Tag: 991 911

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Motorsports Porsche

2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R revealed

Porsche 911 GT3 R

Porsche has used the eve of the Nürburgring 24 Hour race to unveil its 991-based 911 GT3 R. This is the race going version of the 911 GT3 RS and can be all yours for the small matter of €429,000 plus taxes.

Tipping the scales at 1220kg Porsche’s newest GT3 racecar has 368kW (500hp) on tap from its 4.0 litre flat six engine with direct fuel injection. That power is driven through the rear wheels and controlled by a 6-speed sequential gearbox.

Porsche says it has improved the aero and brakes compared with the old 997-based GT3 R as well as reducing its repair and maintenance costs.

The order book is open now and first deliveries are scheduled for December. Too soon to see a new GT3 R racing at the Bathurst 12 Hour? Let’s hope not.

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Porsche

My RingTaxi lap: 7:43 in a Porsche 911 GT3!

RingTaxi.de Porsche 911 GT3

Imagine driving the Nürburgring Nordschleife on the perfect line every corner. Imagine doing that in a new 991 Porsche 911 GT3. It’s got to be as close to motoring heaven as we can get here on earth.

Then, imagine if that was your day job.

If your name is Theo Kleen you don’t have to imagine it because it is your day job. Theo is well known to the Nürburgring community either as a racing driver or as the guy who rents you a car to fulfil your dreams.

Theo and Heide have been running RentRacecar for over 10 years and now, along with Dale Lomas, they’re the team behind the new RingTaxi.de venture.

BMW’s stranglehold on the RingTaxi business is over and you are the winner because now you can do your passenger lap in a Porsche 911 (GT3 or Turbo S) or a BMW M6.

I was lucky enough to experience the Nürburgring at stupid fast speeds in a 911 GT3. Well, stupid fast is an unfair description because Theo only ever planted his foot flat to the floor when he knew it was safe to do so. He always kept an eye on the traffic ahead—when you’re a pro at the wheel of a GT3 there is nothing faster than you—and only overtook the slower cars when he could, either by way of clear track or if the slower driver had indicated and moved to the right and making space for our GT3 rocket ship to blast by.

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BMW Porsche Video

VIDEO: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS v BMW i8

Porsche 911 GTS v BMW i8

Dan Prosser from Evo magazine presents a very intriguing challenge here by pitting a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS against a BMW i8 on the track.

We’ll let the cat out of the bag early, the i8 couldn’t match the 911 for outright lap times. In fact, it’s not even close. But can the i8 match the 911 for laughs and entertainment? Beyond that, is the i8 a serious dynamic competitor for the 911?

You’ll have to watch the video to find out.

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Porsche Video

VIDEO: 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Following the official launch of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, here’s a couple of promo clips from the Porsche YouTube channel.

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Porsche

2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS revealed

2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Here is the all-new Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It’s the most extreme factory road-going 911 you can buy. It’s powered by a 368kW/480Nm 4.0 litre flat-six and has, audible groan, a 7-speed PDK transmission.

Porsche say it can lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes 20 seconds, comfortably quicker than the V10 Carerra GT. More usefully, the GT3 RS can reach 100km/h in 3.3 seconds and 200km/h in just 10.9 seconds. Its top speed is 310km/h.

Featuring model specific body panels the sculpted roof on the RS is made from magnesium. The rear decklid and bonnet are made from carbon fibre. It’s not much, but these changes save 10kg compared with the regular 911 GT3. Unladen weight for the new RS is 1420kg.

Those hungry rear intakes look familiar because we’ve seen them on the 911 Turbo. While the GT3 RS boasts more aggressive front and rear spoilers to aid aerodynamics.

You can order a 911 GT3 RS from your local Australian Porsche Centre right now and the man in the tie will expect you to part with $387,700. You’ll be able to collect your new toy in the third quarter of 2015.

More photos and information await below, including full specifications.

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Porsche

Entry-level 911 set for 2.7 litre turbo

2012 Porsche 911 (991)

When Porsche gives the 991 911 its mid-cycle facelift it will replace the normally aspirated 257kW 3.4 litre engine in the entry-level Carrera model with a turbocharged 260kW 2.7 litre engine.

Similarly, the Carrera S will switch from a normally aspirated 3.8 litre to a turbocharged 3.0 litre engine. Power will increase from 294kW to 320kW.

This news comes from the mouth of none other than Walter Röhrl who revealed Porsche’s plans in a discussion with Wheels magazine. The legendary Röhrl spoke quite freely about the future plans of Porsche, giving insights into future Boxster/Cayman models and the forthcoming 911 GT3 RS.

“I’ve driven the new 911 and they will be 2.7, and 3.0 litres in S form,” said Röhrl. “At least it’s not a four-cylinder turbo like in the next Boxster. That sounds like a Volkswagen Beetle, I’m not kidding you! I tell the guys, ‘You’re joking with this sound, right?’ But they just say they are working on it. I’m sure they will get it right.

“We need to go to turbocharging to reduce emissions. How else can we get CO2 levels below 95g?

“But no matter how good a turbo engine is, it can never have the pure response of a naturally aspirated engine. This is the reason I bought a Boxster Spyder, because engines like this won’t be made anymore.”

Walter signed off by saying the GT3 RS, which will make its show debut in Geneva, will be normally aspirated and will also offer a manual transmission option.

[Source: Wheels]

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Porsche

Confirmed: Porsche 911 heading towards turbo future

Porsche 911 Turbo S

Porsche R&D boss Wolfgang Hatz has confirmed earlier rumours that the Porsche 911 range is heading towards a turbocharged future.

“You have to respect legal requirements [for lower CO2],” he told Top Gear at the Detroit Motor Show. “So yes we’re thinking turbos for standard 911s. You can’t afford to keep an engine for 10 years any more.”

Hatz went on to explain the reasoning for turbocharging along with the prediction we’ll be seeing a 911 hybrid before too long.

“Emissions are important for us,” added Hatz, “And we will reduce faster than the industry. Every new model will have lower CO2 than before. There aren’t so many technologies to do it. If you look at euro per g/km then it’s turbo.

“Then at the end of the decade electrification has to be the next huge step.”

While the introduction of turbocharging to the 911 range is big news, we can rest easy that the flat four turbo in the pipeline will be kept for the Boxster and Cayman only.

When asked if the flat four would find its way into the 911 Hatz replied sternly: “Never. That’s always a flat six.”

Similarly, for now, the flat six in the forthcoming GT3 RS will remain normally aspirated.

It’s good to see at least some things remain sacred.

[Source: Top Gear]

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Motor Shows Porsche

Detroit 2015: Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS

Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS

What do you get if you cross a Porsche 911 Targa 4 with a 911 Carrera GTS? Well, a 911 Targa 4 GTS, of course!

This variation will stand at the top of the Targa model line and gives you a cool retro roof and 316kW to play with. It’ll spit you out to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds (ugh, that’s slower than the Cayenne Turbo S) and has a top speed beyond 300km/h.

The Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS goes on sale down under in the second quarter of 2015 and is priced from $305,300.

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Porsche

991 Porsche 911 GT3 RS spied

2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS prototype

We thank Instagrammer johan9ff for bringing the world an early glimpse of what appears to be a production-ready Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

We know the RS will feature a PDK transmission but engine specs are still unclear. Those air intakes on the rear wheel arches would indicate the engine is turbocharged. However, previous video evidence tends to suggest otherwise.

You can also see the dip in the bonnet and roof, as previewed in patent drawings back in August last year. Those drawings give you an idea of what to expect to see at the rear of the car, too.

Just hurry up Porsche, and release details of your latest RS weapon!

[Pics: Instagram | Thanks to John for the tip]

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Porsche Video

Andreas Preuninger earns his keep

991 Porsche 911 GT3

Now that those embarrassing engine dramas are behind the Porsche 911 GT3 the man responsible for what is otherwise one of the world’s most desirable driving cars has hit the hustings to win your vote.

In this five minute clip, showing the GT3 being thrashed around a racetrack, Andreas Preuninger, Head of GT Cars at Porsche, does an awesome sell job on the car. He tells us the 911 GT3 can bring world peace, cure cancer and win Carlton an AFL premiership. Or something like that.

Thankfully, it seems, the only smoke coming from the back of a GT3 these days is from the tyres.

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Porsche

Porsche gets ready to blow 911 history to pieces

Porsche 911, 991.2 prototype

When Porsche made the move from air cooled to water cooled engines the purists would have you believe the sky was falling. The end was nigh. In truth, some of the best 911s ever made are water cooled and the sun is still coming up every day.

However, we could be facing renewed predictions of dark days by doom merchants if Car magazine’s prediction for the 991.2 is correct. Apparently the 991 will boast an all-turbo* engine range when the facelifted range is launched in quarter two of 2015.

Truth be told, we can probably count ourselves as merchants of doom as far as this story goes. While understanding the need to push for the greater efficiencies a turbo powerplant will bring, basking in the glory of a howling normally aspirated 911 is one of life’s greatest joys.

The entry level Carrera is expected to have its capacity reduced from 3.4 litres to 2.9 litres. The addition of a turbo, though, is expected to produce key numbers of 300kW/540Nm, up from 257kW/390Nm. The Carrera S will keep its 3.8 litre capacity and get boosted up to 395kW/705Nm, a very healthy increase from 294kW/440Nm.

Which makes you wonder what on earth the next 911 Turbo and GT2 will do to separate themselves from their new turbocharged underlings!

*The magic asterisk suggests the 991.2 GT3 will remain normally aspirated, but, y’know, they’ve already taken the manual ‘box away from us, so why not bung a hairdryer on too!

[Source: Car | Thanks to Richard for the tip]

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Ferrari Porsche Video

VIDEO: Porsche 911 GT3 v Ferrari 458 Speciale

Porsche 911 GT3 v Ferrari 458 Speciale

Ben Barry from Car magazine has the enviable task of comparing the Porsche 911 GT3 against the Ferrari 458 Speciale. Both cars have so much personality, so much power, so much appeal. Wouldn’t a day behind the wheel of these two cars, on empty open roads, be a great day out!

As a self-confessed 911 GT3 fan it’s hard to see me ever picking anything else in my automotive dreams. But, you know, a 458 Speciale ain’t so bad!

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