Porsche Frankfurt Auto Show Cars

The Porsche Taycan is an all-electric sports sedan based on the Mission E concept. It’s also Porsche’s first-ever production electric car, designed to go against the Tesla Model S. Previewed by the Mission E concept, the Taycan sports design features borrowed from the show car, but also includes styling features seen on the Panamera sedan and 911 sports car. Powered by a couple of electric motors, the Taycan generates in excess of 700 horsepower in its range-topping version.

While considered laughable just a decade or two ago, the idea of a high-performance electric vehicle is now widely accepted in even the most traditional of speed circles. Porsche took full advantage of this and designed a sleeker Panamera that’s notably more powerful and quicker. Granted, it’s not as spectacular as the Mission E concept, but it’s definitely an exotic appearance even when compared to full-fledged sports cars. However, does it have what it takes to compete with the Tesla Model S? Let’s find out in the detailed review below.

Updated 10/14/2019: Porsche added a new member to its Taycan lineup. The new Taycan 4S has been announced in two different battery configurations. Check the Drivetrain section for more details.

It’s hard to focus on anything else than Frankfurt’s highly-anticipated debuts this year, including the likes of Porsche Taycan and Volkswagen ID. Speaking of Porsche, the carmaker has just unveiled the all-wheel-drive 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4 Cabriolet, so those who’ve been holding out on getting a new 911 because AWD wasn’t on the table might as well start calling their accountants.

The global reveal of the new Porsche Taycan, held at three different locations - at Niagara Falls, a solar farm in Neuhardenberg near Berlin, and the wind farm on Pingtan Island - represents the pivotal point for the company that embarked on a whole new automotive pilgrimage.

The new Porsche Taycan, spectacularly revealed by former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber, has two electric motors with a combined power output of 761 horsepower, a four-wheel-drive system, and four doors. It is not a replacement for the Panamera or just one more cash-cow for the company, though. The new Porsche Taycan, with a 93.4 kWh battery and a range of 280 miles launches the brand into the brave new world of electric cars. Considering its low center of gravity, Porsche build-quality, and spirited performance (0-62 mph in 2.8 s), the Taycan will be a drivers sweetheart just as the first Porsche 911 became instantly when it was launched in 1963.

Having updated the first-generation Macan after five years on the market, Porsche unveiled a revised version of the Turbo model for the 2020 model year. The refreshed Turbo remains heavily based on the regular Macan, but Porsche made big changes under the hood, replacing the old 3.6-liter V-6 with a smaller 2.9-liter unit. While it’s not the most powerful Macan ever produced, it’s definitely the quickest. Let’s find out why.

Porsche has a history of making absurd vehicles, but this might take the cake – at least for now. It’s the new 2019 Cayenne Turbo and it packs 550 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V-8 that turns all four wheels while four-wheel steering and active aero bodywork scramble to keep it pointing straight. Think of it as the playboy’s version of the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.

Porsche pulled the covers off the new high-powered SUV at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show to a crowd of gleeful onlookers. No doubt people fawn on whatever Porsche attaches its crest too, including tall SUVs and four-door sedans with a hybrid powertrain. Granted, the German automaker generally knows how to screw a vehicle together, but Porsche has certainly been carving out new territory over the last 17 years. As for the new Cayenne Turbo, well, it’s muy caliente, so keep reading for the juicy details. You’ll find it includes rear-wheel steering, a new three-chamber air suspension, and a 48-volt electronic roll stabilization system.

Continue reading for more on the 2019 Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Say what you will about Porsche’s tendency to get a little carried away with its niche variants for the 911, but credit should be heaped on the company for being aware of what customers want. Take the Porsche 911 GT3 for example. By every sports car metric, the 911 GT3 is a shining example of the best of Stuttgart engineering. The only problem with it is that it’s far from being the most understated 911 in the market, no thanks to its attention-grabbing aero bits. Then there’s the 911 R, the answer to prayers coming from Porsche purists who were crossing their fingers for a manual transmission 911. The 911 R was the answer to those prayers, except it was limited to just 991 units. Enter then the Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package. Think of it as the love child between the 911 GT3 and the 911 R, carrying elements from both models and wrapping them all up in one scintillating package.

The car’s name may not roll off the tongue as smoothly as I’d like, but remember, there is a precedence in Porsche’s history of the “Touring” name being used on a 911, specifically the 1973 Porsche Carrera 911 RS Touring. So we’ve established the roots of the 911 GT3 Touring. But far more than just being a product of Porsches-gone-by and previous iterations of the current-generation 911, the 911 GT3 Touring is a car of its own devices, understated in appearance yet ferocious in performance. In my view, this is the Porsche 911 variant that purists have been waiting for.

Continue after the jump to read more about the Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package

Porsche introduced the third-gen Cayenne in August of 2017 with a mildly revised exterior, new technology, and a revised engine lineup that’s good for 340 ponies in base form or 440 ponies in S form. At the time I reviewed the new Cayenne, I speculated that Porsche would have to come up with a solution for the Turbo model as it needed to squeeze a considerable amount of extra power from that 2.9-liter V-6 or would have to go with a V-8 as it has in the past. Just a couple of weeks after the third-gen Cayenne debuted, Porsche showed up to the Frankfurt Auto Show with the new Cayenne Turbo, and as it turns out, I’m better than Miss Cleo, as the new Turbo sure does make use of a V-8 that’s good for 550 ponies – an improvement of 30 ponies and there’s some extra torque on tap too. More importantly, however, is the fact that this V-8 is new, and displaces 4.0-liters – about 800cc less than the V-8 in the last-gen model.

Of course, there’s not a lot of difference between the base, S, and Turbo models, but there are a few differences to point out. It does get the same headlights and the same general fascia, however, those side intakes are much larger on the Turbo model, and the grill traverses the full width between the side intakes instead of being split by the fascia on the ends. There are no fog lights to speak of up front, and the radiator grille itself is much more open in comparison. In the rear, the only real differences include the rear diffuser, which is now more defined and the square exhaust outlets. 21-inch wheels that are exclusive to the Turbo model can be found in each corner and match the wide wheel arches quite nicely, I might add. But, there’s more than exterior looks to talk about here, including some nice extras inside and that new V-8 under to hood, so let’s talk more about that.

With its enormous rear wing and track-bred attitude, the Porsche 911 GT3 is not traditionally the sort of car you want if you’re looking to fly under the radar. Now, however, Porsche is offering a stealthier alternative in the form of the new Touring package for its high-strung two-door. Following in the foot steps of the updated 2018 911 GT3 introduced earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, the Touring package promises a purist’s approach to going quick. For starters, the old look-at-me aero in back was replaced with a far more understated trailing lip, drawing its design inspiration from the 911 Carrera. Inside, there’s oodles of leather added everywhere. What’s more, the GT3 Touring is only offered with a six-speed manual transmission. Cue enthusiast celebration.

This latest Touring Package is a nod to the past equipment package offered on the 1973 Carrera RS, but adds a touch of modernization on top. “This variant is aimed at fans of high-quality sports cars who particularly value an understated appearance and classic driving enjoyment,” says Porsche. The GT3 Touring Package is offered in conjunction with practically every other option on the 911 GT3 table, with the exception of the Clubsport and Alcantara lines. That means the branded ceramic brakes, Chrono Package, wheel options, and similar stuff is all fair game. The Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Package is available now for 152,416 euros in Germany, or $143,600 in the U.S., matching prices for the standard model.

Continue reading to learn more about the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Package.

Porsche has ushered in a third generation of the Porsche Cayenne, but before you get too excited, you should be aware of the fact that it looks quite a bit lot its predecessor. Now, this isn’t because Porsche was lazy. No. This is because the Cayenne went through an extensive update just back in 2015, so after three years it was time to make some changes while leaving the relatively fresh body intact with just little extras here and there. As such Porsche focused its energy on what happens beneath the skin bringing updated or new technology that includes rear axle steering as standard equipment, a three-chamber suspension, 48-volt electronic roll stabilization, and two new engines that offer up more power and better economy. At the skin level, we see a revised interior and exterior that is really more of a honing to the previous layout than an update, but it’s exactly what the Cayenne needed to take its respective segment by storm in 2018.

For now, there are only two trim levels available – the base level Cayenne and the Cayenne S. Like the second-gen model, it will likely take a couple of years, but Porsche should fill the lineup with a diesel and a plug-in hybrid variant at some point. There’s also the potential for an all-electric model at some point in this generation if Porsche really gets froggy, but we’ll leave that speculation for another time. For now, let’s take a good look and the new Cayenne and talk about all of the exciting changes that will carry it into the next decade.

Until 2009, Porsche had nothing to do with electrification, still using flat-six, V-8, and V-10 engines across its lineup. But in five years, the Germans made a huge leap forward in the hybrid world, launching four models that combined internal combustion engines with electric motors. The 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, 2009 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder, and the 2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid all signaled that Porsche is embracing the future, on both the road and the race track. At the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche launched its very first full-electric vehicle, in the form of a four-door concept car.

Meet the Mission E, the Porsche that lacks the growl of a race-bred gasoline engine, but delivers outstanding performance that rivals that of the 2015 Tesla Model S P85D.

Futuristic by design, impressively quick, and quite practical thanks to its four-seat configuration and good driving range, the Mission E is the kind of concept I wish Porsche would approve for production as soon as tomorrow. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen very soon given the amount of experimental technology it comes with, but it does signal Porsche’s intent to offer an EV at some point. Keep reading for the full rundown.

Updated 03/30/2016: Porsche dropped a new video in which it explains how the Concept Study Mission E was built. Hit "play" to learn more about the concept’s exterior and interior design.

Continue reading to learn more about the Porsche Mission E.

After months of speculation and tons of spy shots including camo-free, pre-production models, the facelifted 991-generation 911, also known as the 991.2, has been unveiled ahead of its official debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.

At first glance, the updated 911 confirms what we already suspected: updates inside and out are rather mild, while the highlight of this facelift lurks under the hood. Rumors about Porsche’s plans to turbocharged the entire lineup (save for the GTS and GT3, at least for now) have become official and the Carrera gained forced induction for the first time in its five-decade career.

Tubocharging aside, the new Carrera also comes with an updated chassis, improved dynamics, upgraded in-car technology, and rear-axle steering, an option previously available only with the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and 2014 Porsche 911 GT3.

The 991.2 is set to arrive on U.S. soil in the first quarter of 2016 for the 2017 model year. Meanwhile, let’s have a closer look at its new features and performance figures in our review below.

Updated 12/09/2015: Porsche dropped a new commercial for its latest 911. Called "Compete" the new video is based on the idea that greatness comes from within, from pitting you against you. You will get to see how Muhammad Ali, Maria Sharapova and Magnus Carlsen can compete with themselves. Hit "play" to watch the commercial!

Continue reading to find out more about the 2017 Porsche 911.

Just ahead of its debut at the 2015 Frankfurt International Auto Show, Porsche has dropped details on the latest mid-cycle refresh for the drop-top 911, and it comes with a few new exterior styling tweaks, the latest infotainment and driver’s aides, and most notably, a smaller, turbocharged engine.

It appears as though Porsche is moving to widen the appeal of the 911 Convertible, which makes sense given the automaker’s lineup of hardcore, track-oriented models. However, purists will still inevitably complain about the boosted cabriolet’s engine, despite it bringing more power and greater efficiency.

The car is even quicker, with performance figures seeing improvements across the board and new standard features that enhance its race-inspired capabilities even further.

Porsche says the car blends “performance and everyday usability,” a combination the brand is well established for delivering.

Updated 09/28/2015: We’ve added a series of new photos we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find them in the "Pictures" tab.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Porsche 991 Carrera Convertible.

Porsche decided to unveil all the major details about its 2016 Porsche 911 mid-cycle refresh approximately one week before the range will have its public debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. As expected, both the 911 Carrera and the 911 Carrera S have received an all-new, turbocharged, boxer engine. This is the first time that a non-GT2 or Turbo 911 will have a turbocharged six-cylinder in over half a century.

With a displacement of 3.0 liters, the new flat-six delivers 370 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque in the standard 911 Carrera, an increase of 20 horsepower and 44 pound-feet over the pre-face-lift model. The updated numbers translate into a 0-62 mph acceleration of just 4.2 seconds for a 911 Carrera Coupe equipped with PDK and the Sport Chrono Package. Those that find themselves wanting more can opt for the face-lifted 911 Carrera S, whose turbocharged, 3.0-liter flat-six deliver 420 horsepower and 369 pound-feet, also an increase of 20 horsepower and 44 pound-feet over the previous model. They are also responsible for giving the face-lifted 911 Carrera S with PDK and the Sport Chrono Package a 0-62 mph time of just 3.9 seconds – the first time that a 911 Carrera goes under the four-second mark from the factory.

Continue reading for the full story.