1997 Carrera Cabriolet, California Car, Complete Service Records on 2040-cars

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Road & Track names its 2013 Performance Car of the Year

Road & Track recently staged its first annual Performance Car of the Year test, pitting 13 new and updated performance cars against each other on track, then graduating the top six to a road test before picking a winner. Additionally, the magazine staff picked the best automobiles of the year in eight categories.
But first, let's cover the PCotY segment. Here's the list of cars brought to the comparison test: Audi R8 V10 Plus; BMW 435i; BMW M6 Competition Package; Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51; Ferrari F12 Berlinetta; Ford Fiesta ST; Jaguar F-Type V8 S; Jaguar XFR-S; Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S-Model Wagon; Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series; Mini John Cooper Works GP; Nissan GT-R Track Edition; and Porsche Cayman S.
To find out the results of the comparison, head over to Road & Track's website or check the press release below, where you'll also find the magazine's top-rated vehicles in eight categories. Want more? Head over to the 2013 PCotY hub. But before you do that, take a stab at guessing the winner of PCotY (we'll give you one hint: it isn't a Porsche).

Qatari sheikh flees US after speeding Ferrari [w/video]

A prominent Qatari national has reportedly fled the United States after a video ostensibly showing his Ferrari racing through the streets of Beverly Hills went viral. Although the exact identity of the driver remains unclear, it is believed that the yellow LaFerrari was owned by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, the country's former interior minister and a well-known racing enthusiast. The video below, which has already attracted some 1.5 million views (but contains language that may not be safe for the workplace), shows the yellow hybrid hypercar racing with reckless abandon against a white Porsche 991 GT3 through the swanky Los Angeles neighborhood. The Ferrari is shown scraping its chin spoiler on the road before pulling back into the driveway (alongside a black Bugatti Veyron) with smoke billowing out its engine bay. Neither of the European exotics appear to show much regard for traffic laws, running stop signs as they speed through a residential area. The Ferrari appears to be wearing Qatari plates, while the Porsche does not appear to be carrying plates at all - just some racing decals on the doors and hood. According to reports, the Ferrari belongs to Sheikh Khalid, but the identities of the drivers behind the wheel of either car has not been ascertained. The Al-Thanis are known for their supercar collection, which is shipped around the world for the enjoyment of royal family members. Their signature teal and black exotics are a regular site around London. The Beverly Hills Police Department confirmed that, when approach by officials, the driver claimed diplomatic immunity – which the driver may not actually have. "It is against a federal law for someone to claim diplomatic immunity when they don't have it," said police chief Dominick Rivetti. The Ferrari was not, according to reports, registered with the State Department as belonging to a credentialed diplomat. Al-Thani has since reportedly fled the country, and taken his cars with him. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: BBC, Effspot via YouTube Government/Legal Ferrari Porsche Supercars porsche 911 gt3 ferrari laferrari

Porsche Macan configurator lets you build $110k crossover

Part of the idea behind the new Porsche Macan is that it's less expensive than its larger sibling, the Cayenne. But with a starting MSRP of $49,900, the base Macan S is actually $300 more expensive than the cheapest Cayenne. That, however, is just the start, as you can see from the online configurator.
As is often the case with German cars in general (Porsches especially), tick the right boxes and you'll soon be leaving that base price behind in a cloud of tire smoke. Start off with the Macan Turbo and you're looking at a base MSRP of $72,300, which is already over twenty grand more than the naturally-aspirated version. But even that soon escalates as the options pile on.
Aurum Metallic paint will set you back $3,120. 21-inch wheels, another $3,300. You'll probably want the air suspension, torque vectoring, the Sport Chrono package, adaptive cruise control and lane-change systems, and those each add over a grand to the price. A Burmester surround sound system is the single most expensive option at $4,290. And if you choose them all - and choose all the optional trim packages - you'll soon be looking at a price in excess of $110,000. That's enough to get you into a Cayenne Turbo... assuming you don't tag on all the options to that one, too.