Only 2400 Miles, Msrp $110,700 Hybrid S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Former chairman Piech opposing his nieces' VW board nominations

Someone needs to option the rights to the Ferdinand Piech story for an HBO series, because it perfectly mixes the corporate intrigue of Mad Men with the family drama of The Sopranos. Plus there are some cool cars. In the latest episode, Piech isn't happy with Volkswagen's appointment of two of his nieces – Julia Kuhn-Piech and Dr. Louise Kiesling – to replace he and his wife on the automaker's supervisory board. The recently ousted chairman could try to stop them. According to German publication Bild, Piech thinks his two relatives lack the necessary automotive experience to serve on the board. Therefore, he suggests one-time Ford Premier Automotive Group boss Wolfgang Reitzle and former Siemens manager Brigitte Ederer to take the seats. However, a VW spokesperson told Automotive News Europe that there were no objections to the women's appointment, except for this story from Germany. Piech's nieces are already officially appointed to the VW supervisory board, and it's approved by the Braunschweig Local Court in Germany. His only real option to challenge them would be to file a lawsuit, according to Automotive News Europe. While the new appointees don't have their uncle's decades of history in the auto industry, they do have business experience. Dr. Kiesling has a degree in vehicle design from the Royal College of Art in London and is the managing director of an Austrian textile maker. Kuhn-Piech works in real estate sits on the supervisory board of German truck maker Man.

Robb Report chooses Porsche 911 as its Car of the Year

Robb Report has picked the seventh-generation Porsche 911 Carrera S as its 2013 Car of the Year, saying the two-door captivated its judges with "agility, driving dynamics and balance." The German coupe bested 12 others who were also in the running - the impressive list of nominees included the BMW M5, Audi S8, Ferrari FF, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG and the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse.
Judging involved more than just throwing darts at pictures on the wall, as the publication enlisted a panel of automotive experts to test drive each vehicle for close evaluation. The panelists included 100 members of the Robb Report Club (comprised of top corporate executives and influential readers), Editor-in-Chief Brett Anderson and automotive consultant Robert Ross. Full results of the competition will be revealed in the luxury magazine's March issue, hitting newsstands in about a week. For more information, visit Robb Report online or check out the full press release from Porsche below.

Porsche shows off Cayman GT4 Clubsport in new video

Amateur racers rejoiced last week when Porsche unveiled a track-ready version of the Cayman GT4 at the 2015 LA Auto Show. Now, the company is doing a bit of publicity for the new track car, featuring the race-ready Clubsport video in a stylish, 53-second video clip. There's not a lot to it, to be honest. We see the GT4 Clubsport, we hear it briefly, but that's about it. So if you were hoping that we'd finally get a look at the stripped down cabin, we're sorry to disappoint you. Still, it's good to see Porsche's newest track car in motion for the first time. For those that need a refresher, the GT4 Clubsport retains the standard car's 3.8-liter flat-six engine, but pairs it with the company's super-fast dual-clutch transmission. Combined with basic safety equipment – racing buckets, six-point harnesses, a full roll cage, and a fire suppression system – and suspension components from the company's other entry level racer, the 911 GT3 Cup, and you get a race-ready, mid-engined coupe for the reasonable sum of $165,000. Related Video: