Coupe - page 72

In the world of custom Porsches, everyone has heard of RWB and Akira Nakai. The renowned Japanese tuner has been modifying 911 with dramatic fender flares, exposed rivets, and double wings, since the late 90s. Before he established RWB he was the leader of a wild drift crew, aptly named Rough World. Rough World drifters mainly altered and raced with the legendary Toyota AE86, making changes inspired by widebody endurance racecars. However, Akira always had an eye for Porsches and got to work on several while working at a body shop during the ’90s. One day as luck would have it a very damaged Porsche 930 came into the shop, and Akira was able to strike a deal with the owner. This midnight blue Porsche became his first muse, which he cut up extensively to reduce weight, upgraded the engine, and installed the first version of his iconic wide-body kit. He named his first car after his favorite beer- Stella Artois.

Restomods are all the rage these days, i.e. modern reimaginations of legendary classic cars. However, HWA Chief Engineer Gordian von Schöning insists that their Evo II is "not a resto-mod". HWA was founded by Hans-Werner Aufrecht in 1998, who was also one of the founders of AMG, now under the ownership of Mercedes-Benz. HWA, who have been in the game for a long time now (since 1998) reimagined the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II from the ground up. The HWA Evo II features a lengthened wheelbase for increased stability and a wider track for superior grip. Crafted from lightweight carbon fiber, its custom bodywork conceals an equally impressive powertrain.

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.

Many electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer one-pedal driving. However, Porsche does not offer this feature in its EVs. This feature essentially lets you control your acceleration and braking with just the accelerator pedal. Unlike gas-powered cars that coast without power when you lift your foot off the throttle, Electric cars and PHEVs can achieve one-pedal driving thanks to regenerative braking. This system utilizes the electric motor as a generator during braking. As the car slows down, the motor captures the kinetic energy (energy of motion) and converts it back into electricity, topping up the battery and extending your driving range.

The late stunt and race car driver, Ken Block inspired millions of racing enthusiasts, none more so than his daughter Lia. His family and brand Hoonigan are working hard to carry on his legacy exactly how he would have wanted. Back in May 2022, Ken unveiled yet another ridiculously powerful project car, which he intended to take to the 100th running of Pikes Peak. Built in collaboration with BBI Autosport (who have been immensely successful at Pikes Peak), the Hoonipigasus is a classic mid-engine Porsche 911-based track car that produces1,400 horsepower and features a custom driveshaft and AWD. The team’s first time taking the car to Pikes Peak was plagued by mechanical issues which forced them to pull out of the event, However, they did not give up and wanted to come back with Ken the next year.

The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera marks the introduction of the 997.2 generation, bringing subtle yet significant updates to this iconic sports car’s sixth generation or 997 generation. This rear-engine and rear-wheel-drive coupe is the base trim in the 911 lineup, available in both hardtop and convertible configurations. It gains a new MA1/02 3.6-liter naturally aspirated boxer-six engine with direct fuel injection, boosting output to 345 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque and improved fuel economy. Porsche offers two transmissions for this trim, including a standard six-speed manual and a new seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, replacing the Tiptronic S from the 997.1 generation.

Electrification isn’t the end of internal combustion, but in a way is its evolution. In the hypercar segment, hybrid technology is breathing new life into high-performance combustion engines, marrying raw power with performance and efficiency. A trend that really began with the Holy Trinity (La Ferrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, and McLaren P1) has evolved significantly over the past decade with automakers finding better ways to integrate green tech with traditional ICE.

In a recent video, Porsche aficionado and YouTuber ARC Driver dove headfirst into a potential mystery courtesy of Porsche themselves. While configuring a 911 on the Porsche website, ARC stumbled upon an image that piqued his interest. Initially appearing as a standard 911 silhouette, a closer look revealed some intriguing details. Wider rear fenders, a prominent turbo intake, and a unique ducktail spoiler whispered "New car alert." Unlike the rest of the blacked-out silhouette, the entire spoiler was rendered in grey, fuelling speculation of a deliberate hint from Porsche.

The all-new Bugatti Tourbillon is here as the successor of the iconic Chiron hypercar. This beast of a hypercar, named after the intricate mechanism in mechanical watches, was unveiled in June 2024, and it’s got everyone talking. Why? Well, for starters, it’s Bugatti’s first-ever hybrid! That’s right. This monster combines a massive 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine developed with Cosworth with three electric motors, and boom: total system output is a whopping 1,775 horsepower!

After long-standing speculations and teasers, the Chiron replacement is finally here! The Bugatti Tourbillon ditches the EV trend and sticks to its internal combustion heritage with a twist. Yes, it’s a plug-in hybrid and the first Bugatti under Mate Rimac’s leadership. Beneath its elegant silhouette lies a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, holding a Cosworth-developed 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 coupled with three electric motors. Combined, the hybrid powertrain cranks out 1,775 horsepower. With a 0-60 mph time of two seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 276 mph, the Tourbillon is not only more potent than the outgoing Chiron but also faster.

The story of French automaker Bugatti after the Volkswagen Group’s acquisition in 1998 is a wild ride. Remember the outrageous EB110? Yeah, Bugatti needed to blow everyone’s minds again with its successor, and the Veyron concept, which debuted in 2001, just did that. With a quad-turbocharged W16 engine pumping out a mind-boggling 987 horsepower, the Veyron shattered records and became the world’s fastest production car of its time. Some even consider the Veyron to be the world’s first hypercar, with its reign lasting nearly 15 years! And that was just the beginning of Bugatti’s prowess under VW’s guidance.

Top Gear’s Tom Ford recently spent a day at Cosworth’s high-tech facility where he spent some one-on-one time with the Bugatti Tourbillon’s brand-new V16 engine. Cosworth and Bugatti worked together to produce the V16 engine which makes 1000 HP on its own. This engine will be paired with three electric motors and have a combined output of 1800 horsepower! The Tourbillion is estimated to go from 0-60 MPH in under 2.0 seconds and attain a top speed of 277 MPH. In the video, we get to hear what the V16 engine sounds like and how it compares to all the different V-engines from years past.