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Weekly Recap: Porsche embarks on Mission E

Porsche's board of directors approved the company's first all-electric car Friday, signing off on production of the eye-catching Mission E concept that debuted in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It's set for launch by the end of the decade. The Frankfurt concept uses lithium-ion batteries to power two synchronous motors that create more than 600 horsepower and provide a range of 311 miles on the European cycle. It's capable of hitting 62 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds and can run the Nurburgring Nordschleife in less than eight minutes. In a statement, Porsche board chairman Oliver Blume called the Mission E the "beginning a new chapter in the history of the sports car." Porsche is backing that up with a roughly $1.1-billion investment that will create more than 1,000 jobs at its facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. The company will spend more than $760 million at its main site there to build a paint shop and a new assembly plant. It will also expand an engine factory to make electric motors. Porsche's renewed electric ambitions come as it grapples with fallout from parent company Volkswagen's diesel-emissions scandal. Porsche uses a VW diesel engine in the Cayenne SUV, which it stopped selling in November until a fix is found. Still, Mission E's scheduled landing could be as much as four years away – when Porsche and VW hope their diesel woes will be long over. The electric strategy is clearly a long play to provide its enthusiast owners with an efficient form of sport and luxury as fuel economy and emissions regulations tighten around the world. And if you still can't wrap your head around electric Porsches, the company also just announced plans to make the 911 Turbo and Turbo S even more powerful. Electric propulsion is part of Porsche's future, but for now at least, it isn't everything. OTHER NEWS VW sales crash 25 percent in November Finally, the other shoe dropped. Volkswagen sales plummeted 25 percent in November as fallout from the company's diesel-emissions scandal finally showed up on the sales charts. VW had managed to tread water with flat sales through September (the scandal broke more than halfway through the month) and October. The company stopped selling its 2.0-liter I4 and 3.0-liter V6 diesels as it works to make the engines complaint with emissions rules. VW admitted to rigging its diesel-powered cars so they could pass emissions tests in the United States and around the world.

Muffler Man gets racing suit to mark progress on Porsche Experience Center

In a dramatic change of careers, a fiberglass Muffler Man statue on the side of a busy Los Angeles freeway, formerly known as "Golf Guy," traded in his clubs for a Porsche driver's suit a couple days ago. It's no coincidence, as he's standing on land that the German automaker bought from the Dominguez Hills Golf Course a couple years ago to build its west coast Porsche Experience Center - which will be complete with a test track, restoration and maintenance facilities, a cafe and restaurant, a home for Porsche Motorsports North America and more, when it's finished in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The Porsche Muffler Man will serve as the gatekeeper to the 53-acre center and overlook the test track on the side of the 405 freeway. We can't think of a better job for a fiberglass giant that used to watch golf all day than to watch Porsche road cars and racecars getting wrung out on a test track in the middle of LA. Since Muffler Men are quite adaptable, we're sure this one will fit into his new role in no time - just as easily as he can double as Paul Bunyan.
Check out the press release below for more information on the Muffler Man and the experience center, which could be the ultimate adult playground when it's finished.

Porsche rolls out new Macan GTS with 360 horsepower [w/video]

Porsche is expanding both its Macan line and its range of GTS models with the launch of the new Macan GTS. The new performance model slots in between the Macan S and Macan Turbo, packing a mightier punch, upgraded equipment, and sportier styling. The enhancements naturally start under the hood, where the Macan GTS packs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 good for 360 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. That's 20 more horses than the Macan S but 40 less than the Turbo, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The result is a 0-60 time quoted at 5.0 seconds (or 4.8 with the optional Sport Chrono pack) and a top speed of 159 miles per hour. You know, just to stick it to the other German cars that limit themselves to "only" 155. Of course, Porsche didn't just tinker with the engine and leave it at that. Compared to the Macan S, the GTS features a retuned air suspension, recalibrated electronics, ride height lowered by 10 millimeters, and 20-inch wheels with a matte black finish. The interior also benefits from specific sport seats with Alcantara trim, and the new Porsche Communication Management system. There's a new exhaust system and upgraded brakes, as well. The Macan GTS is just the latest such model to join the range, alongside GTS versions of the Boxster, Cayman, 911, Panamera, and Cayenne. While sales of the new Macan GTS start today in its home market, US customers will have to wait until March to place their orders. MSRP is listed at $67,200 (plus destination), pretty evenly splitting the difference between the existing S and Turbo models. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Porsche Macan GTS – Improved Power and Performance Enhanced driving dynamics, enhanced driving fun Atlanta, Georgia. Porsche announces the new Macan GTS. With more power, a reengineered suspension, unique GTS-specific exterior and interior appointments, and new connectivity options, the new Macan GTS provides an enthusiastic driving experience that enhances the current Macan range. Based on the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in the Macan S, the Macan GTS incorporates hardware changes and a unique engine calibration to allow the engine to develop 360 hp at 6000 rpm and 369 lb.-ft. of torque between a broad 1650-4000 rpm.