1987 Targa Carrera 911 on 2040-cars

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The dream of the '90s is alive in Porsche 968 retro review

Only a month after Porsche confirmed that the next-generation Boxster and Cayman will get four-cylinder engines, it is apt that we have a MotorWeek retro review of the 1992 Porsche 968. Porsche hoped the 968 – nee 944 – and its naturally-aspirated, 3.0-liter, four-cylinder would revive sales of its entry-level line, but that didn't happen: going on sale in 1992, 1995 was its last year on the market. This was at a time when a stock 968 coupe cost $39,850, surpassing the out-the-door price of a loaded Chevrolet Corvette. The 968 convertible cost $51,000. That didn't stop MotorWeek's unanimous support of the 968, praising its design, the delivery of its 236 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, and its handling - MotorWeek called it "Pure 90s performance," in spite of some fiddly switchgear and a noisy, firm ride. You can watch the review above. We have a feeling Porsche's four-cylinder fortunes will go much better this time around.

Porsche Fire and Ice is chilling art born of flames

Porsche held a contest inviting ten filmmakers to riff on the tagline for the Panamera, "Thrilling Contradictions," in a 60-second film. The winner was an entry called Fire and Ice by director Ross Cohen, a concept that uses just those two elements in a premise as simple as it is rewarding. For his efforts, Cohen will receive a trip to the Chicago International Film Festival, and you might see the short in the pre-movie advertisements in a theater served by Spotlight Cinema Networks.
Porsche did this kind of thing just two years ago, when it asked filmmakers to illustrate the idea of "Everyday Magic". The winner of that contest, Michael Korbel's It's a Magical Life, followed the journey of a young man to husband and father from the perspective of the trunk of a 911. You'll find that video as well as Fire and Ice below.

Chris Harris brings together the 918 Spyder, LaFerrari, and P1

The Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari, and McLaren P1 show that a hybrid powertrain can make for blistering performance despite its electric assist. This trio doesn't arrive on track together very often, but Chris Harris assembled these three stars at the Portimao circuit for a nearly hour-long demonstration of their amazing capabilities. So, which one is quickest around the track? Harris provides an answer with in-car video of all three contenders. His team also goes out of its way to even the playing field by sourcing tires independently from Pirelli for the P1 and LaFerrari. With the technical part out of the way, Harris can start having fun by doing his usual slides during the driving comparison. Tiff Needell and Marino Franchitti also eventually show up to provide the perfect recipe for a track battle in these hypercars. If you don't have the time, skip about 14:25 into the clip just to see the lap times. However, those numbers only tell a tiny part of the story. The whole video is definitely worth a watch.