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Porsche expects to hit 200k sales target 3 years early

When Porsche launched the Cayenne, enthusiasts and purists – in between fits of rage – rationalized the SUVs existence by imagining that the money it brought in would guarantee the company's continued ability to produce the many beloved versions of its 911. The same was said when the Panamera arrived, and again when the Macan was unveiled. What probably wasn't imagined when these three more mainstream vehicles joined the Porsche catalog, was how dramatic an impact they'd have on the company's sales figures. The company expects 2015 to be a banner year, as it aims to hit a 200,000-unit sales goal three years ahead of schedule. Porsche sold nearly 190,000 units in 2014, a gain of 17 percent over 2013, while its year-over-year sales for December were up 39 percent. Considering Porsche made these gains before the full impact of the new Macan could be felt, it's no wonder the company is so keen on 2015. Porsche has already moved 45,000 Macans, which would be impressive on its own, were it not for the way the CUV is elevating the brand. According to a report from Reuters, two-thirds of the company's Macan deliveries have been to first-time Porsche customers. Considering these two facts, it will be extremely interesting to see the impact Porsche's newest model has on its sales over a full calendar year.

Vintage 911 sacrificed in the name of fashion

People routinely suffer in the name of looking good, whether through a pair of uncomfortable, stylish shoes or a nice shirt that doesn't breathe in the summer heat. Rarely is a vintage sports car the recipient of this sartorial pain, though. In a bizarre, short video from the fashion label Rag & Bone, an old Porsche 911 is the one taking all of the damage in the name of being chic. And it's really painful to watch. Give this video a few seconds to get going because it starts very weird (fashion!). Black smoke billows up through a hole in a harshly lit white room, and a woman keeps switching outfits. If the attempt at being artsy isn't painful enough, things get really traumatic for Porsche fans once the 911 appears on screen. Seeing a classic car get destroyed hasn't been this harrowing since the government publicly destroyed an illegally imported, classic Mini last winter. Thankfully, this 911 was reportedly just a shell, according to Jalopnik. Although even if that's the case, the body looks to be in great shape, and from the tiny glimpse through the windows, the interior even looks largely intact. This coupe might have been a pretty good restoration candidate if not for the massive hunk of concrete crashing through the roof to make a fashion video.

Super Bowl car commercials: Follow along as we riff on them live

Join Autoblog editors Sunday starting around 6:30 p.m. ET as we react to all of the car commercials during the game. We know Hummer, Porsche, Hyundai and others will have splashy ads, and naturally, there's usually a few surprises. Whether you're a Chiefs or 49ers fan — or don't care about football — the commercials are always a highlight. And for us, the car spots are the most intriguing. Weigh in with your own thoughts in the comments section. Let's kick off.   FIRST QUARTER Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore liveblogs the first quarter. F9 We'll count this as a car commercial. The latest edition of the Fast & Furious looks like it well, will have cars. We'll punt on further comment. PORSCHE I like it. Creative. Sort of a Night at the Museum feel. The guards stage a theft and then a car chase. The Taycan looked good. Get fired up — the future for Porsche is electric. The spot is meant to illustrate how fun that can be. I don't need any convincing.    SECOND QUARTER Associate Editor Byron Hurd is liveblogging the second quarter.  HYUNDAI Hyundai checked in super early with their Sonata "Smaht Pahk" commercial, which manages to score points for being both cute and clever while also being a fairly good commercial in a vacuum. We saw it last week, so there were no surprises here, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.  Fun note: If you go to the Sonata landing page on Hyundai's web site, you can choose "plain old English" or "the Boston way" for your language; the latter will translate the page. Enjoy.  FORD Hi ho, West Coast Editor James Riswick here. Apparently, the guys in Detroit didn't get the Mustang Mach E ad featuring Idris Elba and a whole boat load of awesome old Mustangs. Pretty sure it's bound to be viewed the exact same way as the car itself: traditionalists will be aghast, while non-car people will be intrigued by a new, all-electric, crossover version of one of the few cars they've heard of.  GENESIS They're coming more rapidly now. Genesis gets some love thanks to Chrissy Teigen and John Legend; this was another known quantity, but Hyundai's luxury brand managed another solid entry here thanks to its choice of stars. Teigen and Legend got the chance to throw back to the latter's "Sexiest Man Alive" honors, which Teigen often teases him for. Another solid all-around spot.  GMC/HUMMER Are there just no surprises left? Don't tell me; I know the answer. LeBron James fronts the revived Hummer, which will be an EV sold as a GMC.