Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[9ff speeds into Essen with Speedster-inspired Speed9]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/22/9ff-speeding-into-essen-with-speedster-inspired-speed9/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/22/9ff-speeding-into-essen-with-speedster-inspired-speed9/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/22/9ff-speeding-into-essen-with-speedster-inspired-speed9/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


9ff Speed9 - Click above for image gallery

If you love the spirit of SEMA but tend to lean towards more European tastes, Essen is the show for you. The annual aftermarket show in Germany always brings out an enticing crop of European tuner cars, and 9ff isn't about to let it go by without making its mark.

The Porsche tuner is hitting Essen with the Speed9, a slick speedster inspired by the legendary 356 (circa 1955) and based on the latest 997 Turbo cabrio. Naturally, 9ff started in the rear, boosting the 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat six from 473hp stock up to a whopping 650, all by tweaking the ECU and swapping out the air filter, exhaust and catalytic converter. The tuners have also fitted adjustable stabilizers front and rear with double springs at each corner, coupled with upgraded brakes.

There's no word yet on what effect the mods will have on performance, but you can't miss the body kit 9ff has developed. They've done away with the rear seats to give the cabrio a speedster-like profile, while fitting a new front air dam, side skirts and rear apron. No word on price either, but you can expect it to be commensurately expensive, with much of the range customizable to order.


Gallery: 9ff Speed9 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio


[Source: 9ff via WCF]

9ff speeds into Essen with Speedster-inspired Speed9 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911 turbo911Turbo9ff9ff 997 turbo9ff porsche9ff speed99ff997Turbo9ffPorsche9ffSpeed9essenessen motor showEssenMotorShowporscheporsche 911porsche 911 turboporsche 997Porsche911Porsche911TurboPorsche997speed 9Speed9Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Another day, another racing 911: Introducing the Porsche GT3 R]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/19/another-day-another-racing-911-introducing-the-porsche-gt3-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/19/another-day-another-racing-911-introducing-the-porsche-gt3-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/19/another-day-another-racing-911-introducing-the-porsche-gt3-r/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 R - click above for high-res image gallery

Over its nearly half-century of its existence, the Porsche 911 seems to have spawned nearly as many racing variants as production models. The newest one announced is the 911 GT3 R, which, as the name implies, is targeted at GT3 class racing worldwide. The GT3 R is the followup to the GT3 Cup S model and just as with its road cars, Porsche has aimed to make the new racer both faster and easier to drive.

The GT3 R is derived from the most recent Cup car that was launched in September. It uses a larger normally aspirated 4.0-liter version of the classic flat-six that cranks out 480 horsepower. Like other road racing 911s, this one is rear-wheel drive only and uses a six-speed gearbox. The GT3 will be shown publicly in January at the Birmingham Motor Show in the UK before deliveries to teams start next spring. Since we can't afford one, we're hoping to see a few of these in the ALMS' new GT Challenge class next season. High-res gallery below, official press release after the jump.


Gallery: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 R


[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Another day, another racing 911: Introducing the Porsche GT3 R

Another day, another racing 911: Introducing the Porsche GT3 R originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911 GT3 RS frankfurt911Gt3RsFrankfurt997ALMSbirmingham motor showBirminghamMotorShowGT ChallengeGT3GT3 RGt3RGtChallengePorscheporsche 911porsche 911 gt3Porsche 911 GT3 RPorsche 997Porsche Motorsportporsche motorsportsPorsche911Porsche911Gt3Porsche911Gt3RPorsche997PorscheMotorsportPorscheMotorsportsThu, 19 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Dutch Porsche dealership covers new 997 Carrera S in milk chocolate for the holidays]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/dutch-porsche-dealership-covers-new-997-carrera-s-in-milk-chocol/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/dutch-porsche-dealership-covers-new-997-carrera-s-in-milk-chocol/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/dutch-porsche-dealership-covers-new-997-carrera-s-in-milk-chocol/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Porsche Centrum Gelderland's chocolate 911 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Back when we were but wee little Autobloggers, Easter was one of our favorite holidays. Not that we were religious, mind, we just really dug finding baskets filled with sugary treats nestled in plastic grass first thing in the morning. As far as we were concerned, you could keep your colored eggs, your jellybeans, your Cadbury creme eggs - heck, we weren't even that excited about those supernaturally yellow marshmallow Peep things - we wanted the Big Daddy - the solid chocolate bunny.

You can imagine our horror, then, when at some point in our childhood, our long-eared cacao friend went on a diet, although we didn't know it right off. Oh, he looked about the same - and he even sported the same jaunty tinfoil jacket. But he weighed much less - he was - *shudder* - hollow. Empty inside like our little crestfallen Easter morning spirits.

Thankfully, these many years later, Porsche Centrum Gelderland appears to be going some way towards healing our childhood wounds and restoring our faith in humanity. Well, if not humanity, at least in the validity of hollow chocolate treats. You see, the Dutch Porsche dealership has apparently taken a brand-new 911 Carrera S and as a sort of marketing stunt, they've gone and covered it in chocolate. According to AB tipster Patrick, in the absence of a giant dipping mechanism, they've used 175 kilos of molten goodness (that's about 385 pounds) to conceal Stuttgart's finest, reserving another couple kilos of white chocolate for detailing like the headlamps.

Why on earth did they decide to do this? It's apparently for a Dutch holiday centered around "Sinterklaas" - Saint Nicholas - who was the Danish inspiration for Santa Claus. As the story goes, the holiday is held in The Netherlands on the evening of December 5, and one of the holiday's most storied traditions is that people buy or make chocolate letters in celebration - hence the milky goodness that is Centrum Gelderland's Choco997.

The dipped Porsche will remain on display until Christmas, at which time we fully expect to see it wheeled into a walk-in freezer until it can to be thawed in time to make an appearance in our Easter basket next Spring. Thanks for the tip, Patrick!


Gallery: Porsche Centrum Gelderland's Chocolate 911


[Sources: Automobiel Management; Autotelegraaf.nl]

Dutch Porsche dealership covers new 997 Carrera S in milk chocolate for the holidays originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CacaoChocoChocolateChocolatierEasterPorschePorsche 911Porsche 997Porsche CentrumPorsche Centrum GelderlandPorsche911Porsche997PorscheCentrumPorscheCentrumGelderlandSinterklaasStuttgartTue, 17 Nov 2009 19:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Heroes or Vigilantes? Canadian citizens go on 100-mph chase in Porsche 997 to catch suspected rapist]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/heroes-or-vigilantes-canadian-citizens-go-on-100-mph-chase-in-p/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/heroes-or-vigilantes-canadian-citizens-go-on-100-mph-chase-in-p/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/23/heroes-or-vigilantes-canadian-citizens-go-on-100-mph-chase-in-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Here's the facts: Two Canadian men in a Porsche 997 encountered a woman (who jumped in front of their car) claiming that a man in a nearby Pontiac Wave (that's a Chevrolet Aveo to me and you) had just tried to assault her. The woman climbed in the back of the 997, and with the police on the phone, the Porsche boys chased the Pontiac all over Ottawa at speeds up to 170 km/h (around 105 mph). The chase, which sometimes involved residential roads, lasted about 20 minutes with the perp finally heading the wrong way through a McDonald's drive through and entering a roadblock set up by the police.

Now, of course, the police knew where the Pontiac was because of the actions of the men in the Porsche. And therein lies the dilemma. In Canada, "some [are] hailing the men as heroes while others are denouncing them as reckless cowboys." Ottawa Police Chief Vern White says that the dispatcher should have told the men in the Porsche to stop their pursuit - but didn't. As far as heroics, "When they put her in the back of the car, that was heroism," White said. "What happened after wasn't." Your thoughts? Thanks to Ben for the tip!

[Source: TheStar]

Heroes or Vigilantes? Canadian citizens go on 100-mph chase in Porsche 997 to catch suspected rapist originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911997CanadaOttawaottawa policeOttawaPolicePorschePorsche 911Porsche 997Porsche911Porsche997vern whiteVernWhiteWed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tuner creates 1000-horsepower Porsche 911... with bolt-ons.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/09/tuner-creates-1000-horsepower-porsche-911-with-bolt-ons/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/09/tuner-creates-1000-horsepower-porsche-911-with-bolt-ons/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/09/tuner-creates-1000-horsepower-porsche-911-with-bolt-ons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the SPI Sledgehammer

Most stock components in a production car can only be pushed so far. Keep adding horsepower and torque, and eventually...well, something is going to break. Some people, however, are all about exploring the limits. Take Tym Switzer, for example. His tuning company, Switzer Performance Innovation of Oberlin, Ohio has come up with a bolt-on tuning package for the Porsche 997 911 Turbo that offers Bugatti Veyron aping performance. So, how much power can the stock internals in Stuttgart's 3.8-liter flat-6 take? Apparently, quite a lot.

The shop has recorded 850 horsepower and 727 lb-ft of torque on the rolling dyno, equating to over 1000 horsepower at the crank. Real world performance should be mind boggling, with the car reportedly reaching 60 miles-per-hour in the mid two second range, blowing through the 1/4 mile in just 9.79 seconds at 146 mph. Pricing looks to be just as fierce, with the Sledgehammer package retailing for $49,990. While that's a lot of coin for a suite of bolt-ons, the performance would appear to speak for itself. Videos of both the dyno run and the 1/4 mile pass can be viewed after the jump as well as SPI's official press release.

Gallery: SPI SLEDGEHAMMER


[Source: Switzer Performance Innovation]

Continue reading Tuner creates 1000-horsepower Porsche 911... with bolt-ons.

Tuner creates 1000-horsepower Porsche 911... with bolt-ons. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The next Porsche 911, the 998, is doing the rounds on German public roads. By the looks of it, the headlights are more vertical than the current model, and based on what's covered, the front and rear bumpers and valances will see the majority of the work. Intriguingly, the side mirrors on the car are from the 993, which we imagine are for testing purposes only. If the lower rear valance is any indication, the exhaust outlets could come in for revision, as well.

[Source: Global Motors]

Spy Shots: 998 Porsche 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>997998coupesporscheporsche 911porsche 997porsche 998Porsche911Porsche997Porsche998sports carsSportsCarsspy shotsSpyShotsThu, 27 Nov 2008 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Porsche development engines mysteriously appear at TechArt shop]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/05/porsche-engines-mysteriously-appear-at-techart-shop/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/05/porsche-engines-mysteriously-appear-at-techart-shop/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/05/porsche-engines-mysteriously-appear-at-techart-shop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The scandal! German tuner shop TechArt might have thought it was Christmas when it unwrapped three prototype Porsche engines. Final Gear reports that two conventional engines and one "engine of the future" missing from Porsche's development center have been found in the custom car builder's garage, much to Porsche's irritation. TechArt maintains its innocence, stating that employees bought the engines in good conscience and thought they were getting conventional 997 engines. We don't know much more than that, but it appears so far that Porsche is taking the tuner to court for theft, and that two Porsche employees, and two customers, are in the slammer.

[Source: Final Gear via Jalopnik]

Porsche development engines mysteriously appear at TechArt shop originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aftermarketcustom coachbuildCustomCoachbuildporscheporsche 997Porsche997techarttunerTue, 05 Jun 2007 08:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Facelifted Porsche 911]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/spy-shots-facelifted-porsche-911/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/spy-shots-facelifted-porsche-911/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/spy-shots-facelifted-porsche-911/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

911 faceliftWorld Car Fans has some very interesting spy photos up that show type-997 Porsche 911s in coupe and cabriolet body styles sporting updated front and rear fascias.

Around back, completely new taillights are the obvious change, while the front end gets 997 turbo-style intakes in the corners of the bumper.

Obviously, it's still too early to know when these changes are coming and if they'll find their way across the entire 911 range right away. As WCF points out, the just-announced Targa coming in November does not wear any of this new bodywork.

Chances are, however, that in due time all 911s will get the new look. History has shown us that even when changes are "exclusive" to some models (think of the 996 Turbo's headlights), they eventually are applied across the board.

Either way, Porsche aficionados have something to look forward to. For a gallery of full-car shots, head over to World Car Fans.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Spy Shots: Facelifted Porsche 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911 facelift911Facelift997 facelift997Faceliftporsche 911porsche 997Porsche911Porsche997Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:07:00 EST