Turbo, Navigation, Rear Cam, Awd, Low Miles, Parking Sensors, 310-925-7461 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jay Leno plugs himself into Porsche's 918 Spyder

As one of the greatest sports car manufacturers of all time, when Porsche puts out a new, ultra-exclusive hypercar, enthusiasts tend to stand up and take note. Jay Leno is no exception, and now, the funnyman is finally getting his time with awesome 918 Spyder.
With his 1963 Porsche 356 and his 2005 Carrera GT flanking a Liquid Silver 918, Leno takes us through the basics of this plug-in hybrid roadster alongside Daniel Eastman of Porsche North America. Following the chat, Leno and Eastman take the German-plated car through the streets of California, testing it in a number of modes and even going on a short, all-electric freeway cruise.
If you're looking to learn more about the 918, or to just here its glorious gas engine at work, you'll want to scroll down and take a look at the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage.

Ruf Turbo Florio is the Turbo Targa Porsche won't sell you

Porsche offers a staggering array of 911 variants. You can get the Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, Carrera 4 GTS and Turbo and Turbo S (to say nothing of the GT3 and new GT3 RS). And with few exceptions, you can get each as a coupe, cabrio or Targa. Except you can't get a Turbo Targa. The partial-convertible model tops out at the GTS. But if the one thing you really wanted was a Targa with a turbo engine, the folks over at Ruf will be glad to hook you up with the tuned version you see here. It's called the Ruf Turbo Florio, taking the latter part of its handle from the second part of the Sicilian road race where Porsche got the name for its lift-top in the first place. But Ruf's take doesn't just match the factory Turbo's output – it far exceeds it: with 621 horsepower and 608 pound-feet of torque on tap, it'll put even the 911 Turbo S (on Sport Plus overboost, no less) to shame. Plus you can get it with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT, driving all four wheels like the factory Turbo or just the rear set like the GT2 that Porsche doesn't even make any more. It'll top out at 205 miles per hour, and all the while with the wind in your hair – but not too much of it. Related Video:

U.S. tariff threat hits European automakers' stocks

FRANKFURT, Germany — A U.S. warning that it may introduce tariffs on foreign auto imports hit shares in German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen on Thursday, which together have a more than 90 percent share of North America's premium car market. Washington said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into whether car and truck imports are a national security issue due to signs they had damaged the U.S. auto industry. That could lead to new U.S. tariffs — up to 25 percent — similar to those imposed on imported steel and aluminum in March. BMW and Daimler shares fell as much as 3.1 percent in early Thursday trading, while Volkswagen's dropped as much as 2.5 percent. "(U.S. President) Donald Trump is obviously not thinking about how to prevent a trade war. Import duties on cars would be a nightmare for the German auto industry and would lead to a massive sales impact," said Thomas Altmann at Frankfurt-based asset manager QC Partners. BMW on Thursday condemned the move to consider tariffs. "The BMW Group is committed to free trade worldwide. Barrier-free access to markets is therefore a key factor not only for our business model, but also for growth welfare and employment throughout the global economy," it said. Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars, and Volkswagen, which makes upmarket Audis and Porsches, were not immediately available for comment. German carmakers produced 804,000 cars at local factories in the United States and exported 657,000 German-made cars into North America last year, according to German auto industry association VDA. China took pains on Thursday to welcome German firms and investments, with Premier Li Keqiang talking up relations after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. BMW and Mercedes have expanded production capacity in the United States, but BMW, Audi, Volkswagen and Daimler have also invested billions to build new factories in Mexico in the hope of selling locally produced cars into the United States. German carmakers hiked vehicle production in Mexico by 46 percent to 620,000 cars last year, while production levels inside the United States fell by 6 percent to 804,000 cars because of a shift to Mexico, according to the VDA. BMW has its biggest factory worldwide in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is the largest vehicle exporter among all the carmakers in the United States measured by value of goods exported. More than 70 percent of BMW's U.S.-made cars are exported.