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Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer First Drive [w/video]

"There's still a couple hundred rpm left," coaxes the voice from the passenger seat. Though I'm wailing down a mercilessly knotted up Southern California canyon road in someone else's half-million dollar coupe, my manic pace apparently isn't sufficient for the Singer Vehicle Design rep in the right seat. On one hand, my Irish co-pilot with more than a passing resemblance to Bruce Willis is playfully ribbing me because I've been driving hard, but haven't yet hit the 4.0-liter engine's 7,200-rpm rev limiter. On the other hand, if you've never heard of an Irish bloke who doesn't drink because he's got control issues – well, now you have, because the dude's stocky paws are white knuckling the car's rain gutter like his life depends on it. Within my microcosm of itinerant auto writing some days are odder than others; this particular Monday is beginning to look like one of the weirder ones. Rolling, In My Four-Point-Oh The car in question, according to a release I've signed prior to the drive, is a "Porsche 911," a "Porsche," or a "911," but certainly not a "Singer Porsche," a "Singer 911," or any number of variants thereafter. Sigh. I suppose "Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer Vehicle Design" will suffice? Oh, legal department. Nomenclature aside, what started life as a 1990 Porsche 911 has been dismantled and rebodied with a carbon fiber skin that makes it more closely resemble a small-bumpered, wide-hipped 1960s-era 911 than it does its melted bumper donor car. According to company founder (and former Catherine Wheel vocalist) Rob Dickinson, the decision to source a 964-series 911 was based on its delicate foothold between the model's combination of heritage and drivability. "I think the 964 is in the sweet spot of having one foot in old school 911 thinking with the [semi-trailing] rear suspension, which honors every earlier 911, while having a front end which is very much of the modern era and allows the car not to feel like an antique," he tells Autoblog. The specimen I'm driving is the latest evolution of Singer's vision of the reinterpreted 911, distinguished by a 4.0-liter powerplant that's been heavily modified by Ed Pink Racing (and, in Singer tradition, the serial number matches the donor car's chassis). The Van Nuys, California-based firm knows a thing or two about high-strung Porsche mills: the tuner has a long history of rebuilding such mechanical exotica such as 917, 935, and 962 race engines.

911 beware! Porsche testing new top-trim Boxster

The Boxster and Cayman are like the scrappy siblings compared to their star brother – the Porsche 911. And now it looks like the rivalry is about to get even more serious, as our spies have captured this hotted-up Boxster doing some winter testing. We've already seen Porsche evaluating a higher-performance version of the Cayman, rumored to be called the GT4. It would reportedly offer a taste of the thrills of the 911 GT3, but at a lower price. The coupe appears to have a convertible twin in this Boxster prototype. The biggest giveaway of their possible relationship is the shared front bumper with larger intakes and an extra opening at the tip of the hood. Although, this one lacks the Cayman's big, rear spoiler in favor of a smaller decklid unit. The good news for fans of shifting for themselves is that this tester is fitted with a manual transmission, according to our spies. Being a prototype, though, there's no guarantee that the gearbox makes it to production. At least in Cayman trim, these higher performance models might use a tuned version of the 3.4-liter flat-six with between 370 and 400 horsepower. Though, an earlier rumor suggested that a turbocharged four-cylinder could sit behind the driver. Until we know for sure, glance at the gallery to see a Porsche that might try to challenge its big brother.

Porsche teams with Delta airlines to woo VIP passengers

The next time you're waiting for a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, see if you can spot a Porsche Cayenne or Panamera zipping between aircraft on the busy tarmac. The high-performance German vehicles aren't there practicing for an upcoming autocross; they are tasked with whisking some of the airline's most important customers between flights so they can keep their busy schedules intact.
Launched nearly two years ago, the program has proven popular with the automaker, airline and passengers as all benefit from the unique arrangement. Atlanta-based Porsche is able to showcase its cars to Delta's frequent-flying Medallion members, the airline is recognized for providing unusual perks to its high-value customers and those fortunate enough to be surprised with a quick lift are able to make connections without a stressful run through the terminal. Based on its success, the airline is rolling our similar programs in New York, Los Angeles and Minneapolis this month.
And don't think Porsche is the only automaker working with an airline to entice its frequent flyers. Mercedes-Benz ran a program over the summer that offered purchasing and leasing incentives to MileagePlus Premier members of United Airlines, and the two are currently shuttling top fliers around Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the automaker's S-Class and GL-Class models.