1969 Porsche 912 Original Color Irish Green With Coa Matching Number. Restored on 2040-cars

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Chris Harris condemns demonization of Porsche Carrera GT in wake of Walker death

When something bad happens, it's easy to resort to scapegoating. At least for some of us, that seems to be exactly what has happened following the tragic death of actor Paul Walker and racer Roger Rodas, who were killed on November 30 in a Porsche Carrera GT. Even though officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, that isn't stopping many theories from being put for - theories that include blaming the Porsche supercar. Rather predictably, not only is the CGT's difficult nature getting examined, but indeed, the nature of all high-performance cars is being put under the public's microscope, with some wondering what the need for all the power is.
A Google search of "Porsche Carrera GT" will find no shortage of articles about the razor-sharp handling and outright speed of the CGT. Pistonheads' Chris Harris has a different, insightful take on both the Carrera GT and the nature of all fast cars. He reflects on the matter, ironically, en route to drive the successor to the car that killed Walker and Rodas, the 900-horsepower 918 Spyder hybrid supercar.
We think it's well worth a read, as it makes a number of good points about modern high-performance automobiles and the way they're used. Click over and take a look.

Porsche caught testing sub-Panamera-sized sedan

Anyone remember the Porsche Pajun? It was supposed to be Porsche's long-rumored entry level sedan before it mostly dropped off the radar. Now, it might have blipped its way back onto our screens, thanks to a series of spy shots showing what on the surface looks like a Panamera. While our spies point to this being a coupe mule riding on a shortened version of the Panamera's platform, we're leaning towards a smaller sedan. Even with the rear windows obscured, the wheelbase and driver's seating position (which we'll admit is remarkably low and coupe-like) seem wrong for a two-door model, even a disguised one. The cutlines in the rear doors look too deep to be camouflage, and based on the look of those door handles, the rear doors are definitely real. As for what's not real, we wouldn't read too much into those rivet-like things at the front and rear. They're just there to secure the camouflage. We might not be on the same page as our spies about what this car actually is, but they make a strong argument for its eventual styling, which should be a mix of 911 and Panamera. There's a slim strip of taillight hiding beneath the rear camo – you'll need to zoom way in, but the white housings are there – that reminds us of the new 911. It should be more Panamera in the front fascia, aside from the headlights, which might be the only styling element that draws inspiration from the 718. Based on the state of this car, we're thinking it's still quite early in the Pajun's development process. Whether the development timeline lines up with this 2019 prediction remains to be seen. Related Video: Featured Gallery Porsche Pajun: Spy Shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Porsche Luxury Performance Sedan porsche pajun

Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy

J.D. Power has just revealed the results of its 2013 APEAL Study, which looks at which brands have the most appealing cars based on sales figures, dealer inventory, brand loyalty, transaction and trade-in prices. The study was revamped for 2013, and places a larger focus on the new tech and infotainment options available to customers. All told, study participants gauged their vehicles on 77 different attributes, delivering a score out of a 1,000 points.
The Volkswagen Group had the greatest success of any corporation, topping the APEAL rankings with the Audi Allroad, Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayenne, VW GTI and Passat. Chevrolet had the highest number of awards for a single brand, though, with the Avalanche, Sonic and Volt all taking home a prize.
The best brand overall was Porsche, which scored 884 out of a possible 1,000 points. The top Japanese brand was Lexus with a score of 847, while the top American brand was Cadillac, at 841. The best mainstream brand was Ram, which received a very respectable 817. The industry average for this year's study was 795, with 16 brands, all of which were mainstream, falling below the average.