2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS trailer – Click above to watch the video
Honestly, most of the phrases that come to mind when describing the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS involve some sort of non-FCC-approved dialogue. But then again, can you blame us? Certainly not. And after and seeing of the meanest around, we’re having a hard time keeping the drool off of our keyboards.
620 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive. 3,020 pounds. $#*%^!, indeed. to watch Porsche’s latest trailer of the GT2 RS, and try to keep the expletives to a minimum.
1977 Mercedes-Benz C111-III – Click above for high-res image gallery
A rare 1970s-era C111 show car has gone on display at the company’s museum at Brooklands, but it almost didn’t make it.
According to reports from across The Pond, the truck transporting the vintage concept car from Germany to the UK was hijacked by criminals looking to make off with the C111. The attempt was thwarted, but though now repaired, significant damage was reportedly incurred to one of the showcar’s gullwing doors and to the front fender.
The C111 served as a rolling test bed for Mercedes during the 1960s and 70s, various versions having been outfitted with different engines – including turbos, diesels and even Wankels – securing a number of land speed records along the way. The example transported to Brooklands, however, is but an empty shell with no engine, leaving observers to wonder just where the seemingly none-too-bright thieves thought they were going with the car.
AJ the Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery
While engineering students at the were figuring out how to turn the into a rolling iPad, engineers from Ford’s infortronics research group were doing the same thing. On Thursday, those engineers and students will set out from Dearborn on a road trip in separate though equally wired (wireless?) Fiestas to San Mateo, CA for the . The Ford engineers will be driving a green Fiesta they’ve dubbed AJ for American Journey 2.0.
AJ has a trunk full of computer gear including a router and two different mobile broadband modems to keep it connected. The Ford car will have three in-house developed applications in addition to a caravan tracker application developed by the UM students. Ford has launched a web-site at where people can follow the trip and participate as the two Fiestas make their way across the country. Read on to learn more about Ford’s effort to connect this Fiesta to the Internet.
The new hasn’t even gone on sale yet here in North America but there are now reports that might add a diesel engine option. According to , BMW will add diesel engine options to two more models in addition to the and already sold here with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six diesel.
The 3.0-liter with 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque would be ideally suited to the new 5 Series and has already been calibrated to pass U.S. 50 state emissions regulations. We drove a previous generation European specification two years ago, which was quite the stormer while also being extremely fuel efficient. A 535d would also go a long way towards helping BMW meet new CAFE regulations here in the U.S.
The second diesel addition could be one of several models. Diesel versions of the and both seem unlikely since BMW is already offering hybrid versions of both. The more likely scenario is the installation of the company’s in either the or . In twin-turbocharged form, this engine produces 204 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, plenty for either car with a combined fuel economy in the 35-40 mpg range.
2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS B-roll footage – Click above to watch the video
We’ll admit it – the gives us the willies. There’s something about the idea of 620 horsepower packaged into a 3,020-pound body that sends shivers down our spines, but we’d be liars if we said we weren’t dying to get some seat time. (Or ‘Ring time. Whatever.)
Only 500 of these beasts will be produced, retailing from $245,000 when the first deliveries begin this October. And when you consider that the GT2 RS is the most powerful street-legal available today, we doubt that enthusiasts in the top tax bracket will have any trouble scooping up all 500 examples in relatively short order. For now, Porsche has just released some B-roll footage of the hardcore GT2 doing what it does best on the track, and we highly encourage you to see for yourself, .
We’re guessing that as you read this one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is on hold with a dealer trying to see how much he can get in trade for a . With only 500 such models slated to be made, he probably won’t get much – and when he pleads, “But my steed destroys human souls!”, the dealer will reply, “Ours does, too…”
The 3,020-pound GT2 RS gets 620 twin-turbocharged horses from its 3.6-liter engine, making it the most powerful Porsche you can legally put on the roads. That’s 90 more horses pushing 154 pounds less weight than in the previous version, and it gets five percent better fuel economy. Ground control is handled with tires specifically created for the car, carrying it from zero to sixty miles per hour in 3.4 seconds. On the one hand, that’s 0.3 slower than the Porsche Turbo S; on the other, there’s a 205 mph top speed and a 7:18 ‘Ring time.
Note too the matte carbon fiber bodywork and the black and red Alcantara interior. It’ll go on proper show in Moscow later this year, and it’ll run $245,000 when deliveries begin in October. Follow the jump for the release, and be on the lookout for three horsemen and a water-cooled boxer…
2010 Porsche Panamera – Click above for high-res image gallery
There are a some enthusiasts who feel every Porsche should have a boxer engine in the boot, but each and every month the sales totals tell us that customers are far more interested in vehicles they can live with on a daily basis. The large-and-in-charge is a perfect example. It’s certainly not a at five-feet tall and 4,400 lbs., yet the big SUV continuously sells in higher volume here in the U.S. than its sportier stablemates.
With Porsche in the middle of changing over to the 2011 Cayenne, the 911 and / had a solid opportunity to come out on top, but April’s sales figures shows that the newest of Porsches, the four-door , shot right to the head of the class. The decidedly front-engined, boxer-less Porsche Panamera routed its stablemates with 678 sales, the big sedan’s best month yet. Those 678 sales are nearly double that of the 911, its next closest competitor in the Porsche line-up.
But while the Panamera can hang its hat on a very nice April, we’re thinking the big Porsche’s days as sales leader are numbered. Since the outgoing 2010 Cayenne averaged about 800 sales per month last year, our money is on the 2011 model to take its U.S. sales crown back in the next month or two.
Does the new Saleen have the resources and personnel to create an all-new product worthy of the brand? Saleen gave us the opportunity to drive one of its first production S281 Mustangs based on the the car’s new-for-2010 body style, and we think we have the answer.
For those Porsche fans who were unable to acquire a 911 Sport Classic, of which only 250 were built, Stuttgart is now offering some of the bits that make up the Sport Classic car on an à la carte basis.
As if the LFA wasn’t going to be rare enough with a production run limited to 500 units, Lexus has announced a special edition Nürburgring Packag. Lexus will only offer 50 copies of the LFA Nürburgring Package to commemorate the car’s participation in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
2010 One Lap of America – Click above for high-res image gallery
This year’s running of the One Lap of America wrapped up this weekend after a tidy 3,480 miles, and after a one-year absence from the top spot on the podium, a Porsche 911 has emerged victorious. The (shown above) of Doug Wilks and Leh Keen outlasted all comers, including the of Catesby Jones and Jose Collado that finished in second place, and the of Danny Popp, Todd Rumpke and Jeremy Herzberg.
As you may recall, a , but persistent spark plug issues in the prevented a repeat performance in 2010. The massively tuned No. 39 of Anthony Magagnoli and Kevin Kreisa was impressively consistent, coming through in fourth place after the of Danny and Kyle Corcoran suffered catastrophic engine failure on a transit stage to drop out of the top five. The failure was particularly unfortunate for Danny Corcoran, known as “Mr. One Lap” to his fellow competitors, as he was participating in his 20th – and likely final – event.
Other standout performances included the heavily modified nda Civic Si of Jonathan Weir and William Chan, with that car beating out far pricier machinery to finish eighth overall, winning the Econo Car class in the process. Also posting solid results was the of Richard Fisher and Jason Saini (ringing up in 15th place) and the of Bill and Todd Treffert. The bone-stock Panamera was but a couple of weeks old and barely broken in, yet it turned in a robust performance, including a launch-control aided quarter-mile time of 12.08 seconds in Tulsa, the sixth quickest time among all cars.
This year featured a robust crop of first-time One Lappers, suggesting that, despite America’s continued difficult economy, America’s toughest road car challenge has a bright future ahead of it.
For full race results, check out , and for event-by-event coverage, visit our friends at .
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Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Porsche Tequipment – Click above for high-res image gallery
For those fans who were unable to acquire a , of which only 250 were built, Stuttgart is now offering some of the bits that make up the Sport Classic car on an à la carte basis. Among the most popular items are likely to be the Fuchs wheels that feature the classic five-spoke design used from 1966 until the early-1980s. The wheels come in 8.5×19 front and 11.5×19 rear sizes.
Those who bought a Porsche (except the 911 Turbo) in the last couple of years with the dual clutch PDK gearbox can now also get the turbo steering wheel retrofitted to their car. The non-turbo steering wheels all had spoke-mounted toggle switch shifters. The Turbo wheel features racing-style metal paddles mounted on the back of the wheel.
While the paddle shift wheel is only visible to the driver, owners of a 997 series 911 can share in Porsche’s racing heritage on the outside as well. A new and makes new 911s look like the racers from the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. All of these parts are available in Europe now and should be offered Stateside soon.
2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD – Click above for high-res image gallery
has just announced that the Denali line will get a little more diverse starting next year. Buyers will now be able to have their 2011 Sierra Denali HD 2500 in two-wheel drive guise for the first time, and the Sierra Denali HD 3500 will join the ranks as well. Until now, customers haven’t been able to get all of the fancy bells and whistles that accompany the luxury package on a 1-ton truck, but GM says that after seeing the warm reception of the Denali HD 2500, the move just made sense.
Both trucks still come standard with the same 6.0-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission. For a little extra scratch, GM will be more than happy to plop the beefy Duramax 6.6-liter turbo-diesel engine under the hood, complete with an Allison six-speed automatic gearbox. Yes, that’s the same bio-diesel capable mill that boasts a heady 765 lb-ft or torque.
GM also made it clear that starting in 2011, the 3500 will also be available with standard and long-bed options. for the full press release.
Porsche 911 Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery
The has been a boon for General Motors and its Chevrolet brand, with sales of 9,150 units in April alone. The is down a bit at 5,145 units for April, but that’s expected to change once the vastly improved 2011 models begin rolling into Ford dealers around the country. Even the Dodge Challenger had its best month ever in April. We can’t tell you how happy it makes us that the pony car wars have once again began to boil over, but a report by Edmunds’ Auto Observer correctly points out that the rest of the sports car market isn’t faring nearly so well.
The report shows that sports cars like the once hot , with only 106 sales in April, are now struggling for sales. sales are down 18 percent from a poor 2009, only 428 Mazda RX-8s have been sold in 2010 and Nissan failed to sell 1,000 copies of the fun to drive 370Z. Even the venerable , which saw 2007 production of over 40,000 units, is only at 3,522 units through four months of 2010.
Is the sports car on the permanent decline, or are we just hitting a big-time bump in the road? Take the poll below to give us your thoughts.
Porsche 911 Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery
The has been a boon for General Motors and its Chevrolet brand, with sales of 9,150 units in April alone. The is down a bit at 5,145 units for April, but that’s expected to change once the vastly improved 2011 models begin rolling into Ford dealers around the country. Even the Dodge Challenger had its best month ever in April. We can’t tell you how happy it makes us that the pony car wars have once again began to boil over, but a report by Edmunds’ Auto Observer correctly points out that the rest of the sports car market isn’t faring nearly so well.
The report shows that sports cars like the once hot , with only 106 sales in April, are now struggling for sales. sales are down 18 percent from a poor 2009, only 428 Mazda RX-8s have been sold in 2010 and Nissan failed to sell 1,000 copies of the fun to drive 370Z. Even the venerable , which saw 2007 production of over 40,000 units, is only at 3,522 units through four months of 2010.
Is the sports car on the permanent decline, or are we just hitting a big-time bump in the road? Take the poll below to give us your thoughts.
The infamous tuners at have unveiled the company’s new tuning program for the 2010 . If you find the car’s styling boring and the power lacking, the crew has what you need to wrench a full 620 horsepower out of the factory 3.8-liter flat-six. Techart starts by ditching the factory exhaust manifolds and pipes for an easy-breathing system built in-house. Throw in a sports air filter and an ECU reflash, and you’ve got an extra 120 horsepower over what Stuttgart deems necessary.
As usual, Techart has worked over the rest of the car’s systems to keep up with the nudge in power. A set of fully-adjustable coilovers have found their way under the Turbo, along with massive brakes on all four corners. The company will even throw in its “Nose Lift” system for the right price, meaning the 620 horsepower missile won’t quiver in fear at the site of a speed bump.
The tuner is also providing a selection of aero kits, from the subdued Stage I to the somewhat more air-inlet happy Stage II. Both of the front fascias wear Techart’s new Audi-esque day time running lights set low in the car’s grille. We can feel cringing from here.
One Lap of America 2010 – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’re still purring along on One Lap of America in our BMW Performance School-provided 335d and 550i sedans, but while there have been zero mechanical issues for the timing and scoring crew, the event is starting to take its toll on competitors’ cars, as well as their drivers.
The returning #1 Nissan GT-R of Steven Rankins wasted no time staking its claim to the lead once again, posting the best results at Friday’s wet skidpad event (a startling .962 g) at the Tire Rack in South Bend. After negotiating some overachieving thunderstorms on the way through Wisconsin, the #1 GT-R (above) would follow up that performance with the second-best time at Road America in the first event, trailing only the of Leh Keen and Doug Wilks. Dan “Mr. One Lap” Corcoran finished third on the 4.1-mile circuit in his carbon fiber-bodied Chevrolet Corvette Z06.
In the second Road America event, the #3 Porsche GT2 again mopped up, with the of Catesby Jones and Jose Collado taking second and the #5 Corvette of Danny Popp rounding out the top three.
The racers noted above may be the lead sled dogs, but everyone at Road America spent the day talking about Howard LaFever and his #69 2010 Cadillac CTS-V. LaFever managed to walk away from a massive rollover crackup in the first event after overcooking the car in Canada Corner. The longtime One Lapper bounced across Turn 12’s gravel trap at triple digit speeds, through a catch fence and over a concrete barrier, where the car landed in a crumpled heap on its roof (pics ). Miraculously, LaFever escaped uninjured, only to leave the track in search of a replacement vehicle. He would turn up shortly thereafter in a , a car in which he can run the rest of the event but not accrue further points. By the day’s end, other cars were claimed by Road America too, although not as violently as LaFever’s CTS-V. Mechanical maladies befell a Mitsubishi Evo, the sweet 1968 Dodge Charger (fuel pump), as well as a Corvette Z06 and a Mustang GTS. Thankfully, most are not permanently hobbled, showing up further down the road.
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Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs Inc.
We love our British buff books, but many times the double-digit price tag means that we’re relegated to reading them solely at the bookstore and not at home. EVO has come up with a compromise, and is now offering an interactive online magazine. The good part is that it’s free, but the bad part is that it’s not the full magazine. Still, it’s one of the better e-magazines we’ve seen, with embedded video, audio clips, photo galleries, desktop wallpaper and plenty of other cool stuff to click on.
The first issue starts off in typical EVO fashion with plenty of supercars. The editors review both the Ferrari 458 Italia and before comparing four super convertibles – the , , and . Plus there’s quick takes of the Spyker C8 Aileron and Volkswagen Golf R, the cars of the Geneva Motor Show, an update on the long-term Pagani Zonda and one of our favorite “classic” EVO videos.
Sound like your thing? or head over to and get your free copy every month.
We don’t have much in the way of details, but a singular shot snapped at a dealer event yesterday shows that the baddest ever to grace the tarmac is coming this September.
According to an tipster, the GT2 RS will carry a price tag of 240,000 euro when it arrives later this year and will supposedly pack enough power to topple the Carrera GT. Earlier reports indicate that the revised GT2, recently caught testing at the Nürburgring, will put out over 560 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque, and in RS trim we can expect a fully-adjustable suspension, roll cage and possibly some active aerodynamic body work. The press introduction is apparently scheduled for May 14th, so official details on newest rear-wheel drive road warrior should be forthcoming.
It’s an unlikely duel, but EVO’s Chris Harris has pitted the Ferrari 458 Italia against the Porsche 911 GT3 RS in an odd comparison that’s dripping with dichotomy. Why?
The GT3 RS is the ultimate embodiment of arse-engined track machine, while the Ferrari is a high-tech tour de force that handily eclipses our feeble ideas of what a car is capable of. Naturally, this being an EVOreview, it’s all about what’s the better driver’s car. And per usual, it all depends on what you value most.
To Harris’ mind, if lightening-quick shifts, techowizardry and ease of use are your thing, then the 458 is your bag, baby. But if you’re looking for that visceral, connected, analog experience, then the GT3 RS is packing more thrills-per-ton than anything out of Italy.
The premise might be slightly weak, but it begs the question: Which one would you choose? Check out the video , vote in the poll below and justify your choice in the comments.
