Porsche 911 News

The Federal Government wants to herald the arrival of cheaper cars once local manufacturing ends in late 2017, but it hasn’t done it’s sums, say experts.The Federal Government will announce on Wednesday radical changes that would allow private buyers to import brand new cars -- in the belief they will be cheaper.But the car industry is expected to fight the proposal on the grounds it won’t lead to more affordable cars for the masses -- and could risk the jobs of dealership staff employed across the country.The industry also warns the changes would lead to warranty and service complaints and will only benefit the super-rich who can afford luxury models and exotic sports-cars.Independent comparisons by News Corp Australia show the cost of Australia’s most popular cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 --both of which start at about $22,000 and are the same price they were in Australia 20 years ago -- are on par with the US and cheaper than Europe once taxes, currency exchange rates, and differences in standard equipment are calculated.But a significant price gap emerges on vehicles price above Australia’s $63,184 Luxury Car Tax threshold, which adds 33 per cent to the cost of vehicles in excess of this amount.warranty and service complaintsthe super-rich who can afford luxury models and exotic sports-carsFor example, a Porsche 911 sports-car costs $89,400 in the US and $217,000 in Australia.But once taxes, exchange rates and LCT are taken into account, there is about a $20,000 difference in price, which Porsche says can be attributed to extra equipment that is standard in Australia but optional overseas.The office for Paul Fletcher, the federal minister for major projects and infrastructure, which will oversee the proposed changes, is expected to make the announcement today, government sources said.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the car lobby group, did not respond to a request for comment by the time this article was published.Spokesman for Porsche Cars Australia, Paul Ellis, told News Corp Australia: “There’s been insufficient consultation with the industry. Our understanding from the highest levels of office inside the government is that the government and senior ministers had acknowledged our concerns, and was not pursuing any changes.”Mr Ellis warned: “Manufacturers will have no obligation to provide warranty on (privately imported) vehicles that don’t meet Australian Design Rules, and we will have no obligation to service and maintain those cars.”

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

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

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.

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 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 

Fancy a new Porsche 911 but can’t afford the $200,000 asking price for a new one? This $40,000 lounge setting could be for you.

Porsche has told all owners of the current model 911 GT3 around the world to stop driving their vehicles and have them inspected by an authorised centre.The safety notice comes after reports last week that Porsche had stopped sales of the GT3 in Europe, in response to a  potential fire hazard with the high performance car.Photos taken by the Swiss police showed a GT3 engulfed by flames, and the police report said the driver pulled over after hearing noises coming from the engine bay, then noticed leaking oil and smoke before the car blazed.Porsche says just five cars in Australia are affected, and all the owners have been contacted with the offer for the carmaker to pick up the vehicles for inspection immediately."Safety is the number one priority at Porsche, and the company takes its responsibility seriously," a statement from Porsche Australia said, adding that engine damage had occurred in two European GT3s which then caught fire, but without any accidents or injury."Porsche has decided to inspect all 785 delivered vehicles worldwide. Porsche is currently investigating the cause and will provide further information as soon as possible," the statement said.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Reports from overseas markets suggest Porsche has halted sales of the 911 GT3 in Europe as the carmaker moves swiftly to investigate a potential fire hazard with the high performance car. The 911 GT3 last sold here in 2011 as part of the previous 997 generation, priced from $276,200, but overseas markets get a GT3 variant of the current 991 generation.Photos have surfaced of a GT3 in flames on a Swiss police website, with emergency services personnel extinguishing the fire. The St Gallen police website reported:  "A Porsche has caught on fire on the Wilerstrasse. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire. The car suffered a total loss in the amount of 200,000 Swiss francs ($248,000)."The report went on to say the GT3 had been travelling on the A1 highway towards St Gallen when the driver heard "strange noises" from the engine bay and pulled off the highway onto the Wilerstrasse. After stopping the car he noticed leaking oil and smoke coming from the rear-mounted engine, and shortly afterwards the GT3 caught fire, with the blaze being extinguished by the fire department. "The cause of the fire will be investigated by the Forensic Science Service of the Canton of St Gallen police," the police report says.An unconfirmed post on enthusiast forum Rennteam cited another GT3 catching fire in Italy, saying it was the fifth car in Europe reported to do so. The post detailed the the low oil pressure warning light activated before the car reportedly caught fire. Porsche is said to have issued a Stop Sale alert through its European dealer network. The carmaker prides itself on its meticulous engineering and has always been swift to respond with a safety recall on the rare occasions when there have been problems.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott