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Porsche reveals new 911 GT3 R at the Nurburgring

On any given weekend, you're bound to find gaggles of Porsche 911s zipping around most any race track. Now Porsche has revealed its latest competition model at no less fitting a location than the Nurburgring. The new 911 GT3 R replaces the existing version, slotting in below the 911 RSR. It's based closely on the road-going 911 GT3 RS, and retains the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six with direct injection and variable valve timing, but tuned to deliver over 500 horsepower, transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox and mechanical limited slip differential. The wheelbase has been stretched over three inches for better weight balance compared to the outgoing GT3 R, further optimized by more lightweight components and a central radiator to lower the center of gravity. The lightweight bodywork is made of aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber, and for the first time all of the glass (including the windscreen) has been replaced by plexi. Stopping power is provided by six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers gripping 380-millimeter steel discs up front, with four-piston calipers and 372-mm discs at the back. The safety fuel cell can now hold 120 liters of fuel with a cut-off safety valve, the doors and windows can be removed, and the escape hatch is bigger, too. All of this adds up to the promise of a more competitive GT3 R ready to take on the competition, available to privateer racing teams from December for 429,000 euros before tax – working out to about $487k at current exchange rates. World premiere at the Nurburgring Lighter, more economical, faster: the new 911 GT3 R Stuttgart. Based on the 911 GT3 RS production sports car, Porsche has designed a customer sport race car for GT3 series around the world: The 911 GT3 R. In developing the more than 368 kW (500 hp) racing nine-eleven, special attention was paid to lightweight design, better aerodynamic efficiency, reducing consumption, improved handling, further optimised safety as well as lowering service and spare parts costs. Adopted from its production sibling, the 911 GT3 R features the distinctive double-bubble roof, and the wheelbase which had been lengthened by 8.3 centimetres compared to the previous generation. This ensures a more balanced weight distribution and more predictable handling particularly in fast corners corners in comparison to the previous GT3 R.

Porsche again staring down another $1.8B in hedge fund lawsuits

The sequence of events from 2007 that began with Porsche's secret attempt to take over Volkswagen, and instead lead to Porsche being taken over by VW, continues to instigate lawsuits against the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer. A group of hedge funds that suffered over $1 billion in losses sued the car company in New York. Porsche had publicly stated it wasn't trying to buy VW, the hedge funds in question were shorting VW stock, and when Porsche's actual intentions were revealed, the stock shot up and the hedge funds took a beating.
The case was thrown out over the issue of jurisdiction, then appealed, only to see another suit filed on top of that. After that, most of the hedge funds withdrew their claims in New York and Porsche offered a 90-day window to refile in Germany where it is already fighting a number of other suits over the same issue. The hedge funds accepted the offer, refiling in Stuttgart for $1.8 billion in damages. According to Bloomberg, Porsche hasn't commented on the refiling, but as the same plaintiffs are involved, it's safe to assume that the carmaker still feels the case is "unsubstantiated and without merit." It has fared alright so far even in German courts, with two lesser cases against it thrown out last year.

Porsche opening network of dedicated Classics centers

Porsche is in the process of opening a new network of service centers specifically focused on its classic cars. By 2018, the German automaker aims to have 100 such locations up and running around the world. What you're looking at here is the first. Opening this week in Gelderland – a city on the outskirts of Arnhem in the Netherlands – the first dedicated Porsche Classic Center is designed to support older vehicles from Zuffenhausen's history. That means undertaking service and maintenance, installing original parts, partially or completely overhauling of vintage vehicles – even selling classic Porsches certified by the factory. The company reports that over 70 percent of the vehicles it has ever produced are still running. That rather impressive statistic speaks to the quality of the vehicles in the first place, but also the dedication of their owners to keep them running, and the necessity for proper service and maintenance. The chain of 100 or so Porsche Classic Centers to open around the world will stem from the existing network of Porsche Classic Partners. As it is, the network includes 24 such partners around the world, principally in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Ten of those 24 are located in Germany alone. However the new network will incorporate locations in North America as well. Premiere for Porsche Classic Centre in Gelderland World's first Porsche centre for classic cars to open Gelderland/Stuttgart. The world's first Porsche Classic Centre is just about to open: from 26 November 2015, the Porsche Classic Centre Gelderland, just outside of Arnhem/Netherlands, will be offering services for classic cars of all ages from Zuffenhausen. This is the first time that service, workshop and sales exclusively for the classic sports cars have been brought together under one roof. A small number of additional certified Porsche Classic Centres are set to follow around the world and produce an even more closely knit Porsche Classic network. More than 70 per cent of the vehicles ever produced by Porsche are still running today. To ensure that these classic cars receive optimum support and overhaul facilities, Porsche is establishing an international dealer and service network with some 100 centres to reach completion by 2018. This mainly involves Porsche centres which will provide support for sports cars of earlier eras in addition to the current models and will be certified as Porsche Classic Partners.