2016 Porsche Cayenne S on 2040-cars

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Malaise Era All-Stars

A few weeks ago, we bid a fond happy 40th anniversary to the automotive dark ages of 1973-84 that have come to be known as "The Malaise Era" - the performance ice-age when 160 horsepower was a lot and a 0-60 time of under 10 seconds was remarkable. Like music in the 1980s, everything in automobiledom didn't suck, however. There were a few bright spots. Here are five of our favorites:
1976-79 Porsche 930, aka 911 Turbo Carrera (above)
Photo Credit: Dorotheum

Porsche spotted testing next-gen Panamera in the snow

It's winter testing season in northern Sweden, and the latest spy shots our paparazzi on the ground have brought us is the upcoming Porsche Panamera testing in the cold and snow. The upcoming new four-door Porsche, spied wearing only minimal camouflage, appears to have a more elegant and sloping roofline than the existing model. Other details like the lights, mirrors and grille openings look fairly consistent with what we've been seeing on Porsche's other models as they've trickled out. Based on the new MSB platform, the new Panamera is set to share its underpinnings with the next Bentley Continental and possibly an Audi variant as well – though the prospect of a Lamborghini version to follow the Estoque concept seems to be off the table. The new platform will, however, make the new Panamera lighter than the current model. A new range of V6 and V8 engines are expected to provide motivation, driving the rear wheels or all four, along with the available e-hybrid system. Porsche's first four-door sedan was introduced in 2009 and underwent a facelift in 2013, so the all-new second-generation model should arrive sometime later this year or next as a 2017 model. This new model could provide the impetus for Porsche to put the Sport Turismo shooting brake version into production as well, and maybe – just maybe – a two-door coupe and possible convertible versions to follow in the footsteps of the 928.

Porsche 911 RSR stops just long enough to have its photo taken

When it comes to Porsche and its rapidly escalating endurance racing program, all eyes may be on the new 919 Hybrid - and with good reason: that's the vehicle with which Porsche will be challenging the likes of Audi and Toyota for wins in the top-tier LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship and at Le Mans. But it's the 911 RSR that does and will continue to form the backbone of the factory's effort.
The 470-horsepower racing version of the road-going 911 took a one-two finish in its class at Le Mans last year, and also won its class at the Daytona 24 this past January as well. This year Porsche will field two of them in the WEC, another two in the United SportsCar Championship here in the US and will sell countless more to customer racing teams that will undoubtedly continue to rack up trophies in racing series around the world. This, then, might be a unique chance to see one standing still. Check it out in our gallery of live images above from the Geneva Motor Show.