Dimitar Angelov

Currently, only two brands are associated with the boxer engine layout – Porsche and Subaru. Porsche’s obsession with boxer engines began long before the iconic 911 came to be. Despite the German brand having long traditions, of using this engine configuration, it wasn’t Porsche that invented it. The boxer engine was patented by Karl Benz, back in 1896. Porsche did not start using the boxer engine layout until the 1930s, and even then, its first use wasn’t in a Porsche model. Rather, it was the budget-friendly VW Beetle, the people’s car.

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.

Toyota is hard at work reviving iconic nameplates, and luckily for enthusiasts, this also extends to the brand’s sports cars. We have been hearing about Toyota MR-2’s return since 2019, but until a few months ago, we didn’t have any concise information. Reports from Japanese outlets were gradually revealing details about Toyota’s soon-to-be-revived, mid-engine sports car. In stark contrast to what we initially believed, the new MR-2 will not be a budget-friendly model, co-developed with Daihatsu and Suzuki. This turned out to be Toyota’s S-FR, which will also be sold as the new Suzuki Cappuccino and Daihatsu Copen and would compete with Mazda’s MX-5 Miata. This puts the MR-2 in a whole other league, and judging by the performance figures revealed, it would also likely be able to keep pace with most variants of the Porsche 718. Maybe even outperform it?

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.

We can all agree that amidst all variants of the Porsche 911, there are those that truly stand out. One person who is largely responsible for shaping Porsche’s identity as a builder of epic sports cars is Hans Mezger. The German engineer started working for Porsche as soon as he graduated from the Stuttgart Technical University and would stay there until his retirement in 1994. Now, that’s what I call a dream resume. Porsche has since moved away from the Mezger design, making all cars featuring these powerplants desirable collectibles. We are taking a look at what many Porsche fans consider to be peak 911. The last Porsche 911 to feature the iconic Mezger engine - the 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0.

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.

We can all agree that the 996 was the most controversial Porsche 911 generation. Yet, the 996 ushered Porsche into the modern age by being the first water-cooled Porsche 911 and the first (and last) to do away with the iconic, round headlamps. Like all 911 generations, the Porsche 996 had its fair share of hardcore variants. The most track-focused, naturally-aspirated Porsche 996 was the 911 GT3 RS, which was as close to a racing car as it could be. Sadly, the 996 GT3 RS was never offered in the US, and there is a good reason why.

Porsche is a sports car manufacturer first and foremost, but times have changed, and in order to stay in business, many high-end car companies need to adapt. Like other carmakers, Porsche eventually branched out into other segments, including four-door sedans. In fact, the automaker’s has been toying with the idea of a four-door model since the 1950s, but so far, Porsche has only two sedan models on offer, with a possible, third one on the way.

It’s safe to say there is a Porsche 911 for everyone. Whether you need an Autobahn missile, a high-performance convertible, a track weapon, or even an off-road-suited sports car, the iconic, rear-engine model from Germany has got your back. Back in August 2022, the 992 generation got its most track-oriented, most lightweight, most radically styled variant – the 911 GT3 RS. I think we can agree, that Porsche’s high-revving, naturally-aspirated engines like the GT3 RS’ 4.0-liter unit, are the last Porsche engines that need audio enhancements, but two of the leading exhaust system manufacturers have come up with their own exhaust systems, designed to give Porsche’s 992 GT3 RS an even more appealing soundtrack. YouTuber NM2255 Raw car Sounds recently got the chance to compare how the two systems sound.

Tesla pioneered the mainstream EV segment and currently offers some of the quickest fully electric vehicles you can buy. However, legacy carmakers like Mercedes and Porsche have caught up, and now EVs are being churned out left and right. Porsche is big on heritage, but that didn’t spare the brand from getting on the EV bandwagon. On the plus side, Porsche’s Taycan is one of the most popular EV performance cars. Since its introduction in 2020, Porsche has sold over 136,000 units of the all-electric Taycan, and counting, making it one of the more popular high-performance EVs. That said, when it comes to the performance-per-dollar ratio, Tesla’s offerings are still unrivaled, but Porsche might be working on a solution.

The newly formed Bugatti-Rimac has already proved that it doesn’t lack the boldness to make some radical changes to the revered and historic French marque. The all-new Bugatti Tourbillon features a newly designed, naturally-aspirated V-16 engine that revs to 9,500 RPM and works with three electric motors to produce 1,800 metric horsepower. In July 2021, the Croatian carmaker, Rimac Automobili, acquired Bugatti. Technically, Volkswagen still partially owns Bugatti through Porsche, which has a 45-percent share in the French hypercar manufacturer. The Porsche connection might prove to be instrumental in making the first-ever, production Bugatti sedan, rumored to already be in the works. For better or worse, a Bugatti sedan is more plausible than you may think. Here’s why.