Autoblog

Over two years ago a crash involving a Porsche Carrera GT during a Ferrari Owner's Club track day killed two event participants when they hit the wall at over 100 mph while trying to avoid a Ferrari merging onto the front straightaway. The driver and Carrera GT owner was Ben Keaton, an avid automotive enthusiast who regularly shared his wisdom on the website 6SpeedOnline.com. The car's passenger was Corey Rudl, a prospective Carrera GT buyer who wanted to take a ride. The tragic loss of these two lives brought out a great debate in the safety of California Speedway's tight infield road course, the responsibility of the event organizers, and the design of the Porsche Carrera GT itself.

While the track event participates signed waivers noting that they were aware of the inherent dangers associated with driving at high speeds on a closed course, those waivers were dependent on who was found to be negligent in the event of an incident. Tracy Rudl, the wife of passenger Corey Rudl, filed a lawsuit claiming gross negligence by many parties associated with the track event. She recently received a settlement of approximately $4.5 million. The contributing parties to the settlement fund were 2% from the merging Ferrari driver, 8% from Porsche, 41% from California Speedway and Ferrari Owner's Club and finally 49% from the Carrera GT driver's estate.

[Source: Sports Car Market Magazine]

The shooters at KGP were back at the Nurburgring shooting everyone's favorite Godzilla-mobile, and in addition to finally seeing some badging on the grille and bumper of Nissan's GT-R revival, we finally get a clear view of the front fascia and rear end. While the back still remains somewhat obscured, the front leaves about as much to the imagination as a Dita Von Teese spread in Maxim.

The talk of late was that Nissan's boffins hoped to beat the GT-R's main rival, the Porsche 911 Turbo, around the North Loop during testing. But according to the folks at KGP, they've set their sights higher and are looking to match the time of the Porsche Carrera GT. That's a loft goal considering that the Turbo does the deed in 7:40, while the Carrera GT (with Walter Roehl behind the wheel) can complete a lap of the 'Ring a full 12 seconds faster. We wish both Nissan and their hired hot-shoes the best of luck.

[Source: Straightline]

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So many things are possible thanks to the wonders of eBay. Tea with Nelson Mandela? No problem. Ferrari Enzo? Sure, you can have one, and you can even get one with a 26-year-old woman tacked onto the deal.

Needless to say, we aren't surprised to come across a Porsche Boxster with a Carrera GT bodykit -- recessed doors, power hardtop convertible, Tiptronic (or "Triptonic," if you look at the auction listing), and just 16,000 miles on it. It also sports new rims worth $6K. The seller is moving to Hawaii, lucky dog, and has "too many cars," as if there is any such thing.

With a reserve of over $50,000 we're not exactly expecting a blowout, but it is a cool knock-off for significantly less than a bona-fide Carrera GT -- and with Porsche engineering, still. Place your bids here.

Thanks for the tip, Zac!

[Source: eBay]

We've seen plenty of great video shot at the world-renown Nurburgring, and this one ranks right up there. It all starts innocently enough, as a twin-turbo E30 M3 minds its own business through the turns, when a canary-yellow Porsche Cerrera GT just flies by the Bimmer's left flank. From there, the battle-royale insues.

The M3 held its own in the twisties against Porsche's fastest, but even with plenty of twice-turbo'd horsepower, in the straights the GT just blew the doors off the older BMW. It's interesting to note how many bugs met their demise at the hands of the Bimmer's windshield during the six-minute video. Maybe the bugs were attracted to that funky squeeze toy sound that popped up every time the BMW changed gears.

You can see the whole chase for yourself after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

If you ask us, sacrificing a bona-fide Porsche Carrera GT for the making of a movie is almost unforgivable. Sacrificing both a Carrera GT and a Ferrari Enzo for the making of Redline is unconscionable. Now we find out a second GT barely made it out of filming Redline with its life.

Up for auction on eBay is a Carrera GT the seller claims was damaged while the filming the movie. Now, this isn't the GT that is seen going off a cliff, but instead is a GT once owned by the producer that was used and damaged during filming. Damage is confined to the left front, and the car still runs. It's just not drivable due to a busted front axle. The auctioneers warn that the repairs would cost much more than most new cars. Heck, an oil change on one of those probably cost more than some new cars.

Bidding starts at $100,000 (about $340k less than a new, undamaged GT) and is open to anyone and everyone not named Helmut Rehm. It seems Mr. Rehm of Germany hired an American eBayer to win the first attempt to auction the car, but then backed out of the deal. Be sure to read the kind, heartfelt letter to Mr. Rehm in the auction description. Here's an excerpt to whet your interest, "I think you are the lowest piece of $#%@ that walks the earth." Nice.

Check out the gallery for a couple more pictures, see the auction for more photos and detailed description.

[Source: TechEBlog]

After 22 years learning about and lusting after some of the most incredible vehicles on the planet, it seems as good a time as any to celebrate the duPont Registry. The duPont is that seminal catalog of classified ads featuring the highest caliber of motor vehicles. Along with Robb Report and Hemmings (and our own Luxist), the duPont Registry seems to have defined what is hot and what is not at the upper end of the automotive marketplace. Officially launched in April 1985 as duPont REGISTRY, A Buyers Gallery of Fine Automobiles, it featured a $1 million 1931 Bucciali Paris Show Car in the first issue, among other rare classics worth more than our measily little lives. Flash forward 22 years, and you're likely to notice the only Arancio Borealis Pearl Orange Metallic 2005 Porsche Carrera GT ever made, within the anniversary issue's pages.

Publisher Tom duPont has put together this anniversary edition to highlight some of the best of the best from the magazine's past and present. Not one, but two Top Ten lists accompany the issue, showcasing the consistently high level of quality offerings the registry has featured over the course of its 2.2 decades in publication. The duPont staff selected ten of the best vehicles from the first issue, and an additional ten from the current anniversary issue. The selection criteria were that the vehicles be "the most exceptional, valuable and popular entries" from among the listings. The list seems to have something for just about everybody, with cars ranging from muscle cars to exotics to coachbuilt classics.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story and the Top Ten lists.

[Source: duPont Registry]

Click image for hires photo gallery

As Porsche's type-997 911 range matures, the tuners who extend the cars' already formidable capabilities are staying one step ahead of the game. TechArt, known for its comprehensive revamps, is no exception. As we recently showed you, it's been hard at work on a follow-up to the rather awesome 996-based 2001 TechArt GTstreet.

Enter the 997-based GTstreet, one of TechArt's two Geneva debuts (more on the second one later). With a Carrera GT-topping 630 horses and an equally-amazing 600+ lb-ft of torque, the 0-60 claim of 3.2 seconds sounds quite reasonable, if not conservative. Like Porsche's factory supercar, its top end is well over 200 mph. In fact, TechArt claims the car's top speed is 214 mph with its power upgrades and new aero body kit. Official photographs have been posted to go along with the previous sketch we showed you, and we hope to have some live shots posted in a few hours as well. You can read the entire press release after the jump.

[Source: TechArt]

Motor Trend put together a list of future vehicles to come out of Stuttgart over the next few years and although most of the vehicles listed have either already debuted (Targa, GT3 RS) or are common knowledge among devout readers of Autoblog (GT2, Panamera, 928), the article contained a few minor revelations, in the form of new models and technological hurdles.

Naturally, the first order of business is the new variant of the 911, predictably dubbed the 998, which has hit the displacement equivalent of a brick wall. Porsche's engineers have found that the flat-six engine is ill equipped to manage more than 4-liters of displacement and in an effort to achieve the expected increases in performance, the 998 will focus more on weight-saving materials, such as aluminum and will come equipped with a DSG transmission to shave those valuable tenths.

Motor Trend also reports on the development of a small SUV to slot in underneath the Cayenne, which will be based off of Audi's new Q5. The new 'ute will have more performance potential than its Germanic sibling and is expected to come in a three-door body style. The comparisons to Porsche's foray into the Dakar Rally are inevitable, so this new vehicle will have massive shoes to fill if it ever sees the light of day.

Other models worthy of note include a Cayman RS, which will serve as a stripped down model of Porsche's mid-engine masterpiece, although power upgrades from the factory will be minimal as to avoid competition with the Cayman's rear-engine big brother. The new Carrera GT is also on the drawing board, but Motor Trend cites insiders as saying that the new mid-engine, V10 super car won't make it to production until after this decade.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Clearly, there are some drivers for whom the Porsche Carrera GT's stock 605 horsepower is merely adequate. These are the people that supertuner 9ff is targeting with its new program for the über-Porsche.

You can start off easy, with 9ff's new front bumper and spoiler. The lightweight carbon fiber unit increases downforce and helps optimize cooling. It'll run you € 7,980. Next up is the company's 19" wheel upgrade. A set of the lightwright, 3-piece, central-locking, aluminum-forged rims will set the buyer back € 14,480. Naturally, there's a suspension upgrade available, and the 9ff SUPERSPORT sport chassis adds another € 7,980 to the tally.

If you're not keeping track, the bumper, wheels and suspension add up to €30,440. The illustration above depicts what the GT will look like with the new nose and rolling stock.

Now, let's get to the serious go-fast stuff. There are two exhaust kits, each increases horsepower by an undisclosed amount, and the quad-pipe "supersport" version costs € 7,980. This brings us to the centerpiece of the tuning program. Two motor tuning packages are available. The lesser version costs over € 35,000 and nets an additional 80 horsepower. That's not the one to get.

The 9ff "Performance Kit 2" is a complete engine conversion package that adds a pair of turbochargers (!), new camshafts, new exhaust manifolds, a muffler upgrade, new catalytic converter, upgraded air filter, air hose, and air box, and ECU reprogramming. The price is steep -- € 95,800 -- but the result is an additional 300 horsepower.

What do you call a Carrera GT with 900+ HP? A super duper car? We're not sure either, but if you have a Carrera GT and an extra € 130,000 (approx. $165,000) to put into it, you can find out for yourself. If you do, please be sure to drop us a line and let us know if it's as fun as it sounds.

[Source: 9ff]

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The Porsche Carrera GT is one magic carpet that certainly doesn't really need to be modified heavily. It's already one of the fastest sports cars in the world, and it looks great factory fresh. German engineers at TechArt, however, always see room for improvement, and have created a very subtle, tasteful set of aerodynamic upgrades that don't negatively impact the car's inherent good looks.

Up front, a new chin spoiler is added to the existing lower fascia and a top-exit air outlet (as seen on the GT3) is fitted ahead of the trunklid. In back, a 3-piece gurney flap is installed on the car's trailing edge, with the middle section permanently attached to the extendable rear wing. All the pieces are unpainted carbon fiber. TechArt leaves the stock wheels and tires in place, and in what must have been an exercise in superhuman self-control, the TechArtists leave the Carrera GT's engine and suspension in stock trim.

But it's TechArt, and you know they can't let something leave their shop without it being more powerful in some way, so they upgrade the intake and exhaust system, increasing maximum power from 612 hp to 635 hp. Because after all, what can you possibly accomplish with only 612 horses?

As is the case with any of their projects, the interior is upgraded with custom leather and carbon fiber trim. Interior options are essentially limitless, as TechArt will create the cabin to-order. The same goes for the paint -- a good thing since that metallic orange won't work for everyone. Dutch customers and Syracuse alumni would presumably be good to go, though. No word on whether or not the customer whose car is pictured falls into either category...

(More pics, press release after the jump)

[Source: TechArt]