Product Reviews Net » Porsche http://www.product-reviews.net Information on the latest gadgets, technology, news and product reviews Sun, 27 May 2012 08:13:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Porsche and BMW recall over potential problems http://www.product-reviews.net/2012/03/26/porsche-and-bmw-recall-over-potential-problems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-and-bmw-recall-over-potential-problems http://www.product-reviews.net/2012/03/26/porsche-and-bmw-recall-over-potential-problems/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:05:20 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=149854 It’s a bad day if you are the owner of a German built car because both Porsche and BMW have announced a recall of some of their vehicles over potential problems. The former are recalling the 2012 911 Carrera S while the latter is having to recall the 2003 and 2010 BMW 5 and 6 series.

The issue with the 911 is because there could be interference with the coolant and fuel line, which in some cases could mean that the fuel line could become disconnected to the connector, if this happens then fuel could leak causing a misfire or in some cases the car could stall, which could be dangerous in certain situations and could even catch fire.

Those who have affected vehicles will be notified by Porsche and have their car booked in to be repaired for free, this should begin in April. For those who fear they have an affected model should contact Porsche on 1-800-767-7243. More details can be found by visiting the NHTSA website.

As for BMW the issue is much worse because there are 1.3 million vehicles being recalled due to a potential issue with the battery-cable cover, we are told that this is one of the largest recalls for the German automaker. There are cases where the cable cover that is inside the trunk/boot could be fitted incorrectly, if this is the case then there could be a failure with the electrical system, which could lead to a possible fire risk.

BMW 5 and 6 Series built between 2003 and 2010 could be affected so you are advised to contact your local dealer or customer service in your region; thankfully there have been no reports of injury. Those affected by the recall will be notified by BMW soon and the free fix will only take 30 minutes to resolve. Again more details on this recall can be found by heading over to the WSJ.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2012/03/26/porsche-and-bmw-recall-over-potential-problems/feed/ 1 New Porsche 911 specs and first impressions from prototype http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/04/new-porsche-911-specs-andfirst-impressions-from-prototype/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-porsche-911-specs-andfirst-impressions-from-prototype http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/04/new-porsche-911-specs-andfirst-impressions-from-prototype/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:37:39 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=136003 Today we can reveal that a new Porsche 911 is coming, this will be unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September and it boasts a complete redesign, those of you who are Porsche fans will know that this will be the third new 911 design since the first model arrived 48 years ago.

Back in February TopGear.co.uk got some hands on time with a prototype of this car, however they were sworn to secrecy, now they have revealed everything they know about the new 911 and it seems great, you can see a full gallery of photos here. One thing Top Gear’s Paul Horrell does say is if you compare the most recent 911 to this new model you will see that this is the biggest change ever.

According to TopGear’s mini review the new 911 sounds very similar too previous models, which is mainly due to it featuring a similar flat-six engine, however when driving it the car felt more like a Cayman than it did a 911, one of the most noticeable things was said to be the fact that despite the 911 featuring a rear engine it felt “less rear-engined” than others 911 models, this is because the real wheels have been moved back 70mm, apparently this makes it feel a little more stable.

Not only are the rear wheels further back, but the front wheels are also further forward, this is said to make it feel larger and more aerodynamic, when driving the 911 you will notice that its steering is now electrically powered, apparently this is better for fuel economy and we are assured that it will steel feel the same as the old car in bend, whilst offering less interference on straights. With the wheel base much longer you may have thought that the car’s length would also be longer, however we are told that the overhangs are shorter to ensure that it is still pretty compact. Porsche also give the new 911 19-inch wheels as standard.

Porsche were keen to cut the car’s weight so they used aluminium to do just this, some parts are still made out of steel (the crash structure etc), however on the whole roughly 30-40kg has been cut, because of the design if steel was used instead of aluminium it would weigh roughly 60kg more than its predecessor, the extra weight would have had an obvious negative affect on performance.

In terms of engine options we are told that instead of a 3.6-litre engine there will be a 3.4-litre variant, obviously petrolheads won’t be happy with this, however we are told that it revs higher than its 3.6-litre predecessor, this results in it being more economical whilst still managing to deliver more bhp. The Carrera S still has a 3.8-litre engine, however it also revs higher than the last thanks to new injectors, this results in it producing 400bhp.

As you can see Porsche has taken measures to make the new 911 as economical as possible, this is a great thing when you take into account ever-increasing petrol prices, apparently the 3.4 Carrera PDK should deliver roughly 33mpg, not bad eh?

We should be able to find out more about this amazing new car in September, when we do we will keep you up-to-date.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/04/new-porsche-911-specs-andfirst-impressions-from-prototype/feed/ 0 Cars of the future: Five of the best http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/30/cars-of-the-future-five-of-the-best/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cars-of-the-future-five-of-the-best http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/30/cars-of-the-future-five-of-the-best/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:24:22 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135742 Cars of the future are often associated with weird and wonderful designs that have no chance of making it to production – maybe because the technology is not plausible or the design is just not practical enough? So what about the ones that we do know will make it to market, in this article we will take a look at what we believe to be five of the best future cars.

The 2014 Porsche 550 is the first, and it has does not have the potential to become a vintage car like these models on our recent list. The 550 will not look like something from the 50’s or 60’s, so we have to wonder why it shares its name with a car from 1953. Now we are uncertain what the car itself will look like, but one expects it to make driving a Porsche even more affordable.

The German automaker is not afraid to do what Ferrari will not, and that is use a small 1.6-liter engine. The car will still be able to achieve 200 horsepower and will come in at a respectably €40,000 – you heard right. More details on this can be found over at Motorward.

The 2011 Scion FR-S Concept is the second on our list, but do not be put off by its concept status, as there is a very good chance that Toyota will be making this model. There are a few reasons for this; the first is that they have been showing a video of the engine being used in the FR-S, the next is that testing is now said to be underway, and the third is that you can see a video of this car below on a test drive.

Third up is the 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider. I could not offer what I believe to be the best future car list without putting a McLaren in there, as I am a great fan of the Woking based company. Teamspeed reports that this car was first rumored back in 2009, as McLaren knew that they needed a retractable hard top version of the popular standard model. Not much should change performance wise with its 3.8-liter V-8 engine, which can produce 592HP.

Our fourth car that needs to be on this list has to be the 2013 Jaguar XE. How can you not look to the future and not see a Jag there? There were a few rumors that this roadster was to be dropped, but you will be pleased to know that production is still on track. The one issue that we have with this car is the fact that a soft top has replaced the rumored hard top. However, you can clearly see from these spy shots from Inside Line that it still has that special something.

The final car for the near future has to be the 2012 e-Wolf Alpha-2. This is one of those cars that you think will never make it to production, but when it does there will be a few tweaks here and there. Images have recently been released, and we are so excited, as the car still looks awesome. What makes this car so different is that it is powered by electric and will produce 374 horsepower. Jalopnik tells us that the Alpha-2 will go from 0-60mph in around four seconds and will hit a top speed of 143MPH – that will give Tesla Motors something to think about.

There you have it, three of our favorite future cars. What models are you looking forward to the most?

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/30/cars-of-the-future-five-of-the-best/feed/ 0 June 2011 product recalls roundup: iPad 2, & Porsche 911 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/28/june-2011-product-recalls-roundup-ipad-2-porsche-911/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=june-2011-product-recalls-roundup-ipad-2-porsche-911 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/28/june-2011-product-recalls-roundup-ipad-2-porsche-911/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:42:45 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135680 June 2011 has been a busy month for product recalls, which you will be able to see in this roundup. A couple that we can think of is the iPad 2 and the Porsche 911. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are so many more products and vehicles that were recalled during this month – it’s like it is a way of life for us now.

We have to admit that we hate doing these roundup articles on this subject, as more often than not they cause a serious amount of stress for those who are affected by the recalls. Back on June 12th Apple announced an iPad 2 recall, but not the kind of numbers that we normally associate with a recall of a popular device.

The recall was for the Verizon 3G version and was just a simple issue, which we expect has been solved by now. Next up we have the recall of 1,702 Porsche 911 models, these include the GT2 RS, GT3, GT3 RS, Turbo and also the Turbo S. There was a fear that a wheel could become loose due to a faulty center-locking hub. According to InsideLine the dealer will replace these hubs for free.

The most recent recall was for the Mazda 3 and the MazdaSpeed 3, which was due to a windshield wiper problem. 494,500 models were affected around the world, with 103,300 of them being in the US. The recall should begin on July 15, so more than enough time to contact your dealer to see if your car is affected.

Sticking with an auto recall is the one that affected 11 Chrysler models. There were 11,351 in all, which was because of a fault with the steering wheel. It seems that the recall was announced before any reports of an accident. Again, the recall will actually begin next month.

Just yesterday Target expanded the recall of the Circo Child Booster Seats. 375,000 were recalled on June 15, 2011, this is on top of the 43,000 that were recalled back in August 2009. The reason for the recall was due to the fact that the buckle could unlock itself, which could then lead to a child falling out. This is a very serious recall, one that would have worried many parents in the U.S. More details can be found on the CPSC website.

These are just a handful of the recalls that took place in June 2011, here are a few more for you here.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/28/june-2011-product-recalls-roundup-ipad-2-porsche-911/feed/ 0 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0: 911 with biggest ever engine revealed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/04/28/porsche-911-gt3-rs-4-0-911-with-biggest-ever-engine-revealed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-911-gt3-rs-4-0-911-with-biggest-ever-engine-revealed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/04/28/porsche-911-gt3-rs-4-0-911-with-biggest-ever-engine-revealed/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:39:12 +0000 Gary Johnson http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=129005 If you are a fan of German engineering and have a spare $185,000 going spare, the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 could be for you. Porsche have officially announced the new 911 with the biggest ever engine in the sports car.

Damon Lavrinc from Autoblog is reporting the latest version of the 911 has a 4.0-liter flat six which was derived from the GT3 RSR race car. This makes it the most powerful non-turbo to date with 500 horsepower and 339 pound feet of torque.

The new engine is combined with a variety of lightweight measures which see’s the GT3 hit 60 mph in only 3.8 seconds. It will manage 124 mph in less than twelve seconds and has a top speed of 193 mph. There is a six-speed manual gearbox which is the only choice you will get, and the white finish comes as standard.

You also get central twin exhausts and the massive rear wing. The new GTS has managed to go round the illustrious Nürburgring in only 7 minutes and 27 seconds. Making it one of the fastest production cars to go round the track. If you have got the spare cash to buy one you better be quick as only 600 will be made later this year.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/04/28/porsche-911-gt3-rs-4-0-911-with-biggest-ever-engine-revealed/feed/ 0 Porsche Panamera Turbo S to make debut at New York Auto Show http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/30/porsche-panamera-turbo-s-to-make-debut-at-new-york-auto-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-panamera-turbo-s-to-make-debut-at-new-york-auto-show http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/30/porsche-panamera-turbo-s-to-make-debut-at-new-york-auto-show/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:21:44 +0000 Gary Johnson http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=127012 German auto maker have revealed a new addition to its Panamera range, the Turbo S. it will be available in dealers sometime this spring, and if you want one it will cost $174,175 including shipping.

Fred Meier from USA Today is reporting that Porsche will showcase the new Panamera model at next month’s New York Auto Show. Coming in above the Panamera Turbo, the S has extra features and the enhanced 4.8-liter V-8 engine pushes out an extra 50hp, bringing it up to 550hp.

This will power the Turbo S to 190 mph and 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, and Torque is now a massive 553lbs.ft. Other enhancements include 20-inch wheels with a wider rear track, and a four way extending rear spoiler. There is also a Sport Plus mode which changes engine and suspension tuning.

Extra turbo boost is also added in the Sport Plus mode with a temporary peak of 590 torque. The S Model will come in an exclusive color scheme for the leather interior, and the body work will have an S model only gray metallic. You can also expect Porsche to offer a range of optional extras to further modify the Panamera.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/30/porsche-panamera-turbo-s-to-make-debut-at-new-york-auto-show/feed/ 0 Porsche 918 Spyder: Pre-orders begin, yours for $845,000 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/21/porsche-918-spyder-pre-orders-begin-yours-for-845000/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-918-spyder-pre-orders-begin-yours-for-845000 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/21/porsche-918-spyder-pre-orders-begin-yours-for-845000/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:06:27 +0000 Chris Maugham http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=126029 As far as hybrids go this has got to be up there with the best looking. Having previously brought you news of a Porsche 918 Spyder concept becoming official, we can now confirm that the German company is taking pre-orders starting at $845,000.

Though it may not be as cool as the 918 RSR hybrids, at least this one will make the production line. The expensive looking price tag seems to be justified when it comes to performance of the vehicle.

For the money you can expect a V8 mid-mounted car with 500HP at least, with a rear and front mounted electric motor providing an additional 218HP as well as AWD handling. These electric motors get the Li-ion technology battery pack offering 16 miles solely on electric off of a seven hour charge.

All in all 78 miles per gallon and a carbon-fiber bodied convertible capable of 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds makes the price tag seem reasonable wouldn’t you agree?

Shipping for the vehicle begins in the later end of 2013 which gives you plenty of time to save your pennies. Will you be getting a Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid? Let us know in the comments below.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/21/porsche-918-spyder-pre-orders-begin-yours-for-845000/feed/ 0 Porsche 911 GT3 R: Hybrid is Lightweight and More Powerful http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/18/porsche-911-gt3-r-hybrid-is-lightweight-and-more-powerful/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-911-gt3-r-hybrid-is-lightweight-and-more-powerful http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/18/porsche-911-gt3-r-hybrid-is-lightweight-and-more-powerful/#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:12:43 +0000 Chris Maugham http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=125799 Here is some exciting news for those of you who love your super cars and racing but are also all for being ‘green.’ The new Porsche 911 GTR R hybrid is being prepared this year’s Nurburgring 24 hour race this year. It has been made lighter and more powerful in order to optimize top speeds.

It is the same vehicle used last year except Porsche have given it a 21hp bump up and a weight loss of 50kg. the output of the 911 GTR R’s two KERS-powered electric front-wheel motors now produce 202 electric horses added with its 480hp ICE adding up to a total of 682hp.

The aim of the Stuttgart based auto manufacturers are hoping these tweaks will improve the hybrid’s chance of winning come June at the endurance testing event. Improved fuel economy and performance is what is expected.

This hybrid technology originates from Williams’ F1 motors and although it is only set to feature in the 911 GTR R racing car, there are hundreds of other 911s that prioritize technology that you can get your hands on to satisfy your need for speed.

If you’d like to know more you can check out the article at AutoBlog where you will also find videos of the Porsche in action and a full press release. What do you think of this vehicle’s improvements? What are its chances of winning at Nurburgring?

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/03/18/porsche-911-gt3-r-hybrid-is-lightweight-and-more-powerful/feed/ 0 Geneva 2011: New Porsche hybrid to be unveiled at show http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/02/14/geneva-2011-new-porsche-hybrid-to-be-unveiled-at-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=geneva-2011-new-porsche-hybrid-to-be-unveiled-at-show http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/02/14/geneva-2011-new-porsche-hybrid-to-be-unveiled-at-show/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:41:52 +0000 Gary Johnson http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=121958 At next month’s Geneva Motor Show Porsche have announced it will be launching a “parallel full hybrid model”. This comes after the success of last year’s Cayenne S Hybrid, which was also unveiled at the Show.

The Independent is reporting in an article, that the news was confirmed in a statement to journalists by the luxury car maker. This year’s show opens to the public on March 3, and continues through to March 13th. Exact details what the new model will be where not revealed, but the company is known to be currently working on a hybrid version of the popular Panamera. The technology found in the Cayenne Hybrid is also being used in the Panamera.

They also confirmed that a new SUV will be introduced in 2014, and called the Cajun. Porsche will be looking to move into new markets, and will be going up against the likes of Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz with larger family cars.

Over at Autoweek an article is reporting that Porsche is planning on taking on over 1,000 new employees by 2015. This is mainly down to the company expanding its model range with new vehicles like the Cajun. Autoweek are saying this new SUV will actually go on sale in Europe during 2013, with North America getting it about six months later.

They are planning on spending between $673.8 million and $1.01 billion, in new body and paint plants in Leipzig. Five hundred employees will be added at the development center in Weissach, with another 500 to be added elsewhere. Porsche are planning to take its current lineup from four vehicles to seven.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/02/14/geneva-2011-new-porsche-hybrid-to-be-unveiled-at-show/feed/ 0 Porsche: Boxster S Black Edition revealed as US sales rise http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/02/02/porsche-boxster-s-black-edition-revealed-as-us-sales-rise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=porsche-boxster-s-black-edition-revealed-as-us-sales-rise http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/02/02/porsche-boxster-s-black-edition-revealed-as-us-sales-rise/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:02:27 +0000 Gary Johnson http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=120555 German car maker Porsche has revealed the Boxster S Black Edition, which will be available to only 987 lucky customers. The tasty looking car not only comes with a black body but also black convertible top and 19-inch Spyder wheels.

AutoGuide is reporting that it doesn’t end there with the air intake, roll bars, and the twin exhaust pipes all get blacked out. The direct-injected 3.4 litre flat six engine gets an extra 10hp giving a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds, or if you have the Sport Chrono package that comes down to 4.6 seconds.

The interior is unsurprisingly all black except the odd bit of aluminum and stainless steel. There are some extra’s beside the Porsche logos, you get notification which of the 987 units your car is. Other options include the Convenience Package which has auto dimming mirrors, rain sensing wipers, automatic climate control, and Bi-Xenon headlights.

Costing $65,200 which is $7,000 more than the standard Boxster S, but because of the equipment that comes with it means a saving of $3,200 according to Porsche. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the German car maker has increased its US sales by 34 percent in the year to January. Selling 2,400 vehicles, marketing Chief Bernhard Maier said the sales were driven by the Cayenne and Panamera.

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