2022 Porsche Panamera Base 4dr Sedan on 2040-cars

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911 beware! Porsche testing new top-trim Boxster

The Boxster and Cayman are like the scrappy siblings compared to their star brother – the Porsche 911. And now it looks like the rivalry is about to get even more serious, as our spies have captured this hotted-up Boxster doing some winter testing. We've already seen Porsche evaluating a higher-performance version of the Cayman, rumored to be called the GT4. It would reportedly offer a taste of the thrills of the 911 GT3, but at a lower price. The coupe appears to have a convertible twin in this Boxster prototype. The biggest giveaway of their possible relationship is the shared front bumper with larger intakes and an extra opening at the tip of the hood. Although, this one lacks the Cayman's big, rear spoiler in favor of a smaller decklid unit. The good news for fans of shifting for themselves is that this tester is fitted with a manual transmission, according to our spies. Being a prototype, though, there's no guarantee that the gearbox makes it to production. At least in Cayman trim, these higher performance models might use a tuned version of the 3.4-liter flat-six with between 370 and 400 horsepower. Though, an earlier rumor suggested that a turbocharged four-cylinder could sit behind the driver. Until we know for sure, glance at the gallery to see a Porsche that might try to challenge its big brother.

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

Audi CEO's Dieselgate arrest threatens fragile truce among VW stakeholders

FRANKFURT — The arrest and detention of Audi's chief executive forces Volkswagen Group's competing stakeholders to renegotiate the delicate balance of power that has helped keep Audi CEO Rupert Stadler in office. Volkswagen's directors are discussing how to run Audi, its most profitable division, following the arrest of the brand's long-time boss on Monday as part of Germany's investigations into the carmaker's emissions cheating scandal. The supervisory board of Audi, meanwhile, has suspended Stadler and appointed Dutchman Bram Schot as an interim replacement, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Schot joined the Volkswagen Group in 2011 after having worked as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Italia. He has been Audi's board member for sales and marketing since last September. The discussions risk reigniting tensions among VW's controlling Piech and Porsche families, its powerful labor representatives and its home region of Lower Saxony. VW has insisted the development of illegal software, also known as "defeat devices," installed in millions of cars was the work of low-level employees, and that no management board members were involved. U.S. prosecutors have challenged this by indicting VW's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn. Stadler's arrest raises further questions. Audi and VW said on Monday that Stadler was presumed innocent unless proved otherwise. Munich prosecutors detained Stadler to prevent him from obstructing a probe into Audi's emissions cheating, they said on Monday. Stadler is being investigated for suspected fraud and false advertising. Here are the main factors deciding the fate of Audi. Background: Audi's role in Dieselgate Volkswagen Group was plunged into crisis in 2015 after U.S. regulators found Europe's biggest carmaker had equipped cars with software to cheat emissions tests on diesel engines. The technique of using software to detect a pollution test procedure, and to increase the effectiveness of emissions filters to mask pollution levels only during tests, was first developed at Audi. "In designing the defeat device, VW engineers borrowed the original concept of the dual-mode, emissions cycle-beating software from Audi," VW said in its plea agreement with U.S. authorities in January 2017, in which the company agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine to reach a settlement with U.S. regulators.