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Porsche Boxster Spyder GT4 under consideration

Apparently, the Porsche Boxster Spyder will not be the ultimate example of the breed, after reports have surfaced indicating that Porsche is considering an even hotter roadster after seeing strong demand for the all-new Cayman GT4. The new lightweight Boxster was just unveiled a few weeks back at the 2015 New York Auto Show, showing a 3.8-liter flat-six, just like the Cayman GT4. It's without a number of GT4-specific components, though. According to Autocar, a Boxster Spyder GT4, if it were built, would benefit from the same 911 GT3-inspired adjustable front suspension, a unique rear suspension, GT3-spec brakes and a new aerodynamic kit. "We are looking at it right now," a source within Porsche told Autocar. "Much of the engineering has already been done for the Cayman, so we think this might be a good direction for us." Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Mercedes continues the pseudo-coupe craze with AMG-tuned CUV

But as BMW's X6 has demonstrated, sport sells in in the crossover segment, and Mercedes is giving the people what they want. BMW proved there is a market for crossover utility vehicles designed to look like coupes – as much as a vehicle with four doors and noticeable ground clearance can look like a coupe, anyway. Now comes the reply from Mercedes-Benz: the GLE Coupe. The rakish crossover is a harbinger of things to come from Mercedes, as it begins the company's transition to a new nomenclature and marks the debut of the AMG Sport line. It also continues the recent coupe craze. Designers from many automakers, like Nissan and Volkswagen, have increasingly turned to swoopy, dramatic styling to make utility vehicles and sedans seem more desirable. By revealing the GLE 450 AMG Sport model first, Mercedes is clearly hoping to cast the GLE Coupe as a sportier, lifestyle-oriented alternative in its lineup of beefy crossovers and SUVs. Mercedes used the word "sport," or a variation of it, 53 times in its press release, so uh yeah, it's sporty. It's not an empty promise: Benz means business with the AMG Sport line. This GLE Coupe gets a 3.0-liter biturbo V6 rated at 362 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque paired with Mercedes' new nine-speed automatic transmission, and it runs with 4Matic all-wheel drive. Specs on the other GLE Coupe models were not disclosed. But as BMW's X6 has demonstrated, sport sells in in the crossover segment, and Mercedes is giving the people what they want. After all, more than 260,000 people have bought X6s since 2008, and Mercedes wants a piece of that. From certain angles, the GLE Coupe even looks vaguely like an X6. "This is really a vehicle that is all about status," said Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager for research firm AutoPacific. "You can buy a SUV that doesn't have the inherent qualities of a SUV, such as cargo hauling. People will likely be drawn to the looks. Coupes are all the rage." BMW, however, isn't running from the fight, and the updated 2015 X6 is arriving in showrooms this month. It also added a smaller sibling, the X4, to its coupe-crossover stable in July. The GLE Coupe arrives next year, though Mercedes hasn't specified exactly when it will hit showrooms from the factory in Alabama, or specified details on the rest of the non-AMG Sport models. In 2008, it was surprising the X6 was a hit. In 2015, it will be even more surprising if the GLE Coupe isn't.

Porsche Macan to debut at LA Auto Show

Auto Express reports Porsche will unveil the upcoming Macan SUV at this year's LA Auto Show. Citing an unnamed "insider," AE says that the five-door will bow with engines, suspension and interior architecture that will help differentiate it from its Audi Q5 chassis mate. Big shocker there. We've been hearing the same line since we first caught word of the Macan back when it was still rolling around under the Cajun name. The report does shed some light on the model's pricing, however. That same insider says the Porsche Macan will carry a price tag of 36,000 pounds.
What does that mean for American buyers? Do some quick math based on current conversion rates, and average UK and US prices, and we come up with a sticker of roughly $42,000 here in the land of the free. That fits in line with the rest of the company's stable, with the larger Cayenne starting at $49,600.
Still, we'll wait for more concrete word before jumping behind the AE report wholeheartedly. The 2013 LA Auto Show gets going in late November.