The 10-strong Panamera range will also include two luxurious Executive versions – the long-wheelbase Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo (which will be available only in left-had drive markets) and an all-new three-litre biturbo V6 engine in the Panamera S and 4S.

Porsche has tightened up the car’s lines using the same design language as on the new Boxster and the 991, making the 2013 Panamera a lot less blobby than its predecessor, with sleeker LED headlights and a wider rear window in a new, flatter tailgate.

E-HYBRIDThe E-Hybrid system, developed from the previous conventional hybrid system, brings in a more powerful electric motor – 70kW versus 35kW – a new lithium-ion battery with more than five times the capacity of the nickel metal hydride unit it replaces (9.4kWh, compared to 1.7kWh) and, of course, the ability to be charged using external electrical power, which takes about two and a half hours when connected to three-phase industrial power and four hours using a 220-volt domestic outlet.

Porsche boast that the Panamera S E-Hybrid is not only quicker (135km/h) and more fuel-efficient than the parallel hybrid version (3.1 litres pr 100km in NEDC testing, compared to 7.1) but also that it achieved a pure-electric range of 36km.

However, they concede that NEDC testing is unrealistic in that it’s done under ideal conditions with the air-conditioning and heating switched off. Nevertheless, says Porsche, the plug-in Panamera should be good for between 18 and 36km on battery power in the real world.

USING GRAVITY TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY

Mash the pedal to bring in both petrol and electric power, and the E-Hybrid will sprint to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds – half a second quicker than before – and top out at 270km/h.

It’ll also coast on long downhills with both clutches open and petrol engine shut down, using gravity to recharge the battery.

Using a smartphone app, the owner can check the battery charge status, turn on pre-heating or pre-cooling, check the remaining driving range – or find his way back to wherever it’s parked!

FLY BUSINESS CLASS

The Executive models add an extra 150mm of wheelbase (all of which is in the rear footwell) as well as standard air suspension, for exceptional rear-seat passenger comfort.

An entirely new twin-turbo, three-litre V6 replaces the naturally aspirated 4.8-litre V8 in the Panamera S and 4S, delivering 15kW and 20Nm more than the V8 while using up to 18 percent less fuel.

Most Panameras come with a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, but the diesel and E-Hybrid have an eight-speed Tiptronic S auto transmission.

First deliveries of the new Panamera are expected from July 2013, with a Turbo S and a long-wheelbase Turbo S Executive, as well as an all-new 220kW diesel, to follow in 2014.

this new car is quicker, faster, and more powerful than the previous-generation GT3. We estimate that the new 991-based GT3 will get to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, compared to the 3.8-second time we achieved with the most recent GT3 (the 997-based car). And the new car should be able to cover the quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds at more than 120 mph. Porsche claims that the new car tops out at 196 mph. That’s a largely meaningless distinction compared to the 194-mph top speed of the previous GT3, but still admissible information for braggarts. The new GT3’s 3.8-liter flat six now uses direct injection and produces 475 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, up 40 hp and 8 lb-ft compared to the 997-based GT3. Based on the engine out of the latest Carrera S, the new GT3 version uses forged pistons, forged titanium rods, hollow valve stems, a 12.9:1 compression ratio, and a dry-sump oiling system with seven oil pickups. The engine redlines at a spectacularly high 9000 rpm. Its power peak arrives way up at 8250 rpm (compared to 7600 for the last GT3). Bummed out that even BMW M cars use turbochargers instead of mad revs to produce power? Then this is your car. Oh, its mill also is 55 pounds lighter than the unit it replaces.

A more radical technological departure from previous GT3 is the new car’s seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic. It used to be that the GT3 was offered only with manual transmissions, based on the premise that its buyers likely knew how to drive. Now that dual-clutch provides better, more-foolproof performance on the track than the manual, its inclusion in this car seems only right. We’d still like at least the option of rowing our own. The dual-clutch auto has only two modes of operation: “sport” and “racetrack.” Its ratio spread is 4.5, down from 6.3 in the regular Carrera PDK (indicating that its gear ratios are more closely spaced). The GT3 also has a shorter final drive than the standard Carrera (3.97: vs. 3.44). That should keep the maniacal six on the boil.

The most radical departure for the new GT3 might be the in the steering department, where the old GT3’s splendid steering is replaced by an electric-assist unit based on the standard Carrera’s. We’re cautiously optimistic. Oh, and there is the small matter of Porsche adding a four-wheel-steering arrangement to the GT3. Now, that’s new. The system uses two actuators to steer the rear wheels up to 1.5 degrees. At low speed (below 30 mph) the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction of the fronts to improve maneuverability. Above 50 mph, the rear wheels change course and point in the same direction as the front to aid high-speed cornering and stability. The GT’s track stretches an additional half-inch up front and 1.5 inches in the back. Naturally, to accommodate all of this, the GT3 wears a wide and curvy body.

Those rear wheels (and the fronts) are 20-inches in diameter, up from 19s worn by its predecessor. Despite the increased size, Porsche says the wheel/tire assemblies are lighter than the old one. They are, of course, center-lock wheels for added sweetness. The GT3 uses a suspension very much like that of the standard Carrera but with stiffer springs. It’s standard PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) system uses firmer damper settings. Overall, the GT3 rides 1.2 inches lower than the Carrera.

It just wouldn’t be a GT3 without a big ol’ wing on that back. And this GT3’s got one­—a big, fixed unit that, along with the splitter on the nose, produces more downforce than the previous car. How much, Porsche isn’t yet saying.

from total 911

As unveiled minutes after the launch on the @Total911 Twitter page yesterday, Porsche have unveiled the new 991 GT3 Cup car for the 2013 racing season – with a debut set for the Mobil 1 Supercup in the new year.

The primary talking point of the new racer centres around the shift paddles situated at the steering wheel for the first time in an official competition 911. Enhancements are also made to the 3.8-litre, six-cylinder engine, which now produces 460bhp – 10bhp more than its predecessor.

A new emphasis has also been placed on driver safety, with a newly designed safety cage accompanying fresh designs to the drivers seat, which is distinctively shaped around the head and shoulders. A rescue hatch in the roof of the 991 GT3 Cup car also provides easy access for primary medical attention in the event of a crash, and also allows for the extrication of the driver.

The new competition-ready 911 has been met with positive excitement by Carrera Cup drivers and Total 911 readers alike. Parr Motorsport’s Ben Barker, runner up in the GB competition this year, told us: “There is still a clutch, but the paddle box felt solid and looks like it fits with the car.”

Porsche chief Matthias Mueller told the Handelsblatt economics newspaper that such a car would plug the gap between the 911 GT2 RS and the 918 Spyder.

Muller added that the mid-engined sports car would also have an extremely low kerb weight.

The car is expected to cost more than the 911 GT2 RS.

Porsche’s plans for a car in the lucrative “Ferrari segment” go back some years. The profit margin for such exclusive cars is large, although production would probably be limited to only a few hundred units a year.

Porsche aims to boost annual sales to around 200 000 vehicles by 2018, fuelled mainly by volume models such as the Cayenne and new entrants such as the Macan compact SUV.

Porsche’s radical 918 plug-in hybrid sports car has recorded a remarkable 7 minute 14-second lap of the infamous 20.6km Nurburgring Nordschleife – one of the fastest ever by a street-legal car running on standard production tyres.

But what’s even more impressive was that the hot lap was completely unplanned.

The Porsche development team were testing a package of performance tweaks and go-fast goodies that will be available as a factory-fit option, to be called the ‘Weissach’ package, when the super-hybrid with its 4.6-litre V8 and two electric motors totalling more than 585kW goes on sale in September 2013.

ONE HOT LAP

Then they were unexpectedly offered just one clean lap, with nobody else on the normally busy circuit, but without a sighting or warm-up lap – they would have to start from a standstill in pit lane.

So they went for it; the Porsche release doesn’t say who was driving, probably to protect him from the bean-counters at the factory, but the result was electrifying, at least 10 seconds quicker than even project leader Frank Walliser was expecting.

“By turning in this fabulous time after just a few months of development,” he said, “the 918 Spyder prototype has fully confirmed its viability.”

September 19 2012

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Porsche 911, the most desirable car in the world?

The Porsche 911 has topped a poll of the world’s 50 greatest cars – but British vehicles have taken almost a third of the top places.

The Porsche and BMW’s powerful M3 pipped the UK’s McLaren F1 supercar into third place.

The McLaren is one of four British cars in the top ten with Land Rover’s Range Rover in fifth place, the original Mini in sixth, and the Jaguar E-Type in seventh.

Phil McNamara, editor of British CAR magazine which carried out the survey, said: “With 15 cars in the top 50, Britain accounts for 30 per cent of the CAR50 list. Italy is ranked second with ten, while Germany took the bronze medal with seven entrants.”

“However, it is Germany’s iconic Porsche 911 sports car, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2013, that has been voted outright winner.” -Daily Mail

POLL WINNERS – 50 GREATEST CARS:

1. Porsche 911

2. BMW M3

3. McLaren F1

4. Volkswagen Golf GTI

5. Land Rover Range Rover

6. BMC Mini

7. Jaguar E-type

8. Lamborghini Countach

9. Ferrari 458

10. Nissan GT-R:

11. Honda NSX

12. Lotus Elan

13. Aston Martin DB5

14. Audi Quattro

15. Citroën 2CV

16. Ford Focus

17. Lotus Elise

18. Smart ForTwo

19. BMW 5-series

20. Lamborghini Miura

21. Peugeot 205 GTi

22. Ferrari 250 GTO

23. Chevrolet Corvette

24. Land Rover Defender

25. Mazda MX-5

26. Rolls-Royce Phantom

27. Ferrari F40

28. Saab 99 Turbo

29. Lancia Delta HF Integrale

30. Mercedes-Benz S-class

31. Lancia Stratos

32. Ariel Atom

33. Renault 4

34. Ford Mustang

35. Bugatti Veyron

36. Mitsubishi Evo

37. Subaru Impreza

38. Fiat Panda

39. Jensen FF

40. Lexus LS400

41. Alfa Romeo Alfasud

42. Renault 5

43. Citroën DS

44. Ford Sierra Cosworth

45. Caterham Seven

46. Jaguar XJ

47. NSU Ro80

48. Fiat Multipla

49. Lotus Carlton

50. Lotus Esprit

It hasn’t been that many years since Porsche first got into diesels but this, Porsche fans, is the marque’s most muscular oil-burner to date.

Doff the cap to the Cayenne S Diesel, motivated by a 4.2-litre, twin-turbo V8 for which the Porsche posse quote 281kW and 850Nm – good enough, they say, to take this two-tonne beetle-crusher to 100km/h from a standstill in 5.7 seconds and on to 252km/h flat out.

All this at a an average of 8.3 litres per 100km and 218g/km of CO2, partly thanks to idle stop; Porsche say this is the only diesel V8 SUV on the market that’s got it.

Thanks to the inherent smoothness of the V8 layout, the biturbo doesn’t sound or feel like a diesel; it rumbles along like an American musclecar, while its PTM active all-wheel drive is set up to feel like a rear-wheel drive set-up – until you overdo it, and then it channels power to the front wheels as needed to keep the car on the black stuff and pointed in the right direction.

BIG-DIESEL ADVANTAGES

Big diesels, of course, have two more important advantages: range and towing ability. Porsche has rated the Cayenne S Diesel to pull 3500kg and, if you order the optional 100-litre fuel tank, it should take you about 1200km between comfort stops.

Biturbo V8 rumbles along like an American musclecar.

The S Diesel’s discs have been sized to handle its power, with distinctive silver brake callipers, while black fins at the front end emphasise the gaping air inlets.

The Cayenne S Diesel will be launched in Europe in January 2013 and will cost €77 684 (R825 000) in Germany

Porsche has spent years working on their 911, but while that might be their ultimate sports car, the Boxster is one of their best sellers. It was first seen as a disgrace to the Porsche name, as it was smaller and not as powerful, but once the Cayenne came along, all was forgiven.

The first ever Boxster was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model and a 2.5-liter flat six-cylinder engine powered it. Three years later, the new Boxster S variant was introduced with a larger 3.2-liter motor, while the base model received a more powerful 2.7-liter engine.

More changes came in 2003, 2005, and then again in 2007, when the Boxster got some of the stuff from the baby 911, called the Cayman. In 2009, the Boxster models received several new cosmetic and mechanical upgrades that upped the power and performance.

The changes kept coming and the Boxster kept taking them all in. Now the Boxster has been updated one more time and is looking better than ever.

UPDATE 03/14/2012: The Boxster S model lapped the Nurburgring race track in an impressive 7:58 – or about 18 seconds shy of the new, more powerful Porsche 911 which scored an heart-racing time of 7:40.

This speedy lap time means the Boxster S is faster than models like the Corvette C6 (7:59), the Viper SRT-10 (7:59), and the C63 AMG Coupe (8:01) – which are far more powerful than the tiny Boxster. This result also makes the new generation better than the model it replaces which had a lap time of 8:10.