Blog & News

on February 14, 2023 by Admin in News

The New 911 GT3 Cup – Porsche’s Latest Racing Creation

Competition cars are just as important to the history and DNA of Porsche as their street cars. While the automaker has a long history of endurance and rally racing, they’ve found much of their success over the past two decades in GT racing, and it’s likely that most younger enthusiasts most associate them with this class of racing. The posterchild of these efforts, going all the way back to the turn of the century and the 996 chassis, is the iconic 911 RSR.

While the technology built into these stunning cars has naturally evolved quite dramatically over the years, the core concepts haven’t been altered much. Highly engineered bodywork designed for maximum aerodynamics, large wings and diffusers, light weight, and Porsche’s iconic flat-six motor are all things that make the RSR, and the rest of Porsche’s cup cars, so immediately recognizable.

The latest, and arguably greatest, generation of the RSR was based on the previous 991 platform, and achieved a double victory in their class at the 2018 24 Hours of Lemans endurance race. It also won the FIA’s World Endurance Championship in that same season. With the advent of the new 992 generation of 911s hitting the streets in 2019, fans of both the marque and cup racing in general have anxiously awaited for a glimpse at the next generation of Porsche racer. Finally, that 992-generation, GT3-based Cup car has seen daylight… and already managed to put a few wins its belt.

Stunning Aesthetics

Well, it’s really no surprise that the new GT3 Cup is a looker, just like all of its older siblings. To meet homologation standards for racing, it’s based on the civilian GT3, and keeps a few of the styling cues of the civilian model. Namely, the “shark nose” vents on the front hood, the large air intakes forward of the rear wheel wells, and the new gooseneck rear wing design that was a crowning achievement of the 992 GT3 when it was unveiled. This wing design, when paired with the larger front splitter, enables the GT3 Cup to achieve higher speeds in the twisties than previous cars.

Other than those features, nearly everything else has been changed to accomplish a singular goal – to win races. You’ll notice that the wheel wells have been widened even more, ostensibly to include the larger-size tires that these race cars sport (which have been up to 3” wider than the road cars on previous generations). The car also sports the iconic Porsche GT wheel and tire combination, and features a handsome centerlock nut in an accent color to provide a nice pop of color to the otherwise solid-black wheel setup.

Race Interior

The GT3 Cup is a purebred race car, and while its interior is appointed as such, it doesn’t look quite as spartan as those of years gone by. A full-glass display can be customized to the preferences of the driver, and a handsome carbon-fiber racing wheel serves as the focal point of the cockpit. The steering wheel sports all of the controls necessary for quick adjustments on the fly, and a vertical bank of additional switches lies on the dash to the right of the gauge cluster. Porsche also will allow drivers, owners, and teams to customize aspects of the “seating position.” Another quirk of these race cars is that while the seat is bolted into place, the pedal box and steering wheel are adjustable to conform to the needs of the driver.

Go-Fast Parts

Perhaps the most interesting features of the GT3 Cup are those that can’t be seen from a walkaround, and that includes the numbers. Here they are: The 4.0L, naturally-aspirated six-cylinder puts out 510 horsepower at a screaming 8,400 rpm, combined with 347 lb-ft of torque at about two thousand rpms less. The redline on the motor is an insane 9,500 rpm, and the sound emanating from the race exhaust at that point is best described as “otherworldly.” Weight has increased slightly to 2,778 pounds, most of which come from additional safety features for race use.

The large gooseneck wing, and all other aerodynamic elements of the car, are all adjustable depending on the nature of the track and weather conditions. This generation of the Cup car also features what Porsche refers to as a “double-wishbone front axle,” which has the interesting effect of making the track of the car 18mm wider in the front than it is in the rear.

Alternative Fuels

Additionally, the 992 is designed to run on eFuels and perhaps serve as an unofficial test bed for this technology, which foreshadows its adoption into road cars. What are eFuels? In essence, that’s a catch-all used to refer to cutting-edge biofuels that are currently in development; the current blend is largely synthesized from food waste, courtesy of oil giant ExxonMobil. This technology looks poised to stretch out the sunset for the internal combustion engine just a little bit longer, even as governments around the world look to wean themselves off of petroleum products. The 110-liter fuel tank works out to about 30 gallons and is on par with other endurance racing vehicles.

A Worthy Successor

The new 911 GT3 Cup clearly has massive shoes to fill, but it certainly looks the part, and if Porsche’s test drivers are to be believed, this may be the greatest Porsche cup car yet. It’s got all the presence and gravitas of the old RSRsm with the best equipment the Weissach plant can shoehorn into it. You can catch it on the Nordschleife at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, or in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Series, or heck, even buy one for yourself for the surprisingly reasonable price (well, for a purebred race car) of around $330,000.

on February 9, 2023 by Admin in News

Porsche Confirms Hybrid 911 In Works

For almost 50 years, the Porsche 911 has been synonymous with the finest driving experience that Germany (or anywhere else, for that matter) can muster. It’s never been about massive power figures or wild styling; instead, Stuttgart puts every shred of engineering into weight distribution, handling, aerodynamics, and, above all, just sheer automotive fun.

Porsche Goes Electric

Now, things are clearly a bit different than they were in 1964, when the 911 made its debut. Namely, electrification has fully arrived. It’s possible that the LaFerrari was the first true sports car that featured a hybrid power plant, and this technology has trickled down to nearly every other luxury marque over the past decade. In 2019, Porsche unveiled its first fully-electric vehicle, the Taycan sedan. This vehicle was immediately well-received by journalists and consumers alike, and illustrated that Porsche is more than capable of integrating electric power into their sports cars while remaining entirely uncompromising on the things that make Porsche so appealing to begin with.

The Taycan, in all of its trims, is fantastic, a strong seller, and has a great reputation for its driving experience. Given Porsche’s success in the electric arena, many have been wondering for years when an electrified variant of the 911 will make an appearance. In early 2023, Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, finally put many of these rumors to rest and confirmed that a hybrid version of their most classic sports car is in the works.

What We Know About the Upcoming Hybrid 911

The hybrid 911 is still extremely early in its development, so concrete details at this point are extremely scarce. One thing is for sure; we won’t be seeing a 992-generation hybrid. The 992 platform is preparing for a mid-life refresh and mild facelift in the next year or two, but the existing running gear isn’t currently setup for hybridization.

Eventually, Porsche’s electric sports car journey will eventually culminate in a fully-electric Boxter, the 718. For now, the 911 isn’t slated for this complete transition; as far as we know, the iconic 911 will always be powered, at least in part, by an internal combustion engine, with the option to add an electric motor.

Porsche’s Sales Plan

There’s one final, major reason why a hybrid 911 is in the works at Stuttgart; like many of their other German counterparts, Porsche is seeking to make a major pivot and electrify the majority of their lineup in the coming decade. More specifically, Porsche aims to have hybrids, and full-on electric vehicles, account for 80 percent of their sales by the year 2030. These plans are perhaps more realistic than those of their fellow countrymen at Mercedes-Benz, who hope to have an entirely electric fleet by the same time. Given Porsche’s more obvious focus on driver-oriented sports cars, it does appear like gasoline will always have a place on the dealership lots.

Hybrid 911 – Coming Eventually to a Dealer Near You

With the Taycan, Porsche has proven that they are capable of producing a fully-electric vehicle that is borderline equal to their internal-combustion sports cars. With the official announcement of a hybrid version of the iconic 911, it is clear that Porsche is looking to the future and embracing an increasing demand from consumers for the electrification of their cars. While Stuttgart is no doubt taking a huge by risk tampering with the formula of such a beloved motoring icon, fans of classic Porsche sports cars can likely rest assured that the finished product will be exhilarating and successful, and will no doubt be an excellent example of how to properly marry modern technology with a timeless design that folks remain very passionate about.

on February 7, 2023 by Admin in News

Porsche 911 ST Perfects Its Winter Game Ahead Of Spring Launch

Successor to 2016’s 911 R fuses GT3 RS’s 518-hp engine with manual transmission

It’s over four years since Porsche revealed the 992-generation 911, which means we can expect to see the facelifted 992.2 later this year. But the existing 992 still has a few tricks up its sleeve, including this high-performance 911 ST.

The next of Porsche’s Heritage Design projects, the ST takes its name from a rare lightweight 911 built for competition in the early 1970s, though Porsche has no plans to race the new car. It follows a similar path to the Sport Classic, cherry-picking some of the best bits from Porsche’s other 911 models and bundling them together in a limited-run car with a huge price. Both feature manual transmissions but should be very different in character.

Why? Because, while the ST shares the Sport Classic’s double-bubble roof, it is likely to swap that car’s 911 Turbo engine for the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated motor from the GT3 RS, meaning it’s more like a successor to the 2016 911 R. Unlike the 503 hp (510 PS) GT3, which comes with a choice of transmissions and can be specced with or without the big wing, the 518 hp (525 PS) RS is only available with a seven-speed PDK and the full spoiler package. So the idea of a 911 with RS power, a manual box, and a super-stealthy visual presence has real appeal.

Not that you’re likely to mistake the ST for a basic Carrera. These spy shots reveal the GT3 hood vents and center-lock wheels, a boxy front bumper with a large central air intake, and the slash-cut carbon doors and similar front fenders (minus the saw tooth top vents) to those on the RS.

At the back, there’s a circular heritage badge. Still, no sign of the retro ducktail spoiler seen on the Sport Classic – the original ST predated the legendary Carrera RS 2.7 that made the ducktail spoiler famous. Hence, the modern version also goes without.

Porsche only built around 24 original STs between 1970-71, but its modern namesake won’t be so rare. Porsche offered 1,250 Sport Classics at $274k (£214k), and it’s possible the ST could come close to matching both of those numbers, though it’s worth remembering that Porsche only built 991 examples of the 911 R. Either way we think Porsche will unveil the ST this spring, giving the high-revving special plenty of time in the limelight before the 992.2-generation 911 is launched late this year.

^{_{Article Credits: Chris Chilton
Full Articles: https://www.carscoops.com/2023/01/porsche-911-st-perfects-its-winter-game-ahead-of-spring-launch/}}

on February 5, 2023 by Admin in News

Rare 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6 Looks Absolutely Stunning Finished in Amethyst Metallic

This thing is so gorgeous it could make even the owner of a brand-new GT3 RS turn green with envy.

There are many analogies we could use here, but let’s just say the flagship 911 nameplate is to Porsche what Thor’s hammer is to the god of thunder himself. Penned by Ferdinand Porsche’s grandson and namesake Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (or “Butzi”), the 911 made its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show of 1963.

It would’ve been called the 901 if it weren’t for Peugeot and their exclusive rights over car names made of three digits and a zero in the middle. This was only the case in France, but Porsche decided to change the model’s nomenclature altogether instead of simply renaming it for that particular market. The 911 was to replace the outgoing 356 – the company’s first car – and production commenced in September 1964.

Arriving on U.S. soil just five months later, the P-car’s earliest iteration had a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-six displacing two liters, with a sensible 130 naturally aspirated ponies on tap. Capacity and power output grew steadily over the coming years, and Porsche went on to introduce the Targa variant come 1967. Initially, the firm wanted a traditional cabrio to accompany the coupe models and thus diversify the lineup.

However, concerns over increasingly stringent safety regulations in the U.S. led to the addition of a stainless-steel roll hoop right behind the seats. This gave birth to the body style we now know as Targa-top – not to be confused with T-top, which employs a central beam running from the windshield back to the roll bar (hence the “T”). An actual convertible was only made available in 1982.

Look, it would be hard for us to mention all the cool 911s released during the model’s production run in a single article, so what we’ll do instead is have a look at a generation viewed less favorably by the public. It comes right before the fabled 993-gen on Porsche’s historical timeline, and those of you who are well-versed in the marque’s convoluted naming system will have already figured we’re talking about the 964.

Taking the spot once occupied by the G-series Carrera 3.2, this incarnation of the 911 debuted for the model-year 1989 with an updated exterior, refined aerodynamics, and 85 percent new parts compared to its predecessor. It was offered as either a coupe, Targa-top, or cabriolet and with both a rear- and all-wheel drive configuration, dubbed Carrera 2 and Carrera 4, respectively.

As a matter of fact, the latter was the very first P-car to feature an AWD setup, which would send 31 percent of the engine’s force to the front wheels and 69 percent to the rear axle in normal driving conditions. A level fifty-fifty ratio would engage when things got slippery, and power was extracted from a 3.6-liter M64 mill good for up to 250 hp.

Arriving on the scene as a 1990 model, the RWD version could be bought with an optional Tiptronic four-speed automatic gearbox – another first for the 911 lineup. A five-speed manual came standard, and both Carreras were available in three body styles – coupe, Targa, and fully-fledged convertible. Things like ABS, power steering, and dual airbags have also appeared on the 964 for the first time.

Then there was the Turbo iteration launched for the model-year 1991. As Porsche hadn’t managed to develop a force-fed adaptation of their 3.6-liter boxer in time, they originally recycled the 3.3-liter from the 930 but with several improvements. It had 316 air-cooled horses on tap, yet that pales in comparison to the ultra-rare Turbo S unleashed a year later, which boasted almost 20 percent more grunt for a total of 376 hp.

The prayers of those who craved a turbocharged 3.6-liter were answered in January 1993 when the 964 Turbo finally ditched the aforementioned 3.3-liter powerhouse. It now offered up to 355 ponies and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) of torque to play with, and it’s estimated that Porsche built approximately 1,500 units from ‘93 through ‘94.

Right then, let’s talk more specifically about the exemplar showcased in these photos. The German rarity features partial Classic Grey leather upholstery in the cabin, 18-inch Speedline wheels, and an Amethyst Metallic colorway that looks the part. Its original odo is said to have stopped working at some point in the past and was therefore replaced, but it’s stated that around 60k miles (97,000 km) were covered by this 911 Turbo in total.

In a few days’ time, the classic marvel will be changing hands at no reserve, so it could end up in your possession if your pockets are deep enough. The auctioning process is unfolding on Bring a Trailer as we speak, and one would need north of $300k to best the top bidder for the time being. In case that doesn’t sound like an issue, be sure to get in on the action before January 2, which is when the online auction is set to end.

^{_{Article Credits: Silvian Secara
Full Articles: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/rare-1994-porsche-911-turbo-36-looks-absolutely-stunning-finished-in-amethyst-metallic-207522.html}}

on February 4, 2023 by Admin in News

Porsche 911 ST Spied In Snowy Sweden

This is the second of four 911 heritage models.

Porsche is working on a family of three heritage versions of the 911 and the first one was the 911 Sport Classic. Word on the street is next in line is the 911 ST, which is expected to debut at some point this year. We have a batch of new spy photos of that 911 and you can browse through the photos in the gallery attached below.

This may seem like a regular 911 prototype but there are a few signs that tell us it is indeed the new ST version. Take for example the double-bubble roof, which is a touch we know from the 911 Sport Classic, the first member of the 911 heritage family. Center lock wheels can be seen on all four corners and this is a feature we’ve already seen on the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring.

Speaking of the GT3 Touring, the 911 ST will actually be based on that vehicle. If Porsche decides to keep the engine without tweaks – and this is what various sources say – the ST model will have a 4.0-liter flat-six engine under the bonnet with an output of 502 horsepower (374 kilowatts) and 346 pound-feet (469 Newton-meters) of torque. An automatic transmission seems certain at this point, though we don’t know whether the Stuttgart-based automaker will also sell a three-pedal version.

The 911 ST will be sold as a special edition model inspired by a small-run racing model from the early 1970s. The latter probably serves as an inspiration for some of the design features, including the Porsche Heritage emblem that is likely hidden under that black circle on the engine mesh cover at the back. Don’t expect huge design changes over a standard 911 GT3 Touring but there will surely be some retro-inspired touches here and there.

If our information is correct, we expect to see the 911 ST debut this year. This isn’t going to be the most exciting 911 heritage version, though, as there are reports about a revived 911 Carrera RS coming after the 911 ST.