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Porsche planning jacked-up 911 Safari? [w/poll]

The Porsche 911 may, for some, be the quintessential sportscar. And that typically means keeping it on paved roads and racing circuits. But there's a proud history to taking the Elfen off-road that traces back to specially-prepared 911s (like the one pictured above) which Porsche fielded in rallies in the late '70s and early '80s. And now Porsche is reportedly preparing to tap back into that history with a new off-road 911 model, according to the Auto Bild Motor Revue.
Tipped to be called the 911 Safari, the special variant would be based on the Carrera 4 but upgrade with bigger tires fitted to a beefed-up suspension with higher ground clearance and underbody skid plates. The model is expected to be presented initially as a concept at the Beijing Motor Show next April. But if enough interest is expressed - particularly from buyers in developing markets where the roads might not be as smooth as those to which North American and European drivers have become accustomed - Stuttgart could put it into production in 2016, when the current 991 is expected to get a mid-cycle refresh.
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Porsche 959 Prototype started it all

While Porsche was unveiling the new Nürburgring-dominating 918 Spyder downstairs in Hall 3 here at the Frankfurt Messe, there was another Porsche supercar quietly and discretely on display upstairs in the same hall. That, of course, was the 959. But not just any 959: this was the original Gruppe B prototype.
The 959 was first developed as a rally car in the early 80s to compete with the likes of the original Audi Sport Quattro S1, Ford RS200 and Lancia Delta S4. But Zuffenhausen soon saw its potential as a production road-going supercar, emerging as a technological marvel to challenge the decidedly linear approach of the Ferrari F40. It still stands as a groundbreaking supercar in its own right, but also lead to the first all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo and set the stage for the Carrera GT and aforementioned 918 Spyder that followed to cap the top of the evolving Porsche range.
This original Gruppe B prototype, which presaged the production 959, packed a 450-horsepower 2.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six into an even sleeker form than the final version that followed. We caught up with it on display as part of a display of 80s German classics, of which this 959 prototype immediately stood out as the pick of the proverbial litter. Check out the hotness in the high-resolution image gallery above.

Recharge Wrap-up: Porsche 918 Spyder named Robb Report Car of the Year, cheap E85 in MN

Robb Report has named the Porsche 918 Spyder as its 2015 Car of the Year. The luxury lifestyle publication chose the powerful hybrid for being "the rarest, fastest, quickest, and most groundbreaking production Porsche ever," says Robb Report automotive consultant Robert Ross. About 140 judges were involved in the decision, which was announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. Read more at Robb Report. Samsung SDI brought four new batteries to the Detroit Auto Show. One is a 120-Ah battery with a range of over 300 kilometers (186 miles). A second is interoperable between plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. A third is a compact hybrid battery that offers smaller packaging without losing capacity. The fourth is a low-voltage system meant to replace or work alongside lead-acid batteries and improve fuel economy. Read more at The Korea Economic Daily, or in the press release below. A relationship between a Minnesota ethanol producer and retailers means cheap E85 for customers. The DENCO II ethanol plant began blending its own E85 fuel in 2011, and now sells directly to 45 gas stations. DENCO II sets the pricing for the fuel, and has been running a promotion for certain retailers to sell E85 for about a dollar cheaper than E10 gasoline. That promotion includes a Cenex station in Alexandria, MN selling E85 for just 85 cents per gallon. The result has been success for both the producer and gas stations, with customers having more cash to spend on retail goods when they go inside to warm up. Read more at Ethanol Producer Magazine. Samsung SDI, targeting the North American market with automotive batteries and high-tech materials ? Display batteries and materials for automobiles at NAIAS from January 12, 2015 ? Introduce high capacity battery cells providing 300km driving distance per charge ? Present Non-Painting Metallic Material, the winner of SPE Automotive Innovation Award ? Samsung SDI, the world-leading material and energy solution provider introduced automotive batteries and engineering plastic materials targeting the North American market at the Detroit auto show. Samsung SDI showed off automotive batteries for electric vehicles as well as advanced materials for the interiors and exteriors of conventional vehicles at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.