1973 Porsche 911 Targa on 2040-cars

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2015 Porsche Panamera Exclusive Series is a seriously quick way to spend $260k

Porsche is usually associated with being a sports car brand, but with vehicles like the Cayenne and Panamera it takes a step into the world of luxury against firmly established players like Mercedes-Benz. One way for the company to poke its head above the high-class fray is by taking things further, and in the case of the Panamera Exclusive Series at the Los Angeles Auto Show, it means pushing grandeur to extreme levels.
Coming in at an absolutely eye-watering $263,900, plus $995 destination, the Panamera Exclusive starts its life as the already sumptuous Panamera Turbo S Executive with a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 making 570 horsepower on an extended wheelbase. To help justify the extra $63,000 for the Exclusive, though, the model gets 20-inch black Sport Classic wheels and an interior in swaddled in Nappa leather with dark walnut and piano black trim. Rear passengers also get 10.1-inch touchscreens mounted on the back of the front seats. A set of fitted Poltrana Frau leather luggage is included with each one, as well.
The luxurious sedan earns it Exclusive moniker because just 100 of them are being made worldwide. Scroll down to read about Porsche's ultimate limousine.

Recharge Wrap-up: Ford's "snowtonomous" Fusion Hybrid, Porsche eyes battery makers

Bosch and Panasonic are vying to be the battery supplier for Porsche's electric sports car based on the Mission E concept. While Bosch's costs may be higher, its solution would offer simpler logistics. Panasonic is already well established as a battery maker, providing the packs for the Porsche car's rival, Tesla. "We're in the final stage of making a decision," says Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, declining to comment on specific manufacturers. Neither Bosch nor Panasonic provided comment. Read more from Automotive News. Renault will supply a fleet of 150 Renault Zoe EVs for a smart solar charging project in Utrecht, Netherlands. The project involves the installation of 1,000 EV chargers powered by 10,000 photovoltaic panels. The Renault Zoes would be used as part of a carsharing program powered by the solar chargers. Renault and its partners will also implement a vehicle-to-grid system to provide energy during peak demand from the solar chargers and connected EVs. Read more in the press release from Renault. Ford has been testing an autonomous Fusion Hybrid prototype that is capable of driving itself in snowy conditions. Ford uses 3D mapping to scan the drive route. Its LiDAR laser mapping can even detect single falling snowflakes. It collects and processes up to 600 gigabytes of data per hour, comparing its environment to saved maps, a process that helps establish location more precisely than GPS. In addition to the LiDAR systems, the car is also equipped with cameras and radar to help it navigate. Eventually, the car could even be able to clean off its sensors when it detects loss of performance from ice and dirt. Read more in the press release below. FROM AUTONOMY TO SNOWTONOMY: HOW FORD FUSION HYBRID AUTONOMOUS RESEARCH VEHICLE CAN NAVIGATE IN WINTER DEARBORN, Mich., March 10, 2016 – Driving in snow can be a slippery challenge, with the potential for one blizzardy gust to white-out your field of view – a situation faced by the majority of people in the United States. So if self-driving cars are to become a reality – and they almost certainly will – they must be able to navigate snow-covered roads. In its quest to bring self-driving vehicles to millions of people around the world, Ford reveals six facts about its technology that allows for a car to drive itself in snow. 1. Mapping the way: Ford first creates high-resolution 3D maps using LiDAR technology to scan the area its autonomous vehicle will later drive in the snow.

Porsche 911 GT3 named Performance Car of the Year by Road & Track

The Porsche 911 GT3 is a very, very good performance car. Yes, we know this is like saying fire is hot and a shovel to the head hurts. What's different about this proclamation, then? Well, we bring up the 911 GT3's inherent goodness because our friends at Road & Track have named it their 2015 performance car of the year.
This is, our joking aside, a big accomplishment for the 911 GT3, due largely to the field of cars it beat out. There were many equally track-focused wonders in attendance, including the Ferrari 458 Speciale, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and Dodge Viper SRT TA, as well as more capable everyday vehicles, like the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, BMW M3 and Ford Mustang GT.
But it was the 475-horsepower, rear-engined track star that R&T fell for, with editor-in-chief Larry Webster calling out the Porsche's ridiculous, howling, 9,000-rpm redline, while other editors cited its phenomenal handling character.