Porsche 911 2016 News

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) has issued a recall for 239 Boxster, Cayman and 911 Carreras sold in Australia due to a possible loose screw connection on the fuel collection pipes.

Ferrari has won its first top engine "Oscar". The 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 from the legendary Italian brand is the International Engine of the Year.

The turbocharged takeover at the top end of the sports car world has arrived at Porsche in its classic 911.

While mainstream brands Ford and Honda wowed the crowds with fire-breathing supercars, the top end of town was more about whetting appetites of buyers in the huge and lucrative US market with production-ready models.The Alfa Romeo 4C is already a sellout in Australia, with 180 hands up for just 120 coupes.Now the demand is certain to jump even higher with the unveiling of a 4C Spider.The open-air 4C is more of a targa car than a full-on convertible, because the mid-engined layout puts the powerplant where the roof would normally fold away.The 4C is already the most charismatic car of the current Alfa generation, with a carbon-fibre chassis, gorgeous shrink-wrapped body, and turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol engine that makes 177kW and 350Nm of torque.The Spider keeps with the lightweight promise of the coupe, weighing in at less than 900 kilograms.The car is expected to arrive in Australia in the first quarter of next year.The new Q7 was the focus of the Audi stand and it was a technological tour-de-force.The show car had a new 10-inch computer tablet that can be used by back-seat passengers to control the radio and to watch their trip progress on the navigation system, much like a passenger jet.There's also an advanced radar and camera system that enables the Audi Q7 to accelerate, brake and steer itself automatically in stop-start traffic up to 60km/h.And the technical wizardry doesn't end there. The new Q7 can reverse a trailer into position using cameras and radar via a touch pad in the centre console.The new Audi Q7 is due in Australian showrooms later this year priced at about $100,000.There are no details on the engine and no concrete plans for production, but the Buick Avenir — French for "the future" —turned heads both in Detroit and Melbourne.A joint effort between Holden's styling studios in Port Melbourne and General Motors' design centres in Detroit, the car was built here and shipped to the US just before Christmas.It was unveiled by former Holden boss, and the current president of GM North America, Mark Reuss.For now, the Buick Avenir is just motor show tease, but Holden insiders say the striking limousine will likely be made in China and sold globally.It may also come to Australia as the eventual replacement for the Holden Caprice.The German sports car maker unveiled new versions of the 911 Targa and Cayenne SUV.To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Targa (half coupe, half convertible) model, Porsche has launched an all-wheel drive GTS version. Power is boosted by 22kW over the Targa 4S to 316kW, enabling a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.3 seconds.The Cayenne Turbo S betters that time by 0.2 of a second.Both models will go on sale in Australia in the second quarter of this year. The 911 Targa GTS will start at $305,300 and the Cayenne Turbo S will sell from $284,700.Toyota's luxury brand Lexus whipped the covers off the long awaited high-performance version of its mid-size limousine, the GS. Called the GS F it is powered by a high-revving 5.0-litre V8.The only problem is, while the peak power of 348kW is reasonably impressive, that only kicks in at close to 7300rpm and torque — the grunt that gets you moving — is a more modest 527Nm. A $45,000 Holden Commodore SS has more (530Nm). Expect it in Australian showrooms late in 2015 or early 2016 priced beyond your pay grade.A concept with more curves and contours than Kim Kardashian previews Infiniti's take on a 2+2 sports coupe.The Q60 concept will morph into the production car by 2016, powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine.The steer-by wire system already seen on the Q50 is also used here, along with Infiniti's Intuition system, which can store details on audio, airconditioning and seat position preferences for up to four drivers.When it finally arrives in Australia the road-going car will be expected to compete with Audi's swoopy A5 and the BMW 4 Series.There's no news on prices but the current Q60 starts at $63,990.A new heavyweight contender has joined the ranks of crossover coupes.The GLE Coupe is a curvy high-riding four-door SUV that will compete with BMW's X6.Two versions were at the Detroit show this week, the full-on 63 AMG and the (slightly) less aggressive GLE 450 Sport, with a diesel-powered 350d and GLE 400 to follow.The X6 was originally the answer to a question that no-one had asked, but has become a big global sales success.The newcomers are part of a wholesale overhaul of Mercedes-Benz's wagon range in 2015 that includes the replacement for the mid-sized GLK SUV and the new GLA Shooting Brake.There is no talk yet of prices, but the GLE Coupe is certain to have a starting price beyond $100,000 when it arrives here in the third quarter of this year.A new group of 6 Series "halo" cars took the spotlight for BMW in Detroit as the German company celebrated its fourth straight year of sales growth with more than two million deliveries in 2014.There are only minor changes to the M6, 650i coupe and Gran Coupe but global marketing boss Ian Roberston says the trio will be part of a global focus on growth."These are clearly the sportiest and most luxurious 6-Series vehicle we have ever built. We are launching a lot of new products again," he says.

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 New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

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 

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