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Next-gen Porsche Panamera loses its buttons

We have our first interior images of the next-generation Porsche Panamera. Caught undergoing testing in what looks like the area around Ann Arbor, MI, Porsche's second-gen sedan ditches the multitude of buttons found on the center stack of today's cars in favor of touch-capacitive controls. The new look works on the interior. It's clean and stylish, and the overall layout is clearly inspired by the Panamera Sport Turismo concept. We're particularly fond of of one of the features absent on the concept car – the wide, high-resolution infotainment screen. Judging by the lack of a dedicated controller on the center stack and the screen's proximity to where the driver's right hand would be, this is almost certainly a touchscreen. According to our spies, the software on that screen will be shared with Bentley, as will the Panamera's underlying platform. The new steering wheel, meanwhile, looks like it's been plucked straight from the 918 Spyder. There's a very visible protrusion at the four-spoke wheel's four o'clock position, and the button layout on the spokes looks identical to the hybrid hypercar. On the 918, this controller manages the hybrid systems, but as our spies claim this is the gas-powered Turbo S model, we aren't really sure what role it will play as we can clearly see drive mode controls on the center console. Speaking of the Sport Turismo, this prototype backs up the argument that the next Panamera will adopt the cleaner look of the 2012 Paris Motor Show concept. Even with the camouflage, the C-pillar and rear quarter window, squared-off trunk aperture, and the four LED accents in the headlights are clearly inspired by the Sport Turismo. However, the concept's most dramatic feature – its strong hatchback profile – doesn't seem to have made the transition into this prototype. We'd expect to see the new Panamera in either Geneva or Paris. The Swiss show is the unlikely choice, though, considering it's just over a month away and Porsche already has another big debut planned. So expect the new Panamera in the City of Light. Sales should begin some time in 2017.

Black Edition Porsche Cayman is cooler than your Amex

I was working in a restaurant when I saw my first American Express Centurion card. Colloquially known as the Black Card, the Centurion is a substantial thing, if you've never handled one. It's, as the nickname describes, black, and made from titanium. It's cold to the touch and because it's so much heavier than a normal card, it feels like a piece of precision engineering. At the time, I couldn't get through my head just how German it felt, despite the "American" on its face. In many ways, this Porsche Cayman Black Edition is like the Black Card. It's the same color, for one. Gloss-black paint comes standard, although you're free to spend $710 for the metallic Jet Black variant. Like the exterior, the interior can only be had with black leather. Other upgrades for this "exclusive" Cayman include a Sport Design steering wheel, 20-inch Carrera Classic wheels, bi-xenon headlamps with the Porsche Dynamic Lighting System, navigation, heated seats, and an upgraded stereo. While its color and exclusivity might be a lot like the Centurion Card, we're wagering this isn't the Cayman most Black Card holders would buy, and that's because Porsche based it on the 275-horsepower model, rather than they hairy chested, 325-horsepower Cayman S, 340-hp GTS, or 385-hp GT4. That means 60 miles per hour arrives in a leisurely 5.4 seconds for the manual, 5.3 seconds for the PDK automatic, and 5.1 seconds for the PDK in Sport Plus mode. And if time really is money, those numbers aren't going to mesh with Black Card carriers. Prices for the Cayman Black Edition start at $60,195, or $6,600 more than the standard Cayman. While that seems steep, according to our contacts at Porsche, you'd be spending $12,825 to add the Black Edition's standard equipment to a normal Cayman. Sales are slated to begin in January. Porsche has released a single image of the new Cayman, available up top. You can also scroll down for a brief press release. Related Video: IN ELEGANT BLACK: PORSCHE CAYMAN BLACK EDITION Exclusive edition of 2016 Porsche Cayman in classic color combination ATLANTA, Oct. 1, 2015 -- Porsche is expanding the Black Edition line-up to include a new special edition of the Cayman. A strong complement inside the special edition series, which also includes the Boxster and the 911 Carrera, the Cayman Black Edition is distinguished with a timeless Black on Black design and an extensive level of standard equipment.

The exotic '80s: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus and the Porsche 959

There's no secret that we are big fans of the MotorWeek Retro Review series around here. In an automotive world that often focuses on the latest tech and what's coming in the future, it's refreshing to take a look into the past to get a new perspective. That said, the show is really outdoing itself this time by posting a full episode from the '80s to YouTube, complete with the original, jazzy opening. The video is an absolute standout, too, with drives of some of the best supercars that Europe could offer at the time. Among the now classic sportscars that MotorWeek got to drive are the Ferrari 328, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Lamborghini Jalpa and Autokraft AC Mark IV. There's even a preview that sings the praises of the tech in the Porsche 959. The episode is basically a showcase of most of the exotics from young enthusiasts' walls and school folders during the '80s and is not to be missed. News Source: MotorWeek via YouTube Ferrari Lamborghini Lotus Porsche Performance Classics Videos lotus esprit ac