918 Spyder shows its face

While we've heard rumblings that Porsche was going to show its hot new 918 Spyder Hybrid Concept here at Pebble Beach, it appeared that the car was only going to be shown to a select few at private events scattered around the Monterey Peninsula during the week.

Well, today at the Pebble Beach Lodge, site of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the company surprised us by driving the hybrid supercar up to the concept lawn for all to see – and hear. They did a quick turn around after sitting still for a second and as the V8 rumble died away, the car started moving forward again. A couple of people were taken by surprise as they thought the driver may have forgotten to engage the parking brake, but no, the car had switched over to battery power.

We shot a little video and took a few pics as we pushed through the massive scrum surrounding the car when it finally came to rest. Follow the jump to see the video and click below to see our high-res images.

UPDATE: Porsche has revealed that the 918 Spyder actually made its driving debut a couple days earlier on a closed road in Monterey. The company kept the drive a secret, though produced a nice video of their own that really shows off how the car sounds under its own power. Added after the jump.

Original Autoblog Article

Countdown to Motion: Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid Drives.
from TangentVector on Vimeo.

Car Wallpaper Series I

Some car wallpaper for you guys to use. Dimensions in 1280x800.

California, 911, LP560, Viper

8C

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GT-R

Jay Leno's Garage: Porsche GT3

Jay Leno and Justin Bell talk about the GT3, Justin test drives the GT3 and visits Patrick Long at the ALMS race at Laguna Seca.

Classic Top Gear: Porsche Challenge

1500 pound Porsche Challenge. enjoy

Top Gear: Season 15, Episode 4

- Jeremy compares the Audi R8 Spyder against the 911 turbo convertible
- Jeremy, James and Hammond go caravaning
- The Stig still hates Rubens and gets paid in porn.

download here in 720p

or go to finalgear.com

Top Gear: Season 15, Episode 3

Another great episode by the Top Gear crew.
- Jeremy, James and Hammond compare the Maserati Quattroporte, Aston Martine Rapide and Porsche Panamera Turbo

- Rubens Barrichello and Rupert Grint stop by for a visit.

- Hammond compares the new Camaro SS to the new Merc E63 AMG.

download(torrent) here in 720p

or go to finalgear.com to get other versions or episodes

911 Speedster on the way?

from autoexpress.co.uk

TALK about a speed hump! A leaked document detailing Porsche’s product plans until the end of 2012 has revealed that the 911 Speedster is set to make a comeback. And our exclusive image shows how the style-
conscious two-seater could look.

Following hot on the heels of other recent retro-inspired special editions, such as the 911 Sport Classic and Boxster Spyder, the Speedster resurrects a legendary name not seen since the early Nineties. That model was the 964 Speedster which appeared in 1989 – a low-roof cabrio with unusual rear bodywork inspired by the
356 Speedster of the Fifties. Exactly 936 examples were built in standard and wide-body styles – a relatively short production run – and the modern incarnation will be an even rarer beast. Only 100 units will be produced, making it one of the most exclusive and distinctive Porsches ever to turn a wheel.

As you can see from our picture, the classic Speedster silhouette will be retained, albeit with a modern twist. The cut-down windscreen and wider bodywork add to the 911’s already low-slung appearance, while the oversize rear humps give the Speedster its signature shape and ensure it’s strictly a two-seater. Much like the Boxster Spyder’s tent-like canvas roof, a semi-permanent fabric hood is likely to be available – hence the red hoops you can see protruding from the bodywork.

Power will come from the same 3.8-litre flat-six as is used in the 911 Sport Classic. It’s based on the Carrera S unit, but engineers will liberate an extra 17bhp to take peak power to 402bhp. Performance-wise, expect the Speedster to live up to its name: 0-62mph will take around 4.5 seconds while a maximum of 190mph is possible. Rear-wheel drive and a limited-slip differential will ensure traditional Porsche handling, too.

However, exclusivity, excitement and a slice of the marque’s heritage won’t come cheap. Our sources say the Speedster is likely to nudge £200,000 when it goes on sale later this year.

And it’s not the only limited-edition model that Porsche is cooking up. A wide-bodied GTS version of the 911 is also due to go on sale next year. Featuring the Speedster’s more powerful 402bhp engine, it will come in both coupé and cabriolet variants costing around £80,000 and £90,000 respectively.

Top Gear: Season 15, Episode 2

The Porsche Boxster Spyder gives James May a "fizzling feeling." A new episode of Top Gear was just released. Just watched it, a lot better than the first episode and includes a "trackday car" challenge which is worth watching.

You can get it here in 720p.

or go to finalgear.com for the SD or 1080i version.