2001 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe 2-door 3.4l on 2040-cars

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Porsche offering new tire option for Carrera GT

Let's face it: finding new tires for older cars can be challenging if tire manufacturers have stopped carrying the right sizes (this writer went through Hell to find a set of 205/60-13s). But what about tires for low-volume supercars, which use sizes that often won't fit on high-volume production vehicles? The Porsche Carrera GT isn't that old and tires are still available in the correct sizes, but the German automaker has shown its support of keeping them on the road by working with Michelin to give owners yet another tire option. Enter the Carrera GT-specific Pilot Super Sport.
It's common knowledge that tires are one of the most important pieces of the performance puzzle, and Porsche claims that the PSS tires, sized 265/35ZR-19 front and 335/30ZR-20 with Porsche's "N0" rating, will improve the Carrera GT's handling and stability all the way up to its claimed top speed of 205 miles per hour. That's important for a car with razor-sharp handling characteristics. They'll also net drivers a 10-percent increase in fuel economy on regular roads and up to 20 percent on racetracks, Porsche says.
The PSSs use cutting-edge tire technology to harness the Carrera GT's 610-horsepower. They have a dual-compound tread that's different from the inside of the tire to the outside, which, Porsche says, helps steering precision and increases maximum grip. Aramid fibers, which are lightweight but just as strong as steel, are used in the tire's belt to reduce unsprung weight.

Porsche 911 already testing next refresh

The latest Porsche 911 may still be a newer car, but that hasn't stopped the German company from starting development of a facelifted version of the rear-engined sports car, testing in what looks like southern Europe.
Due to hit the market in 2015, our spies think what we're seeing here is the new GTS variant, which, following the evolution of the last-generation 911, will make its debut on the facelifted car. Featuring the wider rear haunches of the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4, the GTS should enjoy a slight power boost, to 408 ponies.
Aesthetically, there are some additional vents in the rear bodywork, along with a revised front bumper and tweaked day-time running lights. The taillights get some attention as well, and will likely grow over the current car's skinny rear lamps.

Porsche revisits the 911's dirty side with rally history film

It might not be a coincidence that there are rumors of Porsche revealing a safari version of the 911 at April's Beijing Motor Show, just as the Dakar Rally is about to begin. Adding fuel to the dusty desert fire is a just-released official video of Jeff Zwart driving the Porsche 953 that Jacky Ickx drove to victory in the 1984 edition of the race.
In the video, the seven-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner talks about how he grew up with the 911; it wasn't only the car he learned to drive in, it was his choice of racecar no matter whether the course was tarmac or the dirty stuff.
You can decide for yourself if these recent events are mere coincidence while you enjoy the 953's exhaust note in the video below. If you've got the time to see the 953 during its race-conquering drive and find out what the ersatz Paris-Dakar Rally used to be, we've also included a broadcast of that 1984 race below as well. Fast-forward to 19:44 to see the Porsches cross the open dessert and 29:09 to watch one of them tackle the dunes.