1984 928 S Euro Row/ Twin Distributor on 2040-cars

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VW Group plan puts Porsche in charge of a 'super-premium' division

An Automobile report looks into what's happening on the organizational and technical sides of the Volkswagen Group, and what those changes could mean for the premium brands. The wide-angle view is that Porsche appears to have been anointed to "coordinate the future activities" at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Audi would cede Lamborghini guardianship to Stuttgart, and Ducati — via a new concern called Ducati Enterprises — would become the shepherd for VW's other Italian investments. Executives target Jan. 1, 2019, to complete the reshuffle. VW wants to save a boodle by tying up four of its five top-tier brands, and putting the one with the highest ROI in charge. Porsche, within its own house, wants to reduce expenditures by $2.3 billion per year over for four years, the savings already earmarked for improving internal processes like R&D and production. Having Porsche share those gains as well as lead development of platforms, components and future-tech strategies for the sister sports car brands could benefit everyone. In the near-term, the brands have their own plans: Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann is said to want a Chiron Superleggera, a roofless and "completely reskinned" Chiron Aperta, and a track-only Chiron SS. The Superleggera could take the Chiron Sport's and Divo's Jenny Craig routines even further. The Aperta seems a natural successor to the Veyron Grand Sport, a natural evolution of the recently introduced Sky View roof, and a reskin might include numerous Divo cues. It's also said Bugatti's considering "an all-electric high-end model" in conjunction with Porsche, Rimac, and Dallara, but name one supercar or hypercar manufacturer that isn't considering a lightning-fast EV. Lamborghini, deep into work on follow-ups for the Huracan and Aventador, might get a bit of a bump with the new plan. The carbon "monofuselage" for the next V12 flagship is said to be too far developed and too complex to scrap. It puts two electric motors on the front axle, batteries in the middle, and a naturally aspirated V12 with around 770 horsepower plus another e-motor with 402 horsepower in back. The Huracan is said to get a version of the same carbon architecture at the moment, but the corporate reorganization might press pause on it. Automobile says options include continuing the Huracan/ Audi R8 twinning, but that depends on Audi saying "Ja" to a third-gen R8 with Lamborghini bones.

Porsche looks back on very first 911 Turbo

Porsche has really hit on a winning formula with its series of videos going inside its vault. So far, we've seen the V8 911 prototype, mid-engine test mule and aerodynamic prototype. The company is sticking with the 911 theme in the latest entry, but this time it's an actual production car - the very first 911 Turbo ever made.
Being the first Turbo would make it important enough, but the car was also a birthday present for Louise Piëch, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche and sister to Ferry Porsche, and she regularly used the car. The family didn't just hand her a random car off the assembly line, either. She got to make it her own with some interesting modifications. She supposedly even painted landscapes from inside the car.
You have to wonder what Piëch thought of her present. The early Turbos had a reputation for being a bit of a handful to drive. The boost tended to bring the power all at once, which wasn't always welcome when cornering. She deserves some honor just for driving the car on the curvy, alpine roads. Scroll down to learn about this important Porsche, and we can't wait to see what car the brand showcases next.

Our hats are off to Porsche's 2014 911 Turbo Cabriolets

Porsche has just debuted its two latest decapitated rocket sleds today at the LA Auto Show, the new 911 Turbo Cabriolet and Turbo S Cabriolet, which share their coupe counterparts' 520-horsepower and 560-hp 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engines. That kind of power ought separate a lot of hats (and toupees!) from heads.
The rear-engined Porsches put their power down through all four wheels, which allows them to launch from 0-60 in 3.3 seconds or less (the Turbo S Cab takes just 3.1 seconds), and both of them top out at 195 mph.
The 911 Turbo Cabriolet starts at $160,700, while the Turbo S Cabriolet can be had for a grand total of $193,900 (plus $950 for destination). Is the S model's 40 extra horsepower worth $33,200? We're not so sure, but we imagine Porsche won't have any trouble selling it.