Second Generation Porsche Cayenne Tested

The Cayenne has always struck me as a high-class, luxurious vehicle for the true performance-enthusiast who refuses to clog the streets with a 5,000 pound boxy SUV which not even soccer moms seem to like. It certainly has the look and the sound of a true performance car, but is it a true performance SUV worth sporting a Porsche badge?

Thankfully, I was invited by my friend Carlos to attend the Porsche Aircraft Experience at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. At this event, we had the opportunity to drive the second generation, 2011 Porsche Cayenne S hybrid.

 

My first impression of the Supercharged Cayenne is that it really was not big at all. Compared to many of the full-sized SUV s on the road, the Cayenne really is a thin, sleek  family vehicle. My eyes lit up and turned 360 degrees when the hood was opened and a supercharged Porsche engine was revealed. Talk about a tingling feet sensation! The 2011 Cayenne S comes with a 3.0 L V6 engine that produces 328 hp plus an additional 51 hp by the electric motor adding up to 379 hp and cranking 428 lb.-ft. of torque of pure performance.

 The interior of the car is very, very nice. Fitted with black, fine leather and plenty of electronic gadgets such as seat warmers, bluetooth and plenty of additional features such as the 14 speaker BOSE Surround Sound System and a Panoramic system that is almost four times larger than the standard moonroof.

Once we took the Porsche out in the road, I took control of the vehicle before entering I-95. As I approached the light, it turned yellow and I pressed the break lightly. Quote from the Porsche salesman: "No, go for it, it's a true performance car" With no hesitation in me, I put the pedal to the metal and I made the turn which the Cayenne took effortlessly and impressively there was no tire squeal.

The transition from the gas-powered engine to the electric engine is absolutely seamless. It might have well gone unnoticed for the entire trip if it wasn't for the seven-inch, high-resolution touchscreen that was actively displaying the flow of energy from the engine to the tires and storing energy from the tires to the battery cell.

The disappointing part of this story comes as I disengaged the automatic transmission and started driving the car with the steering wheel-mounted gear switches. Porsche's Tiptronic S shifts up with a press of the switch by the thumb and it shifts down by pulling backward on the same switch. It felt sluggish and somewhat dull. Plainly put, it was not at the same level as the rest of the agile-yet-cozy attitude of the car.

Although the Cayenne is not meant to be Porsche's legacy defending super-car, it is a very nicely put together vehicle which combines great power with outstanding handling and a luxurious style for the driver and its occupants. Starting at a base price of $67,700 the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid stands as a performance SUV that will keep soccer moms and salaried dads glued to the steering wheel for a fun, fast and classy ride. Just don't use the wheel-mounted Tiptronic shifters.

1200 horsepower Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, whoa!

As if 1001 horsepower wasn't enough for the Veyron, the new 2011 Suport sport version has been released and it put down 1200 horsepower and and 1,106 lb-ft of torque according to autoweek.


This babe will also feature four larger turbos than the original Veyron as well as larger water-to-air intercoolers. In order to keep it its W16 engine, it's been fitted with four larger gas pumps. With so much going for it one could wonder. Is there a downside to it? How does the $2.3 million price tag sound?

Is this an overpriced performance car or is the money worth spending in order to obtain a little exclusivity?

2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro

Yes, it's a very long name that indicates the R8 will be offered as a convertible. The super-sexy German R8 will also receive aerodynamics upgrades such as air intakes behind the doors as well as more carbon fiber on the rear side panels and the cover over the storage compartment, says Road & Track.

 

 The R8 spyder's powerplant will not receive any upgrades, meaning it will put out the same 525 hp and torque is rated at 391 lb.-ft. that peaks at 6500 rpm in its V-10 version of the engine. As the word quattro indicates, the R8 will be an all wheel drive and it will be mated to a 6-speed gearbox.







Though the convertible only adds 200 lbs. to the already light R8, it will do little to slow it down as it will be able to sprint to 62.1 mph in 4.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 194.5 mph. The R8's interior is not bad at all either when compared to other super exotics. Check out R&D's picture feature but make sure you click on interior photos.


Will the R8 take the spotlight while on the street? you be the judge, like always. Voice your opinion and comment.

500+ horses for the 2011 GT-R?

This super icon which currently boasts 485 hp and 434 pound-feet of torque could get a power increase that should put it at the 500+ hp level, according to the publication autoweek.But was this necessary? Does it have enough power already? can it really be improved? A stock GT-R already runs a quarter mile in under 12 seconds.







Along with the rumored power upgrade, it is also being said that the little monster will be available with new interior trim options as well as a much higher quality grill with carbon-fiber inserts in it. The car aerodynamics could also be upgraded with the purpose of directing more airflow into the engine bay.





While we look forward to see the upgraded beast, it also makes us wonder, how much horsepower is enough? Is there such a concept as too much horsepower? Lets hear your point of view on this one rev or die fans

Hayabusa turbo

Now here's an oldie that never dies. The ghost rider has been famous for his insane driving in Europe. This daredevil fears nothing when he's on top of his bike. There's not much to say other than letting you guys enjoy the ride in his 499 horsepower turbo Suzuki hayabusa.




This guy fears nothing!



So rev or die people, has any of you ever encountered any problems with the cops while speeding? Do you have a cool story you want to let us know?

Meet the Smart Diablo

Most of us have seen the Smart car which for your info sports a 1 liter, 61 CC engine.

The 3-cylinder produce 70 horsepower which takes it to a maximum speed of 90 mph. I have heard people describe them as lawn mowers with windows as well as a purse car; definitions that I wouldn't argue with.
Watch it on the quarter mile with a Ferrari F430:

Ooops!  forgot to mention a little detail about it, because the car is so light people customize them with a hayabusa engine in it. Now this is what I call a dictionary definition of the word sleeper. A 2nd generation hayabusa engine puts out a cool 172 horsepower while weighing only 220 pounds with all fluids, electronics, etc. Here's another video of a smart with a busa engine on it.




I bet next time you see one of these on the street you'll think twice before revving your engine at it, huh?

Lambo Sesto Elemento Hits Paris

The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is loaded with carbon fiber, hence its name

Carbon Fever! This is what the Italian automaker Lamborghini set out to spread among the car enthusiasts. Feast your eyes on the concept Lamborghini Sesto Elemento.

According to the New York Times the sesto elemento may well hit the production line as the rear-wheel drive borrows its V-10,  570 horsepower engine from the Gallardo.























But what does the Carbon fiber do for the Lambo? It's 800 punds lighter than the Gallardo Coupe. That would propel the bull badge from 0 to 60 mph. in only 2.5 seconds. 

Would this hyper modern look work for Lamborghini or is this too extravagant?

 The sixth element, which has a power to weight ratio of only 1horsepower for every 3.85 lbs,  was showcased to the public at the Paris Auto Show last month.

So what's your rev or die take on this one? Do you look forward to seeing on the streets or is this showroom material only?

Lighter and stronger, The new Audi R8 GT is unveiled

If this doesn't catch your attention you might as well be blind...

After much rumor in the super car world, the Audi R8 GT's specs were released yesterday. The leaner more muscular version of the R8 will be 220 pounds lighter which puts it at 3,362 lbs. The V10 5.2L engine will put down 560 horsepower, that's 42 horseys over the previous R8 model. According to mibz, who made the GT's specs public after being released by Audi, the GT's power plant will launch the supercar to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and up to 124 mph in just 10.8 seconds.

The R8 GT will be equipped with a launch control system, six-piston brake calipers for the front and the engine will be mated to the R8's R-tronic sequential manual transmission. It can be customized with special materials for the interior, GT logos and even a roll cage.

Does the Audi R8 GT get your blood flowing or does the $250,000 price tag make you shiver? Is the $95,000 difference between the R8 and R8 GT worth spending the extra money?

Murcielago smokes R8! ...and they got a speeding ticket to prove it

Mibz reported recently that the Austrian police were forced to close a highway in order to catch a speeding Murcielago racing an Audi R8. The 27 years old Bulgarian, who had just bought a Lamborghini Murcielago 2 months before, had it tuned by IMSA which increased the engine's output by 65 horsepower. That translates to  a cool 631 horsepower for the Lambo.




Its contender, the Audi R8, most commonly known for its stellar appearance in the Iron man movies, was in stock condition, That means it pumped out either 414 hp or 518 hp depending on the type of engine (which we assume wasn't included in the police report). The exotic street-racers were clocked by speed traps at 170 mph for the lambo and 145 mph  for the R8. Both driver licenses were suspended.




So rev or die fans, do you have any speeding stories to tell? What's the fastest you have driven your car? have you had a triple-digit speeding ticket? Brag on and comment!

Toyota FT-86 / Subaru 0846

Now this is one of those rides that people have been waiting for a very, very long time. It is no secret that the Japanese automaker Toyota has been slacking with an entry-level tuner car for a number of years. Heck, the Celica has been discontinued since 2006! Toyota's most sporty vehicle at the moment is the Tundra which puts out a cool 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft. torque with its 5.7 L V8 version. However, it is a truck! No tuner wants to put a flatbed next to an STI and have them run side to side. it's like comparing oranges to apples.

According to the publication Car and Driver it might just be a little too late for the release of this vehicle since Hyundai has already taken a head start in the race with its recent release of the real-wheel drive genesis which is marketed with two engine options: 

• a 2.0L  4-cylinder turbocharged produced 210 hp and 223 ft·lb torque
• and a naturally aspirated 3.8 V6 puts out 306 hp and 266 ft·lb torque.

The FT-86 will likely be offered as a front-wheel drive, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder and a turbocharged version of it should be available at a later date.


So what do you think about this one? Will Toyota/Subaru have a shot at the tuner market with the FT-86/0846 or will it be too late for the party as suggested by C&D? Will the option of a naturally aspirated front-wheel drive make it a sit on the side when compared to the existing genesis or will it be a nice tuner starter?

Turbocharged Focus RS Hits U.S. market in 2012

The turbocharged Ford focus ST will finally be introduced at the American market in 2012. According to Car and Driver, the American automaker will fit the focus ST with a turbocharged four cylinder engine that should put out about 247 horsepower.



Though we'll never understand why Ford markets the focus with such puke-inducing colors, the interior of the ST will sport carbon fiber look-like trim, and of course, a six-speed manual transmission. Although no official price has been set on the ST, this car is expected to be a powerful contender on the entry-level tuner world next to the Honda Civic Si, VW Jetta and the Mazda speed 3.
For more information on the upcoming ford ST check out edmunds.com video.





What's your position? Would you put your hard-earned money on a 2012 focus ST? What's its greatest contender in the U.S. market?

Facebook fans bring Audi TT RS to America

The 2010 Audi TT RS is estimated by Audi to go from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds

It took only a month for over 11,000 Audi enthusiasts to vote for the TT RS to be sold in America through an online survey in Audi's Facebook page. According to the car magazine Road & Track, the thousands of signatures and the positive reviews in the American media made the German automaker reconsider its marketing strategies in America and last week it confirmed that the 5-cylinder, 2.5 liter turbocharged sweet-looking beast will hit the showrooms in the third quarter of 2011.

 R&D quotes Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America: “With performance and agility rooted in Audi motorsports success, the TT RS is truly an emotional sports car. That emotion became abundantly clear as we explored interest across the country.”

The four-wheel drive TT RS delivers performance with an output of 360 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque and It will only be offered with a 6-speed manual transmission. Want to see it in action?




Here's a souped up version of it...







Although the Audi TT RS doesn't have the most masculine and intimidating appearance on the street, it is a nice piece of machinery that will stand out of the crowd both for its sleek looks and improved performance. There's no set price for this babe yet but its European version starts at an equivalent $57,000 US. What's your take on this? Is the TT RS worth a spin around the block?