2004 Porsche 911 Turbo Convertible on 2040-cars

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Porsche bringing Macan S Diesel to US instead of 4-cylinder [w/poll]

When Porsche unveiled the new Macan at the LA Auto Show, it announced two powerplants for the US market, both of them twin-turbo V6s: the Macan S equipped with 340 horsepower from its 3.0-liter engine, and the Macan Turbo with 400 horses from 3.6 liters. But those aren't the only engines Porsche will offer in its new compact crossover. Porsche is also offering the Macan S Diesel overseas with 258 hp, and reports have since indicated that a pair of four-cylinder models on their way: a 2.0-liter turbo four with 280 hp and four-pot turbodiesel of the same capacity with an as-yet undisclosed output.
Now Car and Driver is reporting that while those four-cylinder engines won't be making the transatlantic voyage to our shores, Porsche will offer the aforementioned Macan S Diesel in North America beginning in early 2015, nearly a year after the gas V6 versions arrive.
The 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 is based on the same engine found in the Cayenne Diesel and the Audi Q5 TDI on which the Macan is based. Of course, its 248 hp is substantially less than the 340 ponies in the Macan S, but its 413 pound-feet of torque outshines not only the 339 lb-ft in the Macan S but also the 406 lb-ft in the Macan Turbo. Acceleration times, however, suggest the Macan S Diesel is still slower, with a 6.3-second run to 62 mph than neither the Macan S (5.4 sec) or Macan Turbo (4.8). The good news is that the Macan S Diesel is tipped to undercut the price of both, dropping the oil-burning crossover's MSRP below that of the $49,900 starting price for the Macan S and the $49,600 for the base Cayenne. If that C/D prediction comes to pass, that will make it the Macan S Diesel most affordable Porsche sold.

NYT profiles Blue Nelson, a reclusive and interesting CA car collector

If it weren't for his Dale Earnhardt Sr. looks, Blue Nelson could be one one of those soft-spoken, nondescript guys whom you meet briefly and never learn much more about. However, as The New York Times shows in a recent profile and video, behind closed doors, Nelson keeps a fascinatingly eclectic collection of automotive oddities and vintage bicycles.
While his main career is in the movie industry, Nelson's other job is as a car hunter. He takes on clients searching for a specific model and helps them find and restore the dream vehicle that they're after. Hiring him takes some dedication, though, because Nelson doesn't advertise his services. "If people want to find me, they know how to find me," he says in the video.
Beyond being an automotive private detective, Nelson has a fantastically varied collection of vehicles of his own. He likes to have models that people don't usually see, and his garage holds a classic Chrysler New Yorker and an extremely rare Rometsch convertible. Although, the one that means the most to him is the 1962 Porsche 356 convertible that Blue came home in as a baby. Check out the video to learn more about Nelson and his philosophy about forming a bond with a car.

Porsche wins the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

The question going into this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was whether or not the Porsche 919 Hybrid would be able to combine its qualifying pace with race reliability. After battling neck-and-neck with Audi's R18 for most of the race, the answer is a resounding yes. Not only did Porsche drivers climb the first two spots on the podium, they did so without any major mishaps on track. This win is the first overall trophy for Porsche since 1998. Audi previously won the last five races, and 13 of the last 15. Corvette also returned to the winner's circle, with the No. 64 C7.R taking winning the GTE Pro division. The victory is the first class win for Corvette since 2011. KCMG won the LMP2 class in ninth overall. With 45 minutes to go the No. 98 Aston Martin crashed out of first place in GTE Amateur, giving the class win to SMP Racing's Ferrari and second place to the Patrick Dempsey Racing Porsche 911 RSR. For the full list of official results, click here. The GTE Pro class proved to be just as exciting as the P1 class, with a four-way battle for first after four hours into the race. For most of the race, the battle at the top went back and forth between the two German manufacturers. An tire puncture in the No. 7 Audi gave up the lead to Porsche, and moments later a crash forced the No. 8 into the garage. But a three-minute replacement of the front and rear bodywork kept the Audi in contention. As the race wore into the night, Porsche maintained a slightly faster pace than Audi. Nick Tandy took the lead on Lap 253 early Sunday morning, and car No. 19 never gave up the top position. The win is the first for all three drivers of the No. 19 – Nico Hulkenberg, Earl Bamber, and Nick Tandy. A lap behind in second was the No. 17 Porsche. The Audis fought reliability problems late in the race but still finished third with the No. 7 R18. The GTE Pro class proved to be just as exciting as the P1 class, with a four-way battle for first after four hours into the race. As the Aston Martin cars dropped away, the lone Corvette Racing entry took over, followed by a charging AF Corse team Ferrari 458 Italia. The Corvette and Ferrari continued to trade places in the final hours until gearbox trouble forced the No. 51 Ferrari out of contention. It was eventually passed by the other AF Corse car, No. 71. Nissan experienced all the pain of a first-year effort with its front-wheel-drive GT-R LM Nismo.