Porsche NA sends employees to Nürburgring for Carrera Cup

Working for Porsche Cars North America has to have its perks. Aside from being associated with some of the best sports cars in the world, you also get a shot at hanging out at the Carrera World Cup at the Nürburgring with none other than Melanie Snow. PCNA recently held an internal contest to allow seven employees to do just that, and the gaggles of lucky souls packed their bags, headed to Germany and proceeded to watch the American Le Mans champ take to the field.

The Carrera World Cup features six laps of the famous race track, and competitors from all over the globe come to prove who's best from behind the wheel of the spec 911 Carrera. Unfortunately, Melanie suffered an early shunt that saw her efforts cut short briefly after the very first turn. Hit the jump to see a video of the event from PCNA's point of view.

Millions in exotic cars go swimming in flooded Singapore garage

Flood-damaged cars sit in Singapore garage – Click above to view image gallery

The Orchard Road area of Singapore is filled with shopping, entertainment and high-end living. Unfortunately, it's also filled with lots of water at the moment, and that water found its way into the parking garage of the local St. Regis Residences. Home to people with a healthy number of dollars in their bank accounts, the parking garage is, not surprisingly, filled with all sorts of exotic machines.

Those vehicles are now sitting in a rather deep puddle of water.

From the photographs in the gallery below, we spy a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 458 Italia, Rolls-Royce Phantom, a handful of BMWs, an Aston Martin, a few Audis, a Maserati GranTurismo and one very sad looking Porsche. The only owner who might be able to muster up a smile is the one with the keys to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

New Car: 2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Porsche has taken the covers off the most powerful Panamera variant yet; the Turbo S. Power comes from a twin-turbo 4.8 litre V8 petrol engine that kicks out 542bhp (PS/kW), making it more powerful than the 518bhp (PS/kW) Mercedes S63 AMG. Torque has also increased to 800Nm (590lb-ft) with an overboost function. That takes top speed to 191mph (306km/h) with the 0-62mph (100km/h) dash taking a mere 3.8 seconds.

Surprisingly, fuel economy remains the same at 24.6mpg (l/100km), thanks to titanium-aluminium turbine wheels to the turbochargers and revised the engine control management of the Turbo S to boost power and performance.

The Porsche Panamera Turbo S boasts a comprehensive equipment level. In keeping with the sporting concept of this particularly high-performance Panamera, the Turbo S features several key driving dynamics control systems as standard. For example, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), an active roll stabilisation system, boosts cornering stability and thus enhances both driving dynamics and comfort in equal measure. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) applies a variable torque split to the rear wheels which, in combination with an electronically controlled rear limited slip differential, ensures superior traction and therefore greater agility in every driving situation. The Sport Chrono Package Turbo, which tunes the suspension settings and engine controls, makes the car even more sporting when the additional “Sport Plus” button is pressed. Completing the dynamic enhancements is a sports exhaust system that delivers a particularly emotive engine sound.

With prices starting at £122,623 – around £20,000 more than the Turbo - , standard equipment includes 20” alloy wheels, bi-coloured leather interior, Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), and a sports exhaust. British sales start in June.

Porsche Boxster

"Elemental." That's the key word to describe Porsche's two-seat, open-air Boxster. Like the 550 Spyder of the 1950s -- the sports car made famous by James Dean -- the Boxster offers a simple, low-slung structure; a mid-mounted flat-six optimized for being wound tight on mountain roads; and a chassis so well bred and balanced, almost nothing in its class even comes close.

While the standard six-speed manual is the transmission choice for purists (and a superb shifter it is, too), the Boxster also offers Porsche's brilliant, 7-speed PDK dual-clutch auto as an option. Now you're shifting like an F1 driver, tapping out upshifts and downshifts as the transmission computer works its magic. The PDK adds yet another piece of techno-wonder to this already full-bodied machine.

Of course, it's the chassis that truly makes a sporting car, and the Porsche Boxster's is sublime. Steering feel is fluid and precise, there's plenty of grip on tap, front/rear balance is near-perfect, and the ride is even surprisingly smooth. Drop-top sports cars simply don't get much purer than this.

Porsche GT3 RSR Now Even Better!

Porsche has taken its best racing 911 model and made it even better for 2008, with two of these exclusive, hand-built race cars.
The GT3 RSR, which last year scored GT2 class wins in the Le Mans 24-hour and Nurburgring 24-hour endurance races has received aerodynamic upgrades for the new season.
It has more optimized suspension and a new sequential gearbox, which takes its know-hoe from the Porsche RS Spyder racer. The most distinguishing external feature of the GT3 RSR is the new front end.

The new Porsche Panamera GT

Porsche Panamera GT (Gran Turismo) is the first four-door and four seats sedan sports car Porsche has ever created. Porsche’s Panamera sedan is expected to enter the market in early 2009 and will first hit the shores in Panamera S and Panamera Turbo trim, each fitted with a 4.8-liter V8 putting out 400 HP and 500 HP, respectively.
Both will also get Porsche’s PDK 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Though no diesel version is likely to see production, Porsche also introduce the Panamera Hybrid featuring a full hybrid design, with engine capable of producing 350 horsepower, where the hybrid module (clutch and electric motor) is located between the combustion engine and the transmission, while the battery pack will be located in the luggage compartment. Price for Porsche Panamera GT has not been disclosed yet.

Porsche 997 V-RT Edition Turbo by Vorsteiner

Vorsteiner V-RT (Vorsteiner Race Technologies) recently unveiled their new tyling package for the 997 Porsche 911 Carrera. New styling package includes an aerodynamics body kit and a new set of wheels.
The 997 Porsche 911 Carrera gets a new front face with larger carbon fiber air intakes with no fog lights, just like the GT2 version, Vorsteiner had to let the front fog lamps lose in order to make way for a removable carbon fiber front spoiler. The aerodynamic body kit, which is made of carbon fiber features larger front air intakes. At the back is a new rear bumper with twin-finned carbon fiber rear diffuser for the quad exhaust and comes wutg larger side vents to improve airflow while driving.
A carbon fiber wing also help to improve downforce and a carbon composite engine lid with extra air scoops to intake more air into this 997. The new 20-inch V306 wheels are forged from 3 pieces with a twin, 7 spoke design with a centre mesh. These wheels are come with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2. The tuned package will be on sale on the 23rd of March.