2013 Porsche Panamera GT - Car news and review photo

People who need to apex at max g while taking the kids to school will have another option next spring when Porsche brings forth the 2013 Panamera GTS. Basically a sportier version of the current Panamera 4S, the $110,875 GTS will be the third most expensive derivative of Porsche’s sedan, after the $137,675 Turbo and $174,175 Turbo S.

Introduced at the Los Angeles auto show, the naturally aspirated GTS pulls its suspension and brake components from the Turbo—including the blown car’s larger front rotors—while its free-breathing 4.8-liter V-8 gets a revised intake and stouter valve springs. Redline is up 400 rpm, to 7100, and peak horsepower climbs 30, to 430. The engine’s noises are enhanced using a “Sound Symposer” similar to that on the new 911, with an acoustic tube and vibrating membrane that transmits intake snarl to the cabin via the A-pillar.

Down low, the air suspension that is optional on base Panameras is included on the GTS, with firmer shock rates and a ride height that is dropped 0.4 inch. Both the standard 19-inch wheels and the optional 20s wear Michelin Pilot Sport summer rubber, and the rear wheels get 0.2-inch spacers to widen the track slightly.

Visually, the changes include a front bumper from the SportDesign package available on other Panameras (one of the 10 million options on all Porsches) and the deployable three-element, four-position rear spoiler from the Turbo. There’s also some extra black body trim, and a new arrest-me-now red called Carmine joins the palette. In a first for the Panamera, Porsche says it’ll paint the car any bespoke color you can think of.

Leather and Alcantara, the artificial mouse fur that is the universal code for sporty, are used throughout the interior. Sill plaques identify the model as a GTS, as does lettering embroidered on the seats. The Sport Chrono package is standard and adds a “Sport Plus” setting for suspension and powertrain settings, as well as a 5500-rpm clutch-drop launch-control function on the PDK seven-speed auto-manual transmission. You’ll want to try that after the crossing guard leaves the intersection. View Photo Gallery

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2014 Porsche Cajun Rendered - car news

Now that Porsche is officially part of the Volkswagen Group (and not vice versa, contrary to former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking's script), the Zuffenhausen-based sports-car, SUV, and performance-sedan manufacturer is making liberal use of the parent company's parts bin. Joining the Cayenne, which shares its platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q7, will be a more compact SUV called the Cajun—and we’ve now learned that it will be closely related to the Audi Q5.

The curious name is supposed to evoke "Cayenne junior," and, indeed, cayenne pepper is an important element in the spicy Cajun cuisine (which also goes by "Cuisine Acadienne," but the similarities with GMC's three-row crossover SUV end here). Reflecting upon the Cajun moniker, we just wish that Porsche would go back to numbers. But a dislike of integer badges—with the remarkable exception of the 911—seems to have permeated the brand thoroughly. This Wiedeking legacy won't go away any time soon.

An Audi by Any Other Name

Using the Q5 as its technical basis means that the Cajun will essentially stand on a front-wheel-drive architecture: Audi's modular longitudinal platform. That said, like the Q5, all versions of the Cajun will be equipped with Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which won't go by its original name here. The chassis remains unchanged in its key parts, but the Cajun gets its own wheels and a tailored braking system. While the Q5 might seem overly aggressive when equipped with the S-line package, that sort of agility and firmness will be just right for the Porsche.

Power will come from engines out of Audi's parts bin, tuned by Porsche for slightly more power and sound. The engine portfolio will include a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, rated at around 300 hp, and a 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder, good for roughly 220 hp. A higher-boost supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 is possible and could make up to 350 hp. The Cajun could also be offered with the Q5 hybrid’s powertrain, which consists of a 208-hp 2.0 TFSI and a 44-hp electric motor.

carmax.blogspot.com 2011 Audi Q5 2.0T Quattro

As far as diesels go (and they likely won’t come as far as our shores), Audi's 3.0-liter V-6 TDI, sold elsewhere in the Cayenne as well, is a given—probably in two versions, with around 250 hp and 310 hp. An entry-level, 2.0-liter TDI with close to 200 hp is possible. Power will be channeled to all wheels through a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; the hybrid will get an eight-speed automatic. With the most powerful engines, the Cajun could top 155 mph, the magic mark where the Q5 cuts off and a Porsche won't.

If It Looks Like a Porsche

Judging by the exterior styling alone, it will be difficult to tell just how closely the Cajun and the Q5 are related. Porsche's SUV will be shorter, lower, and wider than the Audi. The Cajun will be launched with four doors initially, but an even sportier two-door version is in the works as well.

The Cajun will take over the Panamera and Cayenne's interior styling language, which means a wide central backbone of knobs and buttons, and an instrument cluster reminiscent of those in Porsche's two-door sports cars. We expect an optional Sport Chrono package, complete with an aggressively tuned throttle, a launch control program, and a prominent stopwatch presiding over the dashboard.

The Cajun will be built at the brand's Leipzig plant alongside the Cayenne and the Panamera. It will be launched in early 2013 as a 2014 model; competitors will include the Audi Q5 and SQ5 (naturally), the BMW X1 and X3, the Infiniti EX, and—at the lower range of the segment—even the coupe-like Mini Paceman, a two-door crossover to be based on the Countryman. That's a rich selection for the automotive gourmet with a taste for SUVs; once again, Porsche promises to deliver one of the spiciest dishes.

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2013 Porsche 911 Turbo Spy Car news and review photo

The next 911, known to Porsche and its fans by the 991 internal designation, is ready to launch this fall at the Frankfurt auto show. But as is always the case with the 911, the first showing will be just the beginning: Nobody has mastered the art of holding the public’s interest with a shrewdly calculated sequence of sub-model launches quite like Porsche. (Nor has anybody mastered the art of proliferating a single model lineup with more than 20—yes, 20—variations, which sort of forces a drawn-out introduction.)

One of the 911s we most look forward to seeing and driving is the Turbo, a car named for and defined by its means of forced induction. When the first Turbo launched in Europe in 1974, its performance represented an almost unbelievable leap forward from naturally aspirated 911 models. It required extraordinary skill to drive at the limit, and it wasn't until the 993 Turbo, the first one with all-wheel drive, that the car became somewhat civilized.

Since then, the 911 Turbo has morphed into a super-fast long-distance cruiser, but its performance is still far beyond that of the Carrera and Carrera S. This will remain the case when Porsche launches the next Turbo, based on the 991 model generation, in the first half of 2012.

Growing, but No Pains

The 991 will carry over many parts of the current 997 911 platform, but it will be stretched. It will accommodate front-seat passengers more comfortably, and while the back seat is said to grow, it would take a significant reengineering to actually make it very usable. Either way, the 991 will have a far nicer interior than the 997, taking cues from the luxurious Panamera.

The Turbo, as always, will get wider bodywork in the rear, and it works particularly well on the 991 seen here, which squats on immense haunches. Huge air inlets on its hips will again set it apart from lesser 911s, while ensuring the rear-mounted turbocharged flat-six can breathe. While the fixed, ironing-board-sized rear spoiler of the current car is gone in these pictures, it looks like it may be replaced by a deployable unit like the one on the Panamera rather than ditched entirely.

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While the next 911 Turbo will be bigger, its exceptional handling shouldn’t be compromised, as Porsche will offset the growth with increased use of lightweight materials. It will, of course, remain all-wheel-drive. There will be no major change in the engine room, either, as we expect the 991 to reuse the turbocharged flat-six from the 997—Porsche’s model- and engine-development cycles aren’t exactly in sync. But we do expect a significant power boost. A version of this engine already makes 530 hp in today’s Turbo S, and Porsche managed 620 horses from the port-injected 3.6-liter in the GT2 RS, so something in the neighborhood of 550 hp seems reasonable—well, in a sense; that output is actually quite insane—for the 991 Turbo.

Don’t quite think that’s insane? Consider that today’s Turbo S goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds and rips the quarter-mile in 10.8 at 129 mph. That trails a Bugatti Veyron to 60 by just 0.2 second, falling behind in the quarter by 0.7. The next Turbo’s top speed will inch from today’s 194 mph closer to the magic 200-mph mark. Nevertheless, its small displacement—the direct-injected turbo six is currently just 3.8 liters—should help the Turbo to remain one of the most fuel-efficient supercars extant.

As usual, the next 911 line will spawn spin-offs like few other cars on the road. Besides the various drivetrain configurations—base or uplevel naturally aspirated engine, rear- or four-wheel drive—and Turbo and GT3 versions, Porsche will offer a hybrid and might even add a turbocharged four-cylinder engine to the portfolio. That is a mere possibility at this point and, of course, is not the car seen here; Porsche would have to be careful that a force-fed four didn’t dilute the "Turbo" moniker. On the other end of the spectrum, a completely rabid GT2 based on the Turbo should not be ruled out, although you’ll have to wait some time for that one. Remember: Always respect the sequence. View Photo Gallery

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2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Official Car news and review photo

Volkswagen's corporate parts bin is a great resource, and it's something from which all of its brands get to pluck. This includes Porsche, which took the easy route of adding a gas-electric version to the Panamera lineup by performing a little hybrid-system transplant surgery. The result, the 2012 Panamera S hybrid, makes its debut at the 2011 Geneva show.

The combination of a supercharged, direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6 and an electric motor is not only used in the Cayenne, but also in the Volkswagen Touareg hybrid; the 333-hp gasoline engine is an Audi unit that, in different states of tune, can also be found sans hybrid tech in the S4, S5 convertible, A6, and Q7. With the assistance of a 47-hp electric motor, total power reaches 380 hp, channeled here only to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. All other Panameras sold in the U.S. come with a ZF-supplied seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, while Europeans also can choose a six-speed manual.

Porsche believes the Panamera hybrid's performance is good enough to justify adding the "S" badge. In reality, however, its performance may be closer to that of the standard, V-6–powered Panamera. With the hybrid, Porsche claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.7 seconds; top speed is 168 mph. The last 300-hp base Panamera we tested, equipped with the PDK and aided by all-wheel drive, hit 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and went on to a top speed of 160 mph. The corresponding data for the 400-hp, V-8–powered Panamera S: 4.7 seconds and 174 mph. That said, Porsche tends to conservatively estimate performance, but the lack of the fast-acting PDK transmission and all-wheel drive likely will hamper the hybrid’s launch.

Despite all of the power, the hybrid should shine in terms of fuel consumption, at least in the city. The regular Panamera S is rated for 16 mpg city/24 highway, and we (conservatively) estimate that the hybrid will return 21 mpg in the city and 25 highway. We'll have to wait for the EPA to rate the car for official figures.

What's a hybrid without the option to drive in full-electric mode? Maybe not as satisfying, as buyers of the Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid are experiencing (or, rather, not experiencing). But the Panamera won't disappoint: Drivers can accelerate up to 50 mph on electricity alone, although the range in this mode is just 1.3 miles. Additionally, when the driver lifts off the accelerator at higher speeds, the gas engine will shut off and then be declutched from the drivetrain. Porsche calls this "sailing"; we'd call it coasting, and with the function active up to 103 mph, the cops will sometimes call it speeding.

The Panamera hybrid competes in principle with other hybrid luxury sedans such as the aforementioned 295-hp Mercedes S400 hybrid, the 455-hp BMW ActiveHybrid 750i/Li, and the 438-hp Lexus LS600hL. While the Porsche shares its six-cylinder approach with the less-expensive Mercedes, the capacity to drive on electric power alone puts it on a par with the Lexus. All of these luxury cars have one thing in common: In Europe, their fuel economy is bested by their available diesel counterparts. Should Porsche opt to add a diesel to the Panamera lineup, the hybrid is sure to lose its position as the most efficient Porsche sedan.

For now, however, it wears the politically correct crown—and to flaunt it, there are hybrid badges placed prominently on the rear, as well as on the front doors. The Panamera S hybrid will start at $95,975, which is about $5000 more than the faster Panamera S, but it is also better equipped, as the normally optional adaptive air suspension and speed-sensitive steering are standard here. Look for the Panamera S hybrid at dealerships this summer. View Photo Gallery

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2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition - car news and review photo

Porsche has just started to hype the 911 Black Edition, but is already rolling out that car’s greatest rival: the Boxster S Black Edition. Like the 911, this one leaves a dark impression, with black finishes for not only the body, cloth top, and 19-inch wheels, but the air intakes, roll bars, and dual tailpipes, as well. The top is embossed with "Black Edition" lettering.

The same monochrome look from its 911 sibling dominates the interior. The seats—available either as cloth with leather accents or fully wrapped in cowhide—are all black, as are the instruments and the trim on the dashboard and center console. A badge on the glove box tells you the car’s place in the limited production run, which will number 987 units—that number being the internal model designation for the current- (second-) generation Boxster. The 911 Black Edition, for comparison, will be produced in a run of 1911.

Like the big-brother Black Edition, this limited-edition Boxster packs a lot of extra equipment at a reasonable premium. At $66,150, it costs $6600 more than a Boxster S, but it includes navigation, a premium Bose sound system, xenon headlights, and a few other odds and ends, and is several thousand dollars cheaper than an identically spec'd S.Bargain-Basement Limited Edition

While the 911 Black Edition is powered by an unchanged version of the least-powerful engine in the 911 lineup, a 345-hp 3.6-liter flat-six, the Black Boxster is fitted with the strongest six in the Boxster armory. The 3.4-liter from the Boxster Spyder and Cayman S produces 320 hp at 7200 rpm, narrowing the gap between this car and its 911 counterpart to just 25 horses. The excellent six-speed manual is standard, while the PDK seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is optional. Like any Boxster, the Black Edition can be optioned up with an adaptive suspension and Porsche's carbon-ceramic brakes.

The Boxster is nearing the end of its life cycle, and its replacement is due in late 2011. But the high level of equipment and limited-edition appeal of the Black Edition represents a decent value, and it’s hard to put a price on that sinister look.View Photo Gallery

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