Classic Porsches Can Now Get Apple CarPlay

Porsche is now giving owners of older models the chance to jump onto the Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay bandwagon with these special 1- or 2-DIN infotainment systems from Porsche Classic.

Now available for order through the Porsche Centre or the Porsche Classic online shop, the Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) fist into the 1-DIN slot which was standard in sportscars for many decades. The PCCM is operated via two rotary knobs, six integrated buttons and a touch-sensitive 3.5-inch display.

It’s made to blend into the dashboard of classic Porsche cars, especially in the way the knobs are designed and finished. The German sportscar maker says the PCCM is suitable for 911 models of the 1960s to the last 911 with air cooling—the 993. Use in earlier front- and mid-engine models is also possible.

Aside from giving it Apple CarPlay, the PCCM also adds digital radio (DAB+), Bluetooth, USB, and SD Card inputs as well.

Meanwhile for 911 models and Boxster models from the 1990s onwards can also upgrade their original Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system to the Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus) system. This system not only adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it also swaps the screen to a high-res 7-inch touchscreen display while still supporting navigation/audio track display on the instrument cluster.

Porsche says installation can be done DIY, but they do recommend a Porsche Centre do it for the owner. Prices don’t come cheap though with the 1-DIN PCCM at 1,439.89 Euros (P 78,617.36~) and the PCCM Plus going up to 1,606.51 Euros (P 87,714.74~).

Despite COVID-19 Pandemic, Porsche 911 Sales Are Actually Up This Year

Porsche sold 8,482 units of its iconic 911 sports car in the first three months of the year, a 16 percent increase from the same period in 2019, even as the brand’s total deliveries dipped due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Counting in the 911’s tally, Porsche in the first quarter of the year sold 53,125 cars worldwide, representing a 5 percent decline from the company’s 55,700-unit result during the comparable three-month stretch in 2019. Porsche’s performance in Europe registered a solid 20 percent spike—from 14,004 cars in 2019 to 16,787 this year—cushioning the decrease in most markets.

“We are not alone in clearly feeling the effects of the coronavirus crisis on our deliveries. But our focus now is on standing together with our business partners worldwide. Working together, we are in a position to react quickly and appropriately to further developments,” said Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG.

China emerged as Porsche’s biggest consumer as the brand sold 14,098 cars in the country during the first quarter of the year. But the result is 17 percent less than the 16,890 cars customers there bought during the comparable period last year.

Porsche deliveries in the US, which stood at 11,994 units in the first quarter, were 20 percent lower than the 15,024-vehicle result in 2019’s first quarter. The brand’s collective performance in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East also contracted 8 percent, or from 23,989 cars in the first three months of 2019 to 22,031 cars during the same period this year.

Despite the downturn, Porsche expressed optimism over its prospects in the coming months.

“After this challenging first quarter, we are now actively preparing to restart production. Our top priority will always be the health of our employees, the employees of our retail partners and, of course, the health of our customers. We are confident that the outlook is positive, not least because we see a clear recovery in the Chinese market—almost all of our Porsche Centers there have already reopened,” von Platen noted.

Porsche SUVs remained the company’s bestsellers in the first quarter of 2020, with the Cayenne recording deliveries of 18,417 units and the Macan emerging with a 15,547-unit tally. The Taycan, Porsche’s first fully electric four-door sports car that started reaching showrooms only at the end of 2019, already saw 1,391 units sold.

Porsche Philippines Confirms: the 911 Turbo S is Coming

Just a week after its global debut, Porsche Philippines has confirmed: they are bringing in the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S.

No pricing or launch detail has been released yet, but Porsche Philippines did confirm that both the coupe and cabriolet (convertible) versions of the high-performance 911 will be made available for customer orders locally.

This marks the second significant model that Porsche Philippines will release locally after it previously announced the all-electric Taycan.

The 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S features a new 3.8-liter flat-6 with two variable geometry turbos. With that, it makes 650 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque. This is mated to an 8-speed dual clutch automatic driving all four wheels. Keeping the Porsche 911 Turbo S planted (and pointed in the right direction), it will get the Porsche Active Suspension Management System (PASM) as standard along with the sports-exhaust package and mixed-size tires (the first for a 911 Turbo S) with 255/35 R 20 at the front, and 315/30 R 21 at the back.

The Porsche Centre Philippines is now taking in reservations.

The RUF Rodeo Concept is the Off-Roader Porschephiles Always Wanted

RUF Automobile is a name synonymous with bespoke Porsches. And with models such as the RUF CTR “Yellow Bird,” it’s also become a household name for the Playstation generation. Well, guess what? They’ve decided to get into the whole off-roader business.

Don’t worry though, they’re not about to get their hands on a Macan or Cayenne to do that.

Instead, they’ve come up with this: the RUF Rodeo Concept. As the name suggests, it’s a concept for now, but it looks production-ready for as long as a customer wants to have one.

The Rodeo Concept was inspired by the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and its founder, and friend of RUF, Bruce Meyer, as well as by Ralph Lauren and his 2011 Western Collection, and RUF enthusiast and collector Phillip Sarofim who has roots in Texas.

The car features the same carbon fiber monocoque chassis as the CTR Anniversary, but with a four-wheel drive system to tackle off-road use, larger all-terrain tires, longer-travel suspension, and more—even a knob on the center console that allows drivers to adjust torque split on the fly. The Rodeo Concept can accommodate either a normally aspirated or turbocharged RUF flat-six engine. This means output could range anywhere from 510 to 700 horsepower.

For Porschephiles everywhere, the RUF Rodeo Concept is a godsend, especially if they don’t consider the Macan or Cayenne to be “real Porsches.”

The 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Goes from 0-100 km/h in Just 2.7 Seconds

One thing you can expect with Porsche is the continuous evolution in their cars. Case in point is the latest 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S—a sportscar that now packs enough grunt to run against the world’s best supercars.

Packing a new 3.8-liter flat-6 engine with two variable geometry turbos, the 911 Turbo S now has 650 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque—an increase of 70 horsepower and 50 Nm from before. Mated to a specific 8-speed dual clutch transmission, it cuts its sprint to the century mark to just 2.7 seconds (0.2 seconds faster), while the 200 km/h mark arrives in just 8.9 seconds—a full second than before.

Engineers focused on giving the 3.8-liter flat-6 a redesigned cooling system. The 911 Turbo S now has four intakes with a larger cross section, and yet, lower drag resistance from before. Apart from this, Porsche has fitted larger turbochargers with electrically adjustable wastegate flaps.

Naturally, the more powerful motor necessitates changes to its handling and for 2021, the standard Porsche Active Suspension Management can now transfer more torque (500 Nm) to the front wheels, while also fine-tuning things such as roll stability, road holding steering behavior, and more.

Setting the 911 Turbo S apart from the “regular 911 Turbo,” this one has a wider body—45 mm at the front and 20 mm at the back. Moreover, the track has been widened by 42 mm at the front and 10 mm at the back. Adaptive aerodynamics, including a larger rear wing provide more downforce. The standard tires are 20 inches in front (255/35) and 21 inches at the back (315/30).

Inside, the 911 Turbo S features a full leather interior with carbon trim as standard. The seats themselves are characterized with stitching that pays homage to the first 911 Turbo (type 930). Other features include a sports steering wheel, a track app, and a Bose sound system.

Now, if you needed to ask, the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S will be sold first in its home market of Germany, where it’ll carry a price tag of 218,181 Euros or around P 12.31 million.

For P 416k, Porsche Will Put Your Fingerprint Onto Your Brand-New 911

Just imagine what sort of privacy problems this could bring. While ill-informed netizens went gaga over the OR code that comes with the LTO’s so-called “third plate,” Porsche has gone a step further, and is now offering your very own fingerprint as a decorative strip on your brand-new 911.

Admittedly, the tech behind this is cool. It’s a direct printing method developed by Porsche wherein the design, in this case, a customer’s fingerprint, can be placed directly onto any painted body part of a vehicle.

Direct printing makes it possible to produce designs that are not possible with conventional painting. In terms of look and feel, the new technology is clearly superior to film application. The operating principle is similar to that of an inkjet printer: using a print head, the paint is applied to three-dimensional components automatically and without overspray.

For those who’re concerned about privacy, there’s no need to worry says the German automaker. The biometric data is processed so as to make sure it cannot be used for an unauthorized purpose. The entire process takes place in direct communication with the customer, who has a complete overview of how their personal data is used and is also integrated in the creation process of their print graphic

Porsche says the service is now available at all Porsche Centres nationwide, but the entire process—from submission of the fingerprint to the competition of the printing job will be done by consultants straight from the Exclusive Manufaktur in Zuffenhausen, Germany. In the future, Porsche will be offering other designs as well.

The cost? Well, if you had to ask, individualizing your Porsche 911 with your very own fingerprint will cost 7,500 Euros or roughly P 416,000.

Someone Just Transformed His Porsche from a 996 to a 991 Model

Ah, the Porsche 911 “996 series”—the one with the “fried egg” headlights. Though it featured huge technological advancements for the 911 (the first water-cooled engine for one), it was largely unloved because it looked too much like a Boxster, and well, it suffered from some engineering issues.

On the other hand, there’s the “991 series,” considered to be one of the finest 911s to come out of Stuttgart. It featured an all-new platform (only the third since the original 911 launched in 1963) that made it bigger, but also lighter.

Given the fourteen-year gap between them, it’s bound that someone would ask: what it would take to transform a 996 to a 991? Well, if you talked to Porsche, they’d probably laugh at you. Real hard. Like laugh and cry at the same time, hard.

But an enterprising body kit maker in Pasig has found a way to do just that: transform a 1997-era 911 into what looks like a 2011-era 911. Oh, and in the process, the silver 911 shown also jumped a couple of model grades from an entry-level Carrera 2 into what looks like a hardcore GT3.

Starbright Custom Paint and Bodykits is the shop responsible. Considered the pioneer of body kits in the Philippines (they started in 1989), they swapped the entire front-end while also giving the rear part the wide body treatment. Along the way, they added some engine ducting too and a large rear spoiler. Fitted with proper Porsche lights and badging, it’ll actually pass for the real thing.

Of course, Porschephiles will immediately notice that the proportions are a bit off and stuff, but hey considering this kit costs P 550,000? It must have helped some Porsche 996 owner sleep better at night.

Porsche Rep: Ceramic Brakes Are for Looks and Value, Not for Track Days

Here’s something interesting: if you do hard track days in your Porsche, you’re better off with the traditional steel discs. This was revealed by Porsche Australia’s technical representative at the market launch of the 992-series Porsche 911 there.

A report from Wheels via Autoblog says that because the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake or PCCB don’t leave a build-up of brake dust like traditional ones, they’re for “People who don’t like cleaning their wheels.”

For extensive track use, Porsche’s technical representative, Paul Watson, explained that ceramic discs can still degrade, especially if you’re hard on the brakes. As heat builds up, it can degrade the carbon fibers in the disc. In other words, if regular track days are part of your routine, it is best to stick to steel ones.

Asides from aesthetics, Watson also points out that going for the PCCB may be ultimately down to cost versus performance. This pricey brake rotor option can last up to four times longer with less brake pad wear compared to cast iron ones. It will improve the re-sale value according to owners, if that is worth something. However, it’s worth saying that PCCBs are fragile, chipping them alone may entail an outright replacement.

Source: Autoblog