Porsche

9ff Speed9 Takes the 911 Turbo to the Next Level

Filed under: Wheels

A Porsche is special enough for most, but for those looking for a bit more, there is no shortage of German tuners that specialize in Zuffenhausen's finest who'll be glad to bring it to the next level. Arguably foremost among them is 9ff, the relatively new outfit that made its mark with the record-breaking GT9.

With the Essen aftermarket tuner show coming up next weekend, 9ff has prepared the new Speed9. Based on the latest 911 Turbo convertible, the Speed9 sacrifices its rear seats for a slick profile evocative of the iconic 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster, with enough ground effects to match. Naturally 9ff hasn't stopped at looks alone, boosting the twin-turbo engine up from 473 horsepower to a shocking 650. No official word on price or performance, but you can expect both to exceed expectations.

Gallery: 9ff Speed9

Tags: 911, 911 turbo, 911Turbo, 997, 997 turbo, 997Turbo, 9ff, 9ff porsche, 9ff speed 9, 9ffPorsche, 9ffSpeed9, essen, essen motor show, EssenMotorShow, porsche, porsche 911, porsche 911 turbo, porsche 997 turbo, Porsche911, Porsche911Turbo, Porsche997Turbo, speed 9, Speed9

$450K Armor-Plated Porsche Panamera for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

We've seen the bag of tricks the exotic auto tuners have used on the brand new four-door Porsche Panamera - now how about a bulletproof version? An armored Porsche Panamera Turbo has just been listed for sale in Frankfurt, Germany via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for €295,000, or about $450,000. It comes equipped with armored steel in the doors, posts, overlaps and walls, and ballistic steel in the roof and floor; bulletproof glass; run flat tires; an armored fuel tank; armored battery and radiator protection; and more. Capable of stopping 9mm rounds as well as an assault from an M16 or .44 Magnum, the car's impressive performance is not hampered in any way by its added security measures.

Tags: armored, bulletproof, Germany, JamesList, Porsche, Porsche Panamera, PorschePanamera, security

Porsche Boxster Spyder to Debut at LA Auto Show

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

In the world of high-performance sportscars, lighter means faster. That's why Porsche is preparing to take the wraps off the new Boxster Spyder.

Based on its entry-level roadster, the Boxster Spyder benefits from an aggressive weigh-reduction program to cut some 176 pounds off the stock model's curb weight, thanks in part to a lighter roof mechanism. The German automaker has also pulled an extra ten horses out of the direct-injection 3.4-liter flat six for a total of 320hp, driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to drop the 0-60 time down to 4.6 seconds.

Of course the "less is more" philosophy comes with a commensurately exclusive price tag of $61,200. The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder will make its debut early next month at the LA Auto Show, but we've got a sneak preview for you right here in the high-resolution image gallery below.

Gallery: Porsche Boxster Spyder

Tags: 2009 la auto show, 2009 los angeles auto show, 2009LaAutoShow, 2009LosAngelesAutoShow, 2011 porsche boxster spyder, 2011PorscheBoxsterSpyder, boxster, boxster spyder, BoxsterSpyder, la auto show, LaAutoShow, los angeles auto show, LosAngelesAutoShow, porsche, porsche boxster, porsche boxster spyder, porsche spyder, PorscheBoxster, PorscheBoxsterSpyder, PorscheSpyder, spyder

Porsche Family's Personal Watch Collection to be Auctioned

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces, Wheels, Auctions

49 watches from the private collection of Prof. F. A. Porsche of the famed sports car marque and his sons will be auctioned by Bonhams on Dec. 2 in London during its Fine Watches and Timepieces sale. Included are timepieces by Eterna, Porsche Design, Rolex, Panerai, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breitling, Chronoswiss, Omega and more. Of particular note are prototypes and unique examples of Eterna and Porsche Design watches custom made for the Porsche family. The latter includes a fine 18 carat gold chronograph (above) made especially by Eterna (now owned by Porsche) and presented to Dr. Ferdinand Oliver Porsche for his 40th birthday, estimated at £4,000 - £6,000. Also included in the collection is a very rare Rolex Explorer with ivory dial (£,5000 -£7,000), a selection of Panerai watches including a Luminor Flyback (£3,000 - £5,000), and an original Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris from 1960 (£5,000 - £7,000).

[via JamesList]

Tags: Bonhams, Breitling, Jaeger LeCoultre, JaegerLecoultre, London, Omega, Panerai, Porsche, Porsche Design, PorscheDesign, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, RolexExplorer

Porsche Design revives the iconic Yoko Ono Sunglasses

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Design

Back in her heyday, Yoko Ono was almost never seen without her shades on. And these were them: The original sunglasses from Porsche Design. She wore them on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, she wore them at press conferences, she wore them during recording sessions and when she was on vacation. She's still wearing them, even though they haven't been made in years. But now the German automaker's product design studio is bringing them back as the P'8479, complete with visible gold-tone screws and Beta-Titanium frame. Make no mistake about it, the 80s are back.

Gallery: Porsche Design P'8479 Yoko Ono sunglasses

Tags: porsche, porsche design, porsche design p8479, porsche design yoko ono, PorscheDesign, PorscheDesignP8479, PorscheDesignYokoOno, yoko ono, yoko ono sunglasses, YokoOno, YokoOnoSunglasses

Porsches Escape Taxes in Norway with Creative Specifications

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

Sometimes getting around oppressive tax laws requires a little bit of...shall we say, creativity. Which is exactly what the Norwegian importer for Porsche cars appears to be displaying with this latest loophole.

Although the Porsche Cayman and Boxster are built in neighboring Finland, next door in Norway they're subject to heavy tariffs due to their high horsepower outputs and carbon emissions. So what did the importer do? Cut the engine's output to below the threshold. The result is a coupe and convertible with 211 horsepower each – 44 and 34 hp less than what they leave the nearby factory with – which qualifies them for significant tax rebates: nearly $19,000 for the Cayman and over $15,000 for the Boxster. The kicker, though, is that according to the same spec sheet, the sportscars haven't suffered any performance degradation, leading us to wonder if the engines were really modified or if they just doctored the numbers.

Source

Tags: norway, porsche, porsche boxster, porsche cayman, porsche norway, PorscheBoxster, PorscheCayman, PorscheNorway

The Racing Life of Paul Newman

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels, Books

A new book on the late Paul Newman tells the story of how one of the world's greatest actors escaped the pressures of Hollywood by sitting behind the wheel of a race car.

As with most things he attempted in life Newman excelled at it. Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman is an illustrated history of Newman's racing career both as a driver and team owner. His interest in racing began while preparing for his role in the movie, Winning, in 1968 and blossomed into several championships competing in the Sports Car Club of America.

The actor also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second in 1979, and in 1995 at the age of 70 he became the oldest driver to be part of a winning team in a major sanctioned race, winning in his class at the 24 Hours of Daytona, capping his long association with the Rolex model of that name.

The book features a foreword by Mario Andretti and many first person remembrances from those who raced against him and admired him, along with many previously unpublished photographs documenting his career at the track. Newman's personal car collection including Porsches and Ferraris is also featured.

Tags: celebrity, Daytona, Ferrari, Le Mans, LeMans, Mario Andretti, MarioAndretti, Paul Newman, PaulNewman, Porsche, racing, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, RolexDaytona

Mansory Carbon Fiber Porsche Panamera

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

On the heels of our recent report about exotic auto tuners taking on the new Porsche Panamera, masters of the overstated Mansory have released details on their own version (above), kitted out in new carbon fiber aerodynamic body mods. Thankfully the design is in line with the carbon fiber Porsche Cayenne they unveiled earlier this year, and not the garish pink-hued "Vitesse Rosé" Bentey ditto. The Panamera gets a new front bumper, bonnet, side skirts and fenders, new air intakes, carbon diffuser and rear bumper housing a central, dual exit exhaust. The car sits 35mm lower to the ground on a set of 21″ alloys of which various designs are on offer. Inside you can select from a bewildering array of woods, leathers, and even more carbon fiber for the trim. The company has not yet released performance specs for the vehicle.

Tags: auto tuners, AutoTuners, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, Mansory, Porsche, Porsche Panamera, PorschePanamera

Tuners Take On the Porsche Panamera

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

Barely two months after Porsche debuted its revolutionary four door Panamera Gran Turismo, auto tuners are already weighing in with their own even more exotic versions. Famed Porsche customizer Gemballa aims to boost the vehicle's power up to a massive 750 hp on their version (above), dubbed the Mistrale. They've also given the car a new front splitter, air scoops on both the bumper and the bonnet, front and rear fender, a carbon fiber rear diffuser, quad exhaust set-up, 22″ forged rims, new performance brakes and a new air suspension system. Another firm, Lumma Design, offers a Panamera CLR 700GT with a kit including a carbon fiber spoiler, side skirts, new hood, 35mm lowered suspension, 22-inch wheels and a power upgrade up to 700 hp.

Tags: carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, Gemballa, Panamera, Porsche

Porsche Design: A Driving Force in Footwear

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels, Shoes, Men's Style

Form or function? It's a question as old as, well...footwear itself. Because typically shoes that serve a specific function have their form dedicated to them. Just think of work boots or running shoes and you'll know what we mean. Conversely shoes designed for form aren't typically very functional. Porsche Design, however, figures they've got it figured out with its latest footwear collection.

Built around a unique sole designed specifically for driving, the collection includes a variety of styles for the gentleman driver, ranging from formal oxfords to sporty sneakers. Each features a left sole with a solid grip to operate the clutch and a right sole designed for easy transition from gas to brake. The uppers are made from black, white, gray and brown calfskin, and are fabricated in Italy by Müller & Meirer Lederwarenfabrik GmbH.

Gallery: Porsche Design Fall/Winter 2009 Footwear Collection

Tags: driving shoes, DrivingShoes, footwear, porsche, porsche design, PorscheDesign

Porsche Design The Essence Intense

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels, Cosmetics and Fragrance

If you were trying to capture the essence of a sportscar, what sort of scents would you put in the bottle? Burnt rubber? Leather? Gasoline? How about juniper berries, mandarin orange and myrtle? Because those are exactly the notes which Porsche Design has used in its new fragrance, The Essence Intense.

The follow-up to their original scent, The Essence, launched about a year and a half ago, Intense is a fresh, aromatic and woody fragrance for men. The scent was developed together with Clarins Group – which is responsible, among other things, for the Azzuro line – but since it's a Porsche Design, the bottle has received significant attention, combining smoked frosted glass and black brushed aluminum in a particularly sleek package. Although it's initially available only as a spray eau-de-toilette in 50 and 80 milliliter sprays, expect a whole range of scented products to follow.

Gallery: Porsche Design The Essence Intense

Tags: cologne, fragrance, porsche, porsche design, porsche design fragrance, porsche design the essence, porsche design the essence intense, PorscheDesign, PorscheDesignFragrance, PorscheDesignTheEssence, PorscheDesignTheEssenceIntense, scent

Porsche Reportedly Planning New Entry-Level Sportscar

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

Remember the Porsche 914? For sure, there are a number of Porschophiles who choose to forget the mid-engined sportscar that was built from 1969 through 1976, but the four-cylinder model was something of a sales success for the German automaker, handily outpacing the firm's range-topping 911 series throughout its model run. Might we see a return of the entry-level Porsche, once again with a little help from Volkswagen?

According to drive.com.au, the answer may very well be 'yes.' The Australian magazine quotes Wolfgang Duerheimer, head of development at Porsche, who has said that a model "significantly cheaper than" the Boxster is a top priority for the automaker. The new car would reportedly be produced in cooperation with Volkswagen, which recently assimilated Porsche into its giant European operations. Anyone else thinking BlueSport?

[Source: drive.com.au | Photo: Spurzem CC.2.0]

Source

Tags: bluesport, entry level porsche, entry porsche, entry-level porsche, Entry-levelPorsche, EntryLevelPorsche, EntryPorsche, porsche, porsche 914, porsche bluesport, Porsche914, PorscheBluesport, volkswage, volkswagen bluesport, volkswagen porsche, VolkswagenBluesport, VolkswagenPorsche, vw bluesport, vw porsche, VwBluesport, VwPorsche

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Porsche 911 Turbo, GT3 RS and Sport Classic

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

Porsche has made a veritable science out of spinning off various variants from its iconic 911 range. The rear-engine sportscar can be ordered with two-wheel-drive or four; coupe, cabrio or targa; naturally-aspirated or turbo; and just about every permutation and combination thereof, to say nothing of special editions and the performance-oriented GT models. Since revising the entire range, Porsche has released new Turbo, Turbo Cabriolet, GT3 RS and Sport Classic models, all in the ramp-up to the Frankfurt Auto Show where the new models made their debut, and we were on hand to see them up close.

The Turbo coupe and Turbo Cabriolet pack a 3.8-liter engine with direct injection and variable turbochargers to offer up 500 horsepower at all four wheels. The GT3 RS is one of the most extreme variants in the 911 catalog, the GT3 RS drives 450 horsepower to the rear wheels in a track-oriented package with neon-colored wings and graphics, while the exclusive Sport Classic produces 403hp in a retro package. Even the largest Porsche dealers aren't likely to stock all three, so have a look in our high-resolution photo galleries below to see them each from all the angles.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Porsche 911 Turbo

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Porsche 911 Sport Classic

Tags: 2009 frankfurt, 2009 frankfurt auto show, 2009 frankfurt motor show, 2009Frankfurt, 2009FrankfurtAutoShow, 2009FrankfurtMotorShow, 911, 911 gt3, 911 gt3 rs, 911 turbo, 911 turbo cabrio, 911 turbo cabriolet, 911Gt3, 911Gt3Rs, 911Turbo, 911TurboCabrio, 911TurboCabriolet, false, frankfurt, frankfurt 2009, frankfurt auto show, frankfurt motor show, Frankfurt2009, FrankfurtAutoShow, FrankfurtMotorShow, porsche, porsche 911, porsche 911 gt3, porsche 911 gt3 rs, porsche 911 sc, porsche 911 sport classic, porsche 911 turbo, porsche gt3, porsche gt3 rs, porsche turbo, Porsche911, Porsche911Gt3, Porsche911Gt3Rs, Porsche911Sc, Porsche911SportClassic, Porsche911Turbo, PorscheGt3, PorscheGt3Rs, PorscheTurbo

Mansory Carbon Fiber Porsche Cayenne

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wheels

Exotic auto tuner Mansory, makers of the $2.5 million Vincero Bugatti Veyron we wrote about earlier this year, have turned their attention to the Porsche Cayenne for their latest over-the-top creation. The Chopster as it's called has basically been completely rebuilt in carbon fiber with the addition of sporty chrome wedge-shaped panels on the doors. A product of Mansory's recent acquisition of Rinspeed's Porsche tuning arm, the revamped super-SUV has a wider, lower profile. Powering the beast is a 710 hp turbocharged V-8 with 665 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of 188 mph, while amped-up brakes are housed in massive 23″ x 11″ wheels. Inside you'll find even more carbon fiber, two-tone leather upholstery, a refrigerator, DVD player, internet-enabled laptop, head-rest monitor screens and more.

Tags: carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, custom cars, CustomCars, Mansory, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne, PorscheCayenne, SUV

Porsche Design's 135-Foot Catamaran Megayacht for Royal Falcon Fleet

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Water, Wheels

Unlike its automotive counterpart which keeps making its cars bigger and bigger, Porsche Design tends to keep things small. The product design division of the German automaker turns its talents on everything from mobile phones and watches to clothing and luggage. But this time they're thinking a bit bigger. A lot bigger, actually.

We brought you initial information about the company's impending collaboration with Singapore's Royal Falcon Fleet ship yard last year when it was still in the embryonic stage. But design work has now been completed and construction has started on the impressive 135-foot catamaran megayacht. The twin-hull design gives the RFF135 a wide beam and unrivaled stability without displacing as much water as a conventional design, while providing a massive 472 square meters of interior floorspace and 208 square meters of deck space, more than enough to accommodate 10 guests and 10 crew. Twin MTU V16 turbodiesel engines each produce an unfathomable 4600 horsepower, enough to keep the vessel at a theoretical 35-knot top speed and making it the most powerful vehicle of any kind Porsche has ever designed. Feast your eyes on the gallery of images below for all the angles.

Gallery: Royal Falcon Fleet RFF135 Catamaran by Porsche Design

Tags: catamaran, false, mega yacht, MegaYacht, porsche, porsche design, porsche design royal falcon fleet, PorscheDesign, PorscheDesignRoyalFalconFleet, rff, rff 135, Rff135, royal falcon fleet, royal falcon fleet 135, royal falcon fleet 135 by porsche design, royal falcon fleet 135 catamaran, RoyalFalconFleet, RoyalFalconFleet135, RoyalFalconFleet135ByPorscheDesign, RoyalFalconFleet135Catamaran

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