Get-Ad Free Access: Join Today!
From late 1992 through 1995, Porsche offered a lighter-weight "Club Sport" version of the 968 designed for enthusiasts seeking increased track performance. Much of the 968's luxury-oriented equipment was removed or taken off the options list; less sound deadening material was used and power windows were replaced with crank-driven units. Upgraded stereo systems, A/C and sunroof were still optional as on the standard Coupe and Convertible models.
In 1993, Porsche Motorsports at Weissach briefly produced a turbocharged 968 Turbo S. The 968 Turbo S shared the same body and interior as the Club Sport and visually can be identified by the NACA bonnet hood scoops, adjustable rear wing, three-piece speedline wheels and deeper front spoiler. The 968 Turbo S was powered by a 3.0 L engine with a 8-valve SOHC cylinder head (from the 944 Turbo S) and 944S2 style engine block. 0 - 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph.
It was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 914. The first-generation Boxster (the 986) was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model year car. The V-Series Boxster 2.5 rolled out in August 1996 from Porsche’s factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany. The design was heavily influenced by the 1993 Boxster Concept (which was a good thing). It was an instant success, becoming Porsche's biggest seller from its introduction in 1996 until the introduction of the Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2003. 
The third generation Boxster was a bigger car than the 987 it replaced, but it was also lighter and more powerful. The 2013 model year Boxster went through a downsize program and received a 2.7-liter boxer engine, which was 0.2-liter smaller than its predecessor. With 261 bhp @ 6700 rpm and 206 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm the base Boxster still felt underpowered to many. The base 981 Boxster got a 6-speed manual gearbox or you could opt for an optional 7-speed reworked PDK. The base car is plenty fast but if it were our money, we would opt for the more powerful Boxster S.
In November 2007, Porsche announced a commemorative RS60 Spyder edition of the Boxster to celebrate Porsche's 1960 win in the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida. Only 1,960 units were produced worldwide with each model bearing a numbered production badge on the dash. The RS60 Spyder came only in GT Silver Metallic exterior colour while the standard interior is Carrera Red leather, with dark gray leather as an option. The RS60 came standard with 19 inch SportDesign alloy wheels, Porsche's Active Suspension Management System, and a sports exhaust that increased the engine output to 303 PS (299 hp; 223 kW).
The second generation of Porsche Boxster came out in 2004 at the Paris Motor Show and shared almost the same design with its predecessor. The Boxster S came with the 3.2-liter flat-six engine mated to a standard 6-speed manual transmission, while a 5-speed Tiptronic S (automatic) with manual override to select gears was on the options list. The Porsche Stability Management was fitted as standard. It got a bump on power over the prior generation Boxster S as well as a newly modernized exterior design. The interior was also upgraded and was much nicer.
Unlike its Boxster brother, the S version of the mid-engined Porsche roadster offered a 3.4-liter unit from its predecessor, but with some improvements and a lower vehicle mass. It offered 311 hp and enough torque to push the car to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds if the car was fitted with PDK (automatic dual-clutch). The two-seat roadster featured a clean design interior, with influences from the Carrera GT super sports-car. The Boxster S was the sweeter of the two models.
Following in the footsteps of the nineteen fifties and sixties 356 Speedsters, 550 Spyders, different 718 Spyders and the two thousand ten Boxster 987 Spyder, the Boxster 981 Spyder is by far the most powerful of them. The power-to-weight ratio of the original 718 Spyder 1.7- and 2.0-litre 4-cylinder models was better though already 55 years earlier. Visually the Porsche Speedsters and Spyders are characterized by their unique side view silhouette - the result of the low windscreen and low roofline when the temporary canvas top is fitted.
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche's open-top, 603-hp, manually shifted Carrera GT makes other supercars seem quaint. It is arguably the best supercar ever made. Under the skin, the car used many modern hallmarks of motor sport engineering: a carbon fiber chassis, dry sump lubrication, inboard suspension and a mid-mounted engine that was engineered to sit as low as possible to ground. Performance on paper and in person was spectacular. Peak supercar.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo (2002 - 2007)
The first-generation Cayenne Turbo 955 has 450 PS (331 kW), and can accelerate from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.3 seconds. Under the hood, the Cayenne Turbo was fitted with a turbocharged 4.5-liter V8 unit mated to a standard 6-speed automatic. Thanks to the standard air-suspension, the Turbo version could get up to 28 cm (11”) of ground clearance. The German brand needed a car to sell in volumes and save them from a foreseeable financial collapse. The Cayenne Turbo did just that.
The 2013 model year saw the introduction of an all new platform, the new 981 Cayman. The differences between the 981 and 987 were significant, but not unexpected as many of the new technologies were already introduced in the new 991 and 981 Boxster. This is a big year with lots of changes in many areas. The base engine for the Cayman was a 2.7-liter flat-six unit that boosted out 236 hp and it was mated to a standard 5-speed gearbox. A 5-speed Tiptronic sequential gearbox was available as an option.
After the initial announcement that Porsche was going to release a small mid-engine coupe, we were all excited. In 2005 we finally got the Cayman S. A fast, mid-engine coupe in the Porsche lineup, starting with the S version as a 2006 model year car (the base model came a year later). The 2006 Porsche Cayman S was based on the Boxster series, the two-seat coupe incorporated dramatic new styling, a powerful 295 hp (SAE) engine, and features and options made popular by Porsche's current range of sports cars.
For 2013, Porsche gave us the new 981 generation Cayman. The Cayman S engine displacement is unchanged at 3.4 liters. Power is increased by 5 horsepower to 325, shooting the S from 0-60 mph in just 4.4 seconds while delivering as much as 30 miles per gallon (PDK & Sport Chrono+). There are two transmissions choices available in the 2013 Caymans, both carrying over from 2012. The Cayman S come standard with the 6 speed manual gearbox and 7 speed PDK was available as an option. The 981 Cayman S is arguably the best all around sports car that Porsche offers, the right balance between being fun and usable daily.
For the drivetrain, Porsche chose Cayenne as an inspiration model installing the 4.8-liter V8 engine under the hood. For the Panamera 4S, it fitted the car with an all-wheel-drive system and a 7-speed automatic (PDK – double-clutch) gearbox. The 400 hp Porsche 4-door hatchback was good for a 5-second run from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph).
The biggest change for the 2013 Panamera S was under the hood, where a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine was installed. It replaced the older 4.8-liter naturally aspirated unit. It was a win-win combination since it offered 20 hp more and it was more fuel-efficient. Unlike its predecessor, it was available exclusively with a 7-speed automatic (PDK – dual-clutch). The all-wheel-drive system was carried over, but the final drive was different to allow better fuel-efficiency.
More power and upgraded brakes, a body lowered by ten millimetres and the especially sportily tuned chassis with air suspension and PASM are the major technical modifications that make it the Panamera model capable of cutting it on the racing circuit – without sacrificing practicality. The power unit in the new Panamera GTS is a modified 4.8-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, delivering 434 hp (316 kW) at 6,700 rpm, while maximum torque also increased from 500 Nm to 520 Nm.
Porsche is introduced the world’s first plug-in hybrid to the luxury class. The Panamera S E-Hybrid far exceeds the driving performance of the previous model. The Panamera S E-Hybrid is a systematically advanced development of the parallel full hybrids with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performance battery that supplies more energy and the ability to charge it externally from the electrical grid. The acceleration time from a standstill to 100 km/h was shortened by half a second to 5.5 seconds.
As a top of the range version, the Panamera Turbo featured the same 4.8-liter V8 engine from the S-version, but with a pair of turbochargers that increased the power from 400 hp to 500 hp. It was available exclusively with a 7-speed automatic (PDK double-clutch) gearbox and all-wheel-drive. Inside, the Panamera Turbo designers took their inspiration from the Vertu luxury mobile phones, with high end appointments throughout. This is one quick and sporty sedan.
The Porsche Panamera Turbo got an update at the same time as the rest of the Panamera lineup for the 2014 model year. The 2014 Panamera Turbo got the same twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8 unit but now with more power. Power was 520 hp instead of 500 hp and it was coupled to the same 7-speed (PDK – double-clutch) automatic gearbox as before, but with a different final drive ratio. The Turbo was fitted with the PTM (Porsche Traction Management) all-wheel-drive system. With the Porsche Chrono Package, the car received an extra boost when needed.
The big news for 2014 was the introduction of an all-new Panamera Turbo executive model. It featured a 15 cm (5.9”) longer wheelbase than the Turbo. It was built to offer more legroom in the back. Strangely though, it was built especially for the Chinese market, where the long-wheelbase version of a car, any car, was considered an executive car by default. Basically, the Executive Panamera is an excuse for Porsche to elongate a Panamera Turbo by nearly six inches for an extra $19,800. All of the legroom goes to passengers in the back.
The sporty, luxurious character of the new Panamera Turbo S is evident not only in its driving performance but also in the key distinguishing features of its appearance. The Palladium, metallic exterior colour, which is available solely for the new Panamera Turbo S. Porsche added 50 additional horsepower than the Panamera Turbo. The 4.8-liter V8 turbocharged engine was mated to a standard PDK 7-speed automatic gearbox and gets PCCB (Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes) fitted as standard.
For the first time ever, an Executive version of the Panamera Turbo S is also available with a wheelbase that has been extended by 15 centimetres. As a result, the Panamera Turbo S Executive offers significantly more space and even more comfort, particularly at the rear. Thermal and noise-insulated windows, which include privacy glazing, the interior lighting package designed especially for the rear and a large centre console at the rear are just some of the extensive equipment options that belong to this series.
The 996 GT3 RS was a sharpened version of the Mk.2 GT3, built for track use and it was the homologation model for the GT3 race-car. It was the forbidden fruit for the U.S. and Canadian customers. It was available in a limited number and it was a true track-oriented vehicle. It was based on the GT3 version, but with fewer comfort features and even stiffer suspension. It was the kind of car which could have been taken from the shop and dive into the first race-track. The GT3 was available in white color only, with red or blue inscriptions on its sides. The adjustable rear wing and the “duck-tail” were mounted in the back, to provide better traction on higher speeds. It was fitted with the same engine as the GT3.
The third-generation 919 Hybrid (2016 MY) is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder, two-litre petrol engine delivering almost 500 hp that drives the rear axle. The V4 engine, which is fully load-bearing, is turbocharged and features 4-valves per cylinder, DOHC, a Garrett turbocharger, direct fuel injection and an aluminium cylinder crankcase. In addition, the electric motor delivering more than 400 hp to the front axle. The latter is fed by two energy recovery systems.
The rear-wheel drive and naturally aspirated 4.8-litre V8 make the first Panamera S a great all around passenger car with sports car energy. The Porsche Panamera 4S is an all wheel drive vehicle, with its engine placed in the front, and a 4 door saloon (sedan) body. The Porsche Panamera 4S belongs to the 970 range of cars from Porsche. Power is supplied by a double overhead camshaft, 4.8 litre naturally aspirated 8 cylinder motor.