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Showing posts with label Porsche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Porsche. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The 2010 Porsche Panamera


The 2010 Porsche Panamera



The 2010 Porsche Panamera borrows some components from Porsche's Cayenne SUV, and has a similar mission in life. Porsche conceived the Cayenne to bolster its bottom line and supplement its traditional sports-car business, where sales swings tend to be more severe than in the SUV segment. Though Porsche purists greeted it as heresy, the Cayenne has done just what Porsche intended. As a result, this small, independent company is now the most profitable automaker in Europe. One of the most influential too, as it's also the largest shareholder in Europe's largest automaker, Volkswagen AG. Porsche relies on VW for Cayenne components and production, and wanted to protect those assets by insuring that VW could never be a takeover target, however remote the prospect. Now that's done, and Porsche can diversify its lineup even further, starting with the Panamera.



Spy photos of late prototypes show the Panamera to be a low-slung "four-door coupe" like the Mercedes CLS, but looking like a stretched version of Porsche's flagship 911 sports car. The engine is up front, where it should be in a high-dollar sports sedan, and the sloped tail incorporates a liftgate, a novelty in this class. The Panamera should be a bit smaller and lighter than the CLS, and in line with promises of Porsche-level performance and handling.



Performance should be plentiful, thanks to a pair of Cayenne V-8s. The mainstay 2010 Porsche Panamera S gets a 4.8-liter unit expected to deliver 400 horsepower, 0-60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, and 180 mph all out. An uplevel Panamera Turbo version is tipped to pack some 520 horsepower, enough grunt to challenge the BMW M5 and Mercedes CLS AMG 63 for the title as world's fastest sedan. Both models will offer a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed sequential manual. The latter is a new Porsche-designed twin-clutch unit with automatic shift mode, similar to VW's DSG transmission. Those choices should also apply to an expected base Panamera using a VW-sourced 3.6-liter V-6, tuned for around 300 horsepower.



The 2010 Porsche Panamera will launch with rear-wheel drive, but there's talk of an all-wheel-drive option, again based on Cayenne components, arriving in the second or third year. There's also talk that the base model will be a gas-electric hybrid instead. The system reportedly allows low-speed running on battery power alone, but can also provide an extra 100 horsepower in short bursts to juice acceleration.



Porsche will show a concept of this vehicle, a four-door coupe, at this
fall's Frankfurt auto show. However, the production version has not
received final approval, and reports suggesting that the vehicle will be
called the Panamera remain unconfirmed.


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Porsche Cayman




Porsche Cayman



One of the finest of these new offerings is Porsche's forthcoming Cayman two-seater, which is a modified version of the company's Boxster convertible. The Cayman will go on sale on Jan. 14 in the U.S., with a price of $58,900. That's $14,000 more than an entry-level Boxster and $12,000 less than an entry-level, two-door Porsche 911.



Forbes.com recently traveled to Siena, Italy to take the first spin in the Cayman. The Cayman arrives at perhaps the busiest time in Porsche's history. The company now sells an SUV, the Cayenne, in addition to sports cars. It recently announced that in 2009 it will offer a sedan, the Panamera, which will take on BMW's 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz's CLS-Class in a segment that blends sports-car performance and styling with luxury-car interiors. The Panamera will have a front-mounted engine, unlike Porsche's sports cars, the engines of which are behind the passenger compartment. It will have rear-wheel drive and a new platform, or basic mechanical architecture.



The 3.4-liter version of Porsche's M96 flat-six engine family from the Boxster and the 911 does duty here and is tweaked to deliver 295 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque, versus the 280 hp and 236 lb-ft in the Boxster S's 3.2-liter engine. (And versus the 325 hp in the 3.6-liter base 911 Carrera.) It propels the Cayman S from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 171 mph. Porsche's famed test driver and former World Rally champ Walter Rhrl gets the Cayman S around the Nrburgring's Nordschleife track in eight minutes, eleven seconds, which is four seconds faster than a published time for the base 911 Carrera, again with Rhrl driving.









All of the Boxster's chassis systems, which themselves are largely shared with the 911, have, of course, migrated to the Cayman S, including PASM, which is an option, and Porsche Stability Management (PSM), which is standard. The Cayman also will be offered with the Sport Chrono package and its nifty lap-time counter built into the dash. Without PASM, Rhrl's trip around the 'Ring would be three seconds slower. The ceramic brakes are another option. At 13.2 pounds each, the ceramic brake discs are exactly half as heavy as the standard cast-iron units, but that particular decrease in unsprung weight also decreases your net worth by about eight grand. In general, the Cayman's brakes are identical to those of the Boxster, but Porsche modified the front dam to bring a bit more cooling air to the discs, and the ABS has been mildly tweaked.



The Cayman's exterior is very clearly derived from the Boxster's, and in fact most body panels back to the haunches are identical. Prominent round foglamps distinguish coupe from roadster in the front profile, and the Cayman side view--not its prettiest angle, we feel--is notable for the domelike steel roof and the unique side air intakes. The rear quarter-windows are the same shape as the 911's but are turned on end. When you move to the rear, there is no mistaking the Cayman for a Boxster, a 911, or anything else on the road. The rapidly sloping hatch dives deeply between the rising hip lines of the rear wheel arches in obvious homage to the 550 Spyder of James Dean fame. At the trailing edge of the hatch lid, just below the "Cayman S" script, a subtle rear wing is ready to deploy once the car reaches 75 mph.



The Cayman will be a hit. As a classic two-seat, mid-engined Porsche sports car, it is as safe as the Cayenne was risky, and the company is too conservative to build it if they weren't sure the demand was there. Its executives speak candidly about the gap it will fill.

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Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Porsche Carrera GT


Porsche Carrera GT



Porsche Carrera GT is an amazing start to a new era of supercars. The Enzo may have beaten the Carrera GT to market -- the Porsche only went on sale this past January -- but Porsche clearly wanted to take enough time to develop the $440,000 GT and show the other car makers how it's done.



The 2008 Carrera GT is capable of ushering in a new standard in its class with its overall impressive performance with due importance to safety. Key innovative technologies that went into the making of the 2008 Porsche Carrera GT include a ceramic composite clutch and brakes beneath the body, a nickel and silicon combination coating improving the wear resistance while minimizing the internal friction of the engine etc. The vehicle comes with a slim trunk that comes handy in holding the stuff for a weekend getaway. Using lightweight materials such as magnesium for the car's wheels and the frames make the Carrera GT more swift and dynamic thereby helping it deliver a fabulous performance. Substantial attention to detail has been paid to the design of this uncompromising super sports car.



Called Project S1 internally, the new Carrera GT was to be Porsche's next factory effort for Le Mans in 2000. Then race plans were dropped, but S1 went forward as a street car. The Carrera GT production version was unveiled at last in March 2003 in Geneva.



Cut to the Gross Dölln, an ex-Russian Army base in the German hinterlands along the Polish border. Runway No. 1 -- the one I am to use for high-speed runs -- is two miles long. Russian Tu-95 bombers and MiG fighters used these runways up to and for a while after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. Today, here on the tarmac are parked three shimmering, $440,000 Porsche Carrera GTs -- one red, one black and one silver.



2008 Porsche Carrera GT Specifications



Engine Specs:

5.7L V-10 605 HP



Transmission:

6-speed man w/OD



Key Dimensions and Capacities:

Length: 181.6 inches

Width: 75.6 inches

Height: 45.9 inches

Wheelbase: 08 inches



Key safety features:

4 channel 4-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Dual airbags

Driver and passenger side airbag head extension

Seatbelts with 2 front pretensioners

Ignition disable security

Security system

Dual door mounted side airbags

Center high mounted stoplight



Key standard features:

AM/FM stereo, seek-scan, with in-dash CD

Bose speakers

Concealed antenna

Power door locks

Remote keyless entry

Power remote hatch/trunk release

Power remote fuel release

Power front windows

Navigation system

In-dash clock

Engine temperature gauge

Analog instrumentation display

Exterior temperature gauge

Redundant digital speedometer

Water temperature warning

Key in ignition warning

Brake fluid warning

Low tire pressure warning

Light tinted windows

Variable intermittent front windshield wipers

Front windshield sun visor strip

Illuminated entry

Interior concealed storage

Driver and passenger door bins

Carpeted cargo area

Leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with telescopic adjustment



More Links about Porsche Carrera





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Porsche Cayenne


Porsche Cayenne



The 2006 Cayenne carries over virtually unchanged. A 2007 model is likely to debut mid-2006 with revised styling and added power. With sales sagging 23.2 percent year-to-date, the Cayenne needs some spicing up, no longer able to rest on its laurels as high fuel prices help force SUVs out of favor.



Being small (for an automotive manufacturer) and traditionally dedicated to sport coupes and convertibles, Porsche partnered with Volkswagen to develop the Cayenne. It shares the platform and some mechanicals with the VW Touareg. The forthcoming 2007 Audi Q7 will be yet another iteration of this platform (VW owns Audi).



While the Cayenne has a profile similar to the Touareg's, Porsche designers did their best to infuse it with Porsche styling cues. This is most noticeable at the front end, where large air scoops under the headlamps mimic those of Porsche's 911 Turbo and GT2 models. The result is less than cohesive, and some find the Cayenne ungainly.



The base model comes with a 3.2-liter V6 engine that delivers 247 horsepower, which is adequate, but uncharacteristically ordinary by Porsche standards. Meanwhile, the Cayenne S version features a much more powerful 340-hp, 4.5-liter V8, which launches this 6,750-pound vehicle from zero to 60 miles per hour in a respectable 6.8 seconds.



There's an even more extreme Turbo model with a twin-turbocharged V8 cranking out 450 hp. It can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds, but costs $33,000 more than the Cayenne S.



An available turbo-power kit boosts the turbocharged V8 engine's output to a staggering 500 hp, and adds upgraded brakes and suspension components to handle the extra power.



A five-speed manual transmission comes standard on the base model. An optional Drive-Off Assistant system, available with this transmission, automatically applies the brakes when the vehicle comes to a halt on steep grades to prevent it from rolling back when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake to engage the clutch and begin moving. A six-speed automatic gearbox with Tiptonic manual-shift capability is optional on the base Cayenne and standard on S and Turbo models.



Porsche designed the Cayenne to be as capable off-road as it would be on asphalt, if only to silence SUV traditionalists who would otherwise dismiss it as an SUV poseur. In reality, few owners likely take their Cayennes anywhere close to a trail and the vehicle would probably sell just as well (or better) as a sportier car-based crossover.



Porsche didn't sit still after the Cayenne's launch in 2003, adding a V6 drivetrain that opened the model to a larger group of buyers and more useful standard equipment and option packages. For 2006, in synch with its philosophy of adding even more power during a model's life cycle, Porsche offers the 510-horsepower Cayenne Turbo S, which takes the concept of a SUV muscle car to a highly rewarding extreme.



New features for 2006 include a new ignition key with separate lock and unlock buttons; new front airbag technology; an electronic logbook; an update to the Porsche Communication Management system that allows it to play MP3-encoded CDs; and a cellphone module that hooks into PCM. Optional equipment includes Offroad Navigation that lets drivers trace their way back to a starting point, even when the area doesn't appear on the nav's system's internal map. Wider rear 20-inch SportTechno wheels, an independent interior pre-heating and pre-ventilation system, new Dark Olive Metallic exterior paint, a new Sand Beige leather-wrapped steering wheel and seats with the Porsche crest embossed on the headrests are among other new options.

More Links about Porsche Cayenne



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Porsche Boxster


Porsche Boxster



The Boxster is a sports car distilled to its purest form: sleek, seductive and uncluttered body wrapped around a superbly balanced chassis and exciting engine. The Boxster’s mid-engine layout is considered by many enthusiasts to be the quintessential sports-car setup, allowing for ideal weight distribution in aid of excellent handling.



Unlike the original, the current base model is powerful: it has a 240-horsepower, 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine controlled through a slick-shifting five-speed manual transmission. With a relatively low curb weight of around 3,000 pounds, the base Boxster sprints to 60 mph from a standstill in an impressive 5.9 seconds.



For those who want more, the Boxster S features a 280-hp, 3.2-liter six-cylinder and a six-speed manual transmission that allows a zero-to-60 mph dash in 5.2 seconds. Both models can be equipped with a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that offers manual gear selection.



Handling is impressive, thanks to the rear-wheel drive, mid-engine layout. The car rides on a sophisticated suspension and has variable-ratio power steering. Traction and stability control are standard — the latter can be disabled for those who like spinning the tires to slip and slide through turns — as is four-wheel antilock disc brakes with an Active Brake Differential to help modulate brake force.



Porsche’s Active Suspension Management System is optional and allows the driver to select suspension stiffness and ride height (variable by 10 mm). Seventeen-inch wheels and performance tires are standard, with optional sizes up to 19 inches in diameter.



The powered top is easy to use and features full sound and weather insulation and a heated glass rear window. An optional removable hard top is available for winter driving. Two trunks — one front and one rear — provide a surprising amount of storage.



Boxsters come well equipped with a long list of standard features, including head-curtain airbags, the power-operated top, heated washer nozzles and a speed-dependent extendable rear spoiler. The options list is extensive enough, but Porsche goes a step further, allowing owners to customize exterior and interior trim with a plethora of paints, finishes and materials.



Acceleration always produces mechanical music, while a shifter that only reeks of positive engagement and a progressive, user-friendly clutch pedal mean you'll never get tired of shifting up and down the range. Keeping up the revs unleashes the flat 6 engine's 240 horsepower (up from 225), which has even this slowest-of-all-Porsches breaking 60 MPH in a tidy 5.9 seconds. Take it up to 159 if you dare, then erase all that speed through the powerful, readable antilock brakes. Whenever you're ready.



But one cannot play boy racer every minute. Truthfully, the Boxster's first impression isn't all favorable. The engine fires to life with a loud, raspy hum right behind your ears. Exiting your parking space proves a chore by hefty steering effort at low speeds, complimented by brakes that are stiff at all speeds. The 2.7-liter engine's ordinary low-end torque doesn't infuse the car with instant motivation. In the city, the long-throw shifter sort of feels like it's been doused in Krazy Glue.



Porsche returned to $40,000 territory with the Boxster, its first new car in two decades. While never less than a thrilling machine, the Boxster's performance was merely peppy instead of pulverizing. The passing of time showed the other three Germans, then an American, then a Japanese all nipping at its heels, often beating its pants off on several fronts. High on price, middling in performance and low on interior elegance, Porsche found itself turning into, well, the Lincoln of sports cars.



More Links about Porsche Boxter







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