Sports cars - page 132

Magnus Walker is one of the most renowned figures in the Porsche collector’s world. His obsession with the German brand began at a very young age when he went to the 1977 Earl’s Court Motor Show with his dad. His first love was a white Porsche 930 with the iconic red, white, and blue Martini livery. He still considers the silhouette of the Porsche 930 to be one of the most iconic in history. Over the years, his passion for the brand has manifested in a sizeable collection of vintage and some modern Porsches. His collection, which is 30 - 40 cars strong at any given time, is housed in his 20,000 square feet warehouse in L.A.’s Art district.

As the name suggests, RSR Project is the culmination of a group of enthusiastic folks who are very fond of the 1973 Porsche 911 Rennsport Rennwagen (RSR) race car, a legend that defined Porsche’s motorsport prowess. Founded in 2017 by Richard Schickman based out of New York, the company’s mission is to work closely with their clients and transform air-cooled 911s into razor-sharp classic sports cars with a modern twist. Their latest creation, a 1986 example bathed in the iconic Gulf Oil livery, is a masterclass in restomod execution. The aesthetic isn’t just for show, it’s a reminder of Porsche’s motorsports dominance.

Porsche unleashed its ultimate 991 at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. The 911 GT2 RS Clubsport was the 991 generation’s swan song, a track-only monster stripped down to its racing essence. The Clubsport was the road-going GT2 RS on steroids, based on the 991.2. It took everything that made the standard car a legend – insane power, razor-sharp handling, and a hunger for speed – and amplified it to eleven. But unlike its road-legal sibling, the Clubsport was stripped of creature comforts and lavished with race-ready components, transforming it into a pure-bred track weapon. This particular 2019 911 GT2 RS Clubsport, chassis number 39 of a limited 200-unit run, now up for sale is about as close to a street-legal Le Mans prototype as you can get without needing a FIA license and a team of mechanics on retainer.

Porsche has taken the electric vehicle landscape by storm with the Turbo GT trim of the Taycan facelift. But beyond the subtle revisions in exterior design and improvements in overall performance on the Taycan, there’s a twist when it comes to the flagship Taycan trim for the 2025 model year.

If you are a model car collector, Porsche Design of America, Inc. is offering a limited edition, 1:18 scale model of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS (982). This high-quality collector’s model showcases impressive attention to detail, capturing the essence of the real-life sportscar. Crafted primarily from resin with metal components, the model offers a luxurious feel and durability. The white exterior with green accents and a black interior faithfully replicate the original design.

An engineer from Porsche claims that its new hybrid powertrain in the new 911 cannot be tuned. It is not a challenge from the brand for aftermarket tuners to try their luck or anything of the sort. They believe their new electric turbo system is too complicated to be tinkered with. They are however open to ingenuity and have left the E.C.U. unlocked for you to try. Tuners are a mad bunch of people and are no doubt looking forward to the challenge.

Each generation of the Porsche 911 has its highlights, whether through impressive engineering or a special edition. Porsche enthusiasts no longer separate the 911 into just air-cooled and water-cooled. 911s are also separated by the level of technology they offer, and the 997 is generally considered the last of the classic, more analog 911 generations. It is the Porsche 997 that offers some of the most driver-centric and visceral variants of the rear-engine sports car, and it is the swan song of many iconic Porsche 911 features.

Porsche provides multiple versions of all its models. It is safe to say, there is a flavor for everyone. This is especially true for its sports cars like the 718 and 911, both of which get the occasional, limited-edition variant. When it comes to all-out track performance, the mid-engine Cayman’s most hardcore variant is the GT4 RS. This track-focused 718 takes the best bits from some 911 models, including the engine, which comes from the 911 GT3. The Cayman GT4 RS is much more than a lightened, stiffened Cayman GT4. Porsche has gone above and beyond in pursuit of creating the ultimate, mid-engine track monster. Among the numerous distinctive features of the Cayman GT4 RS are the air intakes, unique to the model. There are a few good reasons why Porsche went with high-mounted air-intakes for the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, and it has as much to do with function as it does with enhancing the fun factor.

The Porsche 993 Speedster is a unicorn in the truest sense. I always like to note how Porsche has a 911 variant for everyone. Between the numerous powertrain, transmission, and body styles, there are well over 30 different iterations of the iconic, German sports car. There is even an off-road variant that pays homage to the 1984 Porsche 953 Dakar rally car. But by far, one of the more unique and desirable variants of the Porsche 911 is the Speedster, which at its core, is a lightweight, bare-bones variant of the 911.

Recaro Automotive is one of the most well-known OEM seating companies and the news of its bankruptcy filing has sent shockwaves through the car world. The brand has been around for more than a century and is synonymous with performance and bolstered comfort. Several high-performance models and race cars have been fitted out with Recaro seats and it has been a fixture in enthusiast circles and motorsports for decades. In 2020, Recaro Holdings was split into different entities as part of when it was acquired by Michigan-based Raven Acquisitions, but this bankruptcy specifically targets the automotive division. The company has cited extreme price increases, a loss of major contracts,s and a lack of development of new products as some of the main reasons. While their aircraft, gaming, and child safety businesses remain unaffected, the heart of Recaro – automotive seats – is in turmoil.

The 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet is a high-performance convertible that combines the thrills of open-top driving with the surefootedness of all-wheel drive. Part of the 997.1 generation introduced in 2005, this four-seater sportscar is powered by a rear-mounted 3.8-liter flat-six engine. Its performance credentials remain strong, with the engine generating 355 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of twist to help it clock 0-60 in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 179 mph.

Porsche’s headlights are some of the most recognizable in the automotive industry. When it comes to the 911, the German sports car manufacturer has retained the classic forms since the 1964 original. This includes the round headlamps, which were present on almost all 911 generations, except the Porsche 996, featuring the controversial, "fried-egg" headlights. Like other carmakers, Porsche went from halogen to xenon headlights and, eventually, an LED setup on all its models. It started with the 993 generation, which introduced "Litronic” technology - Porsche’s first dabble in H.I.D. tech, only to be permanently replaced by LED technology over 20 years later. As Porsche says, "Light is identity, by day as well as by night", and the German brand’s current, four-line, LED headlight pattern is recognizable almost anywhere. The four-point LED principle, as Porsche likes to call it first became a feature on range-topping models, starting with the 2009 Porsche Panamera Turbo. Since then, the four-point headlight design has evolved and was extended to other Porsche models like the Cayenne, Taycan, 918 Spyder, and even the 911.