1969 Porsche 912 on 2040-cars

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Roger Rodas' Widow Suing Porsche Over Carrera GT Crash

Investigations undertaken by local law enforcement may have vindicated Porsche from any wrongdoing in the crash that killed actor Paul Walker and racing driver Roger Rodas last year, but the latter's widow is apparently not convinced. According to emerging reports, Kristine Rodas has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from Porsche Cars North America. In her suit filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, Rodas' attorney Mark Geragos reportedly disputes the findings of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which asserted that the vehicle was traveling at an unsafe speed of 90 miles per hour on city streets, identifying the speed as the cause of the accident. Instead the lawsuit claims that the vehicle was only going 55 mph and that the cause of the crash was improper equipment – namely a faulty right rear suspension and the lack of a crash cage and proper fuel tank. "The Carrera GT was unsafe for its intended use by reason of defects in its manufacture, design, testing, component and constituents, so that it would not safely serve its purpose," according to the specifics of the suit obtained by the Los Angeles Times. When reached for comment, Porsche Cars North America spokesman Nick Twork told Autoblog: We are very sorry for the Rodas and Walker family's loss. The crash was the subject of a detailed investigation by the proper authorities (L.A. County Sheriff and California Highway Patrol), and their investigation disproves the allegations in the lawsuit. The investigation found that driving at a high speed in a negligent manner caused the crash and concluded that there was no mechanical defect. The Carrera GT is known as a difficult car to drive. As the LA Times report points out, Jay Leno spun one at Talladega in 2005, and the following year, Porsche paid part of a multi-million-dollar settlement after two were killed on a track when their Carrera GT struck a slower-moving Ferrari. The Rodas lawsuit could very well point to that previous suit from San Diego Superior Court. Whether the court in LA will hand down a similar ruling remains to be seen.

Porsche updates Macan range to match new GTS

Porsche just rolled out the new Macan GTS, packing a number of enhancements and updates. But while some of those revisions remain limited to that specific model, others are being shared across the Macan range. Chief among the updates to the Macan is the new Porsche Communication System, which was introduced on the latest 911 variants, then on the Macan GTS, and now on the rest of the small crossover lineup. The system centers around a seven-inch touchscreen display and integrates onboard wifi, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity, and a new 3D navigation interface. The revised Macan can also be had with full dynamic LED headlights instead of the bi-xenon units. Finally, Porsche is also offering some new accessories for the Macan Turbo, including new interior and exterior packages, as pictured in the gallery above. There are new 21-inch wheels, trim pieces, and smoked rear lights for the outside, and Alcantara trim and other special touches for the cabin as well. The updates and packages are being rolled out initially in Porsche's home market, but should be arriving Stateside as well in due course. Exclusive exterior and interior packages for the Macan Turbo More functionality and individuality for the Porsche Macan Stuttgart. Porsche is significantly upgrading the Macan. To coincide with the world premiere of the Macan GTS at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015, the new model year of the compact SUV is also receiving enhanced infotainment and comfort features. The new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) now comes in the Macan as well. Just a short while ago, the system celebrated its debut in the 911. Highlights are real-time route navigation, simplified operation and an integrated Wi-Fi hotspot. Porsche is also offering new full-LED headlights as an option for all models of the sporty SUV. Greater comfort and functionality are augmented by a bonus in sportiness. A re-engineered steering controller provides a more direct handling experience and improved contact with the road. Extended exterior and interior packages are available as options exclusively for the Macan Turbo. Now customers can introduce even more individual styling to their vehicle. The new PCM generation: easier operation and improved connectivity The centrepiece of the infotainment system that comes as standard in all Macan models is the new, high-resolution seven-inch touchscreen. The redesigned user interface employs intuitive operation, similar to that of a smartphone.

Fastest cars in the world by top speed, 0-60 and quarter mile

A claim for the title of “Fastest Car in the World” might seem easy to settle. ItÂ’s actually anything but: Are we talking production cars, race cars or customized monsters? And what does “fastest” even mean? For years, car publications have tended to define “fastest” in terms of an unbeatable top speed. ThatÂ’s distinct from the “quickest” car in a Usain Bolt-style dash from the starting blocks, as with the familiar 0-60 mph metric. Professionals often focus on track lap times or elapsed time-to-distance, as with a drag racer thatÂ’s first to trip the beam of light at the end of a quarter-mile; or the 1,000-foot trip of nitromethane-powered NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car dragsters. Something tells us, however, that you're not seeking out an answer of "Brittany Force rewriting the NHRA record books with a 3.659-second pass at a boggling 338.17 mph." For most barroom speed arguments, the focus is firmly on cars you can buy in showrooms, even if many are beyond the financial means of all but the wealthiest buyers and collectors. Here are some of the enduring sources of speed claims, counter-claims, tall tales and taunting dismissals that are the lifeblood of car enthusiasts – now with EVs adding an unexpected twist to these passionate pursuits.   Fastest from the blocks: 0-60 mph Thirty years ago, any car that could clock 60 mph in five seconds or less was considered extremely quick. Today, high-performance, gasoline-powered sedans and SUVs are routinely breaking below 4 seconds. As of today, the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 crushes all with a 0-60 mph time of just 1.66 seconds. That's simply absurd, but keep in mind the Demon was engineered with the single-minded purpose of going fast in a straight line. It's also important to realize that direct comparisons are difficult, because not all of these times were accomplished with similar conditions (prepped surfaces, adjustments for elevation and so on). The moral here is to take these times with a tiny grain of salt. After the Dodge, the Rimac Nevera comes in with an officially recorded 0-60 mph time of just 1.74 seconds. EVs crowd the quickest list, with the Pininfarina Battista coming in a few hundredths slower (1.79 seconds) than the Nevera and the Lucid Air sapphire (1.89 seconds) right after that. Eventually, you arrive to the Tesla Model S Plaid, which has a claimed 1.99-second 0-60 mph time, though instrumented testing by Car and Driver shows it accomplishes the deed in 2.1 seconds.