Porsche Or Ferrari - What You Need To Know.

Porsche and Ferrari are German and Italian sides of the same coin, interpretations of the sports car idea. Both founded by a dominant patriarch, both honed in racing, both more than 50 years old, both with engineering and styling integrity. Whether on the track of Le Mains or on the streets, the two have always been put head-to-head and compared. Even the most naive motorist associates these two names with both performance and style.

We've decided to compare the methodical Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and the passionate Ferrari F430 because both of them astonish with their performance while attempting to maintain a reasonable amount of practicality but do not pretend to be anything other than sports cars.

A modern sports car should feature these characteristics: it should be started easily, maneuvered around town, blasted on a couple of country roads, it looks and performs the part on a racetrack but at the same time it is very safe.

The easier way to separate the two cars is by measuring figures since both of them have mastered the modern sports car requirements and basically there's no other way to choose between these two phenomenal cars.

What initially impresses is Ferrari's lightning fast 4-second 0-100km/h acceleration and thrilling exhaust tone. As the occupants are pinned to the seats, the new generation 4.3-litre V8 pushes out 368 snarling kilowatts. Porsche's acceleration also offers that kick in the pants a super car should deliver, although it is 0.8 seconds slower at the 100 km/k mark.

With such acceleration performance, it comes natural for both cars to excel in the braking department. The two cars offer optional ceramic discs for impressive stopping.

Porsche's engine gets the upper hand as it is more refined and on the economy rank leaps ahead Ferrari with a 11.8 liters per 100 km as opposed to 18.3 liters. Both cars deliver the power through impressive 6-speed gearboxes and offer top rate handling performance.

Both F430 and Carrera4S offer great interior comfort and even if the space is limited, the occupants don't feel claustrophobic and flustered. Although an impressive mix of suede, carbon fiber and aluminum abound in the Ferrari, the Italians stand no chance when it comes to the high finish level attained by the Germans.

Speed and silence are key elements for any super car. The look and appearance is the biggest draw card. The Carrera 4S is a typical Porsche, despite the new proportions. It is a great looking car, like any other 911 but somehow the styling no longer creates the jaw dropping reaction that the Ferrari does. Indeed, traditionalists may say that Porsche pays homage to its roots, but the truth is that Ferrari F430 simply draws the attention.

However, even if Ferrari F430 takes your breath away with its appearance, the super car title goes to the Porsche Carrera 4S with a more complete all round package.

All About The Porsche Cayman

In comparison of the engine, The Porsche Cayman is positioned between the Boxster and 911. Still, it has its own different personality. It is snappier, easier, and not burdened by heavy weight hanging out the back and the need to manage the effect of that weight.

The Cayman is strictly a two-seater because the engine sits where the rear seats would otherwise be. This means that the engine is not quite readily accessible, although there's a way into the oil filler via the boot. Under that long tailgate, is revealed a generous luggage area to supplement the front 911/Boxster-sized boot. Like all other Porsche, the Cayman is not very big, which makes it very practical and usable. And for all its obvious Boxster genes, the Cayman is very much its own car with its curvaceous rear wings and neat fastback roof. As with other Porsches, there's a movable rear spoiler, which deploys above 120km/h.

Going back to were we started, the engine, the Cayman has 3.4 litres, a mix of the cylinder barrels of a 911 with the crankshaft of a Boxster. A 911 engine is of 3.6 or 3.8 liters and a Boxster S has a 3.2-litre engine. It's a strange thing, but even though today's Porsche engines are water-cooled, they still overlay their intake and exhaust notes with a breathy whine like that of the giant air-cooling fans of old.

Basically, the Cayman is a mix and it doesn't have a huge number of new and unique parts. In short, the Cayman is a structure two and a half times stiffer because it's just a Boxster with a roof. In turn, that means that the driving experience becomes much more focused because its suspension can have tauter, sportier setting.

Porsche Cayman reaches a maximum speed of 275 km/h and gets from zero to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, even if the fuel thirst is low for such pace. The Cayman is especially good with the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), but unlike a 911, it works well enough without it, thanks to a ride that's firm but seldom turbulent. PASM makes the Cayman sit 10mm lower, and in its Sport mode it tautens the damping. And it feels absolutely fantastic when you have the Chrono option (complete with stopwatch for timing your hot laps).

Bottom line, Porsche Cayman is a remarkable illustration of a rigid, solid-roofed bodyshell's advantages. The Cayman S has all the positive Porsche attributes you could want, and none of the snags. It's not the fastest Porsche, not the fiercest, not the most breathtaking. It is a pooling of other Porsche parts, which means that the Cayman is not expensive to develop but it will generate big profits. The new car, by the way, takes its name not from a tax-haven archipelago, but from a type of crocodile.

The History Of The Porsche

Ferdinand Porsche played an important role in the development of airplanes and racing cars, and the construction of tanks for the Wehrmacht. He is an automobile engineer with more than a thousand patents to his name. He was appointed chief engineer at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart in the 1920s. Later on, he set up his own engineering workshop and designed among others the Volkswagen. At the plant where Volkswagen was made, Wolfsburg, he was chief of operations and at the end of the war he was interned by the Allies.

He was released a few years later and started building his first car with his son, Ferry Porsche. The car was named the Porsche 356 and it was a sports car and a reminiscent of the Volkswagen. It had the same four-cylinder boxer engine that was rear-mounted, just like the VW. It was far from being a powerful sports car, developing only 40 bhp and a maximum speed of 87 mph (140 km/h). First produced as a convertible and later as a hard top it distinguished by the very elegant and innovative body. It was developed in the workshop of Erwin Komenda, a master of restrained streamlining who had been in charge of sheet metal and design techniques at Porsche since the VW Beetle. The new style of closed coupe was designed by Komenda and it soon became the embodiment of the sports car, thanks to its fastback.

This tradition was continued by Komenda and Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, the founder's grandson, with the 911.

The 911 became easily recognizable: it had attractive sloping bonnet and what later became characteristic "frog eye" headlights, curves running from the top edge of the windscreen to the rear bumper and a straight waistline. From a functional and technical point of view it was more like BMW 1500, although it retained the stylistic features of the original Porsche. The new 911 will become the foundation stone of Porsche's identity, even though the design was not always appreciated. During the 1970`s and 1980`s, the designers attempts to distance Porsche from its legendary design brought the company to the edge of disaster. The more modern 924 model, "a people's Porsche", developed with Volkswagen, as well as the 928 were far from fulfilling the expectations.

In the 1990`s, the company realized that what for over twenty years was perceived as a straitjacket, it was in fact a market advantage. During the 1990`s, Porsche became highly profitable since they now knew that the typical Porsche features were timeless. Nearly forty people now worked in the design department on further developments of the long-running 911. These developments included the 911 GTI, a powerful combination of sports and racing car, put forward by the in-house designer Anthony R. Hatter. In 1999, chief designer proudly presented the new Boxster which enabled Porshe to establish a second independent range of models.

All About The Porsche 968

Porsche 968 is basically the successor of the Porsche 944. It has a low nose and wide wheel arches that helps accentuating the beautiful lines of this classic shape that in a Porsche Guards Red is a real head turner. It has also the classic GT front engine, rear wheel drive layout with the added advantage of a rear transaxle giving almost perfect weight distribution.

Instead of the hidden headlights of the 944, the 968 has visible pop up headlights, similar to the Porsche 928. This brings the look of the car inline with the new Porsche 997-911. This change has also a practical advantage: the headlights can be washed along with the rest of the car instead of having to pop them up to wash them.

As for the interior, it remains the same as produced in the 944, keeping the famous "oval dash". The designers used the same robust materials which have given all Porsche owners many years of trouble free motoring.

The exterior has a few differences: the door mirrors have been streamlined with the tear drop effect and the wheels have 5 spoke Cup design alloys. The rear bumper is more blended and with integral rear light clusters, making it almost indistinguishable from the bodywork. All these bodywork changes made the 968 look a lot like the 928, and added the engine heritage, some people have referred to it as "the daughter of 928".

The engine is a version of the one first used on the 944 S2: it is a 4 cylinder, 3 liter, 16 valve unit. And they added VarioCam for optimum power throughout the speed range. It has 240 HP at 6200 rpm and a torque of 305 Nm at 4100 rpm, given by the improved combustion chamber and inlet manifold design. At the time of production, it was a remarkable engine, having the highest displacement per cylinder of any car engine and also the highest torque output of any unblown 3 liter engine. Clearly, the result of Porsches investment in this engine paid off.

The rear-mounted gearbox is a 6-speed manual or 4 speed tiptronic. It is the first ever mounted on a production car. The chassis has almost perfect weight distribution and very stiff characteristics.

Usually, most cars start to fail when it comes to breaks and the reason is that it doesn't matter how fast the car is in a straight line if you can't take a bend (turn) at the right safe speed. But Porsche brakes have always been the envy of most road sports car manufacturers. You will notice little or no or no discernable fatigue even under harsh use of Porsche 968. ABS adds even more safety to the already excellent braking system. Also, what makes the brakes so effective is that the wheels themselves are designed to prevent the tire from coming off the rim in the event of a sudden pressure loss.

With a Porsche Classic, you Can be Sure That People Will Turn Their Heads

For sports car enthusiasts all over the world, and in particular for Porsche fans all over the world the numbers 356 hold a special meaning. The reason for this lies in the chronicles of history, and a date that would forever live on in the memory of all Porsche fans. The year was 1948 and the date was the 8th of June. This was the birth year of the Porsche classic Type 356 sports car.

It weighed in at a modest 650kg, had a 1.1 liter capacity center engine and had an immodest (at the time) 40HP under its hood. Difficult to even find one of these original Porsche classic cars, if you do across them you will not be surprised to learn that they are considered priceless. With all good reason of course.

Besides being the first ever Porsche classic cars to come into existence there were only a total of 50 made and they were all without exception hand built, and that’s saying a lot. These penultimate Porsche classic cars were the harbingers of the 356 that we can still see today.

Unfortunately for all concerned the 356 Porsche classic car line was discontinued after 17 years in April of 1965. To that date just over 81,000 356 Porsche classic cars had left the assembly line. In the beginning no more than 500 were expected to sell.

This was a happy mistake on the part of the “father” of the Porsche classic car, Ferry Porsche, because by March of 1954 ten times the initial estimated amount of 356 Porsche classic cars had been sold.

The discontinuation of the 365 line however was not the end of the Porsche name or the car. A new concept Porsche classic was in the makings and by 1963 – two years before the 356 was discontinued – the Porsche classic 911 had become a reality.

This Porsche classic was the foundation for many a sports car to come and indeed still lives on to this day. On June 15th of 1996, Porsche reached another milestone and the one millionth Porsche was delivered from the assembly line.

And when all is said and done, the Porsche classic still lives on in the classic Porsche design and logo, and if you own a Porsche classic, you can be sure that people will turn their heads to look you. Even in this day and age of sports supercars a classic lives on.

Porsche 911 Strikes Again in 2007

The Porsche 911 was a series of cars that made history for the great Porsche AG car manufacturers. The Porsche was first produced in 1964, but it was recurrently improved and made more competitive and better looking.
There are several models of 911 that Porsche has to offer: the 911 Carrera, the 911 Carrera S, the 911Carrera Cabriolet, the 911 Targa, 911 Turbo, the 911 GT3 RS, to name but a few.

Basically, the Porsche 911, which is pronounced nine eleven, is a rear engined car and it has a 2-door coupe body style. It is available also in 2-door Convertible or 2-door Targa.

The transmission of the nine eleven is in 4-5 automatic speeds or 5-6 speeds if you prefer the manual handling. The transmission is helped by the dual-mass flywheel and the hydraulic clutch, which is present at the majority of the Porsche 911 newer models. The technology used in almost all models of Porsche 911 is the intelligent all wheel drive, which transfers the power to the road.

Most 911s are endowed with PSM Plus system (Porsche Stability Management), helping the vigorous braking system to make you feel safe at all times, no matter what speed you're in. this PSM system gives the models a great stability.

The braking system of the most recent models is based on the PCCB, which means Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake. There is also the anti lock braking system.
There are front airbags, head and thorax airbags as well. Plus, the passengers can feel safe due to the airbags that are placed for them in the latest models.
The interior of the car is covered in leather.
The 911s feature also a standard exterior and an interior alarm, which makes it difficult for burglar to even come close to this sturdy car.

The air conditioning is a standard feature of Porches, having an automatic climate control with carbon filters.

The consumption of a Porsche of 911 series is on average of 17mpg in the city and approximately 25 mpg on the highway.

If you like speed, the 911s are probably what you are looking for. The top speed that can be reached is of 180 mph!

Besides being a very popular sports car, the Porsche 911 series cars made it to famous races as well, being very strong and highly suitable for competitions of great prestige.

The cost of a 911 varies according to the model, but all in all, the 911 series qualifies in the class of expensive cars. The price range starts from $72,000 and can go up till $124,000.

However, the Porsche 911 will offer you all the features you need in a sports car being a classic series with a great tradition combined with state of the art improvements that will simply convince you to adore the nine eleven.

Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia in Detail

Porsche AG has released the rally racing version of its popular Cayenne mid size luxury SUV. Named as the Cayenne S Transsyberia, the German automaker said the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia "is a car tailored specifically to the requirements of long distance rally racing" and "has been modified on a number of points enhancing both safety and the car's racing performance."

Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia retains the bold, aggressive, and rugged body styling of the Porsche Cayenne S base model, with new features that adapts into the world of rally racing. Two exterior color options are available: Basalt Black Metallic and Chrystal Silver Metallic. The overall body appearance is highlighted by the vehicle's aerodynamic parts and other exterior auto parts including extra large air intake scoops, roof spoiler with a double-wing profile mounted on the tail gate, stainless steel front air dams, stainless steel rear air dams, and 18inch “Cayenne S II” light-alloy wheels and the rim hubs are finished in orange color.

In addition, the exterior side view mirrors, the rear wing, wheel rims, left and right air intake, and the additional headlights for the Cayenne S Transsyberia are also finished in orange color. Moreover, the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia also comes with extra four headlights mounted on the roof to provide additional lighting when taking on different terrains. The orange colored stripes on the side with the name "Cayenne S Transsyberia 2007" complete the vehicle's exclusivity.

Moving inside, the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia comes with a standard navigation system. This special Cayenne S model retains some of its interior features, but the glove compartment has been replaced with a Tripmaster computer. The typical foot operated brake on the Cayenne S is also replaced with a hand brake. The rally team aboard this special edition model can use the 20 liter luggage space and two transport boxes for their tools. The Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia also comes with safety features to give both the driver and passenger an effective protection against injuries. The Cayenne S Transsyberia comes with air bag system and a safety cage that complies with the standards of the FIA Motorsport Authority. In addition, Porsche AG said: "To set off the extra weight of the safety cage and rally equipment, and to further lower the vehicle's centre of gravity, the rear seat bench, interior body panels and cound proofing material have all been removed from the car."

The and suspension system on the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia has been modified to cope up with the most extreme terrains like rough and rocky surfaces as well as muddy tracks. The German automaker also installed their patented Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). These two systems works in conjunction with the air suspension to provide vehicle dynamics and further enhance the vehicle's traction. Moreover, PDCC features a Special Offroad Mode that gives the Cayenne S Transsyberia 75 cm of maximum depth when crossing rivers or streams.

Powering the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia is a 4.8-liter V8 engine capable of delivering 385 bhp (283kW) at 6200 rpm. The engine comes with a direct gasoline injection system, and can be able to run on 25 percent ethanol fuel mixed with gasoline. This feature gives the Cayenne S Transsyberia lower fuel consumption by about 15 percent compared to the base Cayenne S model. A six-speed automatic transmission powering the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) permanent all wheel drive system completes the vehicle's powertrain package. The vehicle also comes with quality cooling system, which also features water pump like the Jeep Wrangler off-road model with quality Jeep water pump.

All About The Porsche 365

The Porsche 356 is the first Porsche production automobile and it was sold from 1948 through 1965. Although many consider Porsche 64 as being the first automobile produced by the German company, the 64 was never mass-produced and it was only a drivable test-mule. The 364 was created by Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry Porsche, designed by Erwin Komenda and its engine features derived from the Volkswagen Beetle, deigned by Mr. Porsche Senior.

The models available were initially coupe, cabriolet (luxury convertible) and then roadster (a stripped down convertible). Before being withdrawn in 1965, it went through several changes. The most desirable versions were 356 "Carrera" (often sold for well over $150,000), "Super 90" and "Speedster". In the late 50`s, the original selling price for a Porsche was $4,000.

In 1954, Max Hoffman, the only importer of Porsches into United States needed a lower cost, racier version for the American marker. Therefore, the company created 356 "Speedster" that became a instant hit thanks to the low, raked windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats, and minimal folding top. These days, this car is still very appreciated as it is sold for over $100,000 and it has been used in several films, including 48 Hours, its sequel - Another 48 Hours and Top Gun. In 1957, the production of Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars. In 1959 it was replaced by the Convertible D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield, glass side windows, and more comfortable seats.

Year after year, the basic shape of Porsche 356 remained the same and was easily recognized and remarked, even though changes were made, especially in the mechanical area. Coupe and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965, with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. The final model build was 356 C that featured disc brakes and the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche so far: the 95HP "SC".

In the year that Porsche launched 911, 1964, Porsche 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars. Still, the company continued to sell the 356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost vehicle. When the customers complained the price for 911 was too high (almost twice the price of the 356), Porsche started producing the 912, using the 356 engine. The 912model was sold between 1965 and 1969. 56 years after the beginning of the production, Sports Car

International named 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports cars of the 60`s. Today, the 356 is a respected car among the collectors, as it stood the test of time. Worldwide, thousands of 356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly.

How to Choose Porsche Wheels

Porsche wheels should be chosen as carefully as the high performance car they are going on. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when choosing wheels for your Porsche.

A beautiful car deserves beautiful wheels, which is probably the biggest reason why aftermarket Porsche wheels are so popular. When you drive a car like a Porsche, it just does not make sense to leave the stock Porsche wheels on the car.

Aftermarket wheels for a performance car need to be chosen carefully, however. In order to get the most performance and enjoyment out of your wheels, here are several things to consider when you are shopping for Porsche wheels.

Wheel size: Porsche wheels are sized in two different ways; diameter and width. The diameter is the measurement from rim to rim across the middle of the wheel, while the width of the wheel is measured across the part where the tires go. Larger wheels are typically popular for performance cars. The larger the diameter, the smaller the sidewall of the tire that goes on it, which tends to improve the car's handling. Likewise, a wider wheel width takes a wider tire, which also improves a car's handling.

If you are thinking about buying Porsche wheels that are larger than your stock wheels, it is important to keep in mind how this will affect your speedometer and odometer. You should be able to find a tire that fits the new wheel, but that has the same outside circumference as the original size tire for the car.

Finish: Porsche wheels come in a variety of different finishes. The most popular finish is most likely chrome, but chrome also tends to be the most expensive. Aftermarket wheels also come in painted finishes, usually silver or black.

Regardless of which finish you get, it is important to keep your wheels clean and dry. Water can cause the wheels to rust, and dirt will also help to hold water in and encourage rust. Generally, the smoother the finish the easier it will be to keep clean. Unless you are willing to devote a considerable amount of time to cleaning and polishing your wheels, you will probably want to avoid any kind of a porous finish.

Construction and design: Construction and design are also important when choosing Porsche wheels. Wheels with a more open design allow for better air circulation and help to keep your brakes cool, not to mention they offer a more striking appearance! Aftermarket wheels also can be made out of a variety of different materials, which have benefits such as lightness or superior strength.

The importance of Porsche wheels: Few accessories add as much to your Porsche as aftermarket wheels. When chosen correctly, Porsche wheels can both increase performance, such as handling, and add to the appearance of your car. As much as is riding on your wheels (pun intended), it is important to consider your options carefully before selecting Porsche wheels on your car.

Porsche 911's Turbo Upgraded By Techart

TechArt, a recognized German vehicle manufacturer and tuner, created a new kit for the Porsche 911 Turbo. The upgraded Turbo engine is capable of producing 580 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 700 Nm at 4,850 rpm. Power generated is transmitted to all four wheels through a modified 6-speed manual gearbox that comes with TechArt gearshift travel shortage and extra gear-box-oil cooling.

There were no modifications made to Porsche 911 accessories nonetheless; the 3.6 liter boxer engine was modified with 2 larger turbochargers, a sports air filter, integrated high performance catalysts, and the stainless steel exhaust system with special manifolds. The car can now hit 62 mph in 3.46 seconds and a top speed of 210 mph.

Other Porsche car parts were also customized. TechArt Formula is used to customize the exterior of the car. Additionally, the 5-spoke wheels and an aerodynamics kit use said formula to boost the car performance. The front spoiler created by TechArt lessens aerodynamic lift by 15 percent. Also, the new rear wing in conjunction with TechArt rear diffuser can generate 20 percent extra down force.

Porsche 911, a valuable sports car from Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, is proven to be durable, distinctive, and famous. Since its inception in the auto industry, the same has been subjected to several modifications. As a fact, Porsche 911 has undergone constant development since 1964. The most notable mechanical modification is the introduction of air-cooled Type 996.

Porsche 911 has been upgraded and modified by both the private teams and the automaker. These modifications are specially made for Porsche to do better in rallying, racing, and other auto competition. Actually, Porsche 911 has been cited as the most successful competition car ever produced. Moreover, the most powerful is the Type 935. In an international poll, Porsche 911 landed on the 5th place for the world's most influential car of the twentieth century. The top 4 cars were Ford Model T, the Mini, the Citroën DS and the Volkswagen Beetle.

TechArt, on the other hand, is a famed vehicle manufacturer. Nowadays, said company is setting a pattern in individualizing Porsche cars. Its workmanship and sense of design pave way for finest cars in the industry including Porsche 911.

Reminiscing 'porsche Pete'

He was known simply as “Porsche Pete”, a character created on a website intended for Porsche automobiles specifically the Boxster. The man behind it was Charles “Chuck” Hammersmith of Burlington.

In July 1, Hammersmith died at the age of 53. He pioneered the PPBB.com Web site, or Porsche Pete’s Boxster Board, one of the first Internet message boards on the subject, and the most active devoted to the Boxster, Porsche’s best-selling car. The website might also have an insight on Porsche 944 parts.

While Hammersmith had been charmed by Boxsters since before he could drive, friends from his message board say that the car particularly interested him because it was the first Porsche made available to a wider audience. Before his first Boxster, the fanatic owned three 911s.

Porsche fans organized the Blue Ridge Boxster Summit in Blowing Rock, where PPBB.com users have met for the last nine years. That’s because of Hammersmith’s site.

Karl Folkens, a South Carolina resident and PPBB.com administrator, said that the biggest thrill for many who attended the first and subsequent summits, was meeting “Porsche Pete” in person. He continued that one got the sense he’s a pistol-pulling kind of guy form the website, but in person one would find he’s very mild mannered.

Kim, Hammersmith’s daughter, said that her dad was never the spotlight dominant, and would have been surprised by all the appreciation he received since his death began to spread. Thousands of posts are on the Web site, highlighting Hammersmith through memories and photos.

Kim, who has an appreciation for Porsche herself and toured a factory while visiting Germany a few years ago, continued they didn’t realize how big an impact the site made for the past 10 years. The daughter added her dad never really wanted to take credit for anything he did.

Hammersmith wasn’t able to make it to the 9th annual gathering last month, where Boxster friends spent four days driving along the 400-mile Blue Ridge Parkway’s winding mountain roads.

Gordon Mckeehan, parts manager at Porsche dealer Suncoast Motorsports, said the honor was his and the other employees, to sell Hamersmith his last Boxster in 2003.

Cecil Thorpe, one of the site’s administrators said that since the opening of the website, Porsche owners and other self-designated “car geeks” have posted millions of messages on the message board.

Thorpe said the discussions on the board are monitored by Porsche’s corporate headquarters to learn what owners like and don’t like about the vehicle.
The loss was especially difficult for Robert Granger, Hammersmith’s co-host from Texas.

In an email, Granger implied that Chuck’s philosophy has always been really so special.

Aside from meeting Hammersmith at Boxster gatherings, Granger had met Hammersmith’s daughters, and was especially amazed by the father’s love for them. He said that other than a true Boxster fanatic, Chuck’s real pride and joy were his two girls, Kim and Sarah. He added Chuck never missed a chance to brag on them.

Porsche Panamera to Have Body Shells From Volkswagen

According to a Porsche company update to shareholders, the company is planning to collaborate with Volkswagen on the Panamera. Accordingly, the painted body shells for the four-door coupe will be supplied by the Volkswagen Hannover facility.

Porsche's well known Zuffenhausen plant will be supplying the engines.

According to a statement, the Panamera is the new addition to Porsche's lineup in which the company hopes to widen its customer basis further and step up market penetration in order to safely assure long-term growth.

But at what cost to the brand?

From the company's Leipzig plant, the Panamera is set for a large-scale production for the 2009 market. The Porsche said in a statement that it is remaking its Leipzig plant with a new production facility costing the amount $206 million and 600 new jobs.

Admittedly, the actual Panamera concept which is shown in the spy photos courtesy of cardomain.com does look better than the Porsche 928 GT it's based upon, but it still seems like a Porsche sedan.

Although Porsche have toyed with the idea of a sedan for more than 50 years, the company has never produced a sedan. It might seem desecration for Porsche to deviate from its purebred sports cars like the 911, Boxster and Cayman, but this is all “again all over again”. Before the end of 2002, Porsche released the Cayenne, a still-controversial SUV that has seen considerable success.

From the spy shots of the Panamera, it clearly follows Porsche's sweeping, contoured design philosophy. It is basically more of a four-door coupe than a traditional sedan. Somewhat to the Cayenne and Cayman is the rear, where the Panamera will feature a hatchback-style vent similar to the Cayman. The spy photographer suspects that under the hood is a lineup similar to the Cayenne's: a V6 and two V8s, ranging from a little under 300 horsepower to at least 500 in the top turbo version. But rumors are heard on Porsche’s mounting of the engines as far back as possible in order to keep the center of gravity in the center. And expect wider availability of the 6-speed manual transmission than in the Cayenne, too.

The Panamera is expected to provide excellent competition for the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes CLS, and BMW and Volkswagen's upcoming four-door coupes.

About Porsche
Porsche believes in the principle that is based on values and philosophies that together create the company’s added value. Maker of quality Porsche 928 parts, this German sport car manufacturer also offers services in consultancy, engineering, supplying and financing.

Porsche Design,especially Designed for You!

Although the brand of Porsche Design originates from Porsche family, father of Porsche sports car, it dose not has a close and clear relationship with Porsche cars.

In 1973,F.A Porsche brought a new era to the watch field with a black time stopwatch, and then he made successive innovations in titanium metal and watches'exterior design.

Even the year of 1973 found Porsche's production of the first compass wristwatch with the help of IWC. And during the 20 years of later cooperation, Porsche established a prestigious brand image with the help of that of IWC's, while IWC exploited its sportswatch market, through which they both set solid foundation for their glorious accomplishment.

In 1995, F.A.Porsche took over Eterna watch factory and began to run it by himself.

Ernst F.Seyr's aim was to produce a machine time stopwatch for user to easily read the time.He first invited Paul Gerber as the technical consultant, who once invented bell time stopwatch for Fortis, and who at that time was a member of Horological Academy of Independant Creators(AHCI),then he particularly extended his factory and recruitied more workers.

At the end of 2001, Eterna officially took over the latter blueprint's design and modification, and began a programme to produce his archetypal watch, which got 12 experienced watchmaking masters, designers and CNC engineers involved. The breathtaking Indicator did not come out before 2004.

In the year of 2003,Porsche Company became a major shareholder of Porsche Design Company, and a new Group----PLH was set in Bitgenma Sea???Becingen.

By October, the new group has already integrated Porsche's business in luxury accessories and patents, and the promotion on all brands except for auto manufacture.

Porsche Design belongs in PLH, whose major management is in the 12-staff Porsche Design Office on the lake bank ,Zell and the Selection area, and it covers Porsche Company accessory ,costume,and sports device(like Porsche bicycle).

65% of the stocks belongs to Porsche Company, the other 35% to Porsche family, which shows us the tendency that Porsche Design will return to Porsche.

Porsche Car Hire the Ultimate Sports Car

Car manufacturer Porsche SE is a German brand that prides themselves on luxury, quality and performance. Porsche car hire is owned by Germany families, Porsche and Piech families respectively. The Porsche family are a family of industrialists related to Ferdinand Porsche (created the VW beetle and development in German tanks the Tiger) who designed many of the first Porsche cars that were mass produced for the public for the company that he founded in 1940, Porsche.

Porsche car hire currently have a portfolio of high performance and luxury automobiles including the 911, 997, and the Boxster. Also the use specialise in 4 x4, sport and utility vehicles for use in suburban areas.

The 1999 Porsche 911 GT3 was produced and marketed as a high performance road legal car of which was more advanced then the standard 911. Named after the FIA GT, it was the first water cooled version of the Porsche 911. Porsche car hire also have a racing version of the 911 GT3 which has come first in many competitions, included Le Mans and other 24 hour races. Competitions are fierce in the market for super cars and the Porsche 911 GT3 is up against Italian giants Ferrari with their F430 and German luxury car manufacturer BMW with a GTR M3.

Many members of public feel that Porsche are out their price range so this was addressed with the Boxster. This mid engine little roadster was introduced in 1996 and has been quite successful. With a 2.5 litre flat 6 cylinder engine in the beginning, the model has evolved to introduce a 3.2 litre monster for increased performance. Porsche car hire then released a new generation to their popular roadster model with the type 987. These cars were even more powerful then their predecessors with increased engine output. Despite having a few cosmetic changes the Boxster has not strayed from the originals shape and style.

One of the greatest Porsche car hire automobiles ever made is the Porsche Carrera GT. This was a real beast, a mid engine sports car powered with a 5.7 litre V10 engine. From standstill to 60 miles per hour this car can do it in less than 3.5 seconds, with a maximum all out speed of 205 mph. You can get this car from Porsche car hire companies in five colours only, which include variants of Red, Yellow, Black, Silver and Grey. Custom colours were available if you placed an order for the car at a factory.

The Carrera GT has a 6 speed manual gearbox, complemented this with a beech wood gear knob from the Porsche 917 Le Mans racer. The main rival to this car is Ferrari's Enzo, however with the Enzo priced in at approximately $660000 the Carrera GT has as slight advantage being only $444000.

If you're after an unforgettable driving experience then Porsche car hire could be for you! With a wide choice of performance super cars such as the Carrera GT and the 911 GT3 you can be spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting a hire car to show off in, or just to have a weekend away with the open road.

The Porsche Experience

Porsche is a premier brand which has been manufacturing cars since 1931. It is one of the world leaders in the field of luxury and racing cars. It’s a company based in Germany and is known worldwide for its quality products.


History

The founder of the Porsche car company (or ‘Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH’, to give its proper name) was Professor Ferdinand Porsche. He was an Austro-Hungarian engineer born at Maffersdorf. He became Technical Director at Austro-Daimler in Wiener Neustadt in 1906. At the age of only 31, he was responsible for the model range of one of Europe’s largest automotive concerns. He was the person responsible for the designing of the rear engine concept used in the Volkswagen Beetle, a revolution in the field of automotives. In 1931 Porsche set up a facility to manufacture racing cars that would one day bear his name. The designs used for the Beetle became the prototype for the first Porsche cars and the first Porsche (the Porsche 64) was developed in 1939.


World War II put a spanner in the works of the company but business picked up after the war. The Porsche and the Beetle have an intertwined history as they have developed and moved forward together. In fact, after the war, when components were in short supply, Porsche used components from the Volkswagen Beetle including its engine, gearbox, and suspension. Moving together but diverging later, Beetle became the people’s car while Porsche moved into the realm of luxury cars.


Racing

The Porsche logo has been one of the premier and most recognisable symbols on race tracks around the world. Cars from the Porsche stables have won an astounding number of races (more than 28,000) in various competitions. In 2006 and 2007 Porsche built more than 450 different race cars for various international motor sports events.


If you are looking to buy a Porsche in Melbourne or are looking for more information on this car brand, just visit www.porschemelbourne.com.au, the website of the premier dealer of Porsche in the city of Melbourne, Porsche Melbourne.

Porsche Weighs Launching Four Cylinder Models

German sports car maker, Porsche, may soon be doing the unthinkable: offering at least one four cylinder powered model in their product mix.

Porsche, along with most other automakers, has suffered tremendously this year as sales have plunged by more than 17% through August 2008. In August, Porsche's sales were down a whopping 45%; both figures apply to the US market only.

A Four Cylinder Engine For Porsche?

The decision to build a car with a four cylinder engine hasn't been finalized, but it is something that Porsche believes that they must consider in order to garner more sales. Several years ago Porsche boldly expanded its product line up by adding an SUV, the Porsche Cayenne, a vehicle that alarmed purists but helped stoke the company's bottom line.

By introducing the Cayenne, Porsche contended that they were losing sales to BMW and Mercedes as families who needed more room were forced to look beyond Porsche's two-seater product offerings. With the SUV market expanding, adding this type of vehicle was deemed to be critical to helping Porsche.

Cayenne Sales Are Up For The Year

Apparently, Porsche is doing well with the Cayenne as its year to date truck sales are up almost 4% for the year, according to Autodata Corp. who tracks this information. Cayenne is the only vehicle sold by Porsche under the truck category.

If Porsche chooses to add a four cylinder engine to its product mix, it wouldn't be a strange engine for Porsche. As recently as the 1980s, both the Porsche 924 and 944 models offered four cylinder engines, a technology Porsche traces all the way back to the 1930s.

Targeting the Boxster

The likeliest recipient for a four cylinder engine would be the Porsche Boxster, the smallest and lightest of all Porsche models. Some analysts are theorizing that Porsche could easily make the transition to a four cylinder engine by removing two cylinders from a current six cylinder engine and coming up with a 2.4L flathead four cylinder.

Another option would be for Porsche to harvest an existing four cylinder engine from partner Volkswagen and modifying it according to their needs. The two automakers have a long history of sharing technology and co-developing vehicles with the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne underpinned by the same truck platform.

Lastly, Porsche might also consider developing an all-new model, perhaps a four passenger sport sedan to expand its product line and to provide a fuel efficient model. That move would further infuriate Porsche loyalists, but in face of the current economic climate and concerns about global energy, a hotrod compact sedan might be the direction Porsche will go.