2009 Porsche 911 S Cab, 6 Speed Manual on 2040-cars

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Porsche 959 Prototype started it all

While Porsche was unveiling the new Nürburgring-dominating 918 Spyder downstairs in Hall 3 here at the Frankfurt Messe, there was another Porsche supercar quietly and discretely on display upstairs in the same hall. That, of course, was the 959. But not just any 959: this was the original Gruppe B prototype.
The 959 was first developed as a rally car in the early 80s to compete with the likes of the original Audi Sport Quattro S1, Ford RS200 and Lancia Delta S4. But Zuffenhausen soon saw its potential as a production road-going supercar, emerging as a technological marvel to challenge the decidedly linear approach of the Ferrari F40. It still stands as a groundbreaking supercar in its own right, but also lead to the first all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo and set the stage for the Carrera GT and aforementioned 918 Spyder that followed to cap the top of the evolving Porsche range.
This original Gruppe B prototype, which presaged the production 959, packed a 450-horsepower 2.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six into an even sleeker form than the final version that followed. We caught up with it on display as part of a display of 80s German classics, of which this 959 prototype immediately stood out as the pick of the proverbial litter. Check out the hotness in the high-resolution image gallery above.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS ends up in canal near dealership

All new Porsches are cooled by water. That's just the way it is now, and no amount of purist moaning is going to change it. But when it comes to a water-cooled Porsche, this stretches the limits. This Gulf-livery-themed 911 GT3 RS had its nose deposited in a canal outside Porsche of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. There's a water hazard joke to be made here. According to a Google translation, the dealership's owner is blaming a mechanic for the mistake, while adding the damage isn't fatal to the ultra-rare 911. That has to be at least partially because the heart of this beast – the 4.0-liter, 500-horsepower flat-six engine – sits at the far rear of the car. Hopefully, that means damage is limited to just the body, brakes, and suspension. While it's hard to tell from the angle of this photo, the rear-engine layout may also be what kept more of the car from going in the drink – it seems possible a front-engine car may have been submerged. Related Video:

Car companies may need to start curbing model proliferation

Looking at the current automotive landscape, especially from German makers, you quickly get the impression that less definitely isn't more. BMW alone offers its 3 Series platform in practically every segment possible, including the regular sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe, which would seem to be direct competitors. Porsche might be the winner, though, with 20 different variants of the 911 listed for sale on its US website. However, some of this model madness might be reaching an end as companies begin cutting back spending or shifting money to other priorities.
According to Yahoo Finance, the offerings from the German automakers are up 25 percent over the past three years to over 200 models in Europe. The peak is expected to come around 2018 at 230 separate vehicles, according to consulting company PwC.
Amazingly, BMW, which is among the poster children for this model explosion, might be changing its tune. "I'm sure there will be points in the future where we look at certain cars and say, 'Maybe we need to think differently now,'" said head of sales Ian Robertson in an interview, according to Yahoo Finance. The statement certainly sounds shocking coming from a company rumored to have 23 front-wheel-drive vehicles all using a single platform on the way.