Porsche 914 is not like other Porsches. It has pop-up headlamps,
a vertical rear windshield, and a flat deck lid covering the rear
trunk and engine. It has no backseats so when you sit down,
you are practically on the floor, which is on the road.

The interior of the 914 is quite simple, not luxurious but with all
necessities. There?s not too much space other than the
passenger seat. The transmission is like the 928's with 1st
down and to the left. The 914 has a targa top, and like
911's, it stores in the trunk. But if you take off the top and
roll down the windows, the Porsche 914 is a pretty nice
little roadster.

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The initial plan was for Boxster to be produced in Finland for only two
years. Everybody thought that by that time the demand in Zuffenhausen
would decrease so that plant could handle all production. But the
Boxster demand remains high, and so does the one for 996, so
against all expectations the plant will remain busy for the foreseeable
future. Zuffenhausen can assemble 30,000 cars per year, so the only
way the Boxster would be moved entirely to Finland is if Porsche could
sell the better part of that many 996s. In the short term, that isn?t likely to
happen though. Most of the cars destined for North America are built
in Valmet.

Now it became impossible to specify where a car was built. Even ordering
Tourist Delivery doesn't force a Stuttgart build. Apparently some cars
are shipped from Finland to Stuttgart for Tourist Delivery.

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Porsche Panamera will be produced in the new plant at Leipzig
alongside the Cayenne. It is the first V8-engined sports car built
by Porsche since 1995, when the 928 was discontinued and
some consider it a suitable successor to the two-doored 928.
The company built the new model as a direct competitor to the
Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG and Maserati Quattroporte and
(to a lesser degree) a less expensive alternative to expensive
vehicles such the, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Bentley Continental GT
and Aston Martin Rapide.

Like Porsche Carrera`s name, the Panamera`s derives from the
Carrera Panamerican race. Before it, there were other four-door
sedans prototypes, such as the 1991 Porsche 989 prototype
or the even earlier 4 door prototype based on the 911, but they
never went into production.

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A more powerful second-generation Boxster was introduced in 2005
and it keeps Porsche?s conservative evolutionary path. Like its
precedent, it is a mid-engine, six-cylinder two-seater that looks like
Porsche Spyder. Still, over half of Boxster`s structure and electronics
are borrowed from the 911 Carrera.

The 2005 Boxster looks sprightlier than its 2004 equivalent, thanks
to the revision of the torque and the 15 added hp and the extra power
coming on strongly between 2000rpm and 4000 rpm. The 2005
Boxster S virtually equals the acceleration and top-speed performance
of Porsche's expensive 911 Carrera. The Boxster exhaust has been
tuned to play a distinctive tromboning wail like no other car. This is a
amazing thing thinking that both engines are smaller versions of the
six-cylinder in the Carrera.

The transmission for base Boxters is five-speed manual but the optional
variant offers a six-speed. Both models can also be fitted with a
five-speed Tiptronic, the superb Porsche-designed automatic transmission
that began the trend toward manually shifted automatics.

The bodywork and the interior of the Boxster are of high quality, but considering
that there?s noting tricky or purely decorative, we can definitely say that
these are not opulent cars. Still, the interior has been improved since the
old car was often criticized for being to cheap-looking. The center console
has been upgraded with revised switch-gear and titanium look paneling.
The seats are more supportive and body-shaped in the new version,
making them look absolutely superb. Unlike other roadsters, the Boxster
has no problem swallowing luggage for a long trip: it has two trunks, a
small one in the rear and an amply deep one under the front hood.

One of The Boxster`s best qualities is the powered convertible top, very quick
to retract or re-erect. In the new Boxster, the top can be operated at speeds
up to 30 mph. The triple-layer padded cloth tops (with a heated-glass rear
window) is as weather-tight and quiet as most metal roofs.

The Boxster is called a mid engine-car. The reason is that the sweet six-cylinder
engine is mounted behind the seats, just fore of the rear axle. So if you wand
to see what?s under the hood once in while, well?you can?t do that with The Boxster.
The only way to see the engine is from underneath or by meticulously removing
body panels, which mechanics must do to service the engine. But, the good
news is that having the engine mounted closer to the center of the car makes
for better weight distribution. And that?s what makes the car handle so well.

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The Cayman is strictly a two-seater because the engine sits
where the rear seats would otherwise be. This means that the
engine is not quite readily accessible, although there's a way
into the oil filler via the boot. Under that long tailgate, is revealed
a generous luggage area to supplement the front 911/Boxster-sized
boot. Like all other Porsche, the Cayman is not very big, which makes
it very practical and usable. And for all its obvious Boxster genes,
the Cayman is very much its own car with its curvaceous rear
wings and neat fastback roof. As with other Porsches, there's a
movable rear spoiler, which deploys above 120km/h.

Going back to were we started, the engine, the Cayman has 3.4
litres, a mix of the cylinder barrels of a 911 with the crankshaft of a
Boxster. A 911 engine is of 3.6 or 3.8 liters and a Boxster S has a
3.2-litre engine. It's a strange thing, but even though today's Porsche
engines are water-cooled, they still overlay their intake and exhaust
notes with a breathy whine like that of the giant air-cooling fans of old.

Basically, the Cayman is a mix and it doesn?t have a huge number
of new and unique parts. In short, the Cayman is a structure two
and a half times stiffer because it?s just a Boxster with a roof. In turn,
that means that the driving experience becomes much more focused
because its suspension can have tauter, sportier setting.

Porsche Cayman reaches a maximum speed of 275 km/h and gets
from zero to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, even if the fuel thirst is low
for such pace. The Cayman is especially good with the optional
Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), but unlike a 911,
it works well enough without it, thanks to a ride that's firm but seldom
turbulent. PASM makes the Cayman sit 10mm lower, and in its
Sport mode it tautens the damping. And it feels absolutely fantastic
when you have the Chrono option (complete with stopwatch for timing
your hot laps).

Bottom line, Porsche Cayman is a remarkable illustration
of a rigid, solid-roofed bodyshell's advantages. The Cayman S has
all the positive Porsche attributes you could want, and none of the
snags. It's not the fastest Porsche, not the fiercest, not the most
breathtaking. It is a pooling of other Porsche parts, which means
that the Cayman is not expensive to develop but it will generate big
profits. The new car, by the way, takes its name not from a tax-haven
archipelago, but from a type of crocodile.

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In 1983, Porsche returned to Formula One, supplying engines
badged as TAG units for the McLaren Team. It was a success
as the Porsche-powered cars won two constructor championships
in 1984 and 1985 and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

Less than ten years later, in 1991, Porsche returned as a engine
supplier, but this time the results were disastrous: Footwork, the
Porsche-powered cars, didn?t score a single point and at over half
of the races it even failed to qualify. Since that year, Porsche has
not participated to Formula One.

Still, lightly-modified Porsches participate in many competitions
around the world, mostly in amateur classes for enthusiasts. The
only professional category is the Porsche Michelin Supercup raced
as a support category for European Formula One rounds.

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We?ve decided to compare the methodical Porsche 911 Carrera
4S and the passionate Ferrari F430 because both of them astonish
with their performance while attempting to maintain a reasonable
amount of practicality but do not pretend to be anything other than
sports cars.

A modern sports car should feature these characteristics: it should be
started easily, maneuvered around town, blasted on a couple of
country roads, it looks and performs the part on a racetrack but at the
same time it is very safe.

The easier way to separate the two cars is by measuring figures since
both of them have mastered the modern sports car requirements and
basically there?s no other way to choose between these two phenomenal
cars.

What initially impresses is Ferrari's lightning fast 4-second 0-100km/h
acceleration and thrilling exhaust tone. As the occupants are pinned to
the seats, the new generation 4.3-litre V8 pushes out 368 snarling
kilowatts. Porsche?s acceleration also offers that kick in the pants a
super car should deliver, although it is 0.8 seconds slower at the 100 km/k
mark.

With such acceleration performance, it comes natural for both cars to
excel in the braking department. The two cars offer optional ceramic
discs for impressive stopping.

Porsche?s engine gets the upper hand as it is more refined and on
the economy rank leaps ahead Ferrari with a 11.8 liters per 100 km
as opposed to 18.3 liters. Both cars deliver the power through impressive
6-speed gearboxes and offer top rate handling performance.

Both F430 and Carrera4S offer great interior comfort and even if the
space is limited, the occupants don't feel claustrophobic and flustered.
Although an impressive mix of suede, carbon fiber and aluminum abound
in the Ferrari, the Italians stand no chance when it comes to the high finish
level attained by the Germans.

Speed and silence are key elements for any super car. The look and
appearance is the biggest draw card. The Carrera 4S is a typical Porsche,
despite the new proportions. It is a great looking car, like any other 911 but
somehow the styling no longer creates the jaw dropping reaction that the
Ferrari does. Indeed, traditionalists may say that Porsche pays homage to
its roots, but the truth is that Ferrari F430 simply draws the attention.

However, even if Ferrari F430 takes your breath away with its appearance,
the super car title goes to the Porsche Carrera 4S with a more complete all
round package.

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The 6-speed manual transmission is standard to all 911s. Optional,
we can choose the 5-speed automatic with manual shift gate and
steering-wheel controls. Standard, the 911s have antilock 4-wheel
disc brakes, antiskid/traction control and front side airbags. The
redesigned Careras include side airbags in the windowsills for head
protection. In the convertibles models, we find a power top and heated
glass rear window. A suspension with lowered ride height and shock
absorbers are standard on the Carrera S and optional on the Carrera. This
system helps adjusting firmness within driver selectable Normal and
Sport models. All other Porsche models have 18 inch wheels, but the Carrera
S has 19s. An option for the Carrera is a Sport Chrono Package. It includes
a dashboard-mounted stopwatch and it allows altering various engine and
chassis controls in order to improve driving performance. All 911s offer
a navigation system.

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The models available were initially coupe, cabriolet (luxury
convertible) and then roadster (a stripped down convertible).
Before being withdrawn in 1965, it went through several
changes. The most desirable versions were 356 ?Carrera?
(often sold for well over $150,000), ?Super 90? and ?Speedster?.
In the late 50`s, the original selling price for a Porsche was
$4,000.

In 1954, Max Hoffman, the only importer of Porsches into
United States needed a lower cost, racier version for the
American marker. Therefore, the company created 356
?Speedster? that became a instant hit thanks to the low, raked
windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats,
and minimal folding top. These days, this car is still very
appreciated as it is sold for over $100,000 and it has been used
in several films, including 48 Hours, its sequel ? Another 48
Hours and Top Gun. In 1957, the production of Speedster
peaked at 1,171 cars. In 1959 it was replaced by the Convertible
D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield,
glass side windows, and more comfortable seats.

Year after year, the basic shape of Porsche 356 remained the
same and was easily recognized and remarked, even though
changes were made, especially in the mechanical area. Coupe
and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965,
with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. The final model
build was 356 C that featured disc brakes and the most
powerful pushrod engine Porsche so far: the 95HP ?SC?.

In the year that Porsche launched 911, 1964, Porsche 356 production
peaked at 14,151 cars. Still, the company continued to sell the
356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost
vehicle. When the customers complained the price for 911 was
too high (almost twice the price of the 356), Porsche started
producing the 912, using the 356 engine. The 912model was
sold between 1965 and 1969.

56 years after the beginning of the production, Sports Car
International named 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports
cars of the 60`s. Today, the 356 is a respected car among the
collectors, as it stood the test of time. Worldwide, thousands of
356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and
driving them regularly.

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The new Porsche was full of luxury. The standard Turbo had
air-conditioning, electric windows, tinted glass, headlamp washers,
a leather interior and Bilstein shocks. Originally, it was supposed
to be a limited edition, with only 500 models to be sold. However,
the demand was so high that more than 1000 cars were sold. It was
now clear that Turbo would have a secure future.

What attracted so many customers was its huge rear wing, widened
wheel and big tires. This great look combined with the powerful engine
made the Turbo look faster than any other 911.

In 1978, the model was improved by the increase of the engine
capacity to 3.3 liter and some other modifications. Now the engine
produced 40 bhp more. The rear wing was also revised: the two
separate grilles were replaced by one larger smooth surface, placed
a little higher in order to make room for an intercooler.

In 1979 though, the Turbo was withdrawn from US and Japan, as a
response to the second energy crunch.

In 1986, Turbo became again available in the US. This was the first
year Porsche used flares that were created in the stamping ? process
of the fenders. In 1992 Porsche showed the Turbo S at Geneva's
Motorshow. It?s engine delivered 381 bhp. The car weighted 120
kg less then the standard Turbo and this helped making Turbo S
really fast. There were built only 80 Turbo S.

In 1993, the engine capacity was increased again, now reaching 3.6
liter. It was easily recognized by the Turbo 3.6 badge. Also, there was
a 93 Turbo 3.6 based 911 Turbo S built.

In 1996 Porsche launched yet another Turbo, based on the 993 series.
Its engine produced 408 bhp, featuring a six-speed gearbox and
four-wheel drive. It looked more elegant thanks to the less evocative
rear-wing. The wheels are 18 inch in diameter. It saves 20% of the
weight because the five spokes are hollow. The front wing has
air-ducts that lead extra cooling air to the brakes, making them more
powerful than before. They can stop the Turbo from 100 hm/h in 2.6
seconds and from 200km/h in just 5 seconds, increasing car?s safety.

Porsche has recently introduced the 996 Turbo. The styling is different
from the previous Turbo models. Its aerodynamics are improved, making
it much faster than the 993 Turbo. It gets to 100 km/h in only 4.2
seconds and has a top speed of 305 km/h. The new Turbo has a few
details that make it easy to recognize: bi-xenon headlights, air intakes
behind the doors and a movable rear-spoiler.

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