2006 Porsche Cayman Coupe S 6 Speed Manual on 2040-cars

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Porsche expects to hit 200k sales target 3 years early

When Porsche launched the Cayenne, enthusiasts and purists – in between fits of rage – rationalized the SUVs existence by imagining that the money it brought in would guarantee the company's continued ability to produce the many beloved versions of its 911. The same was said when the Panamera arrived, and again when the Macan was unveiled. What probably wasn't imagined when these three more mainstream vehicles joined the Porsche catalog, was how dramatic an impact they'd have on the company's sales figures. The company expects 2015 to be a banner year, as it aims to hit a 200,000-unit sales goal three years ahead of schedule. Porsche sold nearly 190,000 units in 2014, a gain of 17 percent over 2013, while its year-over-year sales for December were up 39 percent. Considering Porsche made these gains before the full impact of the new Macan could be felt, it's no wonder the company is so keen on 2015. Porsche has already moved 45,000 Macans, which would be impressive on its own, were it not for the way the CUV is elevating the brand. According to a report from Reuters, two-thirds of the company's Macan deliveries have been to first-time Porsche customers. Considering these two facts, it will be extremely interesting to see the impact Porsche's newest model has on its sales over a full calendar year.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

World's largest toy car collection is in Beirut, and it's remarkable

It's common for auto enthusiasts to have a few miniatures of their favorite cars around their home or office. They provide a respite of happiness knowing that if you can't have the real things, at least you can look at them in miniature. However, Billy Karam of Beirut, Lebanon, has taken collecting toy cars to its extreme. His collection of over 30,000 model cars and 400 dioramas is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest collection of car toys. "You cannot buy the big ones, so you buy a thousand of the small ones instead," says Karam in the video. Karam is a former amateur racing driver with a weakness for all things Porsche, and many of his dioramas depict races that he drove in or attended. Looking at them gives him a chance to relive the experiences again, but unlike a photo or video, they are right there in three dimensions. Scroll down to watch this astounding Cool Hunting video narrated by the collection's captivating owner. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Cool Hunting Video: World's Largest Toy Car Collection from Cool Hunting on Vimeo. News Source: Cool Hunting via VimeoTip: Reilly Toys/Games Porsche Videos Guinness World Records diecast toy car car collection