Tag Archives: Porsche

Porsche Gives All 911s Turbos, What To Make Of This Move

September 9, 2015 ndubs77 2 Comments

Porsche has just announced that all 911 Carrera models will be getting new turbocharged engines. There is much to be happy about here, but as with any change Porsche makes, there will surely be lots to gripe about. My take on this is as follows…

911 Turbos for everyone!

Both Carrera and Carrera S models get the same 3.0L flat 6 with twin turbochargers. Porsche says the tune in the Carrera makes 370hp with 330ft/lbs of torque and the tune in the Carrera S makes 420hp and 368ft/lbs of torque.

These are some substantial power numbers, especially considering how German companies always seem to underate their numbers on paper by 10-20%. Sure, maybe a Carrera S will make 420hp at high altitude on 91 octane in Denver, but you can bet it’ll be more than that at sea level with better fuel.

What’s more, all of these modern German turbo engines have proven to be absurdly tune-able. I’ll be surprised if the Carrera S won’t see over 500hp with just an ECU reflash. Maybe 450 or so for the Carrera, assuming there are some tangible differences with their turbos, engines, or fuel systems.

What this all means, though, is that we are ushering in an era of monsterously fast Porsche 911s. It should be a lot of fun, and thankfully, Porsche still offers the option of a proper manual gearbox.

Continue reading Porsche Gives All 911s Turbos, What To Make Of This Move →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Jason Cammisa, a Porsche Cayman GT4, and Pobst. It’s time to watch.

August 27, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Jason Cammisa’s first video with MT is here, and he’s got a Porsche Cayman GT4, and lots of time on his hands. I’ll miss watching Carlos–but Jason’s really excellent, and his wheelman skills are prevalent. Watch this–the Cayman GT4 is an excellent car, and here it gets its due.

-Albert S. Davis

Car Shows

New Hope Auto Show 2015 Day 2

August 14, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

This is our highlight gallery from Day 2 of the 2015 New Hope Auto Show last weekend. Sunday is always about supercars and other european cars, and this year was WAY better than last year.

Everything from a Renntech Mercedes SLR McLaren, to a Lexus LFA, to a Porsche 959 were present, along with the most minty Lamborghini Diablo SV I’ve ever seen.

Enjoy the photos!

Continue reading New Hope Auto Show 2015 Day 2 →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Competition-Prepped 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster at the 2015 Greenwich Concours

Gallery July 2, 2015 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The Porsche 356 is a timeless classic. Small, lithe, and captivating, this was the first of Porsche’s sports cars to hit the market and it lasted until 1965 when it was replaced by the 911. It may have been saddled with a four-cylinder engine derived from Volkswagen, and it may have somewhat resembled a VW Beetle, but it was far from a VW Beetle in any way. The Speedster is the most desirable, and this 1957 was the second to last year of production for the lightweight, dry-weather model so loved by contemporary racers, and today’s collectors. Continue reading Competition-Prepped 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster at the 2015 Greenwich Concours →

Car Shows

Highlights From the 2015 Greenwich Concours Day 2

June 5, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

On Day 2 of this year’s Greenwich Concours d’Elegance we were blessed with a sudden downpour that made everyone run for cover. However, it also covered all of the immaculate cars in some beautiful water droplets, making for some wonderful photos. Rain and clouds also really make the colors “pop”, so I actually prefer it to direct sunlight for shooting cars. I’d imagine that the gentleman in the silver Porsche RSK Spyder (below) might disagree, though.

There were some truly beautiful cars displayed on Day 2, including that bright yellow/green Lamborghini Miura you see above – we saw him driving around on the streets of Greenwich before the show, and promptly lost bowel control. Thankfully we all had a change of pants in the car.

I should also point out that the green Ferrari Daytona Spider (seen below) is the only one ever made in that color, so one of the rarest examples of an already rare car. The Pagani Huayra was also said to be “one of one”, but every Pagani is built custom to order, so every other Huayra is equally “one of one” – people just love to toot their own horn, I guess, but an incredible car for either way. (My Subaru is “one of one” too, if you count it’s unique stone chips)

I thought last year’s Greenwich Concours was the best in recent memory, but this one just may have topped it. There’s more to come from the event, but enjoy looking through our highlight gallery of Day 2!

Continue reading Highlights From the 2015 Greenwich Concours Day 2 →

CARS 101, Opinions

Why Is Paddle Shift Killing the Manual Transmission, and is it a good thing?

May 22, 2015 ndubs77 12 Comments

I am someone who has publicly lamented the decline of the manual transmission. But I’m also someone who has enjoyed the merits of modern paddle shift gearboxes in many different cars.

I find myself very much split on this issue. So lets take a look at the various reasons why shifter paddles are replacing a gear lever and a third pedal in some of our favorite cars, and consider if it really is a good thing or not.

Note: To clear this up right away, by “paddle shift” I mean cars with automated manual gearboxes, either dual-clutch or single-clutch. I am in no way talking about anything like a Toyota Camry with the “sport package”, which has paddle shifters as a marketing gimmick.

1. More versatile on the road. (Having your cake and eating it too)

If you had something like a Lamborghini Diablo back in the mid 1990s chances are you had a lot of fun out on the open road. However, when you got into town and hit traffic, the heavy clutch made driving the car more of a $250,000 chore than an enjoyable way to spend a weekend afternoon. Considering the average speed of traffic on most roads is around 25-30mph, you’d be spending far more time putting along slowly than stretching the car’s legs. It’s a wonder why most owners hardly ever drove their exotic cars.

Today, Lamborghini only offers their cars with a paddle shift transmission. The sales numbers spoke for themselves. Once paddle shift was offered back around 2004, demand for manual Lambos simply fell off.

Paddle shift basically solved all the issues described above with the Diablo. Now, in an Aventador, you can rip your way into town and then just put the car in automatic mode when you hit traffic. You have a car that is a ferocious supercar when you want one, but is also just as easy to drive as a Toyota Camry when you don’t. You are no longer writing a six-figure check to put yourself through misery. And I agree, that is a major plus, especially in cars that had very difficult manual gearboxes like most supercars did.

Continue reading Why Is Paddle Shift Killing the Manual Transmission, and is it a good thing? →

Obscure Autos, Opinions

Hypercar History (1950s-1980s)

May 13, 2015 ndubs77 3 Comments

What is a hypercar? A hypercar is a supercar among supercars.

What is a supercar? A supercar is a faster, more extreme sports car.

What is a sports car? A sports car is a driving-focused machine in purpose with transportation being a secondary concern.

That is a very simplified rundown of the status that hypercars have in the world of automobiles. Supercars are what most people dream about, hypercars are what supercar owners dream about. They are the automobile fully turned up to eleven!

But where did it all begin, and how has this ultimate class of cars developed over time? Let’s go back to the 1950s.

Continue reading Hypercar History (1950s-1980s) →

Car Shows

Awesome Burnouts and Accelerations at the CF Charities Supercar Show!

Video May 4, 2015 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Here is some fun stuff from the CF Charities Supercar Show last year. Naturally, when you hold a car meet on an open airstrip, some shenanigans are going to take place… in fact, the more, the better!

It was a motley crew of cars at the show, everything from everyday tuner cars to a mighty Bugatti Veyron and a straight-piped Porsche Carrera GT.

If you love hearing some engines being thrashed, and you love some tire smoke, then you’ll be glad you gave this video a watch!

-Nick Walker

Car Shows

Our Highlights From the 2015 New York International Auto Show

April 6, 2015 ndubs77 5 Comments

We went to the 2015 New York International Auto Show this past weekend to get up close with all of the cars we’ve been hearing so much about and commenting on in the last few months. NYIAS is always a fantastic time, but this year was the best it has been in 10 years. The show is a bit of a tradition for us to do with our friends, and this year we chose to forgo the press days so we could go with the group. I’ll admit up front that we didn’t get to everything that was at the show, but we had a blast with everyone. Here are our highlights and opinions on the cars we saw.

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Opinions

Screw Every Porsche 911, I Want The Boxster Spyder Instead!

March 31, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, Porsche dropped the awesome Cayman GT4. Well, now there’s one without a roof, the Boxster Spyder that weighs just 2900lbs. With a “detuned” (probably not really) version of the same 3.8L flat six, Porsche says the Boxster Spyder has at least 375hp. It also only comes with three pedals, and a little stick between the seats that is used to shift gears. Thank God!

So really this is the ultimate Porsche driving experience currently on sale, in my opinion. It does what the Cayman GT4 does, but it also let’s you enjoy the wind in your hair. I’m completely sold. Forget the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, I’d rather have this any day.

-Nick

Auto Idolatry

Chris Harris Makes Us Want A Porsche Cayman GT4 Even More

March 10, 2015 ndubs77 Leave a comment

I said in a post last week that I’d rather have the new Porsche Cayman GT4 over either a Porsche 911 GT3 or GT3 RS, solely because of it’s manual gearbox. Well, this week, Chris Harris has gotten his hands on a Porsche Cayman GT4 and he has confirmed its awesomeness. That said, he did mention that he wouldn’t sell a 911 GT3 to have a Cayman GT4. I’ll be curious to see what he says about the new GT3 RS, and then what he says in a few years time about the Cayman GT4.

Enjoy!

-Nick

Opinions

Why Do I feel So “Meh” About The 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS?

March 6, 2015 ndubs77 32 Comments

The new Porsche 911 (991) GT3 RS officially dropped at the Geneva Motor Show this week after much anticipation. As you might expect, many in the automotive journalism world sound 100% excited about this new “raw” 911. I am not someone who merely reports the figures, though, anyone can do that. I do this blog so that I can offer up my genuine honest opinion on cars and the auto industry. And, frankly, as cool as the new GT3 RS is, I feel a bit let down by Porsche. Here’s why…

Continue reading Why Do I feel So “Meh” About The 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS? →