2008 Porsche Carrara on 2040-cars

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2020 Porsche 911 Speedster spied with an angry driver

Porsche gave us details and showed us a concept of the 911 Speedster at the Paris Motor Show. Today, we bring you spy shots of what appears to be the production version of that concept with a few changes on board. They're rather minimal modifications, but the Speedster's driver appears especially angry with our spy photographer as he extends his middle finger directly toward the camera. Sorry, not sorry, Mr. Test Driver. Public testing of pre-production cars always comes with photo risks, and Porsches tend to attract more attention than others. You'll notice what appears to be a Cayenne Coupe prototype we've previously spotted running around with the 911. The Speedster Concept we saw in Paris had epic retro mirrors and fuel cap on the front hood, but both those design touches are absent from this pre-production car. It's tougher to see, but we lost the vents in between the two humps, as well. Everything else appears to have made it to production-spec. We can't say we're surprised these concept car features probably won't show up on the production car, but it is a tad deflating. You'll notice the Speedster is based-off the 991.2 generation of 911 and not the new 992. Porsche did a similar thing when the 997 generation was coming to an end with a Speedster model paying tribute to that car's life. The chassis is said to utilize parts from the 911 GT3, and the wonderful naturally aspirated flat-six engine gets carried over from that car, too. Porsche didn't specify if power will be exactly the same as the GT3, but we'll be expecting about 500 horsepower and a 9,000 rpm redline. We were told the six-speed manual would be offered on the Speedster in Paris, too. Let's just say that we strongly approve of that combination. Production will be limited to only 1,948 cars and begin in the first half of this year. We'll expect a reveal with a full spec breakdown soon, possibly for the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Topiary Joe sculpts the ultimate in green cars

Efficient cars are all the rage these days, but Joe Kyte has made a business of crafting some of the coolest green cars around – literally. Kyte is better known by his nickname Topiary Joe, and in addition to being a talented artist, he is also a real gearhead. Kyte has been creating topiaries for the last 20 years. It began when he was marketing greenhouse products to Walt Disney World and saw their plant sculptures. He realized that he could do that and since then, has done around 3,400 pieces. His most intriguing creations are the rolling sculptures that move and turn. Prices for those start at about $18,000 and can be as high as $30,000. While, the wheels are machine-bent, Kyte said all the other parts are done with a table vice and a Lincoln Electric arc welder. Topiary Joe is taking the Porsche (pictured above) to Palm Beach later this year to sell or says he may donate it to Porsche North America. If you really want it, the sculpture is currently on Craigslist for sale for $24,000. Topiary Joe has also had a life-long love of cars. "I was driving my first MG Midget before I was 14," he told Autoblog. He grew up in Oak Ridge, TN, where the Manhattan Project was partially developed. He says the town was full of recent college grads driving Mercedes, and he caught the bug. His automotive mentor was a nuclear physicist who taught him to repair and restore the Mercs. Kyte has completed commissions for Sandals Resort, Dreamworks, Absolut, and many more. Among his favorite creations is the Ferrari that he created at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that is now exhibited at the airport each year before the race. Check out his website for a wider look at his work.

Editors’ Picks July 2022 | Volvo XC60, 911 GT3 and a hot Hyundai

This latest rendition of Editors’ Picks sees us recognize some enthusiast-focused vehicles on both sides of the price spectrum and a luxury SUV. The 911 GT3 was an easy shoo-in, but the Hyundai Elantra N is what surprised us the most. WeÂ’re sad to see the Veloster N bow out after this year, but at least the N model in its place is a worthy one. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in July that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 Volvo XC60 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge View 36 Photos Quick take: The Volvo XC60 is one of our favorite luxury crossovers, and the PHEV option is a killer setup. We dig the interior design, and the exterior is attractively Swedish, too. Score: 7.5 What it competes with: Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70, Jaguar F-Pace, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, Lincoln Corsair, Infiniti QX50, Porsche Macan Pros: Great design, epic PHEV option, intriguing interior design options Cons: Tech can be cumbersome, big wheels lead to a stiff ride From the editors: Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "When it comes to plug-in hybrids, there's no better compact crossover option than the XC60 Recharge. I really dig the extra-powerful electric motor and larger battery Volvo added this year. The interior wool option is my pick of the bunch, but I am a little disappointed that there aren't as many physical buttons throughout the interior as there were before." News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "Although it's got some age, the Volvo XC60 is still an excellent premium SUV. It's as handsome as ever with its clean, modern design inside and out, and feels genuinely luxurious. But what really sets the XC60 apart is its available plug-in hybrid powertrain. It's smooth and refined, and best of all, it's still great in electric mode.