Total 911

997 at Reims

Phil Raby — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:05:55 +0000

While pro-snapper Ali Cusick was busy with thousands of pounds worth of EOS gear, I happily snapped away with my 59p Best Camera iPhone app. Here are the results. Pro pix to follow!

997 at Brooklands

Phil Raby — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:16:07 +0000

Sneak preview of a 964RS photoshoot

Phil Raby — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:24:28 +0000

New Porsche iPhone app

Phil Raby — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:37:57 +0000

You can now explore the new Porsche Hybrids on your iPhone with an official free app. Click here to download.

What a different 60 years make…

Phil Raby — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:47:33 +0000

The first ever Porsche was built in 1948 – a achingly beautiful mid-engined roadster.

The latest Porsche to appear is the 2010 918 Spyder concept – also a mid-engined roadster.

The first car is very obviously a Porsche – those sensual curves are what most people relate to the marque and can be seen in the 356s, 911s and Boxsters that have followed.

But does the 918 have Porsche design values? Paint it red and it could almost be a Ferrari. It certainly doesn’t have the purity of design of the 1948 car, but that’s because modern cars require numerous air intakes, aerodynamic aids and have to conform to various safety requirements.

Of course, not all Porsches have shared the DNA of that first car – think of the pretty 924, the muscular 944, the boxy 914 and the spacecraft-like 928. Maybe it’s time to see a fresh design direction from Porsche – it’s just a shame the company didn’t think that when they tried to make the original Cayenne have 911 styling hints…

Mid-engined Porsches? They started off like that

Phil Raby — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:27:38 +0000

The unveiling of the 918 Spyder concept car brings to mind the old mid- versus mid-engined debate. Some 911 enthusiasts argue that having the engine at the back is the only way a ‘real’ Porsche should be, while 914 and Boxster owners argue the case for the balanced handling of a mid-engined car.

What’s not widely known, though, is that the first ever Porsche – built in 1948 and now known as ‘Number One’ – was, in fact, mid-engined. This gorgeous-looking creation was hand-made from aluminium and remains a thing of great beauty. Ferdinand Porsche, however, decreded that the engine should be ‘turned round’ for subsequent Porsches, because of the obvious packaging advantages (this is the man who designed the Beetle, remember) – by doing so, he made room for a pair of rear seats.

That rear-engined car went on to become the 356 and the configaration was retained for the 911, and a legend was born.

It’s interesting to think what might have happened if Herr Porsche had opted for handling over practicality and retained the mid-engined layout. Would we today be driving around in mid-engined, two-seater 911s, or would the car not have been such a success and been replaced years ago?

Should you write off a write-off?

Phil Raby — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:42:33 +0000

I spotted a 1998 996 Carrera for sale for £13,000 recently. Cheap, even for a Tiptronic, but remarkably so for a car claimed to have only 39,000 miles on the clock.
Then, the next day, the same car was up for just £8000. The seller had added a note to the advert saying he’d just been told the Porsche had been registered as a Category D in 2004 but he’d never known.
What does this mean? Well, basically it means that the car had suffered some form of damage and an insurance assessor subsequently deemed that, although the car could safely be repaired, it would be uneconomical to do so. The usual reason for this is that repairs would cost at least 60 percent of the vehicle’s value, so the insurance company would rather pay out for a replacement vehicle.
Such cars are often subsequently bought from the insurance company and repaired, which is quite legal so long as the seller is clear about the car’s history, and the price reflects that history.
Now, a Cat D car is always going to be worth less but I think this seller had panicked and dropped the price more than he needed to. Assuming the car would have been worth £13,000 if it had not been written off, I’d suggest that with this history, it would still have been worth at least £10,000. So someone somewhere has got a bargain.
My first experience with a Cat D car was some years ago when I had a Peugeot 205 1.9 GTi – a great little car. One night, the entire leather interior was stolen from it, and the cost of replacing this and putting right some damage the thieves caused came to some £3000, and the car was only worth about £4500, so the assessor wrote it off. Not wanting to lose an otherwise great car, I did a deal with the insurance company whereby I kept the car and they paid me a reasonable sum. I was then able to source a second-hand set of seats (I did wonder if I’d be buying back my own ones!) and get the damage repaired for far less than £3000.
A good result, although I knew that my car was now registered Cat D and would always be worth less, even though it had never suffered any accident damage.
Indeed, most Cat D cars haven’t suffered major damage and, as such, can make good second-hand buys, so long as they are priced accordingly and, when you come to sell, you are transparent about the car’s history.
Sadly, not all sellers are so honest while others may be genuinely ignorant of their car’s history, so it’s essential to do an HPI check before buying any car. I assume that’s how the seller of this Porsche discovered the grim truth – a prospective buyer ran a check on it.
By the way, there are four categories of insurance write-off in the UK:
Category A: Scrap only with few or no economically salvageable parts and which is of value only for scrap metal.
Category B: Break for spare parts if economically viable (excluding any residual scrap value).
Category C: Repairable but repair costs (including VAT) would exceed 100 percent of the vehicle’s pre-accident value.
Category D: Repairable vehicle where repair costs including VAT do not exceed around 60 percent of the vehicle’s pre-accident value.
Category A and B cars are generally deemed unfit to repair safely. However, you are allowed to do so, but the repaired vehicle must be subjected to an engineer’s report and a vehicle identity check before it can be returned to the road. A Cat C vehicle must also go through these checks. If a Cat A, B or C car is reregistered, the history will be recorded on the V5 document, but a Cat D won’t be. However, a vehicle check will flag up all four categories.
Personally, I’d steer clear of all the above with the exception of a Cat D, so long as I was convinced it had been repaired properly and was sensibly priced. Indeed, I wish I’d be quick enough to snap up that 996!

Porsche 918 Spyder interior photos

Phil Raby — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:38:53 +0000

Porsche 918 concept car

Phil Raby — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:41:55 +0000

Yet another surprise announcement from Porsche. This time, the 918 Spyder concept car with a hybrid drive. We don’t have many details at the moment, but this is what Porsche has released:

Michael Macht, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, presented the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car at its world debut in Geneva. This mid-engined two-seater combines the performance of a super-sports car with the CO2 emissions of a small compact, an innovative plug-in hybrid concept reducing emissions to just 70 grams CO2 per kilometre and fuel consumption to 3.0 litres/100 kilometres (94 mpg imp). Within this concept Porsche combines a V8 power unit delivering more than 500 hp and three electric motors with overall output of 160 kW.
In its design and interior architecture, the Porsche 918 Spyder combines classic elements with appropriate solutions for the future. Starting on Tuesday, March 2nd, at 8:15 am (CET), the Porsche 918 Spyder will also be presented at the Porsche Stand in Hall 6 of the Palexpo Building during the Geneva Motor Show.

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept combines high-tech racing features with electric-mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities. Faster than a Porsche Carrera GT, it offers the performance of a super sports car with acceleration from a standstill to 60 mph in under 3.2 seconds, top speed of 198, and a lap time on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring in less than 7:30 minutes. At the same time, planned emission levels of just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer on fuel consumption of approximately 78 mpg U.S., is off the charts, and better by far than today’s ultra-compact city cars and hybrids.

Innovative Powertrain Combines Race-Bred V8 Engine with Electric Drive

This open two-seater is powered by a high-revving V8 developing more than 500 horsepower and a maximum engine speed of 9,200 rpm – as well as electric motors on the front and rear axle with overall mechanical output of 218 horsepower (160 kW).

The V8 combustion engine is the next step in the evolution of the highly successful 3.4-liter power unit already featured in the RS Spyder racing car and positioned mid-ship, in front of the rear axle, giving the car excellent balance and the right set-up for supreme performance on the race track.

Power is transmitted to the wheels by a seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission that feeds the power of the electric drive system to the rear axle. The front-wheel electric drive powers the wheels through a fixed transmission ratio.

The energy reservoir is a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery positioned behind the passenger cell. The big advantage of a plug-in hybrid is that the battery can be charged on the regular electrical network. A further point is that the car’s kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy fed into the battery when applying the brakes, thus providing additional energy for fast and dynamic acceleration.

Four Distinct Driving Modes

A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose among four different running modes: The E-Drive mode is for running the car under electric power alone, with a range of up to 25 km or 16 miles. In the Hybrid mode, the 918 Spyder uses both the electric motors and the combustion engine as a function of driving conditions and requirements, offering a range from particularly fuel-efficient all the way to extra-powerful.

The Sport Hybrid mode uses both drive systems, but with the focus on performance. Most of the drive power goes to the rear wheels, with Torque Vectoring serving to additionally improve the car’s driving dynamics.

In the Race Hybrid mode the drive systems are focused on pure performance with the highest standard of driving dynamics on the track, running at the limit to their power and dynamic output. With the battery sufficiently charged, a push-to-pass button feeds in additional electrical power (E-Boost), when overtaking or for even better performance.

With the hybrid drive system offering this wide range of individual modes and applications, the 918 Spyder is able either to achieve lap times comparable to those of a thoroughbred racing car, or the extremely low emissions and high fuel economy figures of a plug-in hybrid.

Advanced body structure and design offer more than just good looks

Like the drivetrain, the lightweight body structure of the Porsche 918 Spyder also bears out the car’s DNA carried over directly from motorsport: The modular structure with its monocoque bodyshell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP) and liberal use of magnesium and aluminum not only reduce weight to below 1,490 kg, or 3,285 lb, but also ensure supreme driving precision thanks to a high level of torsional stiffness.

Reminiscent of highly successful, legendary racing cars such as the Porsche 917 and the current Porsche RS Spyder, the 918 Spyder, with its design concept so typical of Porsche arouses powerful emotions. The combination of racing car dimensions, clearly structured design with perfectly balanced surfaces, and innovative details throughout, creates an ideal synthesis of form and function – following Porsche’s design DNA.

The smooth balance of tradition and progress gives the car a powerful stance on the road. Variable aerodynamics, typical of Porsche, ensures both visionary and traditional highlights especially around the rear spoiler. The striking rear hoods extending out of the headrests, in turn, not only fulfill an aerodynamic function on the 918 Spyder, but also accommodate retractable air intakes with a ram air function.

High-tech Interior Provides Glimpse into the Future

The driver and passenger are not only embedded in contoured sports bucket seats but also form part of the cockpit, which provides a synthesis of efficient functionality and ergonomic high-tech operation. Additionally, the cockpit offers a glimpse at the potential interior architecture of future Porsche super sports cars. The three free-standing circular dials for road speed (left), engine speed (middle) and energy management (right) would appear to come directly from a racing car in the ‘60s, bearing out that unique philosophy of driver orientation so characteristic of Porsche.

The center console rises up towards the front in the 918 Spyder and houses a touch screen for intuitive control of the car’s functions, serving to reduce the number of visible controls and maintain the principle of direct operation.

The control units relevant to the driver are mainly concentrated on the three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel, while the variable driving modes are supplemented by a switch enabling the driver to call up various drive programs and serving as the push-to-pass button for E-boosting. Instrument illumination, finally, varies from green for the consumption-oriented running modes to red for the performance-oriented driving programs.

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept also comes with further innovative functions such as the Range Manager. After being activated in the Center Display, the Range Manager uses the map in the navigation system to present the remaining range the car is able to cover, naturally allowing the driver to influence that range through the appropriate choice of power and performance. In cities with environmental alert areas the Range Manager also states whether the driver is able to reach a certain destination on electric power alone.

Applying this information and using further info on the availability and location of special energy filling stations, the driver is then able to choose his personal style of driving as well as the right battery charge and filling strategy.

Offering a unique combination of extremely low fuel consumption, supreme performance and long electric range, the Porsche 918 Spyder concept represents an essential milestone in Porsche’s strategy on the way to genuine electric-mobility.

One of our 911s is missing

Phil Raby — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:20:38 +0000

It’s hard to believe, says John Boggiano, but there’s definitely a gap in the 911 range…

On Wednesday this week, I ordered a Boxster Spyder. Oh, I’m sorry – you weren’t ready for that were you? I should have told you to sit down. Or lie down. Or not read this at all. Anyway, pull yourself together, pour yourself a stiff drink and I’ll get back on message in a minute.

To recap briefly my recent Porsche ownership – I had a 964 Carrera 2 for absolutely ages, sold it and bought a 997 GT3, which I kept for a couple of years and then recently I bought back my 964. As I keep explaining to people who ask me why I switched (in either direction), I am one of those people who is lucky enough to appreciate pretty well the entire 911 spectrum. Show me an early 911S and I’ll want to take it home and keep it forever. Show me a GT3 RS and I’ll want to thrash the pants off it somewhere suitable (although somewhere unsuitable would be even more exciting). Air-cooled or high-tech: I want them all.

As far as the modern stuff goes, there seems to be a 911 to suit everybody at the moment, and almost all of them suit me depending on my mood. Yet for all that, I now realise that there is something missing; an absentee from the range that it just so happens would have been just right for me at this precise point in time. And that’s why I ordered the Spyder.

Looking back a few months, who in their right mind would have thought of this? A two-seater, open-topped, mid-engined version of, well, a two-seater, open-topped, mid-engined sports car. But one that’s not as good as the normal version, in many respects. And costs more! Even I would have been forced to concede that such an idea would be marketing gone mad; a niche car that created its own niche, and probably a niche into which nobody would look.

It just goes to show that I don’t have a clue about this stuff. I’m not a marketing expert. Otherwise, why would one of these cars be (at this very moment, quite possibly) bobbing along a production line and wearing a little tag with my name on it? The thing is, more often than not, we punters don’t really know what we want until it’s put in front of us. That’s why those pre-planning, car-design customer focus groups lead inevitably to dull, uninnovative cars that nobody wants. We’re not the experts at this stuff. Many years ago I remember reading a little story about a small boy who was brilliant at drawing cartoons. Asked if he’d like to be a professional animator when he grew up, he replied after some thought that, no, he wouldn’t because it would spoil the fun of watching a cartoon if he knew what was coming. I know what he meant.

If I can just try to pull this train of thought back on track for a moment, the plain fact is that this little niche-slotted oddity that I have committed to has highlighted a hole in the 911 range. Given the plethora of models, specifications, body-styles and transmissions currently available to the man in the street who thinks of buying a 911, it genuinely came as a bit of a shock spotting this gap, but it’s there all right. I know it’s there because having gone looking for the most appealing elements of the Boxster Spyder in its bigger brother, I couldn’t find them.

I suppose this particular niche went unfilled when the change from air- to liquid-cooling happened. Porsche realised that contemporary buyers were after a bit of luxury and comfort, plus a few toys and so on – even those who wanted their 911 to have a bit of an edge. Thus the ‘chuck-out-all-the-surplus-kit’ approach of the earlier RSs gave way to the ‘performance-through-hard-core-brute-force’ approach of the GT3. Modern techniques made it possible to have your cake and eat it, allowing precise handling and blistering performance without losing much of the comfort and safety in pursuit of ultra-low weight. And it’s been that way since then. Even the RS versions of GT3s don’t go too far down the lightweight road – no missing glovebox lids or properly-stripped interiors here. Frankly, even if they did, that would be too hard-core for what I’m looking for.

My current want-niche is at the other end of the spectrum. The end that doesn’t need masses of power, loads of grip, humungous brakes, devastating performance or an ultimate track time. Nor indeed does it need the last word in luxury or comfort, toys or equipment. In this little niche, what’s needed is what we would once have called a 911 with ‘honesty’. That is to say, one that is basic, pure and fun to drive. It needs to be as light as possible without going to ridiculous extremes, devoid of almost everything as far as equipment goes (let the buyer himself select carefully those few extras that suit him), and offering a delightful, engaging driving experience.

It also needs to be distinctive, to further help make it feel special. The double-dome roof of the 911 Sport Classic, together with its ducktail, is along the right lines. But that car’s too luxurious and the price too astronomical.

Make something similar; something special to look at and fun to drive, light, cheerful and just a little more Spartan than the norm, at a reasonable price and you’ve got a winner, Porsche. I’d have ordered one on Wednesday…