieved by sculpting a highly sophisticated rear bumper cover. It combines three major components. The first one is two vertical ventilation slits that aid in extracting heat from the exhaust system and trapped air behind the wheel arches. The second component is the carbon fiber diffuser. It provides additional down force to the rear axel at Autobahn speeds. The final key design to the V-PT rear bumper cover is our newly developed sub-panel which replaces the factory felt unit. It ensures undisturbed airflow extraction through the V-PT rear diffuser.
V-PT Sports Exhaust System The last piece of the V-PT package is purely about performance. The V-PT exhaust is constructed from a choice of stainless steel or titanium, the latter boasts a weight savings of up to 40% over the stock exhaust system. Our main focus in designing this exhaust was to create a note that would give voice to the VPT. The unique growl is sure to strike a chord with any Porsche connoisseur.
The V-PT package is available now for all 2010-2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo through authorized Vorsteiner dealers worldwide.
In the car corral at the Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach there were literally millions of dollars in exotic cars parked track-side for race attendees to drool over. Many of which were cars I’ve seen before so at first I was a bit jaded until I came across a special few that blew my freakin’ mind! The first of which is this 2010 Porsche GT3 RS in the Blue/Red color scheme! I’ve seen a few examples of the GT3 RS in the wild but it was my first time witnessing the Blue/Red scheme in person and it had me stunned. Granted, it is not a custom color (the color way is available from the factory) but I just think it is one of the most awesome color combos I’ve ever seen! It really sets off the lines of the car and the contrast between the “Aqua Blue Metallic” and “Guards Red” is inspiring.
So, were you interested in picking up the new Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid when it became available? You were? Well good news then! Today Porsche finally gave the 918 a MSRP of just…. $845,000!! Yes, for a measly $845k this economical sports car from Stuttgart could be all yours! It makes you wonder how Porsche manages to stay in business with competitive prices like that! OK, I’ll turn off my sarcasm now. Seriously though, $845k is a lot of money for a hybrid. I would be willing to wager that the 918 will probably get the record for most expensive production hybrid car ever made. If that’s true then I want to be the first to say congrats Porsche! Joking aside, considering the high price tag and limited production (only 918 will be built) it is a sure thing that this car will only appreciate in value as time goes by. So, if you have the cash I’d say this could be a worthy investment!
Now available for ordering, the 918 Spyder will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology and stunning performance, forever changing the future of the super sports car
ATLANTA – March 21, 2011 — After outstanding customer response to the concept car first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche today announced that dealers around the world will begin taking 918 Spyder customer orders. This is a significant step toward actual production of the company’s next super sports car, a Porsche that marries unique plug-in hybrid technology and outstanding performance in a visually stunning and purely Porsche package.
The 918 Spyder will feature a high revving 500-plus horsepower V8 engine assisted by two electric motors with a total of at least 218 horsepower, yet Porsche estimates it will consume only 3.0 L/100 km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Official EPA fuel economy figures or estimates will be announced just before the first customer cars begin arriving in the United States near the end of 2013.
To ensure the 918 Spyder’s worldwide exclusivity, Porsche will produce no more than 918 examples. Start of production at Porsche’s famed factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is planned for Sept. 18, 2013 (9/18), and the U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $845,000 (excluding destination and handling charges).
With its design inspired by past Porsches like the Carrera GT super sports car and the legendary 917 and highly successful RS Spyder race cars, the 918 Spyder remains faithful to the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, the two-seat production version, based on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, will feature a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.
Super high performance with very low fuel consumption and emissions
The 918 Spyder will be powered by a unique plug-in hybrid system that will include a high-revving, mid-mounted V8 engine with capacity of more than 4.0 liters and producing at least 500 horsepower. The engine will be based on the Porsche RS Spyder racing engine that demonstrated its impressive performance and efficiency through multiple Michelin Green X Challenge victories in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power will be transferred to the rear wheels via Porsche’s compact, seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch gearbox.
Two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles – together will provide approximately 218 additional horsepower. This configuration also will offer an innovative, variable all-wheel drive system with independent control of the drive forces on both axles. Electrical energy will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from a standard household outlet. Electric-only driving range is expected to be more than 16 miles on the NEDC. Recharge time will depend on each country’s electrical power network, but charging is expected to take about seven hours at 110V/10A in the United States. A quick-charge option is being evaluated to further reduce charging times.
With anticipated combined fuel consumption of just 3.0 L/100 km on the NEDC, this equates to CO2 emissions of only 70 g/km or 112 g/mile. On the other hand, the Porsche 918 Spyder will deliver super sports car performance. It is estimated that the final production version will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds on its way to an estimated top track speed of 199 mph. It should also tackle Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, two seconds faster than the Porsche Carrera GT. Under the right conditions, the 918 Spyder will be able to drive on electric power alone at speeds up to 94 mph for limited distances.
Customers who order the 918 Spyder also have the opportunity to acquire a special-edition 911 Turbo S Coupe or Cabriolet. Also limited to no more than 918 units, the 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will have exterior and interior design elements echoing the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder supercar’s styling. It features similar exterior colors, carbon-fiber elements inside and out, enhanced leather equipment and numerous acid-green accents on items such as the brake calipers, illuminated sill plates, interior stitching and instrument cluster needles. A limited-edition badge on the glove compartment door will feature the same production number as the customer’s 918 Spyder.
Worldwide 918 Spyder customers can begin ordering this special edition 911 Turbo S sports car today, and customer deliveries will start later in 2011. The U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for the Coupe and Cabriolet versions are the same as the standard 911 Turbo S models, $160,700 and $172,100 respectively, excluding destination.
About Porsche Cars North America
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles in the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for some 195 dealers. From its inception in 1948, Porsche has been a leader in advancing vehicle performance, improving automotive safety and developing ever more fuel efficient technologies in its high-performance models. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that dates back to its beginnings. Today, with some 30,000 motorsport wins, Porsche is recognized as the most successful marquee in sports car racing. PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the Boxster and Cayman sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo strives to maintain a standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with this historic brand.
Loading ...
