Porsche 911 2012 News

A Porsche for purists will officially break cover at the Geneva Motor Show in a few weeks.

In a move likely to shock diehard Porsche fans -- and give Toyota Prius drivers something to grin about -- the iconic 911 is destined to get plug-in hybrid power by 2020.The 911 of the future will still have a petrol engine for open road driving, but it will also be able to do city commuting on battery power alone.Porsche has all but confirmed a power cord will become an accessory on one of the world’s most famous sportscars after experimenting with the technology on Porsche’s mainstream sedan and SUV models, and its million-dollar 918 supercar.“I expect we’ll end up with every model line with a plug-in hybrid,” the chief engineer for Porsche’s first hybrid supercar, Dr Frank-Stefan Walliser, told News Corp Australia at the 2015 LeMans 24 Hour where Porsche is fielding three hybrid race cars.“Most people believe hybrid is Prius … slow and no fun to drive. (Porsche) is different. I love hybrids, if they are powerful,” said Porsche’s research and development chief, Wolfgang Hatz.It has to feel like a Porsche and like a 911. It must drive like these cars always drive.While hybrid technology was initially developed to save fuel in slow moving traffic, the world’s performance car brands are warming to the concept after discovering electric motors deliver instant acceleration from low speeds.When asked how long it would be before Porsche introduced hybrid power to the 911, Mr Hatz said: “For sure an all-new 911 we need the opportunity to do that (add a hybrid model). I am convinced of the concept.”With an updated version of the 911 due later this year, the next all-new, hybrid-ready model is still at least another three years away.“Personally I'm a strong supporter of hybrid technology. That is the reason I push hard for this. If it improves performance, then we need it on our sports cars, if it’s fun to drive people want to have it,” said Mr Hatz.Dr Walliser added: “It has to feel like a Porsche and like a 911. It must drive like these cars always drive.”Australia’s former Formula One ace -- and Porsche LeMans driver -- Mark Webber is also a convert of the technology.When asked if customers would embrace hybrid technology, Webber said: “Definitely. They will, because we’re not easy to convince, as racing drivers, with this technology.”Webber said hybrid technology was inevitable as strict European emissions standards forced the introduction of smaller petrol engines.“When you see the massive downsize in engines and … awesome turbo tech, consumption is low and you’ve got the interface of the hybrid side,” said Webber.“The options available off the back of this (LeMans) program, it’s some good stuff.”One of the 911 models under consideration for hybrid power is the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 -- using electric motors to drive the front wheels and a non-turbo petrol engine to drive the rear wheels.“A Carrera 4, why not?” said Dr Walliser. “With four-wheel drive what you can do, the freedom you have how to use the traction, you’re not (restricted by) the speed between the different axles.”Electric motors are a good fit in hybrid cars with non-turbo engines because they deliver instant acceleration at low speeds while regular petrol engines develop power at higher revs, he said.Porsche was the first mainstream brand to introduce a showroom-ready plug-in hybrid car, the Panamera sedan in 2012. It followed the release with the Cayenne e-Hybrid in 2013 and the plug-in hybrid 918 supercar in 2014.“Our first plug-in hybrid was in 2012 … we now know a lot more (about) what we can do with a hybrid,” said Mr Hatz.

The giant aero addition on the back of the latest Porsche test car can only belong to the extreme GT3 RS model.Carparazzi says the wing is unlikely to make production but it promises up to 50 per cent extra rear downforce and could be part of a track pack. Other keys to the RS package are wider tracks and a 0-100km/h sprint in about 3.5 seconds. 

THE Audi A3 small car -- which owes much of its DNA to the Volkswagen Golf -- has won the 2014 World Car of the Year, as voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries. The luxury hatch toppled the widely-tipped favourite, the Mazda3 from Japan, in the awards announced at the New York motor show today.The Audi A3 was among five German cars that took out a cleansweep of the 2014 World Car of the Year categories, and it was Audi’s second win in 10 years, having won the inaugural award. Indeed, German cars have won seven of the past 10 World Car of the Year awards, Japanese brands have won the remaining three.Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Audi's North America president Scott Keogh said: “The Audi A3 has only been on sale three weeks and already it’s off to a flying start.”Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi, said: “This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”The Audi A3 was among 24 finalists that included the BMW i3 electric car, which won the Green Car of the Year and the Car Design of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the Luxury Car of the Year while the Porsche 911 GT3 was awarded top performance car honours.But the Mazda3 had emerged as an early favourite for the outright World Car of the Year award following rave reviews globally since it went on sale late last year. The previous generation Mazda3 has been Australia’s top selling car for two of the past three years, and was the vehicle that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-years as the market leader, in 2011.The Mazda3 is returned to the top of the sales charts so far this year -- after being overtaken by the Toyota Corolla in 2013 -- and is likely to take out top-seller status this year buoyed by the new model which went on sale in January.World car of the year winners2014 – Audi A32013 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk72012 -- Volkswagen Up2011 -- Nissan Leaf2010 -- Volkswagen Polo2009 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk62008 -- Mazda22007 -- Lexus LS4602006 -- BMW 3 Series2005 -- Audi A62014 World Car of The Year category winnersGreen car of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carCar Design of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carPerformance Car of the Year -- Porsche 911 GT3Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-ClassThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Newly-retired Formula 1 driver Mark Webber says he'll contest his first Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race in 2015, sharing his Porsche with Australian movie star Eric Bana. Barely two days after his final F1 grand prix in Brazil, Webber revealed his intention to compete in Australia's longest motor race via Twitter on Tuesday.Asked by a fan whether he will be driving for Porsche at the growing sportscar race at Bathurst's Mount Panorama track in February next year, Webber replied on Twitter: "15 with @EricBana67 @jamestomkins65" Bana responded "Sounds like a plan".It is likely the 37-year-old Webber will drive a Porsche 911 GT3 at the sportscar endurance event, having just signed with the German sports car maker.Bana, best known for his roles in Chopper, Black Hawk Down, Hulk, Munich and Troy, is a renowned car enthusiast, producing and starring in the feature-length documentary "Love the Beast".He has previously raced in the Bathurst 12 Hour as well as the Targa Tasmania rallies and the Porsche GT3 challenge.Webber quit Formula 1 after 12 seasons in the category to switch to sports car racing with German manufacturer Porsche.The Australian will link up with his new team in January and is yet to reveal his 2014 schedule, but has confirmed he will be attending the Australian F1 Grand Prix on Porsche's behalf.The Bathurst 12 Hour has been rapidly building its reputation internationally, with exotic sportscars from Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes and Audi contesting this year's race.www.heraldsun.com.au 

Following the reveal of the new 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo last week, we’re now down to just a few Type 991 Porsche 911 variants that are yet to surface. They include new generations of the 911 Targa, 911 GT3 RS and supercar-rivalling 911 GT2 and 911 GT2 RS. Today, we have the first details on the new 911 GT2, courtesy of Autocar. The British outlet reports that we’ll see the car at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next March. It will once again feature a similar spec to its 911 Turbo sibling, but to separate the two the 911 GT2 will stick to rear-wheel drive and have a higher output. This means it will feature a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat-six engine, four-wheel steering and engine stop-start technology. Peak output is said to at least match the 412kW of the recently unveiled 911 Turbo S, representing a 22kW boost over the outgoing 911 GT2.  As for the transmission, Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch unit is said to replace the outgoing model’s six-speed manual. Initial performance specs include a top speed in excess of 320km/h and a 0-96km/h time of 3.0 seconds or less. By 2015, the new 911 GT2 RS is expected to land. This model is expected to match the 456kW of the outgoing model but should benefit from a lighter curb weight, the quick-shifting PDK and the new four-wheel steering setup. www.motorauthority.com  

The raucous, raw and rapid GT3 will be without a clutch pedal for the first time, as the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox becomes standard fare on the road-going racer.Also set to make an appearance for the first time is active rear-wheel steering, something also destined for the mainstream 911 range. The steering angle of the rear wheels can be altered by up to 1.5 degrees - below 50km/h, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels, above 80km/h the rear wheels steer the same way as the front.Substantial revisions distinguish the two-seater GT3 from the rest of the range - while it gets the 3.8-litre direct-injection flat-six-cylinder from the Carrera S, differences abound.It's 25kg lighter, sits 30mm lower on adaptive PASM suspension and gets dry sump lubrication, active exhausts, titanium connecting rods and forged pistons as well as crankshaft and valvetrain changes all allowing a 9000rpm redline and 350kW peak power.The 100km/h mark is reached in 3.5 seconds, 200km/h comes up in under 12 seconds, and if you kept the right foot buried it will hit a top speed of 315km/h.Porsche says the active rear-wheel steering improves handling precision and lateral dynamics, helping to give the GT3 a 7m30s time at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit - two seconds quicker than the 911 GT2.Other tricky bits to appear in the new GT3 include an electronically-controlled variable rear diff lock, dynamic engine mounts, 20in (up from 19in on the out-going GT3) racing-style centre-nut forged alloy wheels and the latest incarnation of the brand's torque vectoring system, just in case all the other gear doesn't get you cornering fast enough.The GT3 gets a big rear wing over the broader rump (by 44mm over the S), with 245/35 ZR 20 rubber on the front and 305/30 ZR rubber on the rear, the latter wrapped around larger ventilated rear brakes.Weight has been kept down by extensive use of aluminum in body, panels and floorpan (shell weight has dropped by 13 per cent over the old GT3, says Porsche) - while torsional rigidity has increased by about 25 per cent.Porsche Australia is still in talks with Germany about pricing - the outgoing car was around $350,000 so the aim would be in that realm - and it says limited numbers of the new GT3 will go on sale in Australia late in the year. 

Few other automobiles in the world can look back on such a long tradition and such continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts the world over since its debut as the model 901 at the Frankfurt International Automotive Show in September 1963. Today it is considered the quintessential sports car, the benchmark for all others. PHILOSOPHY The 911 is also the central point of reference for all other Porsche series. From the Cayenne to the Panamera, every Porsche is the most sporting automobile in its category, and each one carries a piece of the 911 philosophy. Over 820,000 Porsche 911s have been built. For each of its seven generations the engineers in Zuffenhausen and Weissach have reinvented it, time and time again demonstrating to the world the innovative power of the Porsche brand. Like no other vehicle, the 911 reconciles apparent contradictions such as sportiness and everyday practicality, tradition and innovation, exclusivity and social acceptance, design and functionality. SUCCESS STORY It is no wonder that each generation has written its own personal success story. Ferry Porsche best described its unique qualities: "The 911 is the only car you could drive on an African safari or at Le Mans, to the theatre or through New York City traffic." In addition to its classic yet unique lines, the Porsche 911 has always been distinguished by its advanced technology. Many of the ideas and technologies that made their debut in the Porsche 911 were conceived on the race track. The 911 was committed to the performance principle from the start, and motor racing is its most important test lab. From the very beginning it has been at home on circuits all over the world, earning a reputation as a versatile and dependable winner. Indeed, a good two thirds of the 30,000 race victories achieved by Porsche to date were notched up by the 911. THIS YEAR For Porsche, the 50th anniversary of this iconic sports car is the central theme of 2013. There will be a wide variety of anniversary events, starting with the ‘Retro Classics’ automobile show in Stuttgart. From 7 to 10 March, the Porsche Museum will ring in the anniversary year with four special exhibits, an early-model 911 Turbo Coupe, a 911 Cabriolet study from 1981, a 1997 road-going ‘street’ version 911 GT1 and the pre-series Type 754 T7. The company is also sending an authentic 1967 model 911 on a world tour. Over the course of the year, this classic car will travel to five continents where it will be shown in places like Pebble Beach, California, China, Goodwood in the UK, Paris and Australia.  

The action has covered every size and price class, with everything from a totally-new brand - Infiniti - through to the update this week of the Mercedes-Benz E Class into what amounts to a new model. We've seen huge price cuts on the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the local arrival of the landmark McLaren MP4-12C to rival Ferrari, and the introduction of an all-new 3-Series BMW which is softer than ever before. On the personal front, I have spent time at the wheel of everything from the outrageous Lamborghini Aventador to an Audi A1 prototype that points to a range-extender hybrid future, and even the disguised prototypes of the Lexus IS that will hit the road in 2014. Not to mention the all-electric Smart car built by Benz and the Active E from BMW that runs on the mechanical package for the upcoming i3 city car. It's been a lot to sample and a lot to digest, especially putting it into context and bringing it back to the Carsguide mantra - Real cars, on real roads, for real people' - when the pricetags are out of the reach of most ordinary Australians. But there are people who can afford these cars, so here are my five favourites from 2012: 1. Porsche 911 + Boxster A new 911 doesn't come along every day, or even every decade, which makes the new car a landmark. But it's the way it drives, and things like the extra cabin space and kid carrying capacity, which make it memorable for me. The 911 has always been a terrific driver's car, but this one also makes a commendable commuter. And the trickle-down of the new 911 technology has already hit the baby Boxster - as well as the upcoming Cayman coupe - making it a relative bargain with so much 911 stuff for a lot less money. Yes, the new Porsches are expensive, but there are times when it is worth it. 2. Jaguar XF EcoBoost $68,000 for a Jaguar? Not bad. The British brand has sharpened its prices through 2012 but it's the addition of a four-cylinder petrol engine - did I mention the EcoBoost Falcon? - that makes the latest package in the XF so attractive. The turbocharged engine has more than enough go for the job and I even found it ticks the boxes for Jaguar's flagship, the XJ limousine, during a day out in Britain. Of course, there are always R-fast cars if that's your dream. 3. Audi S Q5 For me, the twin-turbo V6 spreading through the Audi range is the best diesel engine on the planet. It sounds like a thumping V8, provides explosive V8 punch, yet sips fuel and is refined and quiet. I was ambushed by Audi during the Le Mans race weekend, when I was dropped into an A5 like none before it, and now the engine is also fitted to the Q5 SUV. Toyota says diesel sales are falling in Australia, as it would with its commitment to hybrids like the Prius and Camry, but this Audi diesel has almost everything going for it. 4. Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG The new Boxster was my rave vave until I jumped into the master blaster Benz. Yes, it's a selfish two-seater with a monster pricetag, but the hotrod SL is incredibly competent and proof that it's worth spending more for some AMG magic. A just-on-dawn fun run in the ultimate SL in France showed what the car can really do, apart from the inevitable head-turning impact at an upscale hotel or restaurant. It even shades the C63 AMG Black Series, and that's saying something. 5. Lexus IS People who like driving, and I do, usually head to the BMW catalogue when they can afford their first prestige car. But that was before the limp new 3 Series - although the M3 next year could prove me wrong - and the upcoming Lexus compact. The Japanese maker has always played safe with its starter car, but now it is appealing to people who want more than just a badge. I've only driven the IS 250 and 350 on a press preview in California, but I predict they will be among the Australian prestige stars of 2013.  

The car is the next step in the 911-rollout that will eventually lead to the Turbo and GT2 and track-ready GT3 road racer.