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Overnight action from the 24 Hours of Le Mans

We won't go into a recap here, but there are still leading positions being fought for in all classes - it's so close that leads are changing when a car goes into the pits. We'll let the recap wait until the end of the race, so for now enjoy some shots from last night's action at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Porsche 919 Hybrid revives Porsche's factory Le Mans efforts

After months of teasing with camouflaged testers, Porsche has finally unveiled its prototype entry for the 2014 World Endurance Championship, the 919 Hybrid. Porsche, you may recall, hasn't had campaigned a factory team at Le Mans in years, so the 919 is nothing less than their recommitment to endurance racing.
Combining a 2.0-liter V4 (yes, a V4) that revs to 9,000 rpm, the 919 produces around 500 horsepower with a pair of energy recovery systems. The first system recovers the heat energy from exhaust gasses as they pass through an electrical generator, while the second system is a bit more familiar. Using a setup similar to what is found on the production 918 Spyder, a generator on the front axle recovers kinetic energy from the brakes, which is subsequently stored in a battery system. That power can then be sent to the front wheels at the driver's command, effectively turning the 919 into an all-wheel-drive racecar.
Despite these various forms of motivation, Porsche doesn't claim to be seeking outright power supremacy, with Chairman Matthias Müller saying, "In 2014, it will not be the fastest car that wins the World Endurance Championship series and the 24 hours of Le Mans, rather it will be the car that goes the furthest with a defined amount of energy. And it is precisely this challenge that carmakers must overcome. The 919 Hybrid is our fastest mobile research laboratory and the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built."

2016 Porsche 911 Carrera is all turbo, all the time [w/video]

There's always a lot of fanfare around a new version of the iconic Porsche 911. But for 2016, there's a huge reason to take notice. Porsche is turbocharging the full 911 range, introducing a new, 3.0-liter flat-six that will serve as the base engine in the Carrera and Carrera S. Purists may scoff, but there's proof in the pudding that this is a good move for the 911 range. Base Carreras will produce 370 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, while the Carrera S ups those numbers to 420 and 368, respectively. Porsche says the new 911 Carrera models are much faster than before, reportedly clocking a 7:30 lap time on the infamous Nurburgring. The Carrera tops out at 183 miles per hour, and the S will do 191. A seven-speed manual transmission comes standard, and Porsche's excellent PDK dual-clutch gearbox can be had, as well. The new 911 will arrive Stateside next March, priced from $89,400 for the Carrera and $103,400 for the S. Cabriolet models will sticker for $101,700 to $115,700. The press release below has more information. The sports car legend enhanced: the new Porsche 911 Carrera New turbocharged engines, an advanced chassis, and new Porsche Communication Management Atlanta, Georgia. Celebrating its debut at the Frankfurt International Auto Show, the new 911 Carrera is taking performance and everyday usability to new heights. Innovative flat-six engines derived from four decades of turbocharging used in racing and on road cars not only make this the fastest 911 Carrera ever, but also provide abundant torque for superior passing power. An advanced chassis offering an even more sophisticated combination of ride comfort and performance characterizes the handling of the new 911. For the first time, rear-axle steering is available as an option for the Carrera S, significantly enhancing its already superb agility. These improvements reduce the lap time on the North Loop of the Nurburgring to just 7 minutes and 30 seconds, making it 10 seconds faster than the previous Carrera S. Many exterior features of the 911 Carrera have been visually refined from new headlights with four-point daytime running lights to integrated door handle recesses, a redesigned rear deck lid with vertical louvers, and new rear lights – including the characteristic four-point brake lights. The new standard Porsche Communication Management system with a multi-touch display offers an expanded range of functions and simplified usability.