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Porsche (finally) unleashes full, official details on 918 Spyder

Porsche has finally let released all of the details on the 918 Spyder, the German brand's challenger to the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari, after months of leading our poor, performance-loving hearts on. The covers were lifted at the Volkswagen Group night, an enormous precursor to the Frankfurt Motor Show, and include a massive, 11,000-word press release that's attached at the bottom of this page.
The 918 Spyder features a mid-mounted, dry-sump-lubricated, 4.6-liter V8 engine that generates 608 horsepower when left to its own devices. Combined with a trio of electric motors, which produce 286 hp, the total system horsepower for the 918 Spyder rests at 887 ponies. That's less than the McLaren P1 (903 hp) and the LaFerrari (949 hp), but the Porsche is also likely to be a bit cheaper, starting at $845,000, while the McLaren will be in the seven-figure range for certain, and it will more than likely be joined by the LaFezza.
The 918 Spyder counters with a 2.8-second jog to 62, a 7.7-second run to 124 and it will hit 186 in 22 seconds.

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport delivers track-only thrills for $165K

Among the cars on display in Los Angeles, production and concept cars are normal. Racers, though, are rather rare. And race-specific models that can be had for less than $200,000 are more or less unheard of. Don't tell that to Porsche, though, because the German automaker has introduced the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport for the relatively reasonable sum of $165,000. For that supercar-worthy price, you'll be getting a number of race-derived parts. As we covered in our preview post, that will include a strong roster of safety equipment, including a full roll cage and six-point harnesses that will keep you pinned in a purposeful racing bucket. The standard 18.5-gallon fuel tank can be replaced with an optional 26.5-gallon setup, while a central fire extinguisher keeps things from getting too hot out on the track. Mechanically, the Clubsport adjusts the Cayman GT4 formula for the track. The road car's 3.8-liter flat-six engine is still mounted amidships, but it's paired with super-quick, six-speed dual-clutch transmission, the critically acclaimed PDK. It's the suspension, though, that sees the most dramatic changes, as Porsche has pressed the front and rear strut suspension from the 911 GT3 Cup into duty for the GT4 Clubsport. The new system is lighter, and contributes to the track star's 2,866-pound curb weight. That's nearly a 100-pound drop over the road car. A set of four 15-inch steel rotors clamped by six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units in the rear should deliver stopping power as impressive as the cornering and acceleration. Amateur racers interested in the new coupe can purchase it directly from Porsche Motorsports North America for competition in the 2016 racing season. Homologation is still being hammered out, but Porsche expects the GT4 Clubsport to be certified for the "VLN Long Distance Championship Nurburgring, the Ultra 94 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, the PCA Club Racing Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East as well as for other club-level competition events around the world." Read on for the official press release. New Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport for the racetrack World premiere in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche has added a new sports car for amateur and club racing to its Motorsports fleet: The Cayman GT4 Clubsport celebrated its world premiere today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Investigators blame speed in fatal Paul Walker crash

When the tragic news first came in that actor Paul Walker had been killed in a car crash, family, friends and fans were left searching for answers. They now have at least one key question answered, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department blaming "unsafe speed" for the fatal accident.
According to a statement released by the LACSD, "Investigators determined the cause of the fatal solo-vehicle collision was unsafe speed for the roadway conditions". The investigation into the November, 2013 crash determined that Walker's 2005 Porsche Carrera GT had been driven by his business partner and racer, Roger Rodas, at speeds between 80 and 93 miles per hour - less than the 100+ mph initially suspected, but still far too fast for the road on which they were traveling, which carried a posted limit of 45 mph.
In the investigation into the death of the Fast & Furious star and his friend, some people were quick to finger the Porsche in which they were riding as the culprit. The Carrera GT does, after all, have the reputation of being a notoriously difficult car to control. But after an exhaustive investigation, law enforcement officials in California have vindicated the car and dismissed any mechanical fault as the cause of the accident.