1987 Porsche 944 S 16 Valve - Excellent Example - on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

Top Gear brings together LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918

Earlier this month, Top Gear released a brief video of the comparison test between three hybrid hypercars we'd all been waiting for: the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. The story was done by the print magazine and not by the television show, and the video they released was barely over half a minute long, reserving the full version for subscribers of the iPad edition. Now the British mag has put the full video on YouTube, and while it's still only a minute and a half long – three times the length of the previous teaser – it's packed with electrified exotic goodness. The test surely took some serious wrangling to put together, and though the metal (or carbon fiber, as the case may be) was apparently furnished mostly by private owners, to hear Top Gear tell it, the manufacturers – Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche – were eager and helpful in putting the showdown together. For the final conclusions, we're afraid you'll still have to buy the magazine, but for a rare chance to watch all these three world-beaters on the same road at the same time, you'll want to scope out this latest video clip. Related Video: News Source: Top Gear via YouTube Ferrari McLaren Porsche Hybrid Supercars Videos porsche 918 spyder mclaren p1 ferrari laferrari

Buy a McLaren P1 GTR, Porsche 918 Spyder, and a Ferrari LaFerrari all in one place

The McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder, and Ferrari LaFerrari, are arguably the three greatest hypercars yet. Of course, their extremely limited production meant that some ultra-wealthy individuals may have missed out on picking one up. In fact, to get a LaFerrari, you needed to have owned a certain number of Ferraris, and be in good graces with the company. However, if there are any super-rich car enthusiasts reading this right now, your chance to buy one or all of these three supercars is coming up next month at the RM Sotheby's Villa Erba auction in Italy. It will occur on May 27, and feature a McLaren P1 GTR, Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach, and Ferrari LaFerrari. 2016 McLaren P1 GTR McLaren fans, will RM Sotheby's won't offering just any McLaren P1, but rather the hardcore, track-prepped GTR variant. In fact, the GTR is so hardcore that it isn't legal for the street. This particular version went to specialist Lanzante to be converted for road use. Take note that it's only road legal in the UK, and it may not meet laws for other countries. However, that's still more than most GTRs can boast, and if you have the money for this, you shouldn't have any issue taking it to the UK to unleash the P1 GTR's 986 horsepower on public roads. This car could use some driving, too, as it only has about 223 miles on it, some of which included just one track event. RM Sotheby's expects this McLaren to go for between $3.4 million and $3.85 million. 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach View 31 Photos The Porsche 918 Spyder going up for auction is a special one as well. The first difference you'll notice is that it has been painted a custom color called "Arrow Blue," a hue specially mixed up as part of Porsche's custom paint service. It also features the lightweight Weissach package, which loses a few extra pounds by replacing an assortment of parts for lighter components. Among them are magnesium wheels and wheel bearings, carbon fiber roof, windshield frame, rear fenders, and rear view mirrors, and even titanium-backed brake pads. According to RM Sotheby's those pads have been replaced with fresh 918-spec pieces. The previous owner clearly enjoyed his or her 918, as it has just over 6,800 miles. In case you're interested in a well-loved 918, the auction house expects it to sell for just under $1.3 million to about $1.5 million.