1999 Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible 2-door 3.4l, Needs New Engine Block on 2040-cars

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Consumer Reports selling its road-tested roadsters [w/video]

Here's a chance to acquire a celebrity-owned vehicles, and this time at a discount instead of a premium. So the celebrity in this case is Consumer Reports, that magazine that could be equally adored and abhored by car enthusiasts. CR buys all of its test vehicles and usually finds willing second owners within its own ranks, but its opening its small used-car lot to the public. On the forecourt are four roadsters: an automatic 2012 Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Quattro S-Tronic with 6,600 miles for $36,500, a manual 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i with 8,400 miles for $45,000, a manual 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK250 for $39,500 and a manual 2013 Porsche Boxster with 7,000 miles for $48,000.
Those numbers mean a savings of $9,000 to $10,000 before haggling - each car is listed with an "Asking price" so there could be some wiggle room if you show up with pockets full of dough and eyes full of serious intent. Since the money CR earns from the sales go back into the magazine's budget to buy more test cars, however, it probably won't take any oddball trades, so you can forget about getting any purchasing help from that track-day AMC Javelin project on blocks in the back yard.
The vehicles have been taken care of and spiffed up for sale; buyers will take delivery at the CR test track in East Haddam, Connecticut and get a tour of the facilities. While you're there they'll even take you on a lap around the track so you can feel how your car handles when driven by one of its testers. They will probably not help you with advice on which toaster and dehumidifier to buy - you'll still need to get a subscription for that. Have a look at the video below to see a day in the life of a CR test car.

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.

Alonso wants an NSX, but did Honda block him from Le Mans?

One of the biggest changes in store for the 2015 Formula One World Championship will see Fernando Alonso moving back to McLaren. That means he'll be driving under Honda power for the first time, after spending the bulk of his career driving for Renault and Ferrari. And being Honda's new poster child, as the two-time World Champion is fast discovering, has its advantages and its drawbacks. According to the latest reports, Alonso had been negotiating a clause in his contract with McLaren that could have seen him driving a Porsche 919 Hybrid at Le Mans this year, but Honda reportedly stepped in at the last minute and scuttled the plan. The drive would have been Alonso's first in the famous 24-hour race, after having had the honor of waving the flag at La Sarthe last summer. In one of the wilder rumors that emerged during the prolonged silence over his move for this season, the Spaniard was also linked to a potential return for Ferrari to Le Mans. That prospect came to naught, and now the Porsche deal has been wheeled into the garage, as well. The upcoming F1 season is expected to be one of transition, adjustment and development for McLaren and Honda, but the Japanese automaker's involvement in his hiring may not be all bad news for Alonso. Following the reveal of the new Acura NSX, Alonso tweeted "You still don't know, but one day we will be together..." followed by a series of heart-eyed smiley-face emoticons and accompanies by images of Honda's new supercar. The implication is that the two-time World Champion is expecting to get his talented hands on an NSX of his own, and we can certainly see how Honda would appreciate the imagery of Fernando driving around in its flagship. Even if it doesn't, though, we're sure McLaren would be glad to hook him up with a company car of its own – though Lewis Hamilton encountered some trouble securing (a very specific) one for himself. Even discounting the front-running F1 machinery he's been tasked with piloting on track to an impressive 32 career wins, Alonso has had some lustworthy company cars at his disposal over the years. At Renault, he had a Megane RS to drive, and during his last stint at McLaren, he had an SLR 722. But since signing with Ferrari, he's been given the keys to FCA models as varied as a Ferrari FF, a special 599 GTO, a Maserati GranCabrio, a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and an Abarth 695... and those are just the ones we know about.