vLane Blog

Articles Matching “Porsche”

• Feature: The Porsche Cayenne, on-track and off-road

  Banovsky on October 12, 2009

  If I had a better memory, I could have told you when I first heard Porsche was making an SUV. I do remember I wasn’t pleased. Actually, I was so upset I’d drafted a letter to the head of Porsche Cars North America. It sits, never sent, on the hard drive of a computer long deceased.

  

  The Cayenne Turbo S on-track at Mosport

  Since, I’ve driven the Cayenne on several occasions. And what I feel for Porsche’s SUV is very much parallel to my own life: that youthful rage and sense of purpose has subsided, into a more adult-like sense of responsibility.

  Not unlike Porsche itself. It’s taken them 50 years to come from giant-killing sub-2.0-litre race cars like the 550 Spyder and 904, to producing a vehicle in the relentless pursuit of profit. For years, the company was happy to earn extra cash, helping fellow automakers by providing engineering assistance; a kind of high performance know-how that resulted in 90s rockets like the Audi RS2 and Mercedes-Benz E500.

  And when faced with the realization their whole model range rested on the back of the legendary 911 sports car, a rarified market that comes and goes during each global recession, the company did the same thing I’d do if I made cola: invent a product that had less of the expensive syrup (sports car capability) and more filler (profit margin.) Let’s call it diet…

  Click through a hot lap video and more photos!

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under SUV, Feature, Porsche, SUV, tracking, 2009, Original, Cayenne, race track, Mosport, David Empringham, 959, GTS, Turbo S

• Video: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS on the Autobahn

  Banovsky on September 15, 2009

  Ok, so we told you about the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS, right? Well, now we have some footage courtesy of Porsche that will make your eyes and ears very happy…

  

  Time to click through!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Video, Misc, Coupe, Porsche, 2010, 911, Germany, 911, GT3 RS, 911

• 2010 Porsche 911 Sport Classic, with video

  Banovsky on September 4, 2009

  Ok, I wasn't going to post on the not-available-in-North America 911 Sport Classic, an homage to the 1972 911 2.7 RS. But then, courtesy of our friends at carscoop.blogspot.com, the model's B-roll video was encoded and uploaded to YouTube, and what a sound it is. If you're going to listen to one song this year, make sure it was composed by the 2010 911 Sport Classic…

  

  Click for the video and more photos!

  via: [carscoop.blogspot.com]

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under News, Video, Sports car, Coupe, Porsche, 2010, Germany, 911

• 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

  Banovsky on August 19, 2009

  This is Porsche's latest road-going track weapon, the 2010 911 GT3 RS. It's nuttier than peanut butter, with every aspect of the car honed for the track. After all, this vehicle is what Porsche homologates (IE, produces for eligibility) to compete in races across the world.

  

  The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS: Funky graphics so…erm…funky that you'll always want to be speeding.

  
  

  Here are some details:

  • 3.8-litre flat-6 engine
  • 0-60 in under 4 seconds
  • 450 horsepower (15 more than the 911 GT3)
  • Low-ratio, six-speed gearbox
  • Wider front and rear compared with a normal 911
  • 19-inch alloy wheels
  • Modified engine and stability control electronics
  • Carbon fibre rear spoiler, lightweight titanium exhaust and lithium-ion battery save weight
  • On sale in early 2010

  Click through for more photos of this monster…but what's with the lipstick?

  Read full article | Comments (2) | Filed under Future, News, Europe, Sports car, Coupe, Motorsport, Porsche, Photos, 2010, 911, Germany, 911, GT3 RS

• 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo

  Banovsky on August 7, 2009

  Porsche can't leave well enough alone. It's not like the 911 Turbo is a slouch, outdated, or unpopular. Apparently the Germans didn't agree, because for 2010 they've made a number of significant upgrades.

  

  The 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo

  
  

  Here are some stats:

  • Twin-turbo 3.8-liter directed injected flat-six
  • 500 horsepower
  • 24.1 mpg on the highway
  • Available 7-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (dual-clutch) gearbox
  • Coupe, $132,800; cabriolet, $143,800
  • On-sale from January 2010

  Click through for more photos and the official release.

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under Future, News, Sports car, Convertible, Coupe, Porsche, Turbo, Turbo, Photos, 2010, 911, 911

• Week in review: July 3-10, 2009

  Banovsky on July 10, 2009

  Let's take a look back at some of the stories we talked about here at vLane.

  

  This Jaguar XKR Goodwood certainly got our attention!

  News:

  • Crowdsourced Car Design from Local Motors
  • 2010 Jaguar XJ
  • Sportier XC60 R-Design from Volvo
  • Romero Britto x Bentley Continental GT
  • Sportec Porsche SPR1

  vLane Community:

  • Our Informative Cash for Clunkers / CARS thread
  • Community Review: 2001 Kia Sephia
  • #carchat 18 Recap, July 8, 2009
  • Poll: Is the Lexus SC430 Too Old?

  Features:

  • The Future of GM Part 3: 2011 Buick CUV

  Weird:

  • The Porsche Design Barbecue
  • US Air Force is Recruiting with…Muscle Cars?

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Event, Government, Future, Green, News, Feature, WTF, Misc, Advice , Humor, Link, This week, Porsche, Discussion, Social Media, vLane, Cash for Clunkers, Jaguar, Car Allowance Rebate System, CARS

• Tuner Tuesday: Sportec SPR1

  Banovsky on July 7, 2009

  Like the special Jaguar XKR we talked about this morning, this Sportec SPR1 begs the question: Isn't the normal Porsche 911 fast enough?

  

  When good Porsche 911s go bad…

  In this case? Er…nope. While a normal Porsche 911 Turbo makes 480 horsepower, the Sportec SPR1 makes 858 ponies. While the Turbo will do 0-60 in about 3.7 seconds, this tuned version will do it in three flat.

  Torque for this tuned monster is a heady 642 lb-ft, and thankfully they've kept the standard car's all-wheel-drive. If you want to hit 186 mph, not many cars will do that speed from a standing start much faster.

  Get this: 0-186 mph in 18.9 seconds. Top speed? 236 mph.

  Another photo and more info after the fold.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Feature, Europe, Coupe, Porsche, Performance, 2009, Tuner Tuesday, 911, Sportec

• Celebrate the 4th of July with a Porsche Design barbecue

  Banovsky on July 3, 2009

  We'd imagine a German BBQ probably cooks sausage better than most, but have no idea if Porsche Design's tweaks have made this grill worth owning.

  

  The Porsche Design…barbecue

  

  For a paltry $8,499 in the stainless steel finish here, the Barbeques Galore X-Series comes with front and rear infrared ceramic burners, "Crossray" technology that uses 50 per cent less gas and emits 80 per cent less smoke than traditional grills.

  The CEO of Barbeques Galore, Jeffery Sears, says that Porsche Design brought an "impeccable sense of detail, beauty, and best-in-class engineering."

  Oh, and if the price is a little steep: they'll sell you one in black for only $6000.

  Read More:

  • Lame: Porsche Design Baby Clothes
  • Porsche Panamera…Trailer Hitch
  • Top Five Worst-Tuned Porsche Cayennes

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under WTF, Misc, Humor, Link, Porsche, US, July 4, July 4th

• Poll: Coolest car for (about) $100,000

  Banovsky on June 29, 2009

  Ok, so I know the economy is in the tank. Still, it's nice to dream, right?

  Powered by vLane.com See more | Create your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Coupe, Nissan, Porsche, Chevrolet, Corvette, ZR1, 911, GT-R, Poll

• Top five worst-tuned Porsche Cayennes

  Banovsky on June 15, 2009

  The Porsche Cayenne is a pretty nice vehicle if you take it for what it is. In off-road package-equipped form, it can do pretty well in international rally competition. In full-bore Turbo S guise, it can lap racetracks faster than most sports cars.

  

  What's not to love? Well, for many (mainly Eastern European) tuners, the allure of having "just another" Cayenne isn't there. So they conceive all manner of awful, awful design "improvements" akin to adding lipstick, makeup, and hair extensions to the Mona Lisa.

  Well…the Cayenne was never a Mona Lisa — so you can imagine just how awful these Cayennes are. Click through for the horror!

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under SUV, Feature, WTF, Misc, Humor, Porsche, SUV, tuner