2004 Porsche Boxster 2dr Roadster S Tiptronic on 2040-cars

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Chris Harris hits the track with the Porsche Cayman GT4

The Porsche Cayman GT4 offers the first legitimate chance for Porsche's more compact coupe to really step out of the long shadow of its brother the 911. By placing the 385-horsepower Carrera S engine into the center of a Cayman and sweetening the package with a ton of truly high performance parts, the model can now really show off. The ever-enthusiastic Chris Harris puts on quite a display behind the wheel of the German brand's latest hardcore creation. As is his wont, Harris slides the GT4 all over the Portimao circuit with little wisps of smoke wafting up from its rear Michelin tires. However, what he gets really excited about is Porsche's decision to fit a real manual gearbox, rather than the PDKs rapidly taking over the company's highest performance vehicles. For anyone who loves seeing a sports car's oily bits, stay tuned all the way through because after hooning around for awhile, Harris puts the model up on a lift to find out what's so special. Porsche touts the GT4's 911 GT3-derivied front suspension, but this really shows just how many mechanical adjustments it offers the demanding driver. Related Video:

Behold the glory of unobscured Porsche 911 Turbo bumpers

Porsche apparently sees absolutely no reason to hide the changes for the 911's upcoming refresh on any of the models. After releasing official photos of the standard version ahead of the debut, here are the Germans testing the revised 911 Turbo S at the Nurburgring with no camouflage at all. The exterior tweaks are tiny enough that maybe the company thinks no one would notice. The front bumper receives tiny adjustments, including the LED lights lengthened in the lower air intakes. The headlights are also slightly tweaked, and the taillights are the wider units from the rest of the updated range. The rear bumper receives some restyled vents at each corner, as well. The standard 911 is rumored to receive a new family of smaller displacement, turbocharged flat-six engines as soon as this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, and that leaves the Turbo in a weird place. Forced induction holds a special place in the model's lineup by denoting some of the most powerful versions. With that exclusivity possibly on the way out, Porsche might now have to find a way to keep the Turbo badge special. Related Video:

Porsche, Audi team up for tech: autonomy, EVs, hybrids and more

Porsche and Audi have been working on a number of important technologies for future vehicles. The two luxury automakers, both part of the Volkswagen Group, have mostly appeared to guard the space between their brands despite some shared engines and a platform. While their goals may not always overlap – Porsche has shied away from fully autonomous driving, for instance ­– the two brands have decided they could move more quickly into their respective futures by putting their heads together. In that spirit, Audi and Porsche are partnering up for a "shared vehicle architecture strategy of the future." This collaboration will focus on future mobility, including the development electrification, digitization, and autonomous driving technology. And the teams have knowledge and resources to share with one another. Porsche is moving fast with electrification, adding more hybrid systems to its models and preparing to launch the ultra-fast-charging Mission E electric car. Audi has been pursuing autonomous driving, connected vehicle and V2X tech, and Shared Fleet programs. Combining the best and brightest of both companies should help accelerate R&D. Even if one or the other company doesn't put all of the co-developed technologies into its vehicles, they'll both be learning the lessons, and sharing resources should help keep costs in check. "We will cooperate wherever it makes sense," says Porsche Board of Management Chairman Oliver Blume. "But we will also be very careful to maintain the differentiation between our brands. A Porsche is always a Porsche, and that will remain so in the future." Detail are still scarce, but Audi and Porsche will pin down a more a more specific sharing strategy as they develop their plan through 2025. While the cars continue to look and drive differently, expect Porsche and Audi to share more components and digital capabilities moving forward. Related Video: