2017 Porsche 911 Turbo S on 2040-cars

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2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS looks even better in the flesh [w/video]

You should never, ever, ever buy a new Porsche 911 GT3 when it first comes out. That's not to say it's somehow bad. It's just that the debut of a new GT3 is, almost without fail, followed by a GT3 RS. GT3: good. GT3 RS: better. This is the latest hot 911, and it comes out shooting with a 4.0-liter flat-six, complete with 500 horsepower and 338 pound-feet of torque. As we explained earlier this morning, sitting behind the wheel of the GT3 RS means 60 miles per hour is just 3.1 seconds away. That is, frankly, a hilariously fast time for a rear-drive, naturally aspirated vehicle with just 500 hp. Consider the new Ferrari 488 GTB, if you will – it has an extra 160 horsepower, (probably) two turbochargers and two more cylinders, and it's only a tenth of a second faster to 62 than the Porsche is to 60. Any Porsche worth its salt will be as rapid in the corners as it is on the straights, and the GT3 RS is no different. It managed to trim five seconds off the standard GT3's Nurburgring time, thanks in part to Porsche's dedication to weight reduction. It's down 22 pounds on the standard car, thanks to magnesium and carbon fiber components. On top of that, Porsche pushed the aerodynamics with a track-ready rear wing and a fairly substantial front splitter. Of course, you know all of this, because we covered it this morning. Still, it seemed worth recapping as we delivered our very own, live-from-Geneva photos of the 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Take a look. Related Video: Porsche 911 GT3 RS: the Ultimate 911 for High-Performance Drivers Atlanta. The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS breaks down the barrier between road-going sports cars and race cars. It is equipped with the maximum amount of motorsport technology that is currently possible in a street-legal 911 suitable for everyday driving. Extensive modifications to its drivetrain, aerodynamics, and lightweight design take performance to an even higher level than the 911 GT3. With a Nuerburgring Nordschleife lap time of seven minutes and 20 seconds, the new 911 GT3 RS surpasses the 911 GT3 by five seconds, making it the fastest current generation 911 on the famous German racetrack. The 911 GT3 RS is celebrating its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. Motorsport expertise is the driving force behind this superior performance. The 911 GT3 RS is powered by a four-liter six-cylinder engine developing 500 hp and 338 lb.-ft. of torque, combined with a specially developed PDK transmission.

New European charging network will offer speeds up to 350 kW

It's about to get easier to fast-charge your electric vehicle across Europe thanks to four major automakers working together in a new joint venture. BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Ford, and the VW Group (Audi and Porsche) have all signed a Memorandum of Understanding to install about 400 DC fast charging sites in Europe. As you may know, there are different types of fast chargers, but the ones that this group is talking about installing will be able to charge an EV in much less time than other stations. That's because these chargers will offer power levels of "up to 350 kW." Compare that to what's generally considered the current gold standard, the Tesla Superchargers, which have rates of up to 145 kW and a statement not that long ago from a Ford exec that suggested that 150 kW chargers would be the new normal. Of course, the Tesla chargers use the company's proprietary connector and the new network the JV is setting up will use the CCS standard. The first new stations will go up in 2017 and those 400 sites are just the beginning. A joint statement by the JV says that EV drivers will "have access to thousands of high-powered charging points" by 2020 along highways and main roads. "The charging experience is expected to evolve to be as convenient as refueling at conventional gas stations," the companies said. While not every electric vehicle will be able to take advantage of the 350 kW charging rate, the companies involved would be silly to build the infrastructure without vehicles that can handle that kind of energy flow. The JV says it would welcome participation from other automakers and will cooperate with interested regional partners. Related Video: News Source: Daimler Green Audi BMW Ford Mercedes-Benz Porsche Volkswagen Electric fast charging

2015 Porsche 911 GTS widens your rear-engined choices

"Porsche needs to offer more versions of the 911" is not a phrase you'll hear uttered often. Not with 15 versions already in the catalog. But with the opening of this year's LA Auto Show, Porsche has introduced four more to bring the total up to nineteen variants. And more are no doubt on the way. What you're looking at is the new Porsche 911 GTS, which has grown from one model in the previous generation to four. Buyers will be able to choose between rear- or all-wheel drive and between coupe and cabriolet body-styles, but either way they'll be looking at a 3.8-liter flat six with 430 horsepower. That slots it in between the base Carrera and the GT3, but unlike the hardcore latter, it can be had with choice of manual or dual-clutch transmission – bringing the available configurations of 911 GTS up to eight. Spec the DCT and you'll be reaching 60 in as little as 3.8 seconds, but the pleasure won't come cheap: prices range from $114,200 for the rear-drive coupe to $132,800 for the all-wheel-drive cabrio, plus another $995 for delivery. But for that much scratch you also get the Powerkit, Sport Chrono package, wider track, lower suspension, Xenon headlamps, Alcantara trim, 20-inch alloys and more all thrown in as standard.