PORSCHE COOL SITE

Thursday, November 17, 2011

2013 Porsche Panamera GTS

Porsche's Panamera Turbo should be blushing a bright shade of Ruby Red Metallic. After all, the new 2013 Porsche Panamera GTS, which debuted at the 2011 Los Angeles auto show, is essentially a Panamera Turbo, albeit without any turbochargers.GTS is wanting for power. In stock form, the 400-hp, dual-overhead cam 4.8-liter V-8 found in the Panamera S and 4S is a silky-smooth engine that delivers an impressive 400 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque.

Apparently, there was room left for improvement. By tweaking the engine computer, revising valve springs, modifying cam lobes, and installing both a new twin-induction air intake and a sports exhaust system, Porsche's engineers have made the normally aspirated 4.8-liter both more powerful and happier to rev. In GTS guise, the horsepower inches forward from 400 to 430 hp, torque is increased to 383 lb-ft, and the redline creeps upward 400 rpm to 7100 rpm.

911 GTS, the Panamera GTS is awash in black accents. The rear diffuser, window trim, side air outlet panels, rear deck lid decorative trim, headlamp bezels, and washer covers are all painted black. The side sills are also coated in black paint, and even the exhaust tips are finished in a matte black finish.

In typical Porsche fashion, the Panamera GTS interior is trimmed from head to toe in copious amounts of leather and alcantara. Seat inserts, upper door panels, headliner, and center console armrest are all covered in the suede-like material, and the standard sport steering wheel can be wrapped to match upon request. 18-way power adjustable sport seats are standard, as are bespoke door sill guards, gauge faces, and embroidered headrests.

Pricing hasn't been revealed, but it's a safe bet the Panamera GTS will ring in somewhere between the Panamera 4S ($96,175, including destination) and the Turbo ($137,675). Though the notion of buying Turbo-like prowess on the cheap may woo some buyers, the GTS' appeal may be in how it offers greater performance without becoming an exercise in mechanical lunacy. It's something we've come to appreciate in other Porsche GTS models - particularly the 911 - and it's what we hope we can expect from the 2013 Panamera GTS.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

2011 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Panamera Turbo S can be attributed to two main enhancements: Improved turbochargers with titanium-aluminium turbine wheels and modified engine control. The use of the innovative titanium-aluminium alloy reduces the weight of the turbine and compressor wheel. This results in a lower moment of inertia and thus in improved and more agile engine responsiveness.

The new Panamera Turbo S is a unique combination of performance and efficiency, driving dynamics and comfort. The 4.8 litre, V8 biturbo charged engine delivers 550 hp (410 kW), ten percent or 50 hp (37 kW) more than the already very powerful engine in the Panamera Turbo. By the same token, the torque also increases from 700 to 750 Nm. In the “Sport” and “Sport Plus” mode of the standard Sport Chrono Package Turbo and during kick-down in normal mode, the eight cylinder engine delivers fully 800 Nm with the so-called overboost function.

The sporty character of the new Panamera Turbo S is apparent not just in its performance but is also reflected on the exterior. The 20-inch Turbo II wheels with increased rear axle track width, side skirts from the Porsche Exclusive range and the adaptive extending four-way rear spoiler in the exterior colour ensure particularly sporty performance and look. The fusion of exclusivity and sportiness is conveyed in the interior by the bi-colour leather finish, fitted as standard. The new combination of black/cream is offered exclusively for the new Panamera Turbo S with agate grey/cream also being added as an exclusive combination from the autumn.

The Panamera Turbo S costs 167,076 euro in Germany, including VAT and country-specific equipment. Deliveries start in June 2011.

2011 Porsche Panamera Turbo

Panamera - the first all-new Porsche in seven years - to the public in April 2009 at Auto Shanghai, it marked the official birth date of the fourth model in the Porsche family, joining the iconic Porsche 911 Carrera, the Boxster and Cayman, and the Cayenne. The Chinese launch also marked the culmination of five years of work on the part of Porsche engineers, designers and stylists.

"The crucial task for our engineers was to combine Porsche's sporting DNA with all the spaciousness and driving comfort of a luxurious sedan," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Porsche's executive vice president of research and development. "The Panamera is an alternative car concept for the premium customer, and while competing with established vehicles in the class, it will be a clear segment leader in terms of performance, driving dynamics and efficiency."

The 500-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, all-wheel drive Panamera Turbo provides Porsche performance and quality, as well as a level of comfort absent among true high-performance cars. All U.S. Panamera models feature a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox delivering a dynamic driving experience, ultrafast gearshifts without the slightest interruption of engine power, a very high level of comfort for four, and outstanding fuel efficiency when compared to a conventional automatic transmission. The Panamera is the first premium car with an automatically shifting double-clutch transmission to feature an engine start/stop system. It saves fuel and reduces emissions by turning the engine off when it is not needed, such as sitting at a stop light. All engines have advanced and fuel-efficient Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), as well.

The Panamera Turbo EPA fuel economy figures are 15 city/23 highway/18 combined. All Panamera models are not subject to the gas guzzler tax and provide the best fuel economy in their competitive set.

2011 Porsche Panamera

The new, entry-level Panamera is essentially the same car as the S and it, too, is a joy to drive. You give up some raw speed but not much else, and the base model may handle a tiny bit better than the S because it's slightly lighter. Unless you're planning to log time on a racetrack, this new Porsche is plenty quick. And there's good news for denizens of the snowbelt: The Panamera is actually slightly faster with all-wheel drive than with the standard rear-wheel drive and it handles marvelously in ice and snow.

Porsche (PAH3:GR) Panamera, the four-door luxury car that made its debut in 2010. Until recently, I had only driven the Panamera S, which is powered by a 4.8-liter, 400-horsepower V8 engine. What about the base model, which is only now making its debut in the U.S. and has a 3.6-liter, 300 horsepower V6 under its hood? Would it be too slow and pedestrian to seriously consider, even though it costs a good 15 grand less than the S?

The base Panamera starts at $75,375 with rear-wheel drive and $79,875 with all-wheel-drive. That compares with a starting price of $90,775 for the Panamera S, and $136,275 for the Turbo. Standard equipment on the new entry-level model is the same as on the S and includes leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats with driver memory functions, hard-drive-based navigation and 11-speaker sound systems, a sunroof, a power rear hatchback, rear parking sensors, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, and a cooled glove box.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

2011 Porsche Cayenne S

There’s just no other way to describe family trucksters that can bomb to 60 mph faster than any readily available sports car could just a few decades ago—and darn near as fast as even the swiftest sports cars on the market today (we’ll presume a similar price bracket for that analogy).

This feat alone wouldn’t be very astonishing—SEMA is ground zero if you want to see Ford F-150s and Escalades ‘roided out with V-8 muscle. Making these respective crossovers corner as if they sat two feet closer to the ground—say, like a 911 or a G37—is why the Porsche and Infiniti are simply astonishing.

I raced around Porsche’s test track in the Cayenne; and blasted back roads in the Infiniti. Insane. That was the word a friend in the passenger seat used to describe the sensation of the FX carving up blacktop with endless grip, aural V-8 roar, and awe-inspiring confidence. I would use the same word (and several more I won’t type) to describe how splendid—and completely mindbogglingly adept—the new Cayenne feels.

2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder

The Boxster Spyder is a serious piece, and if you want a cushy Boxster, the S is your ride. The Boxster Spyder disquiets those who don't understand. Yes, it's the top of the Boxster model range, but there is no radio, or air conditioner, and door pulls are reduced to cloth straps. Those of you expecting a range-topper with a $61,200 base price to be the traditional full-boat option-mobile will need to re-center. Simply put, the Boxster Spyder is for motorsports.

Boxster Spyder's spiritual predecessors, the 356 Speedster and 550 Spyder, lumpy, idle-averse camshafts and finicky dual carburetors were the price you paid for performance. Instead of all that ruckus, the 320-horsepower 3.4-liter flat six in the Boxster Spyder is wonderfully flexible, happy to loll along in sixth gear or go roaring off for redline. Maximum horsepower happens at 7,200 rpm, and the full 273 pound-feet of torque punches in at 4,750 rpm. Though the powertrain doesn't feel peaky or high strung, there is a distinct determination that kicks in above 4,000 rpm, the result of the Variocam Plus variable valve-timing and lift system doing its thing. The engine also has the classic Porsche-six snarl that adds to the thrill of running through the gears. Fuel economy turned out to be an entirely reasonable 23 mpg despite a week of redline shifts.

Numbers freaks will note that the PDK gearbox is the one to have for extracting absolute speed from the Spyder. Equipped with the traditional manual, the run from zero to 60 mph clocks in at 4.9 seconds, while the PDK drops a tenth off that figure. Springing for the Sport Chrono Package Plus shaves the PDK's run to 60 even more, down to 4.6 seconds and costs you $1,320 extra. Fine, it's quicker with PDK, but the joy with which Porsche's traditional six-speed manual transmission operates, finding perfect synergy between road, man and machine, is worth a few tenths. Simply put, a manual-transmission Boxster Spyder on a windy road is revelatory.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

1960 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe

INTRODUCTION:Pre-A prototypes and a run of quad-cams with the 1500cc engine, the 1600 Carrera GT was a performance 356 that used a larger version of the Porsche 550 Spyder's potent engine. As early as 1958, some Carreras were fitted with a larger engine known as the Type 692. The new unit featured a larger displacement which was better suited for the 1600cc class. Furthermore, it was improved considerably adopting plain bearings and new ignition system.

HIGHLIGHTS:Sold alongside the Carrera de Luxe, the GT was lightened and prepared for racing. This meant it featured little sound deadening or upholstery, aluminum bucket seats, increased compression and slightly more power.

SPECIFICATIONS:Technical director of Porsche Klaus von Rücker was responsible for the new Type 692 engine. It kept the earlier verion's complicated bevel-and-shaft 4-cam valvetrain, but reverted to plain bearings. The increased oil heat was dealt with by a larger oil tank for the dry-sump lubrication system and a pair of oil coolers under each headlight.

DESIGN:The first Carrera GTs to be fitted with the 1600cc engines used Type 692/0 prototype versions that had roller-bearing crankshafts and produced 110 bhp @ 6400 rpm. Less than 40 of these engines were made until Hirth crankshaft supply had dried up then 14 plain-bearing engines were tested until final specification was reached for the Paris Show in October.