The first picture is one I snapped from the window of my car outside of the gym I work out at. It was a rainy Oregon day. This is a gorgeous looking car. One of the things I love about this picture is seeing a 911 Turbo used as a daily driver (I've seen the car several times in the same spot since that day) as well as seeing it out and about in the rain. I think too many Porsche owners are overly concerned about the weather conditions they drive their cherished cars in. These cars are meant to be driven, not sit in a garage.

This second picture was sent to me by a friend. Love the old 911 and the caption! That's the way I'm going to live from now on. Just hop in the 911 and drive…fast…to McDonald's for a super size fry!

Wired.com had a great post recently about a guy who is building a Porsche 911 electric power car. He's converting a 1981 911 Targa using some top of the line electric drive train components.

Here's an excerpt from the Wired.com post:

Start with a $9,000 1981 Porsche 911 Targa in great condition with just over 100,000 on the odometer and a recent paint job. Remove and sell the engine for $3,000, redo the dash and seats for $1,800, then install a NetGain Warp 11 motor. It’s one of the biggest DC motors available for conversions, and it runs $3,000. Add one of the best motor controllers around, a Cafe Zilla Z1K ($2,000, used). Clifford is running a baker’s dozen 12-volt lead-acid AGM batteries (156-volt system) that a friend donated, but he hopes to swap them for lithium-ion down the line. He’s got another $5,000 in an upgraded clutch, motor adapter and miscellaneous parts.

Altogether, he’s into the project for $17,800 so far. That includes $11,800 in conversions, parts and components. [Source: Wired.com]

Not a bad price overall. Especially considering the car is half of it. With the lead-acid batteries currently installed, he's only going to have a range of about 30 miles. With lithium-ion batteries, he'll get 60 to 100 miles before needing a charge. Definitely not enough range for me. 100 miles would be my minimum with 150 to 200 miles being a more realistic number given my current driving needs.

The car should have plenty of get up and go, though. Estimates are coming in conservatively at 156 hp. The crazy part is the amount of torque the electric motor can produce. The NetGain Warp 11 motor is capable of 460 foot-pounds of torque at 1,400 amps. That promises to provide some serious performance.

Seems like we're seeing more and more of these conversions. I bet it won't be long before we see some kits being sold or at the very least plans put up online of how to convert your Porsche to electic. I love that you would never know this was an electric car other than the sound (or lack thereof) it was making.

[Source Wired.com]

We fired up a little contest last week, but are getting a whole lotta NOTHING from the readership of PorschePerfect.com in terms of response. Come on…Is anyone out there? Stats show that we're getting some traffic, yet we have only 3 entries into the contest.

Here's the thing. It doesn't cost you a DIME to enter. In fact, it should only take you a minute to submit your name suggestion. Maybe you don't care to own a copy of Le Mans, or you already own it. No problem. You don't have to take the video. Just take the title of WINNER!

Brad suggested we put it this way to help get the creative juices flowing. What would Porsche name a car like Brad laid out if they made it? A common practice among a lot of marques is to reach into their history to get a name for a modern day car. The Boxster itself is an iteration of the 550. What might they name a current day hot rodded 550?

Let's get some suggestions going so Brad has something more to choose from. Even if you're not interested in the movie, submit a suggestion just to take part in the community.

You can see the original post outlining the giveaway here: New PorschePerfect.com Giveaway.

This is a great little promo video of the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid. I love some of the camera angles, especially the oncoming approach on the track. Short but sweet video.

This video is a little boring to me, but it's 2 minutes of the GT3 R Hybrid in action that duPont Registry put a little music to. Watch the first 30 seconds and you'll have the gist of the video.

New Porsche 911 Turbo S web special – This isn't Porsche's best effort at a web special, in my opinion, but it's got a couple of cool videos definitely worth watching and some opportunity to explore excellent, Porsche-quality pictures of the car. I'm excited about seeing this car in person. Check out the site for a few minutes of quality dreaming. [Via Porsche.com]

Porsche Design opens it's 100th store – I've never been to a Porsche Design store, but I've been following their renewed aggression to open more retail outlets for a while now. The 100th store opened last weekend in New Delhi. This is it's first in India. These world-wide Porsche Design stores are sure to give a nice boost to brand awareness and people's desire to own some of their fine products. [Via MoodieReport.com]

Check out PorschePursist.com for a great Porsche 911 Turbo S video – John over at PorschePurist.com posted up a great video showing the history of the Porsche 911 Turbo S. I love these videos that Porsche releases showing where particular models or specialty cars have come from and how they've progressed over the years. It's easy to get lost in the years in between the release of some of these models and this helps bring it all together. Check it out on PorschePurist.com. [Via PorschePurist.com]

Tempting Porsche #1

The first Tempting Porsche for today is a sweet Porsche 911 Carrera C2. It's a 1999 with just over 58k miles on the odo. White with tan interior. Lots of people hate the dark wheels with the light/white exterior, but I personally think it makes these cars look amazing. White is such a boring color, but when you add a dark element like that, it really sets it off. I also like the spoiler on the back.

Here are some details from the ad:

White over Tan Leather, Dual Power Seats, Power Windows/Locks/Mirrors, Power Moonroof, Cassette Player and 6-Disc CD Changer, Color Crests in Seats, Porsche Floor Mats, Cruise Control, Tilt Wheel, AC and More.

Turbo front Clip and Side Skirts with Lit-Tronic Xenon Headlamps, GT3 Style Rear Spoiler and Bumper Cover, 19 Inch APP Forged Alloy Wheels, Complete Exhaust System – Headers Back, Cold Air Intake, Over $15K in Extras on this impeccable and truly beautiful 911/996

Low Miles, Cared for and in need of new home.

Asking Price: $26,990

Not a great deal, but an awesome looking car with fairly low mileage at a reasonable price. Speed Sports here in Portland, OR tends to have nice cars as well. Need to get over there to see some of these first hand. I love this car.

Tempting Porsche #2

The second Tempting Porsche is a 2001 Porsche 911 Carrera with a couple of cosmetic upgrades that I really like. It's silver with gray interior and has 67,000 miles on it. What I love is the Aerokit Cup I package. Gives it the GT3 look.

Here are some more details from the Craigslist ad:

2001 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe
All service/ including recent 60k and A+ health-check/ no accidents
Full Aerokit Cup I package
Factory GT3 wheels, wing and exhaust
Touch screen navigation/ DVD/ blue-tooth phone/ CD/ MP3/ USB
Full leather option, including dash
Suede headliner and shifter
New high performance Pirelli P Zero tires, new brakes and rotors
6speed/ sunroof, xenon headlights, etc…
Great condition, (67k miles). Always garaged, locally (NW) purchased, owned and serviced.

Asking Price: $26,000/obo

Not a killer price, but a pretty nice setup and the car appears to be in great condition. This is one of those head turners for a pretty reasonable price. Be a fun car to own.

Alright, this is California dreamin for sure, but I couldn't help but put these into a Tempting Porsches post. I happened on not one, but TWO Porsche 959s on Craigslist of all places. The Porsche 959 has always been one of the ultimate Porsches for me. Still is today. Both are for sale by the same company, Canepa Design, a US based tuner of sorts also possessing a nice collection of rare race and road cars.

Tempting Porsche #1

The first is a "plain old" Porsche 959. It's a 1988 silver model with only 7,650 miles on it. Here are some details from the ad:

In addition the factory magnesium wheels have been modified to accommodate current technology Michelin Pilot Sport 245/45/ZR17 front and 275/40 ZR17 rear low profile speed-rated radial tires. The wheels also include Canepa Design exclusive coating finishes.

Additional Canepa Upgrades
• HID headlamp conversion
•  959 sport steering wheel
• 340KPH speedometer
• Custom Canepa floor mats
• 959S specification suspension incorporating Canepa Design’s gas strut design and titanium coil-over springs.

Technical Specification
Engine: Flat 6, dual overhead cam (DOHC), 4 valves per cylinder (water cooled), twin intercooled turbo chargers, 2850cc
Transmission: 6 speed manual active all wheel drive
Chassis: Independent front and rear suspension, electronic all wheel drive and differential locking
Steering: Rack and pinion, power assist
Brakes: Brembo 4 piston calipers, cross-drilled ventilated rotors, ABS
Cub Weight: 2976 Pounds
Miscellaneous: Power windows and door locks, full leather with reclining sports seats, air conditioning, anti-theft, etc

Performance Data
0-60 MPH (est) 3.2 seconds

Quarter Mile 11.4 seconds

Top Speed 215+MPH

600 Horsepower — 540 ft/lbs Torque

Asking Price: $495,000

Here's a link to more pictures on the Canepa Design site: Canepa Design Silver Porsche 959.

Tempting Porsche #2

The second Tempting Porsche is an even rarer car. It's a 1988 Porsche 959S. One of only 29 built. The S stands for the Sport package which included a full roll cage, sport seats with racing seat belts, and a race tuned suspension. This one is in red and only has 5,970 miles on it. It also has a few nice upgrades. Here are some details from the ad:

An extensive engineering and development process included a new engine management system and converting the factory sequential turbo system with a Garrett Air Research twin turbo system. Upgraded fuel system, EGR, modern engine management system, F1 technology engine wiring harnesses, high output ignition system, upgraded alternator charge system and battery module, air pumps and air regulator valves, spark plugs, idle control valve, sensors, connectors, harness shielding, switches, adapters, hardware, etc. (369 components in all.) A complete new stainless steel exhaust system with dual stainless Porsche factory catalytics are utilized.

Canepa Design has re-engineered the factory wheels and developed a new bead design and modification which allows the installation of today’s state-of-the-art high performance ‘Z’ rated radial tires. Additional benefits include greatly improved handling and grip and an overall improved appearance.

Additional Canepa Upgrades
• Upgraded suspension incorporating Canepa Design’s gas strut design and titanium coil-over springs.
• Modified clutch system to improve pedal feel and actuation. This includes an improved pressure plate, disc, and modified clutch pedal assembly.
• “Werks I” Steering Wheel.
• 220MPH VDO speedometer.
• HID headlamp conversion.
• Custom Canepa Design floor mats.
• Custom fit car cover.

Performance Data
3.2 seconds 0-60 MPH
575 Horsepower — 540 ft/lbs Torque

Asking Price: $525,000

Here's a link to more pictures on the Canepa Design site: Canepa Design Red Porsche 959S.

Most of you know that I'm really not much of a racing fan. Not that I don't like racing, it's just that I don't know enough to truly appreciate the sport. I do show flahes of racing love every now and then though. And this happens to be one of those times.

This is one amazing looking car. It's even more desirable because of the cool technology Porsche has developed for it. It's basically a racing hybrid car. The hybrid technology is designed to capture and store energy from things such as braking that would otherwise be wasted. This energy can then be used to provide additional power when needed for approximately 6 to 8 seconds. No batteries required.

This new hybrid technology opens lots of possibilities for various car configurations based on the type of race and the desired use of the hybrid power. Porsche plans to do extensive testing over the next few months with the high point being the 24 Hours on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring in May. They're planning for this race to be a hands-on "racing lab" to truly see what this technology can provide in a road-going sports car.

I love it when Porsche pushes the envelope of what's being done in cars today. This reminds me of the Porsche 959 from the 80's. So much technology and innovation that has a nice trickle down effect to the cars we end up being able to get our hands on.

Here's the full press release from Porsche's site:

Porsche Intelligent Performance to make Race Cars even More Efficient

ATLANTA – February 11, 2010 – 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first hybrid, the Lohner-Porsche, Porsche engineers are now expanding this visionary drive concept with a production-based GT race car: Over the past 45 years, Porsche 911 race cars have recorded more than 20,000 victories and on March 4, a Porsche 911 GT3 featuring an innovative hybrid drive will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, opening a new chapter in the history of Porsche.

This innovative hybrid technology has been developed especially for racing, differentiating itself from conventional hybrid systems by way of its configuration and components. In the case of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, the front axle features two electric motors, each developing 60 kW and supplement the 480 hp, naturally aspirated four-liter flat-six that drives the rear wheels. Instead of the heavy batteries usually found in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator is installed inside next to the driver delivering energy to the electric motors.

The flywheel generator is also an electric motor, with its rotor spinning at speeds of up to 40,000 rpm while mechanically storing energy. The flywheel generator is charged whenever the driver applies the brakes, as the two front axle electric motors reverse their role and act as generators. Then, when accelerating out of a bend or while overtaking, the driver can use the extra energy from the charged flywheel generator, sending up to 120 kW of stored kinetic energy to the motors. This additional power is available after each charge for approximately six to eight seconds.

Energy formerly converted into heat upon each brake application, and therefore wasted, is now converted into additional drive power in a very efficient manner.

In addition to increasing available drive power, depending on racing conditions, the hybrid drive can also be called upon to save fuel. By increasing the efficiency and, accordingly, the performance of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, reductions can be made to the weight of the fuel tank or the car can make less frequent pit stops, for example.

After its debut in Geneva, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be tested in long-distance races on the Nürburgring. The highlight of this test program will be the 24 Hours on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring, May 15-16, 2010. The focus is not on the 911 GT3 R Hybrid winning the race, but rather spearheading technology as a “racing lab.” The intent is to provide hands-on know-how for the subsequent use of hybrid technology in road-going sports cars.

The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy, a principle to be found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the track and on the road.

[Source & Image: press.porsche.com]

I had a couple of things that didn't make the Sunday post, but found them too interesting to pass up.

VW GTI is Porsche Fan's starter car – I found this pretty interesting and the logic somewhat believable. Brian Scotto, editorial director of 0-60 Magazine says, “The GTI has a direct bloodline to Audis and Porsches. It’s an aspirational vehicle. The guy who wants to grow up and drive a Porsche will probably drive a VW first. It’s the least expensive German sports car you can buy.” I wonder how true that is. I've never owned a VW GTI, but always liked them. I wouldn't hesitate to drive one, even today. Any other Porsche owners start out with a GTI? [Via Bloomberg.com]

Porsche confirmed that it's looking at bringing a baby Boxster to market – Another one that's been around for a while in rumor form, but Autocar.co.uk has confirmed that VW Group chairman, Martin Winterkorn indicated they're evaluating the baby Boxster. Here's a snippet from an Autocar post:

Talking to Autocar in Wolfsburg as the new VW Polo received its the 2010 Car of the Year Award, Winterkorn said: "The Porsche model range is firmly based on the 911, Boxster, Cayenne and Cayman, and it will stay that way. We are also investigating opportunities for a smaller sports car and a smaller SUV – but I cannot say more at the moment."

When asked how likely the new models were to make production, he responded: "Let’s just say we do not usually waste our effort…"

That's certainly not enough to figure the car into the Porsche lineup in the next 3 years, but it speaks volumes to the increasing chances the Boxster will have a younger sibling to play with in the not so distant future. Some insiders are calling the model the "new 356". It's expected to be based on a platform Audi is developing for it's own R4 mid-engined sports car. Will be interesting to see what ends up of this confirmed rumor. I also wonder how well it will be received since it's not going to be a bargain basement model in terms of price. [Via Autocar.co.uk; Image: Autocar.co.uk]