2016 Porsche 911 Gt3 Rs 2dr Coupe on 2040-cars

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2014 Porsche 911 Targa takes its crop-top off in Motor City

Back in 1965, Porsche invented the 911 Targa as a matter necessity. Believing that a finicky National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was prepared to outlaw convertibles, the innovative automaker created the half-open car as a way to keep wind rushing through owners' hair. Though far removed from those formative days, it seems as though the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa has come to the Detroit Auto Show with a new-school version of some old-school tech.
While the last Targa featured a trick sliding glass roof at the touch of the button, the new car dramatically swallows a traditional-looking panel via an exceptionally complex-looking mechanical operation. The net result is "the same fun factor and freedom" that can be had with a complete convertible, though with slightly more open-driving protection while underway.
And, as is the case with all of the current 911 range, getting underway can be done with reasonable rapidity. The entry-level Targa 4 rocks a 350-horsepower, 3.4-liter flat-six engine just behind the rear axle, making that car good for 175 miles per hour at the top end (with the seven-speed manual, 174 mph with PDK) and a 0-to-60 sprint of 4.6 seconds. The Targa 4S, meanwhile, offers 400 horsepower from 3.8-liters of boxer six, runs to 60 in 4.2 seconds and hits a top "track speed" of 183 mph.

Porsche 918 Spyder to birth stretched 2+2 version?

Porsche is known for its ability to spin off a litter of variants from a single model, and according to a report in Automobile the 918 Spyder (pictured here) might not be spared the house trick. Having taken too many brains and too much money for too much time, company chiefs are said to be examining ways to get more for their development euro out of the supercar, and Plan A is apparently otherwise known as Plan 984. That would be a four-seater, rear-wheel drive supercar that uses a stretched mold of the 918's carbon fiber tub, keeping the V8 in the same mid-mounted place and costing around 350,000 euro.
That would be less than half the MSRP of its inspiration, but the details don't sketch out a car that's just half as good. Automobile speculates it would get something like 700 horsepower in order to best the coming 911 GT2, and about 440 pound-feet of torque. The 984 is quite a ways short of being confirmed; even though a full-size study is said to exist, it's like the 918 would need to become a bigger sales hit for the 984 to happen.
The 984's fortunes don't change those of the 960, the supercoupe Porsche is building to challenge Ferrari. Its potential specs haven't changed since the last report in January, power coming from a 5.0-liter, twin-turbo, eight-cylinder boxer engine with something like 650 hp pushing a curb weight of roughly 3,100 pounds. The means a suspected 0-to-60 mile-per-hour time of 2.5 seconds.

Eight things we learned about the 2017 Porsche Panamera

We just spent two days in Germany with the 2017 Porsche Panamera, and now that we're back home in the States it's time for show and tell. The design is probably the most noticeable difference, but there is a lot going on inside and underneath this new Porsche sedan. Here are eight important bits worth talking about. It's longer, wider, and taller than before. The new Panamera is 198.8 inches (+1.3) long, 76.3 inches (+0.2) wide, and 56 inches (+0.2) high. It doesn't look bigger in person, though. Parked side-by-side, the 2017 Panamera looks chiseled and lean where the previous model was bulbous. The front and rear overhangs are reduced, aiding in the visual deception. We've already said that the 2017 Panamera is much prettier in person than its predecessor, and that's especially true from the rear three-quarter angle. There's a short flat surface at the tail below the rear glass, and the roofline over the rear of the passenger compartment was dropped by an eighth of an inch. Coupled with the new rear brake lights that are connected by an eye-catching light strip, those small detail changes make a dramatic impact on the car's overall appearance. Say goodbye to buttons. Physical buttons are quickly fading out of style, and the 2017 Porsche Panamera is the first vehicle from the German automaker that follows the trend. A sea of black plastic greets Panamera occupants, at least until the car is turned on. Then, the Porsche Advanced Cockpit lights up. Touch-sensitive controls abound for the driver and passengers both front and rear. The Advanced Cockpit definitely cleans up the Panamera's interior compared to the mess of buttons inside the first-gen model. We haven't been given the opportunity to put the new cockpit through its finger-friendly paces, but we're sure that if you understand how to operate a tablet, you've got the basics down already. Here's hoping it's intuitive and easy to use without diverting too much attention from the road. And wish a fond farewell to gauges (mostly). There's only one physical gauge inside the Panamera (unless you count the analog timer atop the dash on models equipped with the Sport Chrono Package). A tachometer sits directly in front of the driver. In a nod to Porsches past, it's designed to invoke memories of the classic 356. Besides that one throwback, the instrument cluster is dominated by twin seven-inch digital displays that flank the lone dial.