Features - page 132

When we talk about open-top thrills in a sports car, the Boxster is, often, the first to come to mind. The mid-engine Porsche sports car first appeared in 1996 and was instrumental in pulling the German automaker out of financial trouble. Three generations later, the 718 Boxster remains a solid pick among open-top sports cars. The roadster’s balanced chassis and lightweight nature allow it to punch above its weight while offering one of the most unique driving experiences of any convertible. That said, the Porsche 718 Boxster is not the only great roadster out there. BMW’s latest iteration of the Z4 has been around since 2018, but it somehow isn’t talked about as much. One reason could be the rebirth of the Toyota Supra, which in its fifth generation is, essentially, a re-bodied Z4. After having the chance to experience both cars, we decided to see if the BMW Z4 is truly underrated and how it stacks up to the Porsche 718 Boxster.

There is an obvious hierarchy when it comes to V.A.G’s subsidiary companies. Both Porsche and Lamborghini are, brands recognized for their capable sports cars. That said, over the last two decades the two performance automakers have branched out into other formats. This is especially true for Porsche, which introduced its first SUV model – the Cayenne – way back in 2002. Lamborghini was late to the SUV bandwagon (unless you’re talking Rambo Lambo, a.k.a, the LM002), albeit not as late as its main rival, Ferrari. The Italian marque from Sant’Agata Bolognese introduced the Urus for the 2018 model year, and in 2024, it became a hybrid-only model.

The Porsche Cayenne is already a tech fest on wheels. The brand’s first SUV proved you can have off-road capabilities, luxury, and even performance, all in one package. Over two decades and three generations later, the Porsche Cayenne has evolved into an even sportier, more tech-heavy offering in the high-performance SUV segment. At the same time, Porsche engineers have done a bit of work on the chassis, to better distinguish the Cayenne from its siblings – like the Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Audi Q8, and Lamborghini Urus, which rely on, largely, the same hardware under the skin.

After a year of spy shots and whispers about what was brewing in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the Lamborghini Huracán’s successor has finally arrived: the Temerario. This isn’t just another V8 hybrid, folks. We’re talking a 907-horsepower, plug-in hybrid supercar with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 developed in-house by Lamborghini. It features a flat-plane crankshaft, that revs up to an astonishing 10,000 RPM. Now, it wasn’t long ago that Porsche too announced its juicy T-Hybrid system with the 992.2 911 Carrera GTS that packs an electrified turbocharger and an electric motor in the gearbox, but no plug-in option, making it a mild hybrid.

The Porsche 911 has been the most versatile sports car since its inception in 1964 and the current 992 generation is no different. Between the different versions and drivetrain configurations available, you can choose from around 30 different 911s, depending on your needs. And yes, this includes an off-road variant, reminiscent of the Porsche 953 Dakar. The Turbo S, typically, nearly sits at the top of any 911 lineup and above the Turbo, with only the track-focused GT models being above it. The 992.2 Turbo will arrive for 2025, but we still don’t know a lot about it other than it’s going to be a hybrid like the 992.2 GTS. Many wonder what the differences between the 992 Turbo and Turbo S are. We rarely see a regular Turbo, despite it being more affordable and almost as quick as a Turbo S, in real life. We decided to take a look and see what the differences between the Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S really are, and whether the Turbo S is truly worth the premium.

Like it or not, electrification is coming and Porsche like every other automaker out there, will need to adopt. But despite its expanding electric model lineup, (think electric Macan and the upcoming Cayman/Boxster EV and Panamera EV), the brand recently backtracked on its over-optimistic electric vehicle sales targets, and it appears that Porsche is once again committed to internal combustion engines for the foreseeable future. The Cayenne, for example, is expected to retain an internal combustion option until at least 2030. As for the 911, the T-Hybrid system introduced on the 992.2 Carrera 4 GTS, combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor and seems like a strategic move to extend the life of internal combustion engines for Porsche. But to me, it appears to be an excuse to delay the 911 EV. We all know that it will be the last model in Porsche’s lineup to go fully electric. Having said that, here’s why a compact 911, could serve as the base for both a smaller displacement combustion engine and an all-electric powertrain.

Two of the hottest hybrid sports cars right now are the all-new Lamborghini Temerario and the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, which launched back in late May. Both VW Group brands have been pushing the boundaries of performance thanks to clever electrification strategies, showcasing the best of internal combustion engines and electric powertrains. Hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly popular over fully electric vehicles and even traditional, internal-combustion-powered vehicles, meaning we will be seeing a lot more of them in the foreseeable future. That said, Porsche and Lamborghini have very different approaches to hybrid sports cars. Lamborghini goes for big power and multiple electric motors while Porsche seems to be keeping things more down to earth with its first production 911 hybrid. That said, we know a 992.2 Turbo S is coming, and it’ll undoubtedly be quicker than the 992.2 GTS. Lamborghini’s new hybrid Temerario and Porsche’s efforts in hybrid propulsion tell us a lot about the upcoming Turbo S, and here’s what we can expect.

Porsche has a long tradition of participating in the annual Monterey Car Week. One of the biggest car events on the automotive calendar. It dates back to 1950 when it was held for the first time, as a supplementary event to the Pebble Beach Road Race. Like other automakers, Porsche’s iconic sports cars were an expected sight at the Monterey Car Week, and this year, we got to see a great number of highly original, reimagined, and downright crazy builds, based on Porsche’s greatest sports cars ever made.

The Tuthill GT One recently made a grand entrance at the 2024 Monterey Car Week, turning heads and leaving everyone drooling. The GT One isn’t just some run-of-the-mill 911 with a fresh coat of paint and a wide body; it’s a reimagined masterpiece, channeling the spirit of Porsche’s legendary 911 GT1 race car with a modern twist.

The Gunther Werks Speedster is a rolling piece of art, a loving homage to the 1995 993 Speedster. The 993 generation Speedster is undoubtedly one of the rarest cars from the German brand ever. It is so rare that very few people are even aware of its existence. The company only made 1 prototype, which was given as a gift to Ferdinand Alexander ’Butzi’ Porsche on his 60th birthday. A couple of years later a dear friend of the automaker, a certain Mr. Jerry Seinfeld, requested that his 1998 993 S Cabriolet be converted into a Speedster. The company happily complied with his request, and his car became the first and only 993 Speedster Conversion.

Porsche and Lamborghini are both under Volkswagen Group ownership and yet, what the two brands do with their sports cars has little to do with the mother company’s resources. Sure, the more mainstream models may rely heavily on VAG tech, but both sports car manufacturers do their own thing when it comes to their range-topping, high-performance models. Lamborghini recently introduced the Temerario – the company’s second hybrid model after the flagship Revuelto. Porsche also recently introduced hybrid powertrains to the 911, with the 992.2, mid-cycle refresh.

The Porsche 911 is one of the most thoroughly engineered cars. German engineers have been perfecting the formula of "putting the engine in the wrong place” for 60 years and counting, meaning each next 911 generation is measurably better than the last. That said, there are companies out there, including Porsche, which offer means of upgrading certain aspects of the rear-engine sports car. The 911 features an iconic shape, dating back to the 1964 original.