2004 Porsche Boxster S Convertible 2-door 3.2l on 2040-cars

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2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S

A Wicked-Fast Street Legal Multi-Tool
Walter Röhrl was carving up the circuit in the Porsche 911 Turbo S like a skilled Jedi Master - and I was sitting next to him, mesmerized by the breathtaking show. I had strapped myself securely into the front passenger bucket of the all-new coupe less than a minute earlier, expecting nothing more than a few quick laps around a track at the hands of another celebrated race driver. Been there, done that. Many times, actually.
Yet this was different. Röhrl was not only calculated and methodical in his approach, but his rally-tuned cerebrum appeared to be actively reading available grip levels while effortlessly tossing the all-wheel-drive Porsche into each corner at gut-wrenching speeds. His hands were moving rapidly, sending tiny steering corrections to the front tires, and he was using every inch of the track to extract more speed. We launched over a curb, dropped a wheel in the dirt and then drifted around a wide off-camber turn. His human precision and focus was astounding, and the performance he was extracting from the machine was just short of breathtaking.

Recharge Wrap-up: Porsche buys stake in carbon fiber partsmaker, Formula E runs on solar

The US Department of Energy is providing $35 million in new funding for fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. The money will fund projects to advance technology and speed up adoption of fuel cell applications like light-duty vehicles. Categories for possible projects include deployment of fuel-cell electric hybrid vehicles, mobile refueling and one called "Crosscutting: America's Climate Communities of Excellence." Other possible projects include research and development for hydrogen production, delivery and fuel cell manufacturing. Read more from the DOE. Porsche will buy a 25.1-percent stake in carbon fiber parts manufacturer Capricorn Composite GmbH. Capricorn has provided parts for Porsche's LMP1 racecar and 918 Spyder. The deal will give the automaker better access to the lightweight material going forward, and will "build on joint work over many years in the motor-sports industry and secure the future," according to Porsche. Porsche's parent company Volkswagen owns almost 10 percent of Capricorn's competitor SGL Carbon SE, but an expansion of that ownership could be thwarted by BMW, which controls more of SGL's stock. Read more at Bloomberg. The electric racecars running in the Formula E Miami ePrix will use solar energy. Florida Power & Light (FPL) will provide the electricity the cars will be using for the race on March 14, and its Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center provided the electricity the cars used during the announcement event. "Our partnership with Formula E and the Miami ePrix is another example of our commitment to advancing zero-emissions solar energy and the use of electric vehicles in Florida," says FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy. FPL currently operates two other solar plants, with plans to install 1 million solar panels at three more power plants by the end of next year. Read more at Domestic Fuel. Featured Gallery 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder: First Drive View 51 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Formula E Buenos Aires ePrix View 28 Photos News Source: DOE, Bloomberg, Domestic FuelImage Credit: Porsche Government/Legal Green Motorsports Porsche Alternative Fuels Electric Hydrogen Cars recharge wrapup

Porsche planning customer driving center at Le Mans

Porsche seems to be on a campaign to build driving centers for its customers to allow them to experience the capabilities of their cars on track. It has one under way in Los Angeles, another in development at its North American headquarters in Atlanta, and a British center set up at the Silverstone circuit. Now the latest reports indicate that Porsche is planning yet another driving center at Le Mans.
The new facility is earmarked to be built at the Circuit de la Sarthe right by the start/finish line, incorporating the Porsche Curves that bridge the Arnage corner and the Ford Chicanes on the West side of the famous track.
Porsche is reportedly still seeking approval from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest that manages the circuit, and once given the green light, would still take some time to complete. But the idea of driving a 911 flat out on the legendary track is likely to make more than a few mouths water, particularly as the German automaker prepares its full-on assault of the famous endurance race next year.