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Porsche completes production of 918 Spyder

Porsche is closing another chapter in its history as production of the 918 Spyder has officially come to an end. The only remaining question is: what comes next? The 918 was the latest in a long line of flagship supercars from the German automaker, starting with the 904 Carrera GTS, continuing on through the 959, 911 GT1, and Carrera GT. Each was a technological game-changer for Porsche, just as the 918 Spyder will surely be remembered. With the hybrid roadster now zipping off into the annals of history, all eyes will be fixed on Zuffenhausen to see what it does next. And though it may not be much to go on, we've already begun seeing some hints at what that could be. Last week Porsche released a solitary teaser image showing its next-generation sports car, covered and parked alongside the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid LMP1. Just what's under the cover, Porsche isn't saying, and didn't respond to our repeated inquiries for comment. However the signs point towards a mid-engined supercar – not unlikely to pack a hybrid powertain once again – positioned closer to the likes of McLaren 650S and Ferrari 488 GTB than the outgoing 918 Spyder, which faced off against the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari. If that turns out to be the direction Porsche takes with its upcoming new supercar, as has long been anticipated, it would hardly be unprovoked. McLaren recently launched the 570S as part of its new Sport Series to take on the Porsche 911 Turbo, and Ferrari is once again rumored to be pursuing the same with a new Dino. While the specifics may remain cloudy for the time being, what is crystal clear is that things are about to get very interesting in the battle between Porsche and its rivals. Related Video: Porsche super sports car with hybrid drive reaches its limited edition volume of 918 units Porsche finishes production of the 918 Spyder technology pioneer Stuttgart. Today, the chequered flag marked the finish: after 21 months of production time, the final Porsche 918 Spyder came off the line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen according to schedule. But the legacy of this technology pioneer will reach far beyond its production time. Future generations of sports cars will benefit directly from innovations of the 918 Spyder. The 918 Spyder was systematically developed to be a performance hybrid with plug-in technology. The hybrid super sports concept car made its debut at the 2010 Geneva International Motor Show where it met with overwhelming approval.

Porsche inspecting 2,500 Euro-spec Macans for damaged brake boosters

Porsche is investigating a potential brake issue with 2,500 of its new Macan CUVs. The inspection focuses on the state of the brake systems following tests that discovered the brake boosters may have been damaged during assembly.
Porsche has pointed out that, despite the concern, the affected Macans still meet safety regulations. The issue is predominantly found in European-spec Macans, which according to Porsche, have been delivered to consumers. Owners of affected vehicles in Europe will be notified and asked to come in for a brief, no-cost inspection.
American consumers, though, have no reason to worry. We reached out to Porsche Cars North America, who confirmed that the vehicles in question were assembled before US-spec cars were screwed together.

Lamborghini could be sold or spun off from the Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen is reportedly considering a sale or stock listing for its high-end Lamborghini brand. The German automaker is looking to fold the Italian supercar brand into a separate legal entity, reports Bloomberg, which cites "people familiar with the matter" who don't want to be identified "because the deliberations are confidential and no decisions have been made." Any of this sound familiar? The goal of spinning off Lamborghini would be to stockpile more cash and other resources for VW's massive planned push into electric vehicles. Back in March, reports circulated that Volkswagen's "Vision 2030" corporate plan might include plans to focus on the brand's core brands — VW, Audi and Porsche. That means the futures of fringe players like Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, motorcycle brand Ducati and design firm Italdesign (and note this isn't a comprehensive list of brand's under the expansive VW Group umbrella) are up in the air. VW, according to the report, is targeting a market value of $220 billion, which is a big jump from the brand's current $89 billion valuation. Bloomberg pegged Lamborghini's valuation at around $11 billion back in August, buoyed by sales and profits generated by the introduction of the Urus sport utility vehicle. On the flip side, Lamborghini is currently grappling with how best to update its supercar lineup in the face of ever-increasing emissions regulations.