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Porsche doesn't think autonomous cars fit brand

Porsche customers have no need to worry because the company has no intention of taking away driver control by introducing autonomous tech for its vehicles. "One wants to drive a Porsche by oneself," company CEO Oliver Blume told a German newspaper, Reuters reports. For the sports car maker, this is a sensible decision, as its owners are driving enthusiasts who desire an exciting experience behind the wheel. Blume also isn't a big fan of people using their phones in the car. "An iPhone belongs in your pocket, not on the road," he told the newspaper. While Blume doesn't like some cutting-edge automotive tech, he's no Luddite. The CEO eventually wants every Porsche to be available with a hybrid powertrain option, including the 911. A plug-in version of the famous sports coupe could be ready by 2018 and have a 31-mile EV range (presumably on the European cycle), according to Reuters. The evidence suggests that Porsche is very serious about electrifying the 911. A company exec admitted the automaker had PHEVs under discussion. Spy shots (above) already showed one testing that possibly had a charger on the passenger side rear fender. The 911 PHEV would also follow logically from Porsche's recent surge to electrify its models. The Panamera and Cayenne already offer plug-in versions, and the 918 Spyder proves the system can perform. Applying that battery knowledge to the 911 is a natural move, especially with the fully electric Mission E taking another technological step forward around 2020. Related Video:

Porsche becomes first company to rent out Vatican's Sistine Chapel

We wouldn't go so far as to say God is a Porsche fan, but those in charge of one of the holiest Christian spots on our little blue marble are welcoming the German automaker into one of the religion's most revered and beautiful settings - the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. In so doing, Porsche will reportedly become the first company to rent out the holy hall for a corporate function.
Now, it's not like Pope Francis has signed off on Porsche doing do donuts in a 911 underneath Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. Instead, the Vatican has rented out the home of the Papal Conclave to the Porsche Travel Club, which will host a classical music concert. The Travel Club organizes events and tours across Europe for Porsche enthusiasts, with the Vatican concert just one part of a tour of Rome.
According to Automotive News Europe, Porsche will sell 40 tickets - at 5,000 euros each ($6,379) - to the event, while the Vatican has confirmed that the Pope will not be in attendance.

Le Mans-winning Porsche 956 up for auction at Pebble Beach

Collectors looking to get their hands on a piece of racing history will want to be in Monterey this August. That's where Gooding & Company will be auctioning off the genuine Le Mans winner you see here. One of the finest examples of the Group C era, this 1982 Porsche 956 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1983 – the eighth time the German marque won the legendary French endurance race, en route to the record seventeenth win it racked up at La Sarthe this year. This 956 was the third of only ten examples made, complete with Rothmans livery and unimpeachable history. It debuted at Le Mans in 1982, where it placed second behind another Rothmans-liveried 956, and went on to win the next four races it entered. The following year, the two Porsches switched places in the winner's circle at Le Mans, securing this car's place in the annals of racing history. Now set to cross the auction block at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Gooding projects this most historically significant Porsche to fetch between $7,000,000 and $9,000,000 once the gavel drops. According to the Sports Car Market database, that would make this the most valuable Porsche ever sold at auction, eclipsing the 1972 Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer that Mecum sold for $5.83 million in Monterey three years ago. It would also far exceed the ˆ2.35 million ($3.15m) paid at RM's auction in Paris last year for another Rothmans-liveried 956 that completed the 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in '82. That is, assuming 956 #003 sells this time: the last time it crossed the auction block, it failed to sell after a high bid of $2 million. Le Mans-Winning Rothmans Porsche 956 Roars its Way to Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach Auctions SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 19, 2015) – Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance®, is thrilled to announce the addition of one of the most important and desirable competition cars of all time to its Pebble Beach Auctions. The 1982 Porsche 956, chassis 003, was the outright winner of the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans and the most successful example of this revolutionary and dominating series of Group C cars. The sale of this factory Porsche racing machine presents an incredible opportunity to own a significant piece of motorsport history and it is sure to be a highlight of Gooding & Company's internationally renowned auction, taking place on August 15 and 16, 2015 in Pebble Beach, California.