2025 - page 24

The seventh-generation BMW M5 is here, and it’s packing a serious punch with a whopping 717 horsepower, roughly 100 more horses than before. This super-sedan is the most powerful in BMW’s stable, thanks to a new S68 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and a powerful e-motor inside the eight-speed ZF automatic. But before you plan to start doing donuts in your driveway, there’s a catch: this beast has put on some serious weight due to all the electrical components.

Porsche has made it a point to offer a 911 for every taste. Between the different body styles, engines, and drivetrain options, there are well over 20 variants of the rear-engine sports car you can choose from. The Targa form factor goes back to the ’60s and Porsche is one of the few carmakers to continue offering this unique body style with the 911, even today. Most car companies are offering, either fixed-head coupes or traditional convertible models with retractable tops. The Targa is neither a coupe nor a convertible, making it one of the most distinctive 911 variants you can buy, without resorting to the very expensive, limited-edition models. Unfortunately, this versatility also makes the Targa the heaviest Porsche 911 you can get, but there are a few reasons why this shouldn’t deter you if you are considering one.

I am a firm believer that you cannot extract supercar performance from an SUV. Maybe in terms of straight-line acceleration, but not when it comes to cornering. Apparently, I am wrong since Nurburg’s resident YouTuber/ test driver and Norschleife dweller, Misha Charoudin recently published a video with a very exclusive Porsche Cayenne. The SUV in question, is the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, but it is not the Euro-spec variant, you might expect. Instead, a viewer from Mexico imported the range-topping version of Porsche’s performance SUV, as it is sold on the Mexican market, for and naturally, he had to visit one of the most iconic racetracks for a couple of laps. Porsche has proven over and over again its performance models can take the physics rulebook and throw it out of the window. This spiced-up Cayenne Turbo GT is no exception. Here’s what makes this one special.

Porsche sports cars have always punched above their weight, and most people who have driven one will testify that nothing handles and launches from a standstill quite like a 911 does. The 992-generation Porsche 911 finally gets a refresh. Despite the first production hybrid 911 being introduced for the 2025 model year, the 992.2 facelift will not be bringing radical changes to Porsche’s rear-engine sports car. It will be business as usual, meaning more power for each of the 911 versions, along with a few special-edition models.

In a recent interview with YouTuber Jack from Savagegeese, the lead product manager for the Porsche 992.2 911 Carrera GTS and base models - Clen, took the opportunity to discuss the car’s T-Hybrid system. Diving into the technical aspects, Clen identified the T-hybrid turbo setup as the most complex feature of the car. Their goal with this system was to create something that captured the essence of hybrid performance without the traditional weight burden of a typical hybrid. Achieving consistent performance was obviously paramount, and Porsche collaborated closely with their Motorsports division, drawing inspiration from successful cars like the 919 Le Mans racer. This collaborative effort yielded a new breed of hybrid if you will, one that balances performance with efficiency,

Yes, car obesity is a thing and it seems to be getting worse with each year. With more and more performance cars featuring various degrees of electrification, they become more complex and heavier. The latest offender is the 2024 BMW M5, which tips the scales at an SUV-like 5,390 pounds (2,445 kg). To add insult to injury, the new M5 is slower to 60 mph than the outgoing one, although it picks up the pace after. It seems Porsche is the only carmaker that properly electrified its iconic sports car - the 911 – without compromising its character, but another model of the brand might not be so lucky.

The worlds of horology and automobiles share a surprising kinship. Beneath the gleaming exteriors of these timepieces, lie intricate mechanisms, meticulously crafted to propel us forward, whether on the road or through time. The name Bugatti has become synonymous with speed, luxury, and exclusivity. Bugatti has also forged relationships with luxury watchmakers. From 2004 - 2019, Luxury watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier and Bugatti joined forces in a licensing partnership that would blossom into a remarkably long and successful collaboration between the two high-end brands. This partnership resulted in several limited edition and high-end watches that captured our imagination for the better part of two decades. Since 2019, luxury Swiss watchmaker, Jacob and Co. have taken over this partnership.

Porsche’s Cayenne is a high-performance, mid-size luxury SUV that debuted in 2003. It’s now in its third generation, which arrived in 2019. One year later, the GTS variant was unveiled, positioning itself between the S and Turbo models. For 2025, the GTS gets better than ever, thanks to an exterior facelift, new tech, handling, and power upgrades.

Luxury brand Caviar is known for its bespoke precious metal and gemstone studded electronics and accessories. Caviar started by customizing smartphones, but their product list quickly grew to include luxury makeovers for various gadgets – from consoles and watches to sneakers. Their design team doesn’t shy away from a challenge, constantly seeking to elevate the ordinary into opulent masterpieces. This year they are foraying into a new product - luxury e-bikes. Their latest masterpiece is a gold-plated Porsche e-bike called Herzog. The name is derived from the ancestral title of the aristocratic Württembergers dynasty, whose coat of arms features the antlers on the Porsche crest. Caviar’s e-bike is still under the hammer, with engineers putting the finishing touches on its technical aspects by summer’s end, paving the way for a potential early 2025 release.

The 2025 Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS, a two-door, 2+2-seater sports car, marks a significant evolution in the iconic 911 lineup. This eighth-generation 911, known as the 992.2, introduces a new 3.6-liter turbocharged flat-six engine paired with an innovative T-Hybrid system, delivering a combined output of 532 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque, helping it rocket from 0-60 mph in three seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than before. However, the seven-speed manual is gone, which can be a big drawback for enthusiasts.

Renowned YouTuber MKBHD, a.k.a Marques Brownlee recently jumped onto the Porsche bandwagon with a stealthy satin black 992.1 911 GT3 RS. As a tech YouTuber, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he has embraced electrification and has been an advocate of the booming EV space, to the extent that he even now reviews electric and hybrid cars on his Autofocus channel.

Manthey Racing was recently spied yet again testing their GT3 RS MR Prototype at the Nurburgring. The prototype has been wrapped in monochromatic camo this time around, but we can discern that the Manthey Racing team has worked their aerodynamic magic on this GT3. For starters, the rear wing looks like it belongs on an airplane, composed of a large fin, attached to where the rear windshield used to be. YouTuber Arc Driver recently dropped a video taking us through a detailed breakdown of all the modifications to the MR Prototype. Manthey Racing is known for Porsche-centric body kits and their in-house race team. Incidentally, the team recently claimed victory in the LM GT3 Category at Le Mans, and they did so in the Porsche GT3R Racecar.