2002 Seal Grey 911 C2 Cab on 2040-cars

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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).

Vintage-ish Porsche 911 buying guide

Harry Metcalfe is always great at showing viewers the intricate details of the vehicles in his collection as part of the Harry's Garage series. This time he's helping out future buyers by explaining what to look for when purchasing a classic and slightly more modern Porsche 911. His examples for this lesson are two absolute beauties that are about to cross the block from Silverstone Auctions in the UK: a 1972 2.4 S and a 1991 964-chassis RS Clubsport. The '72 in creamy white here epitomizes the look of early 911s. The coupe is handsome, purposeful, and fairly compact by modern standards. According to Metcalfe, when looking at one, don't worry about a wobbly gearshift. Apparently, they're all like that, even ones as well cared for as this example. As with any used car purchase, he recommends trying to get as many service records as you can. It's just good to know as much about the vehicle's life as possible before throwing down any cash. Where the '72 911 shows the more gentlemanly side of the brand, the '91 RS Clubsport is Porsche proving the company's performance credentials. Metcalfe slightly dings the switch to an aftermarket air filter here, but overall it's hard to find a major fault. These cars were essentially road-going racers in this trim. The engineers in Zuffenhausen chopped out as much weight as possible and then fitted Recaro racing buckets and a roll cage. This thing was meant clock as many laps around the 'Ring as the driver could stand.

Porsche spotted testing next 911 GT3 in its natural habitat

Want a Porsche 911 GT3? Well too bad, because they're all sold out – and from what we hear, they have been for a while. But don't worry, there'll be another one coming soon. And here's our first look at it. Based on the updated 991, the new GT3 may be one of the few variations on the theme that won't be going turbocharged. It may, however, get a three-pedal manual transmission – possibly the six-speed from the 911 R as opposed to the seven from the Carrera. That is, at least, if the tinkerers in Weissach perk up their ears and listen to what their most enthusiastic customers have been saying. Because while the dual-clutch PDK may be faster, the GT3 has traditionally been as much about the driving experience as it has about outright pace. As it's mostly wearing the bodywork of the outgoing GT3, there's unfortunately little to be seen from this prototype spotted testing at the Nurburgring in one of the first (mostly) thawed test sessions of the season. But you can expect the new model to blend elements from the old GT3 with the revisions made to the new 911. And with it, expect a bit more power and a bit more performance from the latest iteration of a driving enthusiasts' favorite. We're told to expect the new 911 GT3 to hit dealers some time next year. There may or may not be a GT3 RS to follow, but from what we've seen, there ought to be an even faster GT2 RS entering the mix before long as well.