1984 Porsche 944 on 2040-cars

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Porsche 911 R, GT3 variant with manual trans, spotted

The Porsche 911 GT3 is still a strong enthusiast choice in the 911 range, and the GT3 RS has gone more hardcore. But both versions are PDK-only. The upcoming Porsche 911 R, spied undergoing testing in Germany, is tipped to adopt the naturally aspirated engine from the aforementioned GT3, producing somewhere in the neighborhood of 475-500 horsepower. Only instead of an automated dual-clutch transmission, it'll feature a proper manual. Other changes are expected in the form of skinnier tires to provide less grip but a more approachable limit of adhesion. It may or may not feature a small ducktail spoiler at the back. We wouldn't be surprised to see it ditch the four-wheel steering system, either. Weissach may also give it some retro cues as well, but the question all those purists will be asking is how many Porsche will make. The last 911 R yielded only 22 examples way back in 1967. This time they'll have to make far more, but we wouldn't expect this particular version to be exactly what you might call "ubiquitous." No matter how rare, it'll definitely be the purist's choice. Related Video:

Porsche Cayman, Boxster caught in GTS trim

A few months ago, we reported on some leaked information from an internal presentation for upcoming Porsche models. This included details about the Macan and the 911 Targa, which we now know to be true, but there was also talk about GTS versions of the Cayman and Boxster.
Well, it appears we're now getting our first look at these GTS models, as our spy photographers have just snapped a pair of Porsche prototypes out testing - one Cayman and one Boxster.
Right off the bat, we can see that both GTS-branded cars will get a slightly tweaked exterior with new fascias (bringing LED daytime running lights to the Cayman) and air diffusers at the rear. The true gem of these cars will be the added horsepower to the tune of 340 horsepower - a 15-hp bump. A manual transmission will likely be standard, as will Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

1949 Gm?nd Porsche shows the birth of an icon

The Austrian village of Gmünd is more than just difficult to pronounce; it's also the birthplace of the Porsche brand. Before the company ever started building sports cars at its current home base near Stuttgart, the fledgling business completed several vehicles in the tiny town in Southern Austria. In this video, former Pikes Peak International Hill Climb champion Jeff Zwart takes a look at a 1949 Gmünd coupe to see how the company has evolved since its earliest days.
The thing to note about the Gmünd-built Porsches is their absolute design simplicity. The phrase "form follows function" gets bandied around a lot, but it really means something when you look at these early cars. However, the minimalism was partially out of necessity. The vehicles were meant to be sporty but certainly weren't rockets. Power came courtesy of a modified Volkswagen Beetle engine, and anything extraneous would have slowed the models down. Scroll down to watch Zwart go back in time to Porsche's beginnings.