I came across this older Chris Harris video from back when he was still with Evo magazine. I think it came out last year when Porsche had just unveiled the 911 GT2 RS. Chris takes it and compares it with some other turbo cars from different time periods and build philosophies. It’s probably the only time you’ll see the GT2 RS parked next to a Noble M600, Jaguar XJ220 and a Ferrari F40. I’ll admit the video isn’t particularly informative, but it is fun to watch.
The Drive Channel got an inside look at the Porsche Classic Shop in Germany. They work exclusively on Porsche road cars. What makes it interesting is that the Classic Shop stocks parts for the vintage cars made from the same supply chain that made the original factory parts. They also employ and consult with many of the workers that built the cars on the assembly line when they were being made new. You can order Classic Shop parts for your car from any Porsche dealership or you can send your car to them for an official restoration to increase its value.
This is a video detailing the overhaul process of a Porsche Carrera GT after it had done 13,000 hard miles. The engine was dropped out and most of the panels and seats removed for care and cleaning. It’s a rare in-depth look at one of the most amazing supercars on the road today.
As an added bonus, here’s the video of Jeremy Clarkson reviewing the Carrera GT on Top Gear. He also makes a joke about the silicon carbide in the carbon ceramic brakes and multi-disc clutch at the beginning. It’s the same ceramic composite we talked about yesterday in the How It’s Made: Brembo Carbon Ceramic Brake Rotors video.
Porsche released this series of videos detailing the different tracks that make up their Porsche Experience Center at the Silverstone track in the UK. They each simulate extreme driving conditions so that Porsche owners can learn how to respond. It’s useful training for any driver, but I can see it being particularly helpful for first time Porsche drivers. The rear engine rear wheel drive format drives like nothing else on the road.
The Kick Plate simulates unexpected oversteer with an actuated plate that pushes the rear axle of the car sideways.
The Ice Hill uses wet plastic resin to simulate sheets of ice. There’s also water fountain barriers for the drivers to try and avoid.
The Low Friction track has a special kind of asphalt that simulates snow covered roads.
The offroad track allows drivers to take the Cayenne to its limits of climbing and tipping.
The Handling Circuit is a good old fashioned twisty bit of road designed to simulate British B Roads.
The whole setup looks like a lot of fun. It really makes sense for a brand that promotes the everyday usability of its sports cars. I wonder if they tried doing some space saver training.
Automobile Magazine just released this story saying that the project to make a 2 seat entry level sports car was still alive at Porsche. We first heard about this project a few years ago when Volkswagen had announced the Bluesport roadster concept. The idea was that the car would be co-developed by VW and Porsche to save on development costs while still providing each brand with their own model. The economic collapse then effectively killed everybody’s niche market sports car ideas. The word is that the project is now back on for after Porsche has finished development on all new 991 model 911 variants, the 918 Spyder and their new 960 Ferrari fighter and several other projects. Head over to Automobile Magazine to read all the specific details.