Porsche Claims There is No 911 Turbo Targa, but we Rendered it Anyways

Buzzkill alert, folks...

It looks as if the report that Porsche would reveal the 911 Turbo Targa was not true. AutoBlog had a conversation with Nick Twork, Porsche North America Product Communication Manager, about the report, and he said that the report is "Totally False."

Turns out that all we’ll see at Geneva is Porsche’s new 919 Hybrid and 911 RSR race cars. Sure those are both really cool, but nowhere near as awesome as a Targa variant of the 911 Turbo.

Despite the report that Porsche will not release this heap of turbocharged, roofless hotness, we still think that one will eventually make its way onto the market. With that said, we present to you the TopSpeed rendering of the 911 Turbo Targa, courtesy of our rendering extraordinaire, Pratyush Rout.

Creating the rendering wasn’t too hard, as we simply took the 911 Targa , and added in the typical Turbo design cues, including the wider hips, rear air intakes, and a few other tasty bits. This gives the 911 Targa the bad-ass look it deserves, so we can only hope that Porsche decides to release it in the near future.

Click past the jump to read why I think Porsche should/shouldn’t release the 911 Turbo Targa and a little about the existing 911 Targa.

Porsche 911/991 Attack by Anibal Automotive Design 2016

It’s been a while since we last heard from Anibal Automotive Design, but every time they revisit their series of Attack models and the aero kits fitted into them, we can’t help but wonder why this Montreal-based tuner doesn’t do more programs like this.

In any case, we’ll take whatever they dish out any way we can get it. So when they released their new Attack program for the Porsche 911, we stood up and took notice. The aerodynamic kit includes components built straight out of carbon fiber. There’s also a striking contrast on the sports car’s body, particularly the utilization of a silver finish on the body to go with a black carbon fiber hood.

As an added touch to the striking and downright stunning aero kit, Anibal Automotive Design added a new set of multi-spoke wheels to the 911.

According to Hani Harfouche, CEO and designer at Anibal Automotive Design, the Porsche 911 Attack is already scheduled for production. No concrete date has been announced for when the cars will go on sale, but we’ll keep a close eye on when these amazing Porsche 911s are ready to be taken home.

Porsche 911 by Caractere Exclusive 2016

European auto tuners aren’t usually present in mass in a show like SEMA, but Belgian tuner Caractere Exclusive is not only making the exception, they actually went to Las Vegas to present their latest aerodynamic kit for the new Porsche 911.

Built from PU rim, Caractere Exclusive’s body kit features a number of new components, highlighted by a new front bumper with integrated air intakes and air outlets. The kit also includes a new set of side skirts with their own integrated cool air intakes and air outlets, a new rear spoiler, and a rear wing that comes with an integrated third brake light and air intake.

A new sport exhaust system with valve control and dual round tailpipes was also installed to thePorsche, improving its sound and unleashing its full-throttle fury for all to hear. From there, Caractere Exclusive fitted it with a set of either 20- or 21-inch three-piece forged wheels. These wheels not only enhance the car’s look, but they also improve its overall handling and driving characteristics by putting more rubber to the road.

Porsche Shooting for Sub-7-Minute time Around the Nürburgring for the 918 Spyder2016

At the Paris Motor Show, Motor Trend had a very telling sit down with Porsche CEO, Matthias Müller, about several of the upcoming models. This interview not only uncovered the fact that the entire lineup will be undergoing a facial and rump redesign, but also that a new, ultra-powerful hybrid drivetrain will grace the Cayenne in 2015. Almost missed amongst this plethora of new Porsche goodies was a statement by Müller that Porsche is hoping for a sub-7-second time around the `Ring,

If you recall correctly, the 918 Spyder recently screamed through the Nürburgring at an unreal 7:14. When asked about what this awesome time means to the 918, Müller said “That means this car will be a huge – huge – milestone for Porsche. One year ago we had a target of 7:20-7:22 or something. Last week one of our engineers drove one lap in 7:14. The record is 7:11. So I suppose at the end of the year, we will have a new record at the Nürburgring.” The record in question is not the overall record, but rather the major automaker record, now held by the 2010 Viper ACR.

Doing the rough math, the record-holding Radical SR8 lapped the ring with a 0.632 horsepower/kg rating and Porsche estimates that the 795-horsepower 918 with the “Weissach package” weighs just 1,665 kg. That puts the 918 at a 0.447 horsepower/kg rating. This means, in theory, Porsche needs to do one of two things to even come close to the SR8’s heels. The two options are either drop the 918’s weight by an additional 407 kg, which is nearly impossible, or increase its output to about 1,050 horsepower. The latter certainly sounds like the more obvious and possible route. We, of course, cannot take into account vehicle handling and driver skill, as those two variables can sway significantly based on track conditions and other uncontrollable variables.

We’ll keep an eye out to see if Porsche can really pull this off.

Porsche Carrera GT with Sophia Michaelson by Nino Batista Photography 2016

When you have the gift of capturing images through a camera lens, it’s something that you can make a good living doing. Nino Batista is one of those people with that particular set of skills and to our good fortune, he’s taken his talents into the world of auto photography.

One of his newest photo sets features sexy hottie, Sophia Michaelson, but it’s not just this long-legged brunette that got our attention. Batista also managed to gather some of the finest exotics in the land to be part of the photo shoot.

There’s a Porsche Carrera GT in there, as well as a modified Porsche GT 3, a Ferrari F 430 Scuderia Spyder 16M, and yes, even a Maserati Cambiocorsa Spyder GT. Somehow, we couldn’t escape the idea of having one girl flirting with all these supercars.

Makes us think that we probably should be in there too, only because we think Sophia’s getting too cold wearing that skimpy bikini. Then again, if we can’t make it in the photos, we’re perfectly fine staring at them.

Check out Nino Batista’s spread of Sophia Michaelson in the gallery below...!

Next Porsche 911 GT3 will be unveiled in March 2013 with 450 HP

The next generation Porsche 911 GT3 is expected to arrive onto the market as a lighter and more powerful sports car than the generation it replaces. It has even been rumored to carry Porsche’s new 7-speed PDK transmission, although those rumors were later denied by Porsche CEO Matthias Muller.

Confirmation and details surrounding the specs of the future GT3 will finally be put to rest in March 2013, according to a Porsche insider that provided some insight on the future model to British magazineAutoCar. According to him, the new model will be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and will be available for order soon after that.

Under the hood, Porsche will place the latest generation of their normally aspirated 3.8-liter flat six engine that will deliver a total of 450 HP, up from the 435 HP of the previous model. This small boost in power will be combined with the 88 lbs of weight loss to provide better performance times: a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of less than 4 seconds and a top speed closer to 200 mph.

In order to keep the weight to a minimum, Porsche has used lightweight materials for the car, has kept the interior equipment to a minimum, and has deleted the rear seats completely. The exterior of the GT3 will get a more aggressive look that will distinguish it from the other models in the 911 line-up.

After the release of the standard 911/991 GT3, Porsche will also be developing a more powerful GT3 RS version for the 2015 model year. It will deliver an impressive 480 HP.

Porsche Claims it Has No F1 Aspirations

On Monday, we let you know about our suspicions that Porsche was mulling over a return to the world of F1, as it was snagging up what seemed like every unemployed F1 engineer available and was looking for more. It looks like us media folk have kicked up a bit of dust in the Porsche offices, as its motorsport spokesperson, Oliver Hilger, spoke out in reference to the speculation.

Hilger made it quite clear that the speculation is exactly that – speculation – and there is no truth behind it. He was quoted saying “We have no ambitions for Formula One” and that “if you need good people, of course you have a look around also in Formula One.”

We’ll take Hilger at his word for now, but hiring a pile of F1 guys really seems like a strange trend if you are simply trying to hire the best people. We wouldn’t be surprised to hear Porsche singing a different tune in the future.

1970 Martini Porsche 917K Sportscar. Goodwood Festival of Speed 2016

1970 Martini Porsche 917K Sportscar.
Nicknamed the Hippie Car or the Psychedelic Porsche.

All of photographs published here are copyright © Anthony Fosh All Rights Reserved. They may not be reproduced and/or used in any form of publication, print or the Internet without my written permission

Porsche 911 GT3 GTurbo by 9ff 2016

Who would have ever thought of extracting 1200hp from a 3.8L F6 powered Porsche 911 GT3? Well, now we know that thought has crossed the minds of known German tuners 9ff. Recently, 9ff announced the GTurbo (Goosebumps), a Porsche 911/997 GT3 with 1200hp and 1,150Nm (848 lb-ft) of torque, easily making it one of most powerful Porsches ever built.

Want to know what the stratospheric upgrade can do? It can warp you from 0-60mph in only 3.2sec and flat-out, it can do 250mph. That’s mind-boggling for a Porsche 911 or, as Jeremy Clarkson would call it, a Beetle!

All this unnecessary power comes from a 3.8L flat six that has been up-sized to 3.9L. To increase the oomph, 9ff installed a Garrett GT1200R turbocharger with ball bearings and water-cooling. The operation of the turbocharger can be controlled from the steering wheel, where the driver has the option to select from 0.8 bar, 1.2 bar and 1.6 bar, hence adjusting the power output from 600 horsepower to a maximum 1200 horsepower. Good to know that the monster is, in a way, leashed.

The power is sent to rear wheels via a standard 997 GT3 6-speed manual tranny with reinforced gears, so that it doesn’t snap while transferring the extra power. Handling is improved with the installation of a limited slip differential and an adjustable 9ff / Bilstein suspension system with aluminum shocks, 60mm race springs, rigid aluminum top mounts front, reinforced wishbone suspension, lighter hydraulic power steering, and an adjustable stabilizer for the front and rear axles.

With the race-level spec sheet, you might all classify it as race-legal only. Surprisingly, the GTurbo is a street-legal car with an asking price of $455,000.

So would you dream of owning a GTurbo 1200 or think it’s too crazy and impractical to drive one? Let us know in the comments section below.

Porsche 911 GT2 RS by Wimmer Rennsporttechnik 2016

With only 500 units built and a total of 620 HP under the hood, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is a car that many auto enthusiasts dream about. This is evident in the fact that, although it is priced at €237,578 (about $310,000 at the current exchange rates), the GT2 RS sold out almost instantly. Lucky for us, Wimmer Racing Technology grabbed on to one of the units and then updated it "a little bit."

Since the 911 GT2 RS is such an impressive car, Wimmer opted to leave the exterior as is and focused on the engine instead. Two optimized Wimmer turbochargers were added, as was an optimization of the air induction, sports camshafts and crankshaft, timing chains, machined cylinder heads, pistons and connecting rods, a fuel pump unit, two manifolds with bypass, and two 200 cell sport catalysts. As a result, the six-cylinder boxer engine now delivers an amazing 1,020 HP and 817 lb-ft of torque. With the extra 400 HP, the GT2 RS will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, to 124 mph in 8.7 seconds, and hit a top speed of 180 mph (however, the top speed indicator shows an amazing 241 mph).

In order to handle the extra power, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS has been equipped with a new set of custom-designed 19" wheels in combination with a 3-way adjustable Competition-suspension from KW.

Porsche Boxster S "SP81-R" by SpeedART 2016

With so many Porsche programs being released recently, German tuner SpeedArt isn’t keeping quiet because, lo and behold, they have their own newly revealed package for the mighty little rocket of the Porsche line-up, the Boxster S.

The program is actually a new take on the tuner’s SP81-R program and it comes with a comprehensive aerodynamic package. There’s a new lower front spoiler that makes the Boxster’s front profile look like it’s ready to eat you alive. A diffuser section for the rear bumper has also been added, as was an elevated wing that attaches itself to the stock wing fitted on the Boxster. There are also new clear-coated carbon fiber side sections for the doors and air intakes and finally, a new set of 20" or 21" Multi-piece Light Spoker Competition forged alloy wheels to round out the exterior modifications. Inside, SpeedArt kept the upgrades in check, opting only to finish the carbon with healthy doses of fine leather and Alcantara.

Then there’s the power upgrade, which, if you think about it, isn’t much. The addition of a performance exhaust system with manifolds, sports catalysts and silencer with twin 100 mm tailpipes, and an optional damper system nets the Boxster S an increased output of just 20 horsepower and 14 lb/ft of torque. All told, the SpeedArt SP81-R program provides the Porsche roadster with 335 horsepower and 280 lb/ft of torque, an increase from the 315 horsepower and 266 lb/ft of torque output of the stock Boxster S model.

Porsche Cayman 2012

Cheap Sports Cars for 2012

02. 2012 Porsche Cayman - $51,900

In a sea of Porsche sports cars that include the 911, Boxster, and Panamera; the Cayman seems to often get ignored.  But the 2012 Porsche Cayman is a cheap sports car that offers incredible performance coupled with great looks.  From the front the Cayman looks like the Porsche 911 but a bit more refined.  Out back the Cayman features a more sloped roof line that almost gives it a fastback feel.  In fact the Cayman is considered one of the best looking cheap sports cars on the market today.  With a base price of $51,900 the 2012 Porsche Cayman is one of the least expensive Porsche automobiles you can buy.  Power comes via the flat-six boxer engine that Porsche is famous for.  This 2.9L 6-cylinder engine produces 265 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.  Fuel economy checks in a 19 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway.  The power numbers may be some of the lowest on the list but Cayman features a lightweight chassis that is more at home on the track than on the road.  That’s not to say the Porsche Cayman is a track only car.  Instead the Cayman is one of the most pure sports cars you will ever drive.  It is nimble and has lightning quick reflexes.  There are more expensive trims that feature a larger engine with more horsepower like the CAyman S or Black Edition.  But the base model 2012 Porsche Cayman is one of the greatest cheap sports cars out there.