2009 Porsche Boxster 2dr Roadster on 2040-cars

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Car Club USA: Porsche Club of America Escape to Rushmore

The Porsche Club of America, whose motto is "it's not just the cars, it's the people," plans its annual Escape in a different city every year. This year's was particularly epic, as Porsche fans headed to the Black Hills of South Dakota for their gathering. The scenery and the history are part of the attraction, but the winding roads are the real headliner. "This road right here is the reason why we chose the Black Hills of South Dakota to do the 2015 Escape," said Ron Johnson of the Nord Stern Porsche Club as he navigated the mountain range. "These Porsches really love these twisty, curvy roads." That statement neatly sums up why the sports cars have resonated so deeply with their owners and enthusiasts for so long. In addition to the guided tours and drives around the winding terrain, the club hosts a car show. This year marks the club's 60th in the United States, and the Escape drew a wide range of Porsches of all vintages. Lloyd and Donna Nelson from Valley City, ND, arrived in their 1955 Porsche Speedster, which they purchased alongside a 1951 coupe in 1964 for a grand total of $750. Needless to say, it was a good investment – although they didn't know it at the time. "We had two children, one on the way, we were both working and I really didn't see the sense in two old cars," explained Donna. "I said, 'one of them has to go,'" to which Lloyd responded, "which one of the kids?" They sold the coupe long ago, but the speedster is still gorgeous and gets more than its fair share of stares and use. Will they win best of show? "This is what us as enthusiasts dream of," Johnson said. Watch the latest episode of Car Club USA to see how it turns out and for a snapshot of life at the Escape. Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog.

Weekly Recap: Mazda's rotary revival ignites Tokyo Motor Show

Forty-eight years ago Mazda pioneered rotary engines in the Cosmo Sport. Mazda then honed the technology, won with it on the racetrack, and made it one of its signature features. If you're an enthusiast, rotary was a reason you like Mazda. It's a great part of the company's past. But until this week, that's exactly what we thought it was. History. That all changed with the reveal of the RX-Vision concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, which reignited the passions of the Mazda faithful. Suddenly, rotary was no longer a relic. The rotary concept shown in Japan was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car wrapped in the company's latest Kodo design language. It's powered by a Skyactiv-R unit (R for rotary), though specs were not disclosed. Mass production is "currently on hold," Mazda said, maintaining it never stopped development of rotary technology, even after the demise of the RX-8. Beyond that, we know nothing, other than the optimistic statement Mazda offered that: the "RX-Vision represents a vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day make into reality." Put simply: we agree. OTHER NEWS & NOTES: Subaru previews next-gen Impreza While the Mazda concept was the headliner from Tokyo, Subaru's Impreza design study also stood out. The five-door concept is a signpost for the look of next-generation Impreza. It blends sportiness with functionality, and it's wrapped in a striking shade of 'high-luminance silver.' The fenders are flared to signal Subaru's all-wheel-drive capability, and the front has futuristic headlights that look like something from an Audi E-Tron concept. While most of this will be toned down in production, the concept suggests an elevated style for the Impreza, which is due as a 2017 model. Porsche adds potent GTS model to 2017 Macan line Porsche is giving the Macan crossover the GTS treatment, which will start at $68,195 when it goes on sale in March. GTS translates to more power, a sportier suspension, and interior and exterior design cues that sharpen the looks and reflexes of one of the most athletic SUVs on the market. Porsche recalibrated the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Macan S to make 360 hp and 369 lb-ft, (up from 340 hp and 339 lb-ft in the S). It teams with a seven-speed PDK gearbox and all-wheel drive. An air suspension is standard. The body features a slew of black accents, and the standard 20-inch RS Spyder wheels are done up in a shade of satin black. The cabin gets leather, Alcantara, and GTS logos.

Porsche Cayenne GTS, base models revealed ahead of LA

Porsche unveiled a slew of refreshed Cayennes just a few months ago, but the base model (right) and high-performance GTS trim (above) were conspicuously absent from that list. There's no more reason to wonder about them, though, because the German brand plans to unveil both at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19.
Sitting below the Turbo in the lineup, the latest GTS still offers plenty of performance. It drops the previous version's naturally aspirated V8 in favor of a tuned version of the twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 from the Cayenne S for some added oomph. The tweaks bring power up to 440 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to rocket the model to 62 miles per hour in an estimated 5.2 seconds. The bump also equates to 20 hp and 39 lb-ft more than the current S and more importantly 20 hp and 62 lb-ft more than the previous GTS, according to Porsche.
In addition to the extra muscle, Porsche also decks the GTS out with some added features. It comes with a standard sport exhaust and Porsche Active Suspension Management system with an air suspension lets the chassis sit about three-quarters of an inch lower (20 millimeters). To bring things to a halt, the high-performance models also takes its brakes from the Turbo model.