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Chris Harris pits Aston GT12 vs 911 GT3 RS vs McLaren 650S

The Geneva Motor Show is never lacking in exciting performance machinery. And this year was no exception. Our eyes, like those of Chris Harris, were drawn by two hardcore, track-focused versions of existing sports cars. Both wore the name GT3, and now Harris has brought them together for a supercar shootout. And he's thrown one more in for good measure. Those natural rivals are the Aston Martin Vantage GT12 and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the latter manufacturer having pressed the former to drop the GT3 name to which it claims exclusive domain. There's a great deal that separates them, of course: one's got a V12 up front, the other a flat-six way in the back. But what binds them together is a common approach of taking an existing model, stripping it down, and tightening everything up to make it more of a weapon than a grand tourer. What that means in the Aston's case is a rather high price tag, much higher than that of the Porsche. But scarce demand and speculation on the open market have left British customers, at least, paying as much for the GT3 RS as for the limited-edition Aston. And that takes both into proper supercar territory. So to show what else that kind of money can get you, Monkey has brought along a McLaren. Not the similarly track-focused 675LT, but the standard 650S... Spider, no less, and with worn hard rubber. So which one performs best on the road? Which clocks the fastest lap time on the track? And which gets Harris' vote? You'll have to watch the video for yourself to find out, but it's well worth the 25 minutes of your lunch break. News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube Aston Martin McLaren Porsche Videos porsche 911 gt3 chris harris mclaren 650s

Porsche 911 puts Turbos on its turbos

Distinct from the turbo-but-not-Turbo Porsche 911, the new high-performance models come to market with either 540 or 580 horsepower, depending on which version of the 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine you choose. Both figures count as a 20-horsepower bump over the last Turbo/Turbo S, allowing both models to hit 60 in under three seconds – 2.9 and 2.7 seconds, respectively – and in the case of the S, on to a 200-plus-mph top speed. This capability will not come cheap, of course. Before so much as dipping a toe into Porsche's notoriously deep options catalog, the base Turbo will demand a $160,195 check. That's awfully spendy, and things don't improve as you climb up the range. The cabriolet adds $12,300 to that, while the S starts at $189,095. Going topless in the Turbo S will require $201,395. We had no trouble building a Turbo S Coupe up to $211,000 without adding some of the more obnoxious options, like the $1,720 leather air vents. Check out our live galleries of both the new 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S at the top of the page. Redefining fast: the new 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S Top model of the 911 range offers more power, fresh design, and enhanced features ATLANTA, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche will be off to a powerful start in 2016 when the 2017 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S make their debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The top-of-the-line 911 models will be available in both coupe and convertible body styles and are equipped with engines offering 20 horsepower more than before, a sharper design, and enhanced features. The 3.8 liter twin-turbo six-cylinder engine powering the 911 Turbo now develops 540 hp. The increase in horsepower is achieved through modified intake ports in the cylinder heads, new fuel injectors, and higher fuel pressure. The 911 Turbo S now makes 580 hp thanks to new turbochargers with larger impelle. In addition to a higher maximum torque (553 lb.-ft. in overboost compared to 523 lb.-ft. on the Turbo), the Turbo S also has a higher redline (7200 rpm instead of 7000). Porsche is still the only manufacturer to use turbochargers with variable turbine geometry in gasoline engines. The engines now also have a dynamic boost function, which improves throttle response during spirited driving. It maintains the boost pressure during load changes – i.e. when the accelerator pedal is briefly released.

Porsche Cayman GT4 spot has us reaching for our driving gloves

We've got to hand it to Porsche for finally unleashing the potential of the Cayman, and not worrying about it infringing on 911 territory. The latest Cayman is, by all accounts, a superb sports car in its own right, gets even better as the Cayman S and that much more so in GTS spec. But the new Cayman GT4 takes things to a whole other level with a 3.8-liter flat six driving 385 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual. Old school is what it is, and certifiably off the leash. We brought you the full skinny on the new GT4 late last night when it surfaced, but now Porsche has released a video clip highlighting what makes its new pocket rocket look so great. It's got Nurburgring graffiti, intimidated neighbors, barking fluffy dogs, gape-jawed children, and of course footage of the Cayman GT4 itself doing what it was designed to do. All we need now is to get our driving gloves on its Alcantara steering wheel and ball-shaped shifter.