2006 Porsche Cayenne Titanium Edition, Serviced By Porsche, Every Record! Mint! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 First Drive [w/video]

The 2016 Cayman GT4 is the sort of Porsche that purists fear would eclipse the rear-engined 911. The balance inherent in the mid-engined layout of the rigid Cayman chassis meant that it was only the right combination of horsepower and suspension away from whupping a comparable Carrera. Porsche has been very careful to keep this Cayman from doing that, despite the GT4's improvements. If you think this means the GT4 has been hobbled or hamstrung, it hasn't. Even a sopping wet track at Road Atlanta in Georgia couldn't keep us from crowning it the brash, arrogant upstart prince of the track-toy Porsches. The company got a lot right with this ultimate Cayman. To begin with, it absolutely looks the part it's supposed to play. Our tester wears searing Racing Yellow paint, that large wing looming over the rear lid is standard, and rolling stock comprises huge 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. The front fascia is altered for both airflow to the radiators and downforce, standard fare for a hot track-ready version. What's unusual is that instead of complicating the look with tacked-on contrivances (ahem, like the GTS's grille insert-within-an-insert), it's simpler, subtler, and more purposeful. Between that front splitter and the wing, expect about 220 pounds of downforce at the GT4's 183 miles per hour top clip. Ergonomically, even with these fixed-back sport bucket seats, this car is nigh-perfect. Out back, things are more complicated but no less coherent. The lip spoiler that spans the trans-tailight area grows into a little ducktail, literally overshadowed by the larger rear wing. Rear diffusers are a requisite in this class, so one is present and functional. Optimized side intakes just aft of the doors cram more air into the engine, and gain a little embossed "GT4" script. Ergonomically, even with these fixed-back sport bucket seats, this car is nigh-perfect. The slightly smaller steering wheel, perfectly sized for the application, and the smooth, precise shift action make wrangling the major inputs like an extension of your own limbs. If you want to be cynical, go ahead and call the GT4 a parts-bin car. The 3.8-liter flat-six is cribbed from the 911 Carrera S, and the front suspension, steering system, and rear brakes from the 911 GT3. Want carbon-ceramic brakes? Then you'll get GT3 parts on both axles.

eBay Find of the Day: 1981 Porsche 928 convertible by Carelli

The Porsche 928 was perhaps the consummate European GT of its day. With a powerful front-mounted V8 engine that grew in displacement as the model years went on, it was capable of eating up the miles at triple-digit speeds in great comfort for occupants. It was also an unusual beauty, with its sharp front and curved rear featuring innovative integrated bumpers.
Currently for auction on eBay Motors is one of the rarest 928s you're likely to find, in a handsome combination of Guards Red paint and tan leather interior, though we wouldn't mind a less-showy finish to the factory wheels. According to the seller, this car is one of eight 928 convertibles by Carelli Design, a firm that's still in business.
The auction claims that these cars were made in 1981 as a feasibility study between Carelli and Porsche for a possible production 928 convertible. The seller says he worked at the dealership where the car is said to have been originally sold $103,000. To remove the roof and hide the convertible top, there were significant changes made to the body and interior, including redesigned doors and a completely new trunk. As you can see in the gallery, when down, the top is completely hidden in a very factory-like fashion. When up, it looks slightly awkward, though (and we'd really like to see a rear three-quarter view to check out the blind spots).

If your TV rats you out, what about your car?

Vizio, the TV manufacturer, recently had to pay a $2.2-million fine to the FTC recently because it was discovered that its sets were collecting data about viewers' watching habits and then using the information for its own benefit. Last year, it was revealed the Samsung smart TVs were busy listening to what was being said, even if the conversations in question had absolutely nothing with switching the channel away from the Matt LeBlanc Top Gear. Nowadays, auto manufacturers seem to be tripping over each other pointing out that they offer Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. And more recent phenomenon are announcements—from companies including Ford and Hyundai—that they are offering Amazon Alexa capabilities. You talk. It listens. In late January, General Motors said it is releasing a next-generation infotainment software development kit (NGI SDK) to software developers to write apps for GM cars. The NGI SDK includes native Application Program Interfaces (APIs) that allow access to expected things - like oil life and tire pressure and whether lightbulbs are burned out - but unexpected things, as well. Like the presence of passengers in the vehicle. When your TV set is ratting you out, isn't it likely that your car will? In making the announcement of the NGI SDK, GM pointed out that it has the largest connected fleet on the road, some 12-million vehicles. The company also noted: "From 2015 to 2016, GM has seen data usage by customers increase nearly 200 percent. Mobile app use for GM vehicles also hit an all-time high in 2016, with more than 225 million interactions." Is it not plausible that they know more those interactions than simply the number of them? GM's privacy agreement is like most privacy policies, which boils down to: You use it (the device, software, etc.), you potentially give up a portion of your privacy. While on the subject of apps, coincident with this year's CES, Subaru announced that it has added eight cloud-based apps to the STARLINK multimedia system in the 2017 Impreza. Some are familiar, like Yelp. Some are a bit narrow in focus, like eBird, which was developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for birdwatchers. And one ought to give a bit of pause: RightTrack. According to Subaru, "RightTrack Test Drive from Liberty Mutual Insurance monitors driving habits and provides customers with tips on driving safer to help lower their insurance rates and improve their safe driving skills." Or said more simply: You drive. It watches.