Autoblog

Porsche is one step closer to its goal of purchasing Volkswagen. Back in April of last year, the German automaker passed the 30-percent mark, forcing it to make an outright offer for The Volkswagen Group in its entirety, which it did. Not too many VW shareholders sold their stake to Porsche, as the bid was for the bare minimum amount allowed by law. Still, the legal requirement had been met, allowing Porsche to continue gobbling up the automaker according to its own timetable. Earlier this year, the VeeDub board approved a request by Porsche to obtain 51-percent of the company for some $15.73 billion, which would give it a majority stake. Before the house that Ferdinand built could complete its acquisition, the European Commission required it to make one last purchase, which took place in June of this year. Finally, the EU has granted its permission for the buyout.

This story is likely far from over, as the German State of Lower Saxony still claims a 20-percent stake in Volkswagen, which gives it certain rights to block decisions made by VW's new parents. Still, it seems that its only a matter of time before VW and Porsche are united under a different Ferdinand... Piech that is, grandson to Mr. Porsche himself.

[Source: Reuters]

Click above for a larger image of the Porsche Cayman S Sport.

The Cartribe crew is living up their reputation as the newest embargo breakers in the biz, with a follow up to their original story that the Porsche Cayman is getting a serious Sport injection ahead of the new model's debut next year.

The Porsche Cayman S Sport is packing 303 hp, up from 295 hp, and will come equipped with Porsche's Active Stability Management system, a 10mm suspension drop, blacked-out wheels and a two-tone paint scheme aping the 911 GT3.

Pricing is rumored to be set at £49,890 and expect more details to be revealed shortly.

[Source: Cartribe.co.uk]

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the GT Street RS

The Porsche 911 GT2 has 530 horsepower, 505 lb-ft of torque and is capable of going 204 mph. And it's not enough. Not for TechArt, at least. You know TechArt. They take Porsches that already push the limits of performance and go all Chuck Yeager on them, probing for new and more crazy limits. Generally they find them, then they package them up and offer them to the moneyed public. Case in point: the new GT Street RS. What begins as a "normal" GT2 turns into a 700-horsepower, 634 lb-ft (860 Nm) warp-enabled street predator when the TechArt people are through messing with it.

The myriad changes include new bodywork that improves the car's aerodynamics, updated chassis components, a customized and caged interior, and a laundry list of underhood modifications. The turbos, intercoolers, headers, electronics, pressure sensor, air filter and exhaust system all get updated by TechArt, facilitating the transformation from factory supercar to ballistic missile with wheels. Now, where'd we leave those launch codes...


[Source: TechArt]

When the Panamera arrives next year, it will come bearing two weighty things: a 4.8-liter 520-hp twin turbo V8, and a $197,000 price tag. Beneath that model -- and price -- will be the normally aspirated V8. And to even get into the Panamera party, you'll need $127,000, which will get you a measly 3.6-liter V6, but that doesn't arrive until 2010.

That turbo motor, run through a seven-speed PDK gearbox, will get up to 186 MPH. However, if you want your power a little more electric, then you'll have to hold off for the 300-hp hybrid model coming in 2011. It will pair the V6 with a 100-hp electric motor. And if all of that isn't enough, Porsche is waiting to see how many folks might request the V10 from the Carrera GT, or Audi's monstrous V12 TDI. Of course, you can expect that kind of power to be a load more Geld.


[Source: Inside Line]

Click either image for a high-res gallery.

Over the past five years, Volkswagen has continued to tease us with sports car concepts that never seem to come to fruition. Back in 2003, VW unveiled the Concept R in Frankfurt to critical acclaim and two years later, the wraps came off the EcoRacer, proving that the automaker was still kicking around the idea of a lightweight, affordable roadster for the masses.

In the interim, VW had two similar concepts that never left the studio, but when the Los Angeles Auto Show rolls along later this year, a new mid-engine coupe will be revealed, and this one actually has a shot at production.

According to Autocar, this newest concept aims to be a budget alternative to the Lotus Elise, balancing performance and fuel economy in a low-cost package. Sources suggest that the coupe will feature either a 168 hp, 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine or a 125 hp, 1.6-liter TDI mounted amidships and sending power to the rear wheels via a seven speed DSG gearbox. If and when the production version debuts in 2011, the coupe's curb weight is pegged at just over 2,200 pounds, allowing it to run to 60 in under seven seconds while still returning over 55 mpg.

If the project is given the green light, the same architecture that underpins the VW variant could form he basis for the oft-rumored and continually denied Audi R4. And with Porsche's stake in V-Dub, that means a 914 successor is just a badge and prayer away.



[Source: Autocar]

The Porsche Cayman is due for a makeover, and to coincide with the automaker's 60th anniversary, Porsche will be offering a Sport version of its mid-engine coupe as a fitting send off before the next generation arrives in 2009.

CarTribe is reporting that the Cayman S Sport will be equipped with some of the same kit featured on the Boxster S Sport, including a chronos package, upgraded brakes and suspension, along with a two-tone paint scheme that could ape the Porsche 911 GT3. Power upgrades will be nominal and pricing is expected to be around £47,000 in the UK. Porsche might roll out the Cayman S Sport at the London Motor Show this week, but it's more likely to be soft launched later this year.


[Source: CarTribe via WCF]

Click above to watch Porsche's PDK gear box in action

Porsche's unveiling of the 2009 911 Carrera also came with the introduction of the new PDK seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox. It can shift 60-percent faster than the Tiptronic system, and reportedly helps the 911 S lap the Nurburgring eight seconds faster than the six-speed variant. Porsche has released a video explaining more about how the PDK works, showing off the dual wet clutches that are simultaneously connected to two gears so that when gear is engaged the next gear has been selected, essentially providing instantaneous shifts. Follow the jump to watch the PDK gear box in action and learn more about how the dual clutch system works.

[Source: Autoblog.it]

What do Porsche and Lamborghini have in common? Well, a lot. To begin with, both make highly desirable sports cars, and after the former bought up a serious stake in Volkswagen, which in turn had bought the latter, both are now under common ownership. Both have produced insanely powerful sport-utilities and both have built tractors. Lamborghini started out making tractors before Ferruccio's infamous run-in with Enzo Ferrari, after which he started making sportscars. The rest, as they say, is history. Porsche, on the other hand, started out in the opposite direction, producing sportscars before eventually moving on to sport-utes. But back in the 1950's, Porsche made a series of tractors as well. Now one enthusiast has brought it around full swing with this unique Porsche tractor.

The machine started out as a 14.5hp Partner lawn mower before its owner went to town, taking apart the engine and painting it yellow, fitting a custom stainless-steel exhaust, a fire extinguisher and a tachometer crafted from a 911 oil filter, then painting the body "Grand Prix Weiss" with "Idischrot" red accents. The result? Well, it won't be setting any Nürburgring lap records, but we'd be happy to see it face off against an old Porsche Diesel Super tractor to see which could mow The Green Hell fastest.

[Source: The Car Connection]

London motorists can rejoice after a planned £25 daily congestion charge was lifted by a signature of consent order by an administrative court in London. Porsche was a major voice against the charge, and the German automaker went full-tilt in the courts to throw out former mayor Ken Livingstone's hefty tax. The proposed tax likely didn't do much good for Livingsone's re-election campaign, which he lost to Boris Johnson in May, who campaigned against the charge.

As the victor in the case, Porsche will receive a six-figure lump sum to pay its legal bills, but the German automaker isn't interested in the money. The money will be donated to UK-based Skidz, which teaches at-risk kids to be automotive mechanics. Mayor Johnson will now work to introduce a 'fairer and more effective' congestion charge. Hit the jump for a bit of Porsche gloating in press release form.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

As we reported previously, following the unveiling of the new 997-generation 911, Porsche is preparing to unveil the new Targa variant. However someone seems to have gotten the jump on Stuttgart, snapping a few shots of an undisguised new Targa ahead of time.

The model in the spy shots is the all-wheel-drive Targa 4, identifiable by the badge on the rear deck (most obviously) and by the red tail-light strip running the width below it like on the fixed-roof and convertible Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S. The shots also seem to indicate that the contemporary glass roof on late-model Targas will carry over to the new model, however we'll have to wait a bit until Porsche releases official details to get the full 411 on the new glass-top 911.

[Source: GermanCarScene]