Sports cars - page 156

Back in 2020 RUF Automobiles introduced us to the Rodeo concept, an off-road project that looked like a beefed-up old-school 911. At the time it was just an idea that the company wanted to test the waters with. We finally got the real deal - a Signal Orange Rodeo that debuted at this year’s Monterey Car Week. We have already seen Singer’s off-road-centric Porsche restomod they named the ACS (All-Terrain Competition Study), and this is RUF’s take on the same idea.

There is no shortage of bizarre project cars and this one is definitely one of the more unusual ones. NazMaz OSR, a channel on YouTube that is dedicated to cars powered by rotary engines recently showcased a very interesting project. This is especially true for those lusting after the air-cooled 911 models. Don’t let the modernized looks fool you though. Underneath, this is an early-model classic 911. For whatever reason, the owner has decided to go to town and transform it into an epic "hybrid” between a Porsche 911 and Mazda RX-7. But that’s not everything. Jeffrey, the owner of this car, has also used parts from newer 911 models to update the classic, air-cooled sports car. Some of the engineering decisions behind the build are mind-boggling, and we try to make sense of what could possibly justify turning an early-model 911 into a rotary-powered race car for the road.

Jeremy Snow, who runs the ‘Electric Supercar channel’ on YouTube is all about, as you may have guessed from the name, EVs. Because Elon is taking his time with delivering the Roadster (seven years and counting), Jeremy built one for himself. He has previously also built a Hummer H1 EV. One of his latest project cars taking the EV route is a 2014 Porsche Cayman, which will soon be dubbed the GT-E.

Porsche prides itself on making some of the best-engineered road cars in the world. That said, electrification is becoming more wide-spread in the automotive industry and has even spread to the sports car segment. Many new high-performance models are hybrids and there are plenty of companies out there, already offering fully-electric performance cars. While Porsche is looking to prolong the life of the internal-combustion engine for as long as possible, the Geman brand’s strategy also involves electrifying 80 percent of its lineup by 2030. While this may not necessarily happen anytime soon, Porsche is about to give us its first EV sports car, in 2025.

The Porsche 993 Speedster is often described as a unicorn in the automotive world. While the German automaker has produced over 30 different iterations of the iconic 911 over the decades, the Speedster remains one of the most unique and desirable variants to date. Unfortunately, not all 911 generations exist in Speedster form, and the Type 993 is one such example. Officially, the last air-cooled 911 was never sold as a Speedster due to Porsche facing financial difficulties in the 1990s. Now, a passionate designer and Speedster collector, Luca Trazzi turned to Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program (Special Request) to bring his vision of a Type 993 911 Speedster to life.

Each Porsche 911 can be considered a timeless classic. Hardcore, classic Porsche enthusiasts will most desire the air-cooled 911 models, but sometimes, mixing old with new can be an exciting endeavor. The 911 is one of the most replicated and reimagined sports cars in the world, and while Porschephiles are extremely picky about what can and cannot be done to a 911, we believe they will get behind this super-clean build. It involves a very clean Porsche 964 Carrera that for some reason, has done away with its original, air-cooled flat-six engine. Fear not.

Lamborghini has unveiled the all-new 2025 Temerario, a cutting-edge hybrid supercar that succeeds the iconic Huracan, which reigned supreme from 2014 to 2024. For the first time, this all-new baby Lambo combines a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors, delivering a staggering 907 horsepower to catapult from 0-62 mph in a mere 2.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 213 mph. While the hybrid powertrain offers improved efficiency and uses a small-sized battery to offer electric driving up to short distances, not all Lambo lovers will appreciate the advancements, considering naturally aspirated engines are slowly dying, and the 5.2-liter V10 was just sublime.

Porsche’s most famous sports car is the 911, but it is far from the only one the brand has ever made. Currently, the 718 is your entryway into Porsche sports cars. Like the rear-engine 911, the mid-engine Porsche 718 offers a version for any need. Four and six-cylinder boxer engines allow the compact Porsche sports car to produce anywhere from 296 to 493 horsepower. It all started with the 986 Boxster back in 1996, and since then, the mid-engine Porsche has been continuously evolving.

The Gunther Works GWR where the R stands for race is the highly anticipated reimagining of the Porsche 911 (993), which is all set to make its global debut on August 16, 2024. After seven years of development, this model signifies a significant evolution in the Gunther Works lineup, incorporating insights from previous offerings like the 400R, Speedster, and Turbo models, to deliver a vehicle that excels in mechanical, aerodynamic, and powertrain advancements.

In 1977, Porsche gave us the 928 – a more luxurious take on the German sports cars. Just two years later, at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show, the audience saw a Porsche 928 Targa. However, it wasn’t Porsche that made it. Sure. The German carmaker made the donor car required for the conversion, but the Porsche 928 Targa was conceived by Rainer Buchmann. The Porsche 928 was more of a comfortable cruiser that could double as a sports car, instead of the 911’s all-out performance car characteristics.

When it comes to 911, there’s honestly so much choice. You can choose from a variety of trims, body styles, and powerplants and the possibilities are endless. But beyond the hype of GT this and Targa that, what about the entry-level Carrera? The 992.2 generation of the 911 is here and everyone’s buzzing about the 2025 911 Carrera GTS and its fancy T-Hybrid system. Sure, it’s got more power and all that jazz, but let’s not forget about the unsung hero of the 992.1 911 lineup: the base model Carrera. This is the one that most of us dream about, and despite prices on the upward trajectory over the past few years, the Carrera is the most attainable 911 and this latest model delivers the iconic sports car experience without breaking the bank (well, not too much).

Remember that insane project where Porsche tried to drive a 911 to the top of a freaking volcano? Yeah, that wasn’t some fever dream – it actually happened, and now they’re dropping a documentary about the whole ordeal. "Edith: Volcano Ascent" is about to erupt onto the scene at the upcoming Monterey Car Week. The car in question? Not a souped-up SUV, but a specially-prepped Porsche 911. We first caught wind of "Edith" back in late 2022, when Porsche was busy testing the car. Their destination and target? Ojos del Salado up in the Andes in Chile, is the world’s highest active volcano. At a lung-crushing 22,093 feet, to give you some context, even Everest’s base camp sits lower than where Porsche was aiming for. This is also the highest volcano on Earth and the highest peak in Chile.