1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet on 2040-cars

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Porsche says turbo'd 911 engines will still be revvy

Porsche fans really, really don't like change. Remember when the 911 moved away from air-cooled engines? Now, as the company prepares to move the vast majority of the 911 line away from naturally aspirated powerplants, one of the brand's highest ranking officials is speaking out to prevent a similar outcry. Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, the head of powertrain development for the Volkswagen Group and a board member of the VW brand, told Car that turbocharging won't take away from the rev-happy nature of Porsche's current engines. "Turbocharging is possible with higher revs – it's not true to say that turbocharged engines must stop at 6000rpm," Neusser told Car at the 2015 New York Auto Show. "That's not true... If you look at McLaren, they already have in production turbo engines with high revs." With turbocharged engines, Nuesser explains, there's no need to go for a super high redline, because engineers are trying to spread the torque over the entire rev range. "It makes no sense to go to 10,000 rpm with a turbocharged engine," Neusser told Car. The other big concern that comes with the switch to turbocharging focuses on the 911's iconic flat-six exhaust note. Maintaining the car's well-known acoustic character shouldn't be an issue, Neusser said. "Noise is not a problem," adding that the Volkswagen Group knows a thing or two about building sweet-sounding turbos. "Look at the 911 Turbo; it has an extremely expressive noise today – that is not a problem. At the other end of the scale, the Golf R has it too," Neusser told Car. "You won't miss character with turbos, I promise." According to Car, the new turbocharged engines will arrive later this year at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, as part of the current 911's facelift. Featured Gallery Porsche 911 Coupe: Spy Shots View 9 Photos News Source: CarImage Credit: CarPix Frankfurt Motor Show Porsche Performance turbocharging volkswagen group

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 First Drive [w/video]

The 2016 Cayman GT4 is the sort of Porsche that purists fear would eclipse the rear-engined 911. The balance inherent in the mid-engined layout of the rigid Cayman chassis meant that it was only the right combination of horsepower and suspension away from whupping a comparable Carrera. Porsche has been very careful to keep this Cayman from doing that, despite the GT4's improvements. If you think this means the GT4 has been hobbled or hamstrung, it hasn't. Even a sopping wet track at Road Atlanta in Georgia couldn't keep us from crowning it the brash, arrogant upstart prince of the track-toy Porsches. The company got a lot right with this ultimate Cayman. To begin with, it absolutely looks the part it's supposed to play. Our tester wears searing Racing Yellow paint, that large wing looming over the rear lid is standard, and rolling stock comprises huge 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. The front fascia is altered for both airflow to the radiators and downforce, standard fare for a hot track-ready version. What's unusual is that instead of complicating the look with tacked-on contrivances (ahem, like the GTS's grille insert-within-an-insert), it's simpler, subtler, and more purposeful. Between that front splitter and the wing, expect about 220 pounds of downforce at the GT4's 183 miles per hour top clip. Ergonomically, even with these fixed-back sport bucket seats, this car is nigh-perfect. Out back, things are more complicated but no less coherent. The lip spoiler that spans the trans-tailight area grows into a little ducktail, literally overshadowed by the larger rear wing. Rear diffusers are a requisite in this class, so one is present and functional. Optimized side intakes just aft of the doors cram more air into the engine, and gain a little embossed "GT4" script. Ergonomically, even with these fixed-back sport bucket seats, this car is nigh-perfect. The slightly smaller steering wheel, perfectly sized for the application, and the smooth, precise shift action make wrangling the major inputs like an extension of your own limbs. If you want to be cynical, go ahead and call the GT4 a parts-bin car. The 3.8-liter flat-six is cribbed from the 911 Carrera S, and the front suspension, steering system, and rear brakes from the 911 GT3. Want carbon-ceramic brakes? Then you'll get GT3 parts on both axles.

LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Porsche 918 and Agera R take to Assen

It's the show-down (sort of) we've all been waiting for. The battle of the hybrid hypercars from the performance powerhouses of Europe: Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. No one publication has managed to get their hands on all three just yet, but this video has - and with a Koenigsegg Agera R thrown in for good measure.
The video was shot by our (unrelated) Dutch compatriots at Autoblog.nl at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands. The track has played host to Champ Cars and all manner of racing bikes, but this could be the ultimate grid of actual production machinery that's ever lined up behind its start/finish line. Shame the weather was rainy and this unsurpassed array of supercars weren't really racing - more showing off for the crowds. But what a show it was. Scope out the footage in the video below.