Development of the next-generation Porsche Boxster is well underway and images of a prototype for the car have once again surfaced, this time captured while it was undergoing cold weather testing in Northern Europe.

A rumor alleging that Porsche insiders are talking about a lightweight, turbocharged four-cylinder platform for the next-gen Boxster recently began making the rounds. The thought coincides with possible rumors of a revived 914 that could be co-branded by both VW and Porsche, which means the new Boxster could certainly be fitted with a highly charged four-banger. If that’s the case, we’re sure Porsche will still offer a six-cylinder option for upper range models.

Such a design premise might offer more room to launch a detuned entry-level Carrera also aimed at improving emissions ratings. Even the current six-cylinder Boxster and Cayman, the most efficient in Porsche’s line, emit about 222 g/km of CO2–about 100 g/km more than the projected 2015 limits.

Whatever Porsche has in store for the new car, we’ll have to wait until its expected arrival in 2011 to find out.

Source:motorauthority.com

2010 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

• Specs: Direct-injected 3.8-liter boxer six-cylinder, 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet torque; seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or six-speed manual
• Speeds: 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds; top speed, 194 mph (estimated by Porsche)
• Price: $132,800 (Coupe) and $143,800 (Cabriolet)
• On sale: January 2010

You’ve been teased for too long: first by Porsche, then by High Gear Media’s previews from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Finally, this week, we’re overdosing you on the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo with a live drive from Lisbon, Portugal and the famed Estoril race track.

Both the 911 Turbo Coupe and Cabriolet arrive early next year in the U.S. with a staggering new powertrain stuffed into the latest generation of the 911 body shell. The engine’s been upsized 0.2 liters, but it’s still a flat six; with variable turbocharger vanes, direct injection and a new performance intake manifold, the Turbo’s 3.8-liter six fires up 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque (peak, with the optional Sport Chrono package). It’s an entirely new engine for the Turbo, a first in the 35-year-history of the Turbo, Porsche says.

With the new seven-speed Porsche “PDK” dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual, the stout new engine’s enough to propel the 911 Turbo to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds, Porsche also says. Top speed is a promised 194 mph for either Coupe or Cabriolet models. And despite adding 20 hp and a near 200-mph top end, the 2010 911 Turbo also checks in with carbon dioxide emissions reduced by 18 percent and with better fuel economy, though the official EPA figures aren’t available yet.

The other important drivetrain add-on is the optional Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), which combines with the standard Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive and Porsche Stability Management (PSM) to pair electronic and mechanical controls to put power to individual wheels where needed, for the utmost traction. It’s similar to the system pioneered by the Acura RL, and is installed on the 2010 Porsche Panamera to brilliant success.

Inside, the 911 Turbo wears a new optional steering wheel that changes the buttons controlling the PDK transmission. On other Porsches, the left and right buttons each can control upshifts and downshifts. With the new wheel, the left paddle downshifts the PDK gearbox and the right triggers an upshift. The rest of the 911 Turbo’s already impressive and capable feature set carries over from the previous model.

There’s much more to come. Stay tuned at High Gear Media for our first drive of the Porsche 911 Turbo this week – we’re feeding you the latest starting Tuesday via CoverItLive, with Twitter-ized updates from our road and track drives in and around Lisbon and Estoril. Follow our trail at @therealma #911turbo or bookmark this page for updates.

Source:motorauthority.com

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Race Car

If a stripped down, minimalist, roll-cage equipped 450 horsepower race-car-for-the-street just isn’t enough for you, well, Porsche has a car for that: the 911 GT3 Cup. Based around the same powertrain as the GT3 RS but with absolutely no compromises made for street use, the Cup car is an all-out racer.

Unlike many factory race cars, however, this car isn’t limited to the factory teams. It’s available for customer purchase, with private race teams and individual track enthusiasts able to buy the car and put it to its intended use – lapping at ten tenths.

So it’s completely impractical and not really a consumer car at all – it is the essence of Porsche. Distilled down into a single, crystal idea, the purity of the GT3 Cup car is what inspires the rest of the range, as cushy and passenger-friendly as they may be.

Beyond the 450 horsepower engine the Cup shares with the RS, the race car trims weight to a mere 2,646 pounds and fits a sequential six-speed manual gearbox for quick-shifting performance. A 1.73-inch wider body allows for larger wheels and a widened track. The wheels are set of new 18×9-inch (front) and 18×9.5-inch three-piece alloys suited for all-out racing duty.

A race exhaust system – still with catalytic converter, however – allows for full power and a raucous sound, while Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes reduce unsprung weight, shaving the car’s weight by 44 pounds in total, and provide massive fade resistance.

A fully adjustable suspension, including seven-position anti-roll bars, helps tune for each individual track, while the streeting wheel and data display offer a total of six user-customizable switches.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is available only in Carrera White and the first units will begin delivery in October. Base price: €149,850, or about $213,000.

Source:motorauthority.com

Porsche Volkswagen Merger

In late July Porsche announced Wendelin Wiedeking would be leaving his position as the company’s CEO to be replaced by Michael Macht, clearing the way for the supervisory board at Volkswagen to lay the foundation for an integrated company with Porsche under VW leadership. Yesterday reports broke that the Auto Union name could be revived to brand it and that Porsche’s American arm would operate autonomously, and today VW has announced it will finalize the merger with Porsche by purchasing 42% of Porsche’s shares by then end of 2009.

The purchase will tie the two companies very closely together, though in a somewhat reversed role from Porsche’s initial conception of the arrangement. Porsche had hoped to take over the VW Group by buying up its voting shares, but due to German state laws and its own debt, it was ultimately forced to turn to VW itself for help, leading to the VW Group’s purchase of Porsche stock. Qatar, which has recently sought a share of Porsche and VW both, has also been welcomed into the deal as well as a key shareholder.

According to a statement released by the VW Group on the announcement of the acquisition, “The integrated automotive group will be formed from the progressive participation of Volkswagen in Porsche AG and the subsequent merger of Porsche Automobil Holding SE and Volkswagen AG. Porsche will remain an independent company headquartered in Stuttgart.”

While VW re-affirms Porsche’s independence, the Auto Union name is also being considered to help preserve the idea that it’s not Volkswagen running the whole show.

The Auto Union name was originally given to a merger of four German carmakers – Horch, Audi, DKW and Wanderer – in 1932. The brand went on to fame in motorsports through the 1930s, but was disrupted by World War II, and subsequently went through a number of reformations, eventually ending in a renaming to Audi AG in 1985.

VW board chairman Martin Winterkorn described the company’s plans in July, saying, “Volkswagen and Porsche have excellent know-how at their disposal and can use their resources even more efficiently by combining them. For this reason, we expect additional growth opportunities, safeguarding existing jobs and creating new ones.

“At the same time, we can call on our considerable experience in the integration of proud and successful brands rich in tradition. Like Audi today, Porsche can also continue its independent development under the aegis of Volkswagen and preserve its own identity. We have great respect for the achievements of the Porsche workforce and are convinced that Porsche can enrich the Volkswagen Group – just as Volkswagen can vice versa enrich Porsche.”

With today’s announcement of VW’s plans to buy into Porsche, the merger of the two companies is all but complete, but in other respects, it is only just beginning. Now the work to fit Porsche and its products together with the other 9 brands under the VW Group – or Auto Union – umbrella without conflicting with others, like Audi and Lamborghini, begins. How that is to be handled is an issue of great concern for Porsche enthusiasts, as it could dramatically re-shape the Porsche lineup.

Source:itechnews.net