Features - page 60

Auto Union, which eventually became Audi was formed in 1932 by the conglomeration of four companies - Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. This is how the logo of 4 intertwined rings came to be, each representing a founding member company. Auto Union wanted to build race cars, to quickly establish its credentials as a reputable brand. As luck would have it one of the directors of the company had previously worked with Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who had helped him develop a prototype racing car known as the P-Wagen (the P stood for Porsche).

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.

Unleashed and unfiltered, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is a swan-song for the revered gas-only mid-engined sports car. A renegade freed from corporate shackles, it embodies the Cayman’s ultimate evolution. With the GT3’s glorious naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six pumping out a healthy 493 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, it’s a symphony of pure, unadulterated power.

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.

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.

The Porsche 918 Spyder was an absolute beast, a hypercar that debuted the plug-in hybrid system and set the bar high for both performance and efficiency. Now, as the world awaits with bated breath for its successor, an unexpected muse emerges from the world of Bugatti: the Tourbillon. While the Tourbillon’s mind-blowing naturally aspirated V16 will remain its exclusive powertrain, could its more potent hybrid system hold the secrets to Porsche’s next hypercar adventure?

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.

Porsche, a name that you usually associate with high-performance gasoline engines, surprised the automotive world when it entered the hybrid market back in the late 2010s. But the German automaker didn’t just introduce a new technology; they also subsequently introduced a new color – acid green (PTS Color Code: 2M8), which is now synonymous with plug-in hybrid Porsches. In this article, we’ll dive deep into this vivid shade and how this bold choice became a key element in establishing Porsche’s unique identity in the hybrid space.

In a legal battle with potentially industry-wide ramifications, Porsche initiated legal proceedings against Singer Vehicle Design in February 2024. The German automaker sued the Californian restoration firm, accusing Singer of trademark infringement on their DLS and DLS Turbo models. Porsche took issue with Singer’s use of Porsche branding and design elements, even though Singer has become renowned for its high-end, meticulously crafted resto-mods of classic Porsches. Early on, Porsche saw Singer’s potential impact. In 2012, a mere three years after Singer’s founding, Porsche negotiated a binding agreement with the Californian firm. This contract outlined the boundaries of Singer’s modifications to ensure they wouldn’t infringe on Porsche’s trademarks, and all the parts used in Singer models had to be sourced from Porsche.

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.