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Top Gear drag races VW Golf R against McLaren 675LT and Porsche 911

Top Gear's latest quarter-mile drag race in the collects three very different performance vehicles: the 296-horsepower Volkswagen Golf R, 424-hp Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, and 666-hp McLaren 675LT. While each of these cars sit near the top of their segment, they each come from totally different rungs of the sports car price ladder. Spoiler alert, the Golf R doesn't win. But the final results illustrate the diminishing returns of price and performance. For example, the McLaren is only about a second quicker than the Porsche to 60 miles per hour, but the 675LT costs over 2.5 times more that the GTS. Related Video:

2016 Porsche 911 Carrera is all turbo, all the time [w/video]

There's always a lot of fanfare around a new version of the iconic Porsche 911. But for 2016, there's a huge reason to take notice. Porsche is turbocharging the full 911 range, introducing a new, 3.0-liter flat-six that will serve as the base engine in the Carrera and Carrera S. Purists may scoff, but there's proof in the pudding that this is a good move for the 911 range. Base Carreras will produce 370 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, while the Carrera S ups those numbers to 420 and 368, respectively. Porsche says the new 911 Carrera models are much faster than before, reportedly clocking a 7:30 lap time on the infamous Nurburgring. The Carrera tops out at 183 miles per hour, and the S will do 191. A seven-speed manual transmission comes standard, and Porsche's excellent PDK dual-clutch gearbox can be had, as well. The new 911 will arrive Stateside next March, priced from $89,400 for the Carrera and $103,400 for the S. Cabriolet models will sticker for $101,700 to $115,700. The press release below has more information. The sports car legend enhanced: the new Porsche 911 Carrera New turbocharged engines, an advanced chassis, and new Porsche Communication Management Atlanta, Georgia. Celebrating its debut at the Frankfurt International Auto Show, the new 911 Carrera is taking performance and everyday usability to new heights. Innovative flat-six engines derived from four decades of turbocharging used in racing and on road cars not only make this the fastest 911 Carrera ever, but also provide abundant torque for superior passing power. An advanced chassis offering an even more sophisticated combination of ride comfort and performance characterizes the handling of the new 911. For the first time, rear-axle steering is available as an option for the Carrera S, significantly enhancing its already superb agility. These improvements reduce the lap time on the North Loop of the Nurburgring to just 7 minutes and 30 seconds, making it 10 seconds faster than the previous Carrera S. Many exterior features of the 911 Carrera have been visually refined from new headlights with four-point daytime running lights to integrated door handle recesses, a redesigned rear deck lid with vertical louvers, and new rear lights – including the characteristic four-point brake lights. The new standard Porsche Communication Management system with a multi-touch display offers an expanded range of functions and simplified usability.

Magnus Walker and Alex Ross stop by Leno's garage with their 997 GT2

The market is littered with Porsche 911 tuners, with names like 9ff, Gemballa and TechArt leading the field. Seldom do any two ever collaborate on a joint project, but that's just the kind of match that was made at Jay Leno's Garage. That's where Alex Ross of SharkWerks and restomodder Magnus Walker first met, sparking a collaboration that yielded the car you see here. And fittingly, they've brought it back to the garage to show off what resulted. Though Walker usually deals with older Elfens, this time he applied his eye for style on a more contemporary 2008 997 GT2, decking it out with grey stripes, orange bumpers, gold wheels and decals and a tartan-upholstered interior. He left the mechanical bits to Ross and company, who dropped the suspension and increased output to 650 horsepower at the wheels (775 at the crank), surpassing the stock GT2 and even the later GT2 RS. The result is pretty hard-core and old-school, but you'll want to watch the video above to see for yourself.