2024 - page 60

Boxer and flat engines are a highly-uncommon sight in the modern-day automotive industry. Currently, there are only two manufacturers that continue to produce and develop boxer engines – Subaru and Porsche. The boxer engine is most commonly characterized by its flat design hence it is, often, referred to as a flat engine. The first boxer engine was developed in 1897, by Karl Benz – the co-founder of what would eventually become Mercedes-Benz. There is a common misconception when it comes to these engines. Boxer and flat engines are not quite the same. All boxer engines are flat engines, but not all flat engines are boxer engines. This misconception comes from the 1973 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer. Despite the name, it does not feature a boxer engine, but rather a flat-12 engine or a 180-degree "V-engine". Boxer and flat engines are more different than you think, and here is what sets them apart.

Porsche cars are some of the most well-engineered performance vehicles in the business. Each new model packs an extensive array of hi-tech features, aiming to make the Porsche driving experience more effortless. Those looking for the thrill of a high-revving Porsche 718 or 911 are all about the visceral driving experience, there are others looking for a more relaxed experience while still enjoying the performance that comes with a Porsche car. The company’s rear-axle steering is optional on all 911 and Panamera models, with some of the higher-end variants getting it as a standard feature. The first Porsche to feature rear-axle steering was the 2013 Porsche 718.

Porsche sports cars are some of the most replicated and reimagined on the planet. The German carmaker’s road-going models have always benefitted from the brand’s racing know-how, especially when it comes to the German brand’s most iconic model - the Porsche 911. That said, the 911 wasn’t always the most favored model by the company. At one point in time, Porsche wasn’t convinced an air-cooled, rear-engine sports car was the way forward. This train of thought spawned the Porsche 928. Instead of the 911’s rear-engine layout, the 928 featured a water-cooled V-8 engine in the front. The 928 was also bigger and more of a grand tourer than an all-out sports car.

The Singer ACS has been controversial since it first came out in 2021. Its rally-car-inspired looks and performance specs made a splash in the automotive world. Drawing design cues from iconic rally cars like the 911 SC/RS and the Paris-Dakar 959, the Safari-style ACS is built on a Type 964 air-cooled Porsche 911 platform. Two versions were researched and developed for a long-standing client of Singers, with the agreement that more would be built later - one for dessert rallying and one for tarmac.

When Porsche slaps the RSR (Renn Sport Rennen) designation on a 911, you know it means business. These are the most hardcore, racing variants of the rear-engine sports car and their sole purpose is to race at the highest level of competition possible. The original Porsche 911 RSR was an evolution of the already-iconic, Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. Lighter, faster, and more aerodynamically busy, the Porsche 911 RSR was developed for the 1973, but actually, saw racing in late 1972. In February, 1973, the original 911 RSR won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

If you’re a Porsche fan, when you hear the term ’roof tent’ your mind most likely goes to lifted overlanding SUVs kitted out for off-road adventures. Porsche too has now made a roof-mountable tent which is the perfect addition to your next camping trip. Conceived by Studio F.A. Porsche, the design and merchandising arm based in Zell am See, Austria, the roof tent is a multifunctional rooftop tent that allows you to camp wherever you park. It can be folded away into a hard shell case in black/light gray or black/dark gray color combos.

Porsche is best known for its sports cars, predominantly the 911. The rear-engine model, although far from being the brand’s only performance car, shows continuous commitment to perfecting the classic, rear-engine design, we have all loved since 1964. While the 911 would remain as a gas-powered model for as long as possible, Porsche has diversified its lineup over the last two decades. Following the Boxster, Porsche introduced its first SUV, the Cayenne, and a few years later, in 2009, the Panamera high-performance sedan. One thing no one expects from Porsche is a minivan.

Porsche provides multiple versions of all its models. It is safe to say, there is a flavor for everyone. This is especially true for its sports cars like the 718 and 911, both of which get the occasional, limited-edition variant. When it comes to all-out track performance, the mid-engine Cayman’s most hardcore variant is the GT4 RS. This track-focused 718 takes the best bits from some 911 models, including the engine, which comes from the 911 GT3. The Cayman GT4 RS is much more than a lightened, stiffened Cayman GT4. Porsche has gone above and beyond in pursuit of creating the ultimate, mid-engine track monster. Among the numerous distinctive features of the Cayman GT4 RS are the air intakes, unique to the model. There are a few good reasons why Porsche went with high-mounted air-intakes for the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, and it has as much to do with function as it does with enhancing the fun factor.

The Porsche 993 Speedster is a unicorn in the truest sense. I always like to note how Porsche has a 911 variant for everyone. Between the numerous powertrain, transmission, and body styles, there are well over 30 different iterations of the iconic, German sports car. There is even an off-road variant that pays homage to the 1984 Porsche 953 Dakar rally car. But by far, one of the more unique and desirable variants of the Porsche 911 is the Speedster, which at its core, is a lightweight, bare-bones variant of the 911.

The Porsche 911 carries one of the most iconic and recognizable designs in the automotive world. The combination of simplicity, clever engineering, performance, and relative attainability has solidified it as the ultimate, daily-drivable sports car. Classic 911s, in particular, have a fanatic cult following. They are also some of the most popular platforms to be reimagined, which is why Porsche themselves have been playing catch up. Companies like Kalmar are taking the classic, air-cooled 911 formula and infusing it with modern tech while keeping the aesthetics and overall feel as close to the original form as possible.

Porsche has proven, on numerous occasions, that the 911 is one of the most versatile platforms. Since its introduction, in 1964, there have been countless variants of the German, rear-engine sports car, including all-terrain variants bred for rallying. Porsche offers a 911 for every taste and need, and with the 992 generation, it also brought out the 911 Dakar – a true, off-road sports car by Porsche that pays homage to the classic Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Paris-Dakar 4x4 (953) from 1984. But a US-based company has also undertaken the task of reimagining the rally-bred Porsche 911.

The ’Surfari’ 928 is one of the more creative builds, that we’ve come across in a while. We say this because while Safari-style Porsche 911 are quite well known, we haven’t seen the 928 embrace that rugged jacked-up look. The Surfari was conceptualized by Tadeusz Elwart who lives on the Hel Peninsula - a narrow strip of land in between the Baltic Sea and the Bay of Puck, in Poland. From a young age, Tadeusz’s father instilled a love for cars in him, especially vintage air-cooled Porsches. This is where his idea for the Surfari was formed and eventually manifested into a heavily modified 928.