TAS 2011: 370Z to Porsche Panamera Convertible conversion

If you wanted to create a Porsche Panamera drop-top, where would you start? Perhaps with a Panamera sedan or something else from the Porsche stable? Or at least something that hails from Germany?

A customizer at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon decided his ideal Teutonic convertible would begin life as a Nissan 370Z Roadster. It takes more than a body-kit and upgraded lighting to go from Japan to Germany, but we'll give the owner of this car an A for effort. Execution? Well... not so much.

Also, we're just going to remain patient and wait quietly for the real thing to arrive from Zuffenhausen. Oh, wait...

[Source: Mad Whips]

Porsche Cayenne GTS Accessories From JE Design

JE Design is known mostly as a VW and SEAT tuner. But here they give the Porsche Cayenne a go and this is the lux-tuner level achieved with this makeover.

The tuning package is wheels, optics and suspension with no engine work in the mix. But the package does lend to superior performance with the front and rear skirts providing a better aerodynamic flow and the lowered suspension a more nimble handling.

Porsche 911 Bi-Turbo by DKR Tuning

Those owners of the Porsche 911 Turbo who aren’t entirely satisfied that their car really is the powerhouse Porsche claims it is, can turn to German tuner DKR for a €5,529 power upgrade. DKR Tuning optimises the ECU software and fits a new sports exhaust system to garner a forceful 540 bhp/ 402kW and 775Nm from the car’s twin-turbo 3.6-litre boxer engine.

After having upgraded the engine one might feel a little more adventurous and go kit mad. For that DKR provides 19-inch Cargraphic RS alloy wheels on 235/35 tyres in front and 305/30 at the rear. A functional front lip spoiler and larger rear wing gives that macho appearance that accompanies all this power. It’s a 911 so handling needs no introduction, even at full 540 horses on the throttle.

Porsche Roock celebrates Le Mans win with RST 600 LM

About a decade ago, Roock Racing was one of the most dominant GT racing teams at Le Mans and a short time later in the ALMS with their Porsche GT2 race cars. Since then they have focused their attention on tuning street Porsches, the latest of which is the RST 600 LM that commemorates their victory in the GT2 class at the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. The package includes upgraded turbochargers, a titanium exhaust system, and an upgraded ECU good for just over 600 horsepower and 611 lb-ft torque. Performance numbers are a claimed 3.1 second sprint to 60 mph and a top end of 211 mph. Roock also adds a carbon fiber clutch, fully tuned suspension, and massive 380mm drilled and vented brakes. Inside, the RST 600 LM gets carbon fiber trim, oil and temperature gauges, and custom seats with four point harnesses. Finally, subtle exterior modifications are added including a new front splitter, rear diffuser, rear spoiler, and lightweight aluminum racing wheels. Full details are in the press release after the jump and high resolution photos can be found in the gallery below.

2008 Porsche Cayenne S

Just over a half-decade old, the Porsche Cayenne provides a valuable real-world lesson about the business of building automobiles: a couple of lessons in fact.

First and foremost, the 2002 debut of the V8-powered Porsche SUV proved you could teach an old dog new tricks: the perennial sports car builder pulled off the improbable to design and produce a crackerjack luxury sport SUV right out of the gate.

Though a little late to that category, the Cayenne quickly caught the attention of the well-heeled looking for a little five-seater excitement, and by 2005 - just three years into production - the SUV became Porsche’s top selling model in North America with more than 100,000 units sold.

Even Porsche traditionalists, who were initially convinced Dr. Ferry Porsche was spinning in his grave at the very notion of a Porsche ‘truck,’ grudgingly grew to accept the Cayenne - though more for the fact its robust sales figures dramatically improved Porsche AG’s financial forecast - which meant the company would be making two-seaters well into the 21st Century (an outlook in the late-1990s that appeared unlikely).
A second lesson gleaned from the Cayenne’s quick ascendancy is that the number of baby boomers willing to pay big dollars for a five-door fitted with an eight-cylinder Porsche engine thirstier than a tableful of mechanics on holiday in Bavaria, is limited.

Porsche North America sold 13,607 Cayennes in 2005 (roughly 5,000 base models, 6,000 S models and 2,500 Turbos), easily outpacing Boxster and 911 sales. But that changed in 2006, as 911 sales ballooned to just over 12,000, combined Boxster and Cayman sales passed 11,500 and Cayenne numbers fell to 10,569.

Higher North American fuel prices, new sexy models from other luxury car builders and a slowing economy all contributed to slipping Cayenne sales.

Which begs the question: will 2005 be the high-water mark of the Porsche Cayenne? Or will the second-generation Cayenne, the 2008, get those boomers back in Porsche dealerships with chequebooks in hand?

Early indications for the 2008 model are promising, as Cayenne sales in North America for June were up 57 per cent over the previous year, while in Canada the improvement was 61 per cent.
The final lesson here is one not yet formed, as the days are still early for the 2008 Cayenne.

But with rumblings that Porsche is developing a smaller SUV model, called the Roxster, the long-term fate of the Cayenne hangs in the balance, with much of it dependent on the success of the ’08 Cayenne and possibly the rumoured-to-be-coming Cayenne Hybrid.

So, what have the brilliant engineering and design minds of Porsche done to improve their SUV? Not surprisingly, more muscle, both inside and out.

The first thing that strikes you about the 2008 Cayenne S is its striking snout. With headlight arrays like futuristic dragon’s eyes, a sensuously bulging hood subtly hinting at the power that lurks beneath, and muscular wheel arches, there is little doubt this beast is all Porsche all the time.
As with the first generation, though, the aggressive and well-sculpted front end doesn’t flow through the rest of the body. Indeed, from some rear angles, the Cayenne looks as pedestrian a SUV as is out there (okay, minus the bad-ass, stainless steel exhaust pipes poking out from underneath).

Badass is the best way to describe the new V8 engines that power the three 2008 Cayenne models available in Canada. The base comes with a 290-hp, 3.6-litre engine with a reported 0-96 km/h time of 7.5 seconds; the S with a 385-hp, 4.8-litre clocked at 6.4 seconds; and the Turbo with a couple of turbochargers that boost the 4.8 litre’s horsepower to a monstrous 500 with a zero-to-96 km/h (60 mph) time of a mere 4.9 seconds. (For comparison’s sake, the 2008 911 Turbo Cabrio is said to achieve this from a standing stop in just 3.7 seconds). I guess the Cayenne Turbo is for the perennially late soccer mom.

All three engines utilize direct fuel injection, a first for the Cayenne, and all three objectives of the new fuel delivery system - reduced emissions, improved fuel consumption and increased power - have been achieved, though I’ll leave it to the reader to determine if a city L/100km rating of 16.3 (17 mpg) can fairly be called an ‘improvement.’
Still, Porsche’s claim of a 15 per cent improvement in the S and 11 per cent in the Turbo is definitely moving in the right direction. Like all guilty pleasures, hammering the Cayenne S on an open stretch of highway with the Sport button engaged puts all thoughts of saving the planet out of your mind, or at least until the next off-ramp. Sport button? Simply press the non-descript and oddly large button located below the gear shift on the centre console and engine output increases thanks to some high-falutin’ computer chip mapping. Make sure you’ve got both hands on the heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel though as the noticeable power surge can catch a driver unaware. This may be an SUV, but it also has a highly tuned Porsche power plant delivering plenty of pull throughout its power band.

In addition to the more powerful engines, the biggest technological achievement on the second generation Cayenne is something called Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, an ingenious system that controls and regulates the air suspension system (standard on the Turbo and optional on the base and S models).

Not only does the chassis control system significantly decrease body roll through tight corners (or for that matter, long sweepers) over the first generation Cayenne, it makes steering crisper and braking smoother. The reason Cayennes haven’t been wrapping themselves around telephone standards like those tail-happy Porsche Turbos of lore is simply stunning driving dynamics.

The dual-range all-wheel drive system is arguably one of the best in the business in this sort of application, and if you’ve got the nerve and bank manager’s blessing for it, an off-road excursion on some of Canada’s toughest logging roads is well within reason. Just make sure you swap off the low-profile speed rated Michelins for a meatier set of boots. Getting the new Cayenne a little dirty was obviously on the mind of cabin designers, as a rubberized and high-sided cargo floor is easy to wipe down with soap and water.

As to interior changes, the second generation is crammed full of all the typical luxury class cabin creature comforts. From 12-way adjustable heated leather front seats to a 14-speaker Bose sound system, and from a multifunctional steering wheel with gear shift buttons to an integrated carbon filter for the cabin’s environment, the 2008 Cayenne is what you’d expect from an SUV with a sticker price north of $75,000.

When it all comes down to it, it will be that sticker price that really determines the fate of the second-generation Cayenne and any new generations to come. It remains to be seen how many wealthy people still covet an SUV with the soul of a sports car.

BBC motoring guru Jeremy Clarkson summed this sentiment up well when he quipped about the original Cayenne, “just as no-alcohol lager defeats the objective, so does a Porsche off-roader.”

It turned out old Jeremy was a little off the mark there, as North American sales hit record proportions and the motoring public fell in love with the first generation Cayenne. The second generation does what is hoped of all offspring and betters its lineage in both power and performance.

Only time will tell if it can improve on the lofty sales figures its near ancestor set.

Other Porsche Cars:

+ 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet

2007 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet

Toronto, Ontario - Increasingly (and especially in my corner of Southern Ontario) it’s getting harder and harder to exercise a sporting vehicle on public roads. Not that I’m condoning irresponsible driving, but short of a few bursts of acceleration, or the odd off-ramp hi-jinx, there’s precious little fun to be had around here.

In reality, keeping a high performance sports car in this environment is akin to caging a cheetah or confining Shaque to shooting hoops in your driveway..

Which is precisely why the 2007 $136,900 355-hp Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet make so much sense.

Huh? Bear with me dear reader.

For sure, this iconic 911 all-wheel drop-top has serious tarmac-chewing capability, but for those times when you’re not attacking your favourite back road test loop, it does a fine job of creating the illusion of speed.

Case in point: With the top down and my youngsters squeezed in the back “seats” of this Guards Red tester, we made a run to the shops. “Dad! Slow down!!!” they squealed in delight. I looked down at the big digital speedometer. It read 65 km/h.
Okay, so I had reached that speed in an eye-blink, but had we been in an equally swift sedan, my kids wouldn’t have flinched.

In the Porsche, the firm ride, the rushing air, and of course that marvellous 3.8-litre flat-six snorting away inches from their backsides conspired to make the little tykes think Dad was going for his best lap at the Nurburgring.

And isn’t that what the sports car experience is all about?

Driving this al fresco Porsche allows one to take in every nuance of the DOHC 24-valve engine. And what a repertoire it has. Just off idle it gurgles and spits like Tom Waits after a night of drinking cleaning products. Around 2000 r.p.m. the big six clears its throat and from there it builds from a baritone warble to a mellifluous wail as the 7200 r.p.m. red-line rapidly approaches.And then there’s second gear.
My tester was equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, which shifts with a firm and precise manner. Similarly, the clutch requires a manly prod and the steering has a meaty feel at low speeds. As in all Porsches, the feel and operation of the major controls are wonderfully integrated, and become more so as your speed increases. The standard leather seats with powered backrest are a paragon of comfort and firm lateral support. Height and for-aft adjustment is manual. If you want them powered or heated, have your wallet handy. Although the rear seats are tiny, they are usable for small children and, as I discovered, those few adults who will suffer anything just to get a ride in a Porsche .

A big tach is central in the five-gauge instrument cluster, with the numbers illuminated in a crisp, eye-friendly white. The digital speedo readout in the lower half of the tachometer benefits from the big white numerals too, which is a good thing. Believe me, you want to know how fast you’re going at all times in this road rocket, and the small speedometer to the left of the tach, with it’s markings in tight 50 km/h increments, is no help.
My tester was fitted with the $1950 optional Bose High End Sound Package which sounded good – but not spectacular. But really, the only song you want to hear (and most of the time it’s you’re only choice) is the lusty mechanical symphony of this ass-engined rocket.

Once free from the city confines, the C4S Cabrio comes into its own. I prefer the all-wheel-drive 911s, as they feel more planted and have a more neutral disposition when negotiating the twisties. Which is not to say the steering doesn’t come alive in your hands and the back end can’t be coaxed into some gentle over-steer like in the rear-wheel drive cars. For those into heel-and-toe downshifting, the pedals are perfectly placed for your dancing pleasure. The vented and cross-drilled discs squeezed by four-piston fixed alloy calipers provide the expected Porsche stopping power.

All “S” model Carreras, which carry a 355 hp and 295 lb.-ft. “VarioCam Plus” 3.8-litre aluminum flat-six, beyond the rear axles, also come fitted with Porsche Active Suspension Management. This two-stage damping system takes the chop out of the ride but firms things up the instant you get playful. When PASM is put in sport mode, the suspension buttons down, throttle response quickens and the PSM allows for more sideways fun before it intervenes.

As far as structural rigidity goes, the C4S get a B+: rough surfaces will send some quivers through the structure. It’s not bad, but the standard in convertible stiffness has risen considerably in the past couple of years, and the 911 falls behind such robust roadsters as the Jaguar XKR, M-B SLK and even its baby-brother, the Boxster.

But the occasional shake is a minor price to pay for the dividends received in visual and aural stimulation. Maybe it was the Cabrio’s red paint and tan leather interior, or maybe it was the fact that this was our first truly summer-like weather, but the during my week of piloting this Porsche C4S Cabrio I received more smiles, more thumbs up, and more people yelling “Nice car!” than in any press car I can remember.

While pulling up to a stop sign in my neighborhood, a wide-eyed young whipper-snapper on a bike hollered, “Awesome Porsche! Gun it!” Which I did. Up to 65 km/h. I saw him grinning like the Cheshire Cat in my rear-view mirror.