1999 Porsche 911 996 Carrera 4 Awd 6 Speed Manual Clean Title Needs Engine on 2040-cars

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911 beware! Porsche testing new top-trim Boxster

The Boxster and Cayman are like the scrappy siblings compared to their star brother – the Porsche 911. And now it looks like the rivalry is about to get even more serious, as our spies have captured this hotted-up Boxster doing some winter testing. We've already seen Porsche evaluating a higher-performance version of the Cayman, rumored to be called the GT4. It would reportedly offer a taste of the thrills of the 911 GT3, but at a lower price. The coupe appears to have a convertible twin in this Boxster prototype. The biggest giveaway of their possible relationship is the shared front bumper with larger intakes and an extra opening at the tip of the hood. Although, this one lacks the Cayman's big, rear spoiler in favor of a smaller decklid unit. The good news for fans of shifting for themselves is that this tester is fitted with a manual transmission, according to our spies. Being a prototype, though, there's no guarantee that the gearbox makes it to production. At least in Cayman trim, these higher performance models might use a tuned version of the 3.4-liter flat-six with between 370 and 400 horsepower. Though, an earlier rumor suggested that a turbocharged four-cylinder could sit behind the driver. Until we know for sure, glance at the gallery to see a Porsche that might try to challenge its big brother.

Next-gen Porsche Panamera loses its buttons

We have our first interior images of the next-generation Porsche Panamera. Caught undergoing testing in what looks like the area around Ann Arbor, MI, Porsche's second-gen sedan ditches the multitude of buttons found on the center stack of today's cars in favor of touch-capacitive controls. The new look works on the interior. It's clean and stylish, and the overall layout is clearly inspired by the Panamera Sport Turismo concept. We're particularly fond of of one of the features absent on the concept car – the wide, high-resolution infotainment screen. Judging by the lack of a dedicated controller on the center stack and the screen's proximity to where the driver's right hand would be, this is almost certainly a touchscreen. According to our spies, the software on that screen will be shared with Bentley, as will the Panamera's underlying platform. The new steering wheel, meanwhile, looks like it's been plucked straight from the 918 Spyder. There's a very visible protrusion at the four-spoke wheel's four o'clock position, and the button layout on the spokes looks identical to the hybrid hypercar. On the 918, this controller manages the hybrid systems, but as our spies claim this is the gas-powered Turbo S model, we aren't really sure what role it will play as we can clearly see drive mode controls on the center console. Speaking of the Sport Turismo, this prototype backs up the argument that the next Panamera will adopt the cleaner look of the 2012 Paris Motor Show concept. Even with the camouflage, the C-pillar and rear quarter window, squared-off trunk aperture, and the four LED accents in the headlights are clearly inspired by the Sport Turismo. However, the concept's most dramatic feature – its strong hatchback profile – doesn't seem to have made the transition into this prototype. We'd expect to see the new Panamera in either Geneva or Paris. The Swiss show is the unlikely choice, though, considering it's just over a month away and Porsche already has another big debut planned. So expect the new Panamera in the City of Light. Sales should begin some time in 2017.

Next moves for the Tesla Model 3 and Bollinger B1 | Autoblog Podcast #522

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Producer Christopher McGraw. We discuss two different electric vehicles: the Tesla Model 3 and Bollinger B1 truck. We also discuss our time driving the Porsche 911 and McLaren 570GT, plus the reveal of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Also, Spend My Money (your money, everyone's money) is back this week. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #522Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Topics and stories we mention Rundown Tesla Model 3 Bollinger B1 Porsche 911 Driving McLaren 570GT Driving Rolls-Royce Phantom Reveal Spend My Money (with guest appearance) Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Green Podcasts McLaren Porsche Toyota Truck Coupe SUV Electric Luxury Performance mclaren 570gt bollinger b1