2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 4s Coupe 2-door 3.6l on 2040-cars

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Editors' Picks June 2024: Some German SUVs and an excellent sports car

This month sees some recently-refreshed luxury SUVs join the list of Editors' Picks. Both the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne are fresh for 2024, and both are extremely tempting luxury performance SUVs for the well-off buyer. The vast array of powertrains available for both of them ensure there's a version for all comers, and any enthusiast would adore the extra-high-performance versions of both. Of course, enthusiasts will enjoy the last car on this month's list the most with the Lotus Emira. It's simply spectacular to drive, and we can't recommend it enough to the hardcore driver. In case you missed previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. You'll find the entire list of Editors' Picks at this link here, which we keep updated as cars are either added or dropped from the list. The vehicles youÂ’ll find below consist of every car we rated in June that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2024 BMW X5 2024 BMW X5 M Competition View 41 Photos Quick take: The X5 is most desirable in its PHEV and M60i V8 trims, but the whole lineup is extremely competent and brings together excellent performance, excess luxury and cutting-edge tech for its segment. Score: 7.5 What it competes with: Mercedes-Benz GLE, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport, Maserati Levante, Genesis GV80, Audi Q8 Pros: Superb to drive with knockout powertrains; excellent utility and creative features; styling is sporty and attractive but not over the top Cons: Infotainment system can be a pain; M Competition model is a little over the top; gets pricey quick with options From the editors:  Senior Editor, Electric John Beltz Snyder — "I really like the dual-opening liftgate/tailgate combo. The liftgate portion up top opens quickly, allowing you to throw something inside or grab something out of the back. Flipping down the lower tailgate part gives you a nice place to sit and change shoes. Another benefit is that you can open the liftgate without unsecured items immediately falling out. And with the way the X5 M Competition encourages you to drive it hard, you will end up shifting loose cargo around at some point." Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "I'd snag the X5 M60i out of all the various X5 variants.

Porsche reveals new 911 GT3 R at the Nurburgring

On any given weekend, you're bound to find gaggles of Porsche 911s zipping around most any race track. Now Porsche has revealed its latest competition model at no less fitting a location than the Nurburgring. The new 911 GT3 R replaces the existing version, slotting in below the 911 RSR. It's based closely on the road-going 911 GT3 RS, and retains the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six with direct injection and variable valve timing, but tuned to deliver over 500 horsepower, transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox and mechanical limited slip differential. The wheelbase has been stretched over three inches for better weight balance compared to the outgoing GT3 R, further optimized by more lightweight components and a central radiator to lower the center of gravity. The lightweight bodywork is made of aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber, and for the first time all of the glass (including the windscreen) has been replaced by plexi. Stopping power is provided by six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers gripping 380-millimeter steel discs up front, with four-piston calipers and 372-mm discs at the back. The safety fuel cell can now hold 120 liters of fuel with a cut-off safety valve, the doors and windows can be removed, and the escape hatch is bigger, too. All of this adds up to the promise of a more competitive GT3 R ready to take on the competition, available to privateer racing teams from December for 429,000 euros before tax – working out to about $487k at current exchange rates. World premiere at the Nurburgring Lighter, more economical, faster: the new 911 GT3 R Stuttgart. Based on the 911 GT3 RS production sports car, Porsche has designed a customer sport race car for GT3 series around the world: The 911 GT3 R. In developing the more than 368 kW (500 hp) racing nine-eleven, special attention was paid to lightweight design, better aerodynamic efficiency, reducing consumption, improved handling, further optimised safety as well as lowering service and spare parts costs. Adopted from its production sibling, the 911 GT3 R features the distinctive double-bubble roof, and the wheelbase which had been lengthened by 8.3 centimetres compared to the previous generation. This ensures a more balanced weight distribution and more predictable handling particularly in fast corners corners in comparison to the previous GT3 R.

Porsche launches classic racing program with restored 917k

Porsches is launching a historic racing program to support private owners of its competition classics. The program will offer customers support restoring and repairing their racecars. It'll also help get vintage vehicles up to spec for modern safety equipment. The company is developing a network of trusted specialists, and will continue supplying spare parts and trackside technical assistance at major historic events. Porsche will also offer to store and maintain privately owned classic racers at its facilities – like the new Porsche Experience Center that's soon to open in Los Angeles – putting them on display for visitors to admire and even transporting them to and from the track for racing events. To highlight the newly enhanced program, Porsche is showcasing this restored 917K. This particular example, resplendent in iconic Gulf livery, won the thousand-kilometer race at Spa in 1971, and was entrusted a few years ago to Porsche Motorsport North America for restoration. It'll be participating in the Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca this weekend, but whether or not you'll be in Monterey for the event, you can check it out in the image gallery above. Restored Porsche 917K returns to US race track after 40 years Porsche provides new services for historic motorsport Stuttgart. Historic Porsche race cars represent many victories at the 24-hour classics of Le Mans and Daytona. And they also celebrated memorable successes at 1,000-kilometre events on storied circuits such as the Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps. To ensure that these vehicles can still be admired at race tracks today, Porsche now also offers customers a comprehensive service for historic motor racing in Germany and the USA. The priorities of the new business field are to restore vintage race cars as true to the original as possible as well as to repair and maintain them. "These vehicles have written motorsport history and have gained in value, at times markedly, in recent years," says Jens Walther, President & CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America in Santa Ana/California. "The historic motor racing scene has an extremely strong following in the USA, but many of these vehicles can also be seen on European race tracks. An increasing number of owners are now recognising how important it is for future gain that such vehicles undergo a true to original restoration." The figurehead for the new business service is the now completed restoration of a Porsche 917K.