Category: Porsche

VW CEO threatens to resign
Martin Winterkorn is more and more upset by Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s operations and has threatened to resign.
Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s brands generate more and more frustration among companies’ executives, especially at Audi. The German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reports that premium carmaker’s managers are more and more concerned by Porsche involvement. In an attempt to increase its sales to 1.5 million vehicles by 2018, the carmaker has started expanding its lineup and some models are competing with Porsche models. Unhappy with the results, Porsche has started to interfere with the future lineup. The rumoured R4 has been canceled by Audi. It isn’t confirmed whether Audi took the decision alone, but the R4 was expected to compete with the Porsche Cayman.
This isn’t the first time it might happen. A longtime rumour suggests that Porsche had obliged Audi to cancel a similar project fifteen years ago. Audi was developing the Quattro coupé which would have competed with the future Porsche Boxster. Under pressure from Porsche as rumoured, the German carmaker canceled the project.
Aware of the situation, the former Audi’s CEO has sent a warning to Porsche. How will Piech react? The former VW CEO and Porsche shareholder brought Winterkorn at the head of VW and also helped Porsche to acquire 31 per cent of VW.
June 3, 2008
Porsche Panamera to start production in April
Porsche has been readying the Panamera for the last two years, but won’t release the super-saloon before next year. According to the latest information, the German carmaker will start production in April 2009.
The Dutch car magazine AutoTelegraaf has revealed that Porsche will start producing the Panamera in April of next year. The carmaker plans to sell 20,000 units annually. Like the Cayenne, Porsche will focus on releasing the most powerful version first to build a solid brand image for the all-new-model. At launch, the Panamera wil be available with a choice of two engines: a V8 unit naturally aspirated delivering 405bhp or turbocharged delivering 520bhp.
Later an entry-model will be launched. It will be powered by a 296bhp 3.6-litre V6 unit outsourced from VW and already seen in the Passat R36. However, the V6 will have a tough life to power a rumoured weight of 4,000 lbs. A hybrid version will be launched in 2011. Technical details remain scarce, but it will be the same V6 engine mated to an electric engine.
May 31, 2008
A real targa roof for the 911
If you’re like me, don’t like the current 911 Targa and regret the old design, you will likely be glad to hear that a company has developed its own Targa version.
A long time ago, Porsche offered a targa variant of the 911 but disappeared ten years ago to be replaced a large sunroof. However, many Porsche enthusiasts miss the removable glass panel. A company called VeloTech has developed a classic hardtop that can be fitted on a Porsche 911 convertible.
The roof is comprised mainly of carbon fiber and costs £5,000 in the US. The company says that the price can be reduced to £3,000.
Source: Detroit News
May 28, 2008
Porsche won’t build the Cayenne in the US
In a previous post Petrol-Head reported that the future US plant built by VW might also be used by Porsche. The German sports car maker ruled out the need to build a model in there.
A spokesman has revealed that Porsche has no plan to build the Cayenne in the US and also said that Porsche will be immune to the weak US dollar until 2013.
The rumour started when Stefan Jacoby said that the future plant would need to build at least 200,000 cars per year to be profitable. The Touareg will be on of the few models built in the future facility. He also added that in addition to the Volkswagen models, the group was looking at other brands. This is where Audi CEO, Rupert Stadler, said that extra capacity might be used to build the Q7 and maybe the Q5.
As the Porsche Cayenne shares its inner-structure with the Touareg and the Q7, the German newspaper Handelsblatt, said the Cayenne could share production at VW’s future U.S. plant. If one of these vehicles were to be built at the new U.S. plant, there’s very little reason why the others couldn’t. Well, Porsche isn’t a conventional carmaker. Porsche has reminded us that it is above the other brands.
May 16, 2008
Spyshot : Porsche Roxster
The Porsche Roxster that doesn’t officially exist was spotted during testing at Nurburgring.
When asked about the rumour of a smaller Cayenne, Porsche executive didn’t hesitate to rule out the rumoured vehicle, but new pictures raise questions concerning about the future SUV. Is Porsche currently developing a small SUV which will take on the established rivals such as the BMW X3 on the small SUV market segment?
According to insiders, the Roxster will share its inner structure with the Audi Q5, but will be powered by in-house petrol engines. Power output is rumoured to go from 280 to 500bhp. The entry level will be powered by a V6 engine, while the topping engine will likely be a turbocharged V8 unit. Thanks to the reduced weight, the Roxster will shuttle from 0-60mph in just 4.5 seconds and will reach a top speed of 180mph.
Click here to see the pictures
May 12, 2008
Facelifted 911 leaked documents
A leaked document about the facelifted 911 has emerged on the Internet.
Porsche is expected to unveil the revamped 911 this summer, but thanks to the Internet, a leaked document reveals the main changes.
The facelifted 911 will upgrade its engines by adopting the same direct injection called DFI, short for Direct Fuel Injection, as the Cayenne SUV. The 3.6-litre engine gains 20bhp to 245bhp, while the torque output was raised to 288 lb ft. The 3.8-litre petrol unit has its power output jumping from 355 to 385bhp, while its torque output gains 15 lb ft to 310 lb ft. All engines will be hooked up to a redesigned manual gearbox with gear indicator featured in the instrument panel, but the big new sis the arrival of a dual-clutch gearbox dubbed Porsche Doppel Kupplungen, or just PDK for short. The new gearbox is derived from the Volkswagen’s DSG gearbox. Other technical upgrades include a revised PSM and a new braking system for the versions powered by the 3.6-litre engine with 330mm discs.
The revamped 911 will also lightly evolve on the exterior styling. On the inside, the central console will be redesigned and seats will be ventilated. There will also be a new communication system. Called Porsche Communication Management, it will feature a larger 6.5in screen.
April 29, 2008
Porsche taking issue with Audi’s use of RS nameplate
Porsche takes issue with Audi over the use of the RS moniker on its sporty models.
When a major shareholder of a parent company takes issue with a subsidiary while competing on the same market, that looks like a bit of a mess. Porsche has decided to prevent Audi from using the RS label on the future sporty TT. Called TT RS, the coupé would sound like the Boxster RS 60 Spyder. Porsche thinks that it should be the only carmaker to use the RS a suffix.
Audi can use the RS moniker as a prefix, as in RS4, RS5 or RS6, but not as a suffix on the TT RS. So, one does expect the sporty TT to be dubbed RS TT or simply TTS.
April 29, 2008
New Congestion Charge might increase CO2 emissions by 182,000 tonnes
Porsche goes a step further in challenging the Congestion Charge by unveiling the conclusion of a report from King’s College never publicly released by Transport for London. The report reveals that new emissions-related congestion charge is estimated by TfL’s own consultants to increase CO2 in Greater London by 182,000 tonnes.
The report prepared for TfL by King’s College London’s ‘Environmental Research Group’ uses models to assess the impact of the new charge on emissions and its results show that the new charge is predicted to create a “very high disbenefit” not only for CO2 but also for NOx, NO2 and PM10. The report also shows that there will be an increase in CO2 emitted in Greater London in each year from 2009. By 2012, research shows that in Outer London the increase in CO2 will be nearly 184,000 tonnes, with just 2,200 tonnes saved in Central London giving a net increase of 182,000 tonnes.
The report also concludes that the Congestion Charge doesn’t solve the pollution problem but moves it out of Central London. Because of this new charge, drivers are likely to increase their mileage outside of and around the zone and thus increase their emissions. It shows that “most of the emissions impacts happen in the outer location and this is a direct result of the high car traffic flow in the outer zone and the change of the vehicle km in this location.”
This research was in part used by TfL as they took the figures from the King’s report for NOx and PM10 directly from it; however, its findings in relation to CO2 emissions were not revealed and the full report has never before been released.
April 9, 2008
Spyshots: Facelifted 911 spotted
The expected facelifted 911 has been spotted by spy photographers during testing. The facelift will be evolutionary on the outside while the real changes will be hidden.
As usual, the The next 911 won’t feature heavy styling changes. The spied 911 had a slightly revised front and rear fascia while adopting new LED lights and a new exhaust system. What you can’t see is where Porsche engineers have focused their efforts. The six cylinder engine will see its displacement being increased from 3.6-litre to 3.8-litre and is rumoured to see its power being increased by 10-15%. The petrol unit will get the same direct-injection system introduced in the Cayenne last year. For the first time, the engine will be hooked up to a dual clutch gearbox, dubbed Porsche Doppel Kupplungen, or just PDK for short. The new gearbox is derived from the Volkswagen’s DSG gearbox.
The legendary sports car is expected to hit the showrooms in autumn of this year. All standard models, Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S will revamped as the same time. There are no information regarding the 911 Turbo which suffered from the comparison with the NIssan GT-R.

Click here to see the pictures
Source: Car Magazine
April 7, 2008
HPI survey reveals the Porsche 911 is the ultimate in 80s cars
The Porsche 911 has been elected the ultimate of the 80s in a survey conducted by HPI. The Audi Quattro ranked second.
With the hit BBC TV series, Ashes to Ashes drawing to a close this week, the Porsche 911 took almost a third of all votes 29%, just pipping the Audi Quattro with 28%, to be crowned the decades most desirable car. Both cars left their 80s rivals trailing in the dust, with only the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and BMW M5 to make any impression in the survey with 15% and 12% respectively.
The survey also asked respondents about which iconic cars from that period they most fondly remembered, and it was another TV car that swept all before it. The Ford Capri SLE 71R, immortalised by Terry McCann in Minder, polled 30% of the votes, receiving more than twice as many votes as the Jaguar XJ6 driven by his TV boss Arthur Daly which polled 11%. Sonny Crockett’s Ferrari Testarossa also proved memorable with the Miami Vice car getting 26% of the votes. The DeLorean DMC12 from Back to the Future was next with 23% and the Ferrari 308, as driven by Magnum, scooped up 21% of the vote.
FInally it wasn’t all high performance vehicles that were fondly regarded, the Reliant Regal – the three-wheeler of choice of Del Trotter in Only Fools & Horses came fifth with 19%.
March 27, 2008