Porsche recently launched the “all-new” 2012 Porsche 911 and more recently the “all-new” 2012 Porsche Boxster. But it seems both of these cars look totally like the previous models they replaced, and I’m sure that if you told a 15-year-old nonchalent teen or a pretty 25-year-old girl from Essex that these are brand new models, they’d probably say you’re telling porkies. The reason is that Porsche undeniably look similar to one another. You can clearly see the DNA of the first Porsche, the 356 in the current 911, Cayenne, Boxster, Cayman and the Panamera. You also saw the same basic styling in discontinued models like the 968 and the 928 too.

The original Porsche 356 gave birth to all of them from its tiny, tiny tailpipes and there’s a running joke amongst motor hacks that Porsche employ a bunch of lazy designers that use the same template for all Porsches they churn out of the factor. Note that Porsches have the same frog-like rounded front and rounded rear. You could clearly tell that the Cayenne is an SUV or that the Panamera is a 4 door sedan, but because they have the same basic design cues, any car clueless person would be able to recognise that the car is a Porsche.

But if you really think about it, isn’t this a good thing?

You see it wasn’t as if Porsche didn’t want to change. A while back in the era of bell bottoms, side burns and Farah Fawcett, Porsche tried to change its designs by coming up with 911 replacement models for the lower end and upper end of the markets. Porsche brought out cars like the 924, 944, 968 and the 928 (above). These sprung from the mid 1970s to the mid 1990s and Porsche did achieve some success. But none of those models, no matter how good they were, could ever usurp the sales of the mighty 911.

People continued buying 911s regardless of the fact that its rear-engined design meant that it was apparently flawed. It was a tail happy mongrel and loved putting itself and the driver through hedges and ditch. Most of the time it went backwards into them due to its inherent design characteristics (or flaws) of having the engine hanging out of its arse.

Now we have to note that the same people who bought the 911 must have also tried the front-engined and more luxurious 928 in the showrooms but even they still bought the “flawed” car that actually looked like a toad from some unflattering angles. Porsche consumers loved the slightly bulbous shape of the 911 and the sound of the flat 6 engine so much that they refused to change their minds and purchase what even Porsche thought was the better car at the time.

Unfortunately that led to the 928 and the lesser 968 (which was the final version of the 924/944 series) to be discontinued. Porsche then launched the Boxster as a replacement for the 968. This was mid-engined but it looked very much like its big brother and was an instant sales success. Porsche fans took to it like a duck to water and it became Porsche’s success story. Or maybe Porsche sports car customers only like mid/rear engines?

Porsche’s car lineup then expanded to include an SUV. Incredible, a Porsche Jeep! In not so many words. The extremely successful Porsche Cayenne SUV (below) is actually awkward to look at but somehow managed to capture the hearts and souls of people who were never even fans of the 911 in the first place. This success story has since continued with the Panamera. Some critics say the cars looks ugly as heck, or lazily designed as they all look the same. But some of you Car Throttlers actually think that the Porsche design is a design classic. Its design clues are so recognizable that even a person who does not like cars will recognise a Porsche when they see one. And I have to repeat, isn’t that a very good thing?

You see, Porsche has done a Coca Cola, a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck and a Rolex. It has become a design icon. None of the items mentioned above has changed much over the years. Every few years Coca Cola, Mont Blanc or Rolex will spruce their products up a little by rounding off an edge or two or making it slightly chunkier or slimmer (depending on the tastes of that decade). But the over-riding design styles remain.

The Porsche silhouette is already considered a classic in automotive design. Humanity has basically decided that these style designs have reached a pinnacle that cannot be altered but merely refined bit by bit in accordance with the taste of the period. Remember, Porsche have already tried and failed. So if it ain’t broken now, why fix or change it?

And so Porsche had basically decided to evolve slowly and not make drastic changes over the years. They only slightly alter the design of the car a little year after year. In the 2012 Porsche 911 (above) the engine is still in the wrong place but the suspension has been improved so much so that this 911 can bend the laws of physics and possibly the space-time continuum – even the base model is now as fast as a GT3 round the Nurburgring. And if it does break away, the tail slides progressively and it won’t kill its owner or hurt his ego too badly. This is the same with the the newly launched Boxster. Much has changed on the inside, but not a great deal on the outside. And I’m glad.

I rest my case, your honour.

With all the Cayenne, Panamera and Cajun talk coming from Porsche, its nice to focus on the original car that started it all – the 911. We’re focusing on that a little earlier than expected too. The 911 was scheduled to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, but new photos of the car have leaked out in advance of that. We aren’t complaining!

The new 911 greets you with a face that is more wide-eyed, but still recognizably 911. In fact, if memory serves us correctly this is one of the tamer generation changeovers for the 911. However, while styling might be similar, the 911 is no mid-cyle enhancement. The car is all-new, and 2 inches longer than the previous 997. Bigger is better right?

The interior has been redesigned with a new Panamera-like center tunnel that houses control switches. It is a lot more simpler and driver focused however, and that is just how we like it.

Other than visuals, we do know the car will be featuring a brand new seven-speed manual, along with the Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK, and there is a reason they call it that) dual-clutch transmission. Under the (rear) hood, is a 3.4-liter flat six-cylinder in the Carrera. It makes 350 horsepower and 280 pound feet of torque.

Moving up to the Carrera S nets you 50 extra horsepower from a larger 3.8-liter six. Engine updates beginning in the 2010 model year for the current 911, along with the PDK transmission, offered impressive gains in fuel efficiency and emissions. Expect the new car to continue that trend with some impressive numbers. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, what do you think about the next-generation 911? Check out the gallery below and let us know.

No, that isn’t the next-generation 911 pictured above – it is the special Speedster model. We just wanted a reason to use that picture. However, the release of the new Porsche 911 is nearing. For enthusiasts, a new version of the 911 is always a big event. The 911 is scheduled to make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

That means over the next few months we will be subject to the inevitable teasers that come with a major new release. The first has arrived from Porsche showing the 911 hot weather testing in the South African heat.

The 911 is in the final validation stages of testing. Porsche is intent on keeping most of the styling changes covered up with camouflage, but we know isn’t changing (duh) is that unmistakable shape.

The next 911 will be getting larger in size, while reducing weight in order to help performance and fuel-efficiency. A pair of seven-speed transmissions in standard manual and PDK variations are also on the menu. It promises to be the latest and greatest 911 and with Porsche’s track record, we don’t doubt that.

In May of this year, Porsche introduced what is known as the fastest Porsche production road car ever – the 911 GT2 RS. Yes, even faster than dedicated supercars like mid-engined Carrera GT.

In what has become an ongoing battle between the two, the car also beats the Nissan GT-R’s fastest claim around the Nurburgring by 8 seconds. We’ll have to see how the new Nissan GT-R fares – this battle is far from over.

The limited run of 500 copies of the 911 GT2 RS sold out quickly after order availability opened up in October. All 500 cars being spoken for isn’t stopping the aftermarket from trying to woo the car’s buyers to up the performance ante even further though. For those out there looking for something extra – yes even in a GT2 RS – Porsche tuner Wimmer is happy to oblige.

The GT2′s stock figures stand at 620 horsepower and 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 205 mph. Wimmer’s tweaks take the car from 620 to 703 horsepower, with torque up to 597.5 pound feet.

Top speed now stands at 221.2 mph and the all-important 0- 62 mph figure arrives in just 3.3 seconds. The bump in power comes from a new air intake, recalibrated engine control software, optimized turbochargers and redesigned exhaust system. Other than details are few and there isn’t any word on price. We doubt that will be too much of a concern to Wimmer’s clients.

Each one seems to be aimed at hitting a certain target and competing with a particular vehicle.

The 911 GT2 RS is one of such variants – most likely aimed at toppling the Nissan GT-R’s performance claims around the Nurburging. Porsche is intent on maintaining its status as the fastest around that track.

The GT2 was introduced back in May covered by fellow writer James, who declared it the “baddest Porsche EVER.” Porsche says so too, as it is the highest-performance Porsche road car ever.

With these figures it isn’t hard to see why: packing 620 horsepower the 911 GT2 powers to 62 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 205 mph.

The title of Porsche’s fastest doesn’t come cheap –  $245,000, but in typical Porsche fashion all 500 examples are already spoken for.

It isn’t clear when ordering started exactly, but it appears to be at the beginning of this month. After its internet debut in May, the car got a presentation at the Moscow Auto Show in August.

Gone so fast, what a bummer – we had $245,000 laying around and were just about to order ours….

It is good to see the traditional gran turismo coupe alive at BMW, and it bodes well for the upcoming four-door Gran Coupe. To show off the new 6-Series, BMW made two new videos of the new coupe. Action packed they are not – but its great to see the car inside and out from a variety of angles.

Motor Trend Compares Chevrolet ZR1 and Porsche 911 Turbo

Throughout the storied history of the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911 model lines, the two have been pitted against each other. Both are the darlings of the automotive media – and both couldn’t be further apart in approach.

However, comparisons persist between the best of America and Germany. Motor Trend is happy to continue that with its latest video, putting the Corvette ZR1 against the Porsche 911 Turbo. Check out the video below and leave us your thoughts on which one you would choose in the comments below.

That doesn’t mean there can’t be some unique variations of it though. Auto Express says a 911 Speedster is in the works, based off information from a Porsche document the magazine obtained.

It supposedly revealed detailed Porsche product plans until 2012. The 911 Speedster model would pay homage to the classic 356 Speedster, with a limited run of only 100 units at a price of around $300,000 (£200,000) each.

As far as design, there will be a cut-down windshield, wider bodywork and oversize rear humps for what will be a strict two-seater.

When is there really enough photographs of a Ferrari? To us, there isn’t. That is why we’re bringing to you the latest pictures on Ferrari’s fastest, the 599 GTO. In case you didn’t remember its specifications, we’ll give you a little refresher. The GTO is motivated by a 6.0-liter V-12 derived from the engine in the Enzo. It makes 661 horsepower and 457 pound feet of torque.

That is good enough for a dash to to 62 miles per hour in just 3.35 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 208 mph. It can also lap the Fiorano test track in a crazy-fast 1 minute and 24 seconds. That even beats the Enzo!

With a front-engined layout, the 599 pays homage to the classic GTO, and is built in a limited run of 599 units. Check out a few of the new images below.

The company challenged Porsche to a race pitting the 911 Carrera S versus the MINI Cooper S. Ridiculous, right? But marketing brilliance. They set the date for June 21 at the Road Atlanta raceway, close to Porsche’s United States headquarters.

For MINI, it was a win-win – just getting Porsche to accept was a huge win for press coverage. If the Porsche won (which is a given) it would be what everyone expected. In the unlikely event the MINI won, it would be a huge upset. If (when?) Porsche rejected, you have the headline you see here. Check the statement below, made by Porsche to MINI about the challenge.

Dear Jim,

Imagine our surprise to discover our former employee, now the head of Mini, has challenged us to a head-to-head race. As you surely know, Porsche has a long history of racing success, with more than 28,000 wins over the last 60 years. In our early days, we pitted ourselves against the giants, so we’ve been in your shoes.

But as you also know, Porsche doesn’t race for fame, stunts or publicity. We race to challenge ourselves; we race to push sports car technology; we race to translate every win on the track to our cars on the road. If you need a reminder of our intent, please take a look at this short video: http://tinyurl.com/37xdjqx

While your challenge seems like a fun and lighthearted campaign, we’ll stick to racing the way we have over the decades. We welcome you at Sebring, Le Mans, Daytona or any other sanctioned race where there is more at stake than T-shirts and valet parking spaces. We also invite you to any of the thousands of tracks around the world where Porsche owners compete each weekend. Good luck with your race at Road Atlanta on June 21; we hope you enjoy the day.

Sincerely,
Detlev Von Platen
President and CEO, Porsche Cars North America

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid has a unique powertrain – definitely not a conventional hybrid. There is, of course, the usual Porsche rear engined setup, with a 480-horsepower 4.0-liter flat-six.

This time though, it works in concert with two electric motors that power the front wheels as well, becoming an all-wheel drive system.

What sets the 911 GT3 R Hybrid apart is the way electric power in the car is utilized. With the advantage of being a one-seat race car, the passenger seat area is made to house a flywheel. It is designed to harnesses the large amounts of energy the 911 GT3 R creates during braking.

It can spin at over 40,000 rpm. Once there is a certain amount of electric energy is stored,  over 120 kilowatts – about 160 horsepower – is available to the driver in six to eight second boosts.

A button mounted on the steering wheel activates the system. This is our kind of hybrid! The 911 GT3 R is running the ‘Ring getting ready for the race with AT&T Williams Formula 1 pilot Nico Hülkenberg at the helm.

This car follows Porsche’s last entry in this category, the 911 GT3 Cup. Porsche says the focus of the new GT3 R model was “easier” handling and better drivability.

The GT3 R’s naturally-aspirated 4.0 liter (size increased over the standard) makes 480 brake horsepower and is mated to a sequential six-speed “dog” gearbox. The 480 bhp power output is an increase over the 450 bhp on the GT3 Cup.

Look at those headlights! They look like ones used on older 911s. The changes that focused for “better drivability” mainly include an anti-lock braking system, traction control and an “e-gas with throttle blip function” – these are changes Porsche says makes the car more appropriate for an amateur racing driver.

I’m not sure an “amateur racing driver” would be buying one of these, but I digress. The new 911 GT3 R is set to make its debut at the Birmingham Motor Show on January 14th, 2010.

The GT3 R is built by Porsche’s Motorsport Department at the Weissach Development Centre and will be delivered in spring of next year. Base price? Big surprise (not) – but it isn’t cheap: the Porsche 911 GT3 R comes in at 279,000 euros ($415K USD at current exchange rates). The three pictures shown are the only ones released by Porsche for now.