2009 Porsche Boxster Cayman price list in Norway

Norwegian imported for Porsche cars, Autozentrum Sport AS, has decided to decrease the output of the Boxster and Cayman, in exchange for reduced import taxation.

According to BilNorge, the entry-level Boxster will only produce 211 hp instead of 255 hp. Likewise, the Cayman will also be detuned to 211 hp (down from 265 hp).

While this sounds tragic, there is a logical explanation behind it. Norwegian import taxes are partially based on a car's horsepower and CO2 emission ratings. With the reduced output, the Boxster receives a stunning 88,000 Norwegian crown ($15,621 USD / €10,524) cut while the Cayman costs 106,000 crowns ($18,819 USD / €12,677) less.

Oddly enough, Porsche is claiming the weakened cars are just as fast as the usual models. A manually equipped Norwegian Boxster can run from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, while the Cayman can do the same task in 5.8 seconds (cars equipped with the PDK transmission are 0.1 seconds faster). The company also says the top speed remains unchanged (263 km/h for the Boxster, 265 km/h for the Cayman).

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Volkswagen to take 49.9% stake in Porsche for $5.8 billion

Volkswagen has announced that it will take a 49.9% stake in sports car maker Porsche in a first step towards merging with the company. Volkswagen’s initial plan was to acquire 42% of Porsche and with the increase in stake, Volkswagen’s position in the equation will be stronger sooner than expected. The German auto giant also assured that the merger between both companies is still scheduled to take place in 2011.

Currently both companies are working together in certain areas such as manufacturing the Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg in the same plant as well as the utilization of Volkswagen’s 3.6 liter V6 by Porsche. The above mentioned 49.9% stake will cost $5.8 billion and the company also assured that it is committed in “preserving the independence and the interests of Porsche” – which is a good move.

Porsche will join other brands like Bugatti, Audi, Lamborghini as well as Bentley to become the company’s 10th brand. Volkswagen also announced that it plans to increase its preferred share capital by the first half of 2010 in order to refinance the participation and maintain Volkswagen’s good credit rating.

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2010 Porsche Calendar Previews

Porsche will be selling three different calendars for 2010. Each calendar features a different theme, meant to appeal to driver's, auto historians, and fashionistas alike. An appointment book will also be available.

Under the banner, "Driver's Perspective," one calendar features the Panamera line-up most prominently in a set of point-of-view photos. While this calendar gives a good look at current models, the "One of a Kind" calendar shows innovations and concepts that helped establish Porsche's racing and sports car heritage. Likewise, the "Designed 4 Ambition" version features the four-door Panamera, and the exclusivity of the brand.

The "Designed 4 Ambition" will be packaged with a screen saver and short video on CD-ROM. Only 4,000 units of this packet will be released.

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Lumma Design's Porsche Panamera-based CLR 700GT

To give the Panamera an aggressive appearance, Lumma adds an extreme body kit with a new front fascia, a carbon fiber hood, and aerodynamic side skirts. Other changes include 22-inch 'Racing Edition' wheels, rear fender vents, a carbon fiber spoiler, a four-tailpipe exhaust system, and a new rear apron with an integrated diffuser.
While details are limited, the car boasts 700 PS, a lowering module (which reduces ride height by 35mm / 1.38 inches) and a high performance braking system.
Look for more information to be released when Lumma officially unveils the CLR 700GT.

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Reports : Porsche Developing an Electric Vehicle

According to a recent report, Porsche is developing an electric vehicle.

In an interview with German magazine Welt am Sonntag, Porsche CEO Michael Macht confirmed the company is "intensively" working on an electric sports car. While a concept may appear shortly, Macht stated production would likely be five to ten years away.

It remains unclear if the electric vehicle would be a 911, Boxster, Cayman or a whole new model. The latter could be a possibility since Macht restated Porsche's goal of nearly doubling sales to 150,000 vehicles per year. Regardless of what form it takes, the company promises the EV will deliver the same handling characteristics as a Porsche with a gasoline engine.

During their Frankfurt Motor Show press conference, Porsche stated they were considering electric vehicles but current battery technology wasn't "sufficient to meet Porsche's strict requirements." At the time, Macht said "We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid - in the Cayenne, the Panamera and maybe in the not too distant future also in a racing car or a production 911. Why not?"

We'll have to wait and see what the future brings, but the Porsche EV will undoubtedly face competition from the Mercedes SLS AMG eDrive and a possible production Audi e-Tron.

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Porsche Panamera Available for Rent from Avis Germany

People travelling in Germany and/ or those who can't afford to buy one can now rent a Porsche Panamera S or Panamera 4S from selected Avis rental points. According to Avis Germany, daily rentals (Monday to Thursday) will start from €189 while weekend packages (Friday to Monday) will be offered at a minimum price of €567.

This is quite a coup for Avis to avail the Panamera so soon after its launch. Renters will be able to enjoy its massive V8 power combined with the practicality of a four-door sedan, the luxury of a home lounge and the driving finesse associated with any other Porsche product.

The selected locations can be found in some major cities and at certain airports. Unfortunately the service is offered exclusively in Germany.

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Ferrari Voted World's Most Iconic Sports Car Badge in MPH Poll

Can't say that we're surprised by the results of a poll commissioned by UK's MPH featuring Top Gear Live and run by orange.co.uk/cars for the most "iconic performance car badge". As anyone would suspect, first place went to Ferrari with nearly half (48%) of all the 5,235 participants voting for the Cavallino Rampante while Aston Martin (being British and all...) took second place with 1,289 votes (25 per cent).

The raging bull of Lamborghini landed in the third position with 470 votes (9 per cent) while fourth, fifth and sixth place were taken by Bugatti, Porsche and Maseratti respectively.

And if you must know, the poll was created to drum up some publicity for the "MPH The Prestige and Performance Motor Shows" at London's Earls Court (5–8 November) and Birmingham's NEC (12-15 November).

MOST ICONIC PERFORMANCE CAR BADGES

No	Manufacturer	Votes	Percentage
1	Ferrari	2,525	48%
2	Aston Martin	1,289	25%
3	Lamborghini	470	9%
4	Bugatti	263	5%
5	Porsche	234	4%
6	Maserati	143	3%
7	Spyker	117	2%
8	Lotus	80	2%
9	Koenigsegg	70	1%
10	Pagani	44	1%

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VIDEO: Porsche 911 Sport Classic Shows off its Ducktail on the Road

You probably know by now that we really dig Porsche's latest creation, the special edition 911 Sport Classic that packs some really neat retro styling cues such as the Fuchs alloys, the woven leather interior and of course, the ducktail rear spoiler that harks back to the legendary Carrera RS of the '70s. In addition to the detailed specs and the updated gallery with 40 photos (including the side shot you all asked for), we now bring you Porsche's official video of the 911 Sport Classic shot on the road. Hit the jump, crank up the volume and enjoy!

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Porsche 911 Sport Classic: New Special Edition Model with Ducktail Spoiler and 408HP, Only 250 Units

Now here's a 911 to drool all over; Porsche's special edition 911 Sport Classic that will be presented for the first time at this month's 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and go on sale in January 2010 with production limited to just 250 cars. Based on the rear-wheel drive 911 Carrera S, the Sport Classic pays tribute to the brand's storied past blending retro styling cues with several performance upgrades.

The most distinguishable feature of the Sport Classic is without any doubt the ducktail rear spoiler that harks back to the iconic 1973 Carrera RS 2.7. The special edition model also gets a double-bubble roof, new front apron and side skirts as well as wider rear fenders and a set of delicious, custom-made 19-inch wheels with their rim star painted black that echo the Fuchs rims worn by 911s of the past.

The body is finished in a exclusive Sport Classic Grey paint with light grey racing stripes.

The 911 Sport Classic's interior also gets a retro touch with woven leather and yarn sport seats complemented with light-grey piping and on the door panels while the dashboard including a wide range of inserts and add-on components is finished in Espresso Nature natural leather.

But the 911 Sport Classic isn't only about style as Porsche's engineers tweaked the regular 3.9-liter direct-injection flat-six through the introduction of a newly developed resonance intake manifold with six vacuum-controlled switching flaps, increasing output by 23 horsepower for a total of 408 HP. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via Porsche's six-speed manual gearbox.

Other highlights include the wider rear body (44 mm or 1.73-in.) and the wider track on the rear axle, the PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes and the revised PASM sports suspension that lowers the car's ride height by 20 mm or 0.79-inches, as well as the standard limited-slip rear differential.

Sales of the Porsche 911 Sport Classic are starting in January 2010 with the base price of the car without value-added tax and national specifications set at €169,300.

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Porsche Panamera Image Galore with 28 Photos

Being the kind of people that we are, from the 28 photos (20 of them new) of the Porsche Panamera sports sedan that we've added after the jump, we decided to open the post with the one and only image that could spike plenty of testy comments from our readers... And just in case you've been living in Siberia for the past few days, click here for our previous article on the Panamera that contains all the initial information or if you're the kind of type that prefers a visual presentation.

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