Porsche cars

2013 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Martini Racing

The world of motor racing has seen many cross-industry partnerships, but when it comes to Porsche’s racing history, there are two brands that are normally associated with it: Gulf and Martini.

The latter, in particular, has had a long partnership with the German automaker that dates back to 1968. Since then, Porsche racecars dressed in the iconic Martini Racing livery has become the stuff of legends.

With the Italian multinational alcoholic beverage company celebrating its 150th anniversary, it was only right to bring back its racing colors and return to racing.

And it did so with the return of the Martini livery on the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup when it competes in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Barcelona, Spain. The car itself will be driven by nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb. Loeb will compete in the first two races, while a still-to-be-determined driver will take the reins of the Porsche racer at a third race later this year.

It goes without saying that Martini Racing’s involvement is not only a way of celebrating its esteemed history as one of the premier alcoholic brands in the world, but also as a hat tip to the bygone days when the two companies won multiple titles together, including a handful of Le Mans 24 hours victories.

As for the car itself, the 911 GT3 Cup is a bonafide bad-boy, built and designed for racing purposes and anchored by a 3.8-liter flat-six engine that produces 460 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque while mated to a six-speed "dog type" transmission. The racecar’s performance numbers allow it to hit 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 193 mph.

Click past the jump to check out other vehicles dressed up in Martini Racing livery

Porsche 918 Spyder is Not Sold-Out, Yet

When Porsche announced prices for the upcoming 918 Spyder, it was also reported that the supercar was sold out. Apparently that’s not true, as Porsche head of R&D, Wolfgang Hatz reported that the hybrid supercar is not yet sold out. He also made it quite clear that it will sell out quickly once prospective buyers have the chance to test the supercar.

Speaking with AutoCar at the Shanghai Auto Show, Hatz said that the car’s high price may be the reason why the company still has some units left. Hatz also reported that up to this point, the company has sold more 918 units than it had at the same point in the launch process of the Carrera GT. With that comparison, Porsche certainly has the right to be confident.

Hatz also reported that it is not correct to compare the 918 Spyder with models like 2014 LaFerrari and McLaren P1, because, "at present, nobody outside our R&D group has experienced a super sports car with more electric power."

Click past the jump to read more about the Porsche 918 Spyder.

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo

The new-generation 911 Turbo was caught testing many times, but today the Stuttgart-based company decided to finally drop the official details on the new model.

The exterior brings no major changes, but we have to admit it is the best looking model from the new generation 911. It received a new all-wheel-drive system, active rear-axle steering and adaptive aerodynamics among many other new features. The new 911 Turbo also features the widest body of all 911s, as it is about 28 mm (1.10 inches) wider than the 911 Carrera 4 models.

As previously rumored, the new 911 Turbo will only be offered with only the PDK gearbox.

The 911 has taken a lot of heat from plenty of manufacturers as of late, including a relative newcomer to the realm – Nissan – so buyers now have more choices than ever. Is the 911 Turbo still the king of the hill?

UPDATED 05/03/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.

Click past the jump to read more about the new Porsche Turbo.

2005 - 2011 Porsche 911 RS1 Street by LOMA

LOMA is best known for its work on the C6 Corvettes, but recently the German company has decided to turn its sights on Porsche. Because of the company’s location, all of the parts in the kit are made in Germany using carbon fiber, which is something a Porsche owner will prefer.

The 911 GT3 RSR is one of the most awesome Porsches ever built, but it’s not built to handle daily driving nor is it priced for the average Porsche buyer. To help satisfy your urge to own one, LOMA decided to make a kit to allow for you to turn your 997 into an RSR.

The 911 retains the stock engine that produces at least 325 horsepower, but LOMA offers a sports exhaust system to give the car more of a racecar soundtrack. The suspension and brakes also stay the same as the stock car, so the car doesn’t ride any lower than stock unless you decide to lower the car yourself.

Hit the jump to read more about the Porsche 911 RS1 by LOMA.

Video: Porsche 911 GT3 Testing Hard at Nurburgring

The new-generation Porsche 911 GT3 made its official debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but there is still plenty of time before the new sports car hits showrooms, leaving plenty of time for some extreme testing.

These past few days, Porsche has taken advantage of this time by bringing a new GT3 prototype to the Nürburgring Nordschleife for some hard testing sessions. All we can say is that the 3.8-liter boxer engine found under the hood sounds like music to our ears! Watch the video (above) if you don’t believe us!

The new 911 GT3 delivers a total of 475 horsepower, which is enough to sprint to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds and up to a top speed of 195 mph. The problem is that Porsche decided to only offer a PDK gearbox, with no manual alternative being offered for those with a true driving spirit.

According to reports, the new 911 GT3 ran the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 7:30 minutes.

Report: New Porsche 911 Turbo Losing Manual Transmission; Lapping Nurburgring in Under 7:30

It started with the 2014 911 GT3, and a report from Road and Track claims that Porsche decided that the new-generation 911 Turbo will also be offered only with a PDK gearbox. So those of you who were hoping for a manual 911, you’ll have to hurry and snag one up in the current generation.

Along with the transmission shift, the report also claims the new 911 Turbo will offer lots of innovations, like a computer-controlled center differential, water-cooled Haldex unit and rear active steering for more maneuverability. Also, when compared to a base 911, the new-generation Turbo will be about 2.8 inches wider and, for the first time, the car’s roof can either be painted or made in glass or carbon fiber.

The base Turbo model will deliver a total of 520 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, while in the S version it will be increased to 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet. Top speed will be limited to 196 mph, but if the tires could handle it, it could have been easily increased to 207 mph. Fuel consumption has also been lowered by 13 percent.

We have kept the best for last. The current 911 Turbo lapped Nürburgring in 7:39 (7:37 for the S version) and rumors now point to the new Turbo to coming in at way under 7:30. Could it beat Carrera GT’s 7:25? We’ll see.

Click past the jump to read more about the 911 model

Porsche Briefly Flirted with F1 Before Opting for Le Mans Comeback

Porsche’s comeback in Le Mans was a long time in the making. As the automaker with the most wins in the race’s history at 16, Porsche returning to the scene of its glory has put the clock on its rivals.

But it wasn’t the only racing series the automaker was considering.

Before deciding on a Le Mans comeback, Porsche R&D boss, Wolfgang Hatz, told Autocar that the company also considered Formula One. In the end, however, the decision was made to return to Le Mans because conditions in Formula one were so "extreme that it cannot result in any development in our road car understanding."

It’s a valid reason, especially considering that Formula One technology seemingly has a life of its own and it didn’t make sense for Porsche to spend valuable resources and finances in a series that wouldn’t translate to its production development.

So there it is. Formula One’s loss - if it cares - is Le Mans’ gain. And with the competitiveness of the latter in the past few years, the return of the king will only make Le Mans even more fun to watch.

Click past the jump to watch Porsche’s history at Le Mans

2012 - 2013 Porsche 911 SpeedRoad by Delavilla

For Porsche, the Speedster name has a special meaning. The name first appeared on the Porsche 356 and that car made the name a legend. Original 356 Speedsters are now some of the most valuable classic Porsches.

In more recent years, the Speedster name has been linked to the 911. These special-edition cars were sold in limited numbers to help keep them as exclusive as possible in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

The cars picked up on features from the original such as a low-roof line and they added in a body colored rear fiberglass cover. These cars were great for sunny areas, but the tops are known to allow some water leakage and excessive wind noise, so they aren’t that great in rainy weather or for extended highway driving. The possibility of water getting into the cabin is so great that Porsche actually made buyers agree to this fact when buying the car.

The looks of the 911 Speedster are unique and eye catching, but what if you want this look in a new 911 (991) with a much better top? Well, DeLaVilla may have the solution for you, as it has created a kit that can turn the 991 Cabriolet into a Speedster. They call this conversion the SpeedRoad.

The car retains the stock engine, so it will still provide you with 350 horsepower found in the standard Carrera form or 400 horsepower in the S model. Handling and brakes all stay the same as the stock car, so you will still have the great Porsche driving package that you had when you first bought the car.

Hit the jump to read more about the 911 SpeedRoad by DeLaVilla.

2014 Porsche Cayman

It was little more than logic that once Porsche dropped new-generation Boxster onto the market, the Cayman was the next one to be uncovered. Its world debut was made today at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show and sales on the American market will begin in the Spring of 2013 a starting price of $52,600 for the Cayman and $63,800 for the Cayman S. Prices do not include a destination charge of $950.

The problem is that the next-generation Cayman offers no surprises. The design language, interior and engine lineup, we have seen it all in the previously announced Boxster. When compared to the previous generation, the new Cayman is 66 lbs lighter and 15 percent more fuel efficient. Engine’s output has also been increased by 10 horsepower in the standard model and by 5 horsepower in the S version.

With all those updates is the new Cayman any better than the model it replaces?

Updated 04/08/2013: Porsche has unveiled a new video featuring Chief Driving Consultant, Gordon Robertson, exploring the "Power of Balance" in the all-new Porsche Cayman.

Updated 04/26/2013: Porsche has dropped a new commercial (above) for the latest Cayman sports coupe. Called "The world is a curve," the new commercial was produced in cooperation with Pixomondo. Enjoy!

Hit the jump to to read more on the Cayman

2014 Porsche Cayman by TechArt

After the Boxster got a little TechArt love, the German tuner turned its attention to the 2014 Porsche Cayman. TechArt offers a very nice aerodynamic kit that not only makes the car look better, but it also improves the car’s aerodynamic features.

For the exterior, the tuner is offering a new front spoiler with integrated splitter and for the rear, a new spoiler, a new diffuser and central end pipes for the new sport exhaust system. The car sits on a set of 21-inch light alloy wheels in either a classic five-spoke design or a dynamic twin-spoke design. Additionally, TechArt added in a new sport spring kit that lowers the car’s ride by 35 mm (1.37 inches).

The interior has also been updated with decorative stitching, lacquered surfaces, carbon-fiber trims and a three-spoke sport steering wheel with ergonomically mounted paddle shifters.

Click past the jump to get a closer look at the new TechArt kit.