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Porsche offers detuned Boxster and Cayman 211 in Europe

Looking at a new Porsche Boxster? First of all, we commend you on your choice, because in its latest iteration, the Boxster has sped out from under the shadow of the 911 and into its own. But now to choose: do you get the base model with 265 horsepower, the Boxster S with 315 hp, or the top-of-the-line Boxster GTS with 330 hp? It's a daunting question, considering the $10k+ price gap between each model that you could put into the gas-and-rubber jar. Same goes for the Cayman, albeit with ten more horses across the board. But as if that's not confusing enough, there appears to be another player on the field. (That is, at least, in certain European markets.)
Appearing on the company's Belgian and Norwegian sites are the Boxster 211 and Cayman 211. As you might have guessed, they pack a less substantial 211 horsepower, undercutting what we know as the base models. Instead of using a smaller engine, though, the Boxster and Cayman 211 get the same 2.7-liter boxer six, just with less power.
As a result, they're a bit slower off the line: the Boxster 211 takes between 6.1 and 6.4 seconds to get to 62, depending on exact specifications, compared to the 5.5- to 5.8-second range for the 265-hp Boxster, while the Cayman 211 is quoted at 6.2 seconds versus the 275-hp Cayman's 5.4 to 5.7 seconds. Fuel consumption and emissions, on the other hand (and as you'd expect), are better in the 211. But while Porsche Norway charges around $10k less for the 211 models, Porsche Belgium charges the same for the 211 models as it does for the next most powerful versions (from which they appear to be visually indistinguishable).

Porsche 911 GT3 dukes it out with MP4-12C on track and GT-R on spectacular roads

The Porsche 911 GT3 has always been a favorite among auto journalists and car enthusiasts alike, but with the introduction of the new 991-generation GT3, which is the first GT3 with electric power steering and no manual gearbox option, how does it stack up to the competition from McLaren and Nissan?
Evo's Jethro Bovingdon attempts to answer that question by pitting the rear-engine Porsche against the mid-engine McLaren MP4-12C on a racetrack and the front-engine, all-wheel-drive Nissan GT-R on some amazing, twisty European back roads. We won't give away the victor of either comparison, but we will say that, in Evo's test, the McLaren's 141-horsepower advantage doesn't give it as much of an edge over the Porsche on a racetrack as one might think, and the lack of a manual gearbox and the inclusion of electric power steering on the GT3 isn't detrimental to enjoying the car on a back road.
Watch the video below to find out which car Bovingdon prefers on road and track - we think you'll be happy to see him drift around turns every chance he gets.

Jaguar F-Type pitted against Porsche 911 Cabriolet by Tiff Needell

You knew it wouldn't take long and it looks like EVO is first onto YouTube with a battle between the 2014 Jaguar F-Type and the 2013 Porsche 911. Tiff Needell spends a few laps warming up the tires (read: drifting like mad) in each droptop before getting in a timed run to see who's champion and who's second best.
Before the bell rings, its the Porsche that's got everything to lose, the 50-year-old era-defining sportscar getting on with a 3.4-liter flat-six, 350 horsepower, a seven-speed manual and a 3,197-pound curb weight. Other sportscars, like the F-Type, continue to eye the 911 like a flag atop Everest that they plan to first touch, and then rip from its socket. The mid-trim Jaguar rolls into the contest with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 with 380 hp, an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters and a curb weight of 3,521 pounds.
The video below shows you what happens when you let all those numbers fight it out on the same stretch of curvy track. Check it out.