2007 Porsche 911 on 2040-cars

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Watch the Porsche 911 R rip through the mountains

A few days ago, the top-tier driver's Porsches, the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, were the only game in town. Both are exclusively equipped with the technically excellent PDK, a dual-clutch gearbox virtually without equal. Of course, lots of folks, including Porsche die-hards, wanted to do it themselves, even if human shifts came at the expense of milliseconds of shift time. Porsche listened. You read all about the new 911 R two days ago when it was announced (if not, watch the video and then dive into the particulars at that link). It's an unabashed gift to that vocal minority. The folks that wanted a manual GT3 got one, and it's better than that. It's a throwback to the original 911 R, stripped of weight and unsightly aero bits like the massive rear wing of the GT3. There's even houndstooth-patterned cloth on the sport seats. It's a brilliant homage, without being overly retro. But how does it sound, and look in motion? See for yourself. We humbly suggest minding where the drool lands. Related Video: Porsche Coupe Performance Videos 911 porsche 911 r 911 r

The art of being teammates

Returning home from a successful event for our CJ Wilson Racing team I couldn't help to think about just how many people are involved to support the drivers that stand on the podium. Friends of 15 to 20 years are actively involved in my life in motorsports and it amazes me daily. I'd like to think that I possess the right blend of passion and humility to make racing for a living a successful career, and each year the ups and downs of motorsports takes a toll on even the savviest racer. Having been a race driver for the past several years, I had long ago stopped taking for granted just how important friendships & relationships are in life. In motorsports we have a large array of relationships we build, from the perspectives of business, crew, competitors, spectators and of course, teammates. For any young racer or driver that is struggling to stay an integral part of the racing community, I can't stress enough just how important relationship building is and in our world of multi-class & multi-driver line-ups, the "teammate" is a big one. Now in my fifth year with CJ Wilson Racing, I started the season with my 10th different teammate, most of which, came in the first season as we were developing into a program that could operate a two-car effort. These are people that I have coached, improved with and become, in a way, brothers. Most I consider friends, people I actively stay in touch with – not out of obligation, but because they are like family to me. They have been a teammate – and in this industry and our series in particular – there has to be something more cohesive than just sharing a car. Standing on the podium with all of your teammates like we did in this year in Monterey (our #33 ONE Capital / MotorOilMatters and #35 Safecraft Safety Equipment Porsche Caymans finished 2nd and 3rd) is one of those moments that you don't forget, in part, because you get to share it with ones you typically spend the most time. I watched both Danny Burkett and Till Bechtolsheimer go to the front after the green dropped and drive perfect opening stints. Sure, while cameras were rolling I played it cool, but as soon as they turned away I was a beacon of giddy pride like I was watching a little brother riding his bike without training wheels for the first time. When it came my turn to get behind the wheel, I knew that one of my closest friends, Tyler McQuarrie, would be in our sister car.

Porsche suspends 911 GT3 deliveries amidst fears of spontaneous combustion

Seeing pictures of Italian supercars burst into flames by the side of the road, as our compatriots at Axis of Oversteer point out, has become something of a usual sight. But a Porsche? Surely those meticulous German engineers have got that taken care of, right?
Not necessarily. Reports coming in from Europe indicate that no fewer than five 911 GT3 coupes have "spontaneously combusted" in the past few weeks, prompting Porsche to launch an investigation. In the meantime, they've reportedly ceased deliveries of the new GT3 while they try to determine what the problem is and work to rectify it.
We wouldn't be surprised to see a recall issued once the problem is resolved, but for now, we'd encourage existing owners to be extra vigilant behind the wheel - or better yet, leave their cars in the garage for the time being. You wouldn't want to drive a 475-horsepower rear-drive sports car through a Polar Vortex, anyway, right?