Luxury cars - page 60

Earlier this week, Porsche issued a press release about an upcoming top-end Panamera variant that set a new Nürburgring record. At the time, the German automaker did not reveal the specific trim that climbed to the top spot in the Executive cars class with combustion engines and hybrid powertrains. Porsche simply referred to it as the ’Panamera Top-Model’. But just a few hours back, a new video of the record-setting lap went live on Porsche’s social channels, confirming the record-setting model as the 2025 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid alongside the announcement of the Panamera GTS. Test driver Lars Kern, a veteran of the Nordschleife set a new record with a time of 7:24.172, beating the outgoing model generation’s time by 5.64 seconds. Back in July 2020, Kern set a time of 7:29.81 minutes in the Panamera Turbo S, but later that year in November, the Mercedes AMG GT 63 S 4Matic+ managed to beat that record with a time of 7:27.800.

All Porsche 911s may adhere to a similar philosophy, but each one has its set of unique features. A well-known Porsche aficionado, Magnus Walker, based in Los Angeles has made it his life’s mission to collect all model years of the Porsche 911 from 1964 to 1973, along with other sports car models of the German brand. He’s not limited to Porsche sports cars, but it is the focal point in his car collection, with over 40 models, which feature his own unique twist. As a true Porsche purist, Magnus has a soft spot for air-cooled 911s, and he started out with one of the first Porsche 930 Turbos, sold in the United States. But if you are wondering what Magnus Walker’s daily driver is, you might be surprised. It turns out, that what the famous Porsche enthusiast drives, is something even he didn’t think he would fall in love with – a modern-day 2014 Porsche 991 Turbo S, which has an interesting story behind it.

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.

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.

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 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’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.

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.

The Porsche Mission E unveiled in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, was a futuristic concept car that was a showcase of an electric future for the German automaker. Four years later in 2019, that future arrived in production form with the Porsche Taycan EV. While it retained the essence of the Mission E concept in profile, it incorporated more practical considerations for the real world which we’ll touch upon in a bit. However, if you are an ardent fan of the concept and some of its distinctive design elements and wish to recreate the Mission E aesthetic on the Taycan, it certainly is possible. We’ve spent several hours on Porsche’s configurator going between several exterior and interior options and have listed out the ones that you need to tick, to get that much desired Mission E look..