By David Colman

Hypes: Breakthrough SUV/Sports Car
Gripes: Needs Passenger Controlled Rear Seat Ventilation

How do you define sports car? If your description includes “low slung two seat conveyance,” you’re hopelessly out of touch with the times. Porsche has just redefined the concept of sports car to include elevated ride height and seating for five. They call their new segment buster the Macan. In Turbo trim, this stubby and potent compact SUV will run the wheels off any “sports car” you care to choose — including such stalwarts from Porsche as the Cayman and 911. The Macan Turbo, thanks to 400hp and 406 pound-feet of torque, will cover the 0-60MPH run in 4.4 seconds and top out at 164mph. Is that sporty enough for you?

Macan shares some similarities with VW family tree relative, Audi’s Q5. But unlike Porsche’s full size SUV Cayenne, which is closely related to VW’s Touareg, the Macan neither resembles nor performs like the Q5. In fact, the Macan Turbo occupies an SUV niche of its own, capable of providing top echelon sports car performance on paved roads or Baja busting transit over special outback stages. The trick to unleashing Macan’s double edged potential lies in checking the right boxes when you configure your order. You will want to specify the following essential options: Sport Chrono Package ($1,290), Air Suspension including Porsche Active Suspension Management ($1,385), and 21″ 911 Turbo Design Wheels ($3,300). Our test Macan (Base price: $72,300), finished in Agate Grey Metallic ($690), also included a scrumptious Natural Leather Interior in Espresso, Brushed Aluminum door, dash and shifter trim (NC), and a sensational Burmester High-End Surround Sound music system ($4,290).

The Sport Chrono option, signified by the presence of a stop watch mounted atop the dash, works in consort with the standard PDK 7-speed double clutch automatic gearbox to unleash brutal standing start acceleration with launch control. Chrono equipped Macans run to 60mph from a dead stop 2 tenths of a second quicker than non-Chrono Macans. Chrono also enhances your driving menu with selections ranging from “Comfort,” to “Sport” and “Sport+.” Comfort is freeway plush, Sport tightens up responsiveness of steering and shocks considerably, while Sport+ nails the platform to the road with vise-like precision. The air suspension option provides four ride height settings (Normal, Low, Loading and Off-Road), choices unavailable on Macans with standard steel suspension. The Low setting drops your Macan 15mm below the ride height of a standard suspension Macan. When that reduced ride height is coupled to the adhesive Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tires (265/40R21 front, 295/35R21 rear) that shoe the 21 inch 911 Turbo alloys, the Macan Turbo transforms itself into a potent canyon carver that will stick with any model Porsche “sports car.” As an added incentive, the dazzling 21s make the Turbo look just like a Hot Wheels dream toy.

Yet inside this potent bomb, all is serene and elegant. The Espresso leather, immaculately stitched and complemented by understated brushed aluminum trim, imparts an elegance level befitting a $90,000 vehicle. The Burmester system will rip your ear drums to shreds or murmur sweet nothings with the twist of a dial. The steering wheel in the Macan, the first to be borrowed from the design used in Porsche’s million dollar 918, features knurled thumb knobs to control stereo volume (left thumb), or access informative diagnostics (right thumb). Porsche’s excellent 18-way adjustable Sport Seat, a carryover from the Boxster, Cayman and 911, is standard issue on the Macan Turbo. It is impossible to fault for comfort or adjustability, with 3 memory positions available for each front seat occupant. The Macan’s ample window height insures excellent side vision. Rear seat passengers will enjoy the exaggerated greenhouse effect, though they are not given ventilation outlets of their own to control. With rear seats erect, you are left with a useful flat trunk space of 17.7 cubic feet, which expands to 53 cubic feet when you drop the 60/40 split rear seats flat. Don’t forget that lowering the air suspension to the “Load” setting will facilitate any Sherpa detail you might have in mind for your Macan. You’ll be hard pressed to find that kind of luxuriant and accessible storage in any other sports car.

When I first read Porsche’s brochure claim that the new Macan is “The first true sports car among compact SUVs,” I was highly dubious about the merit of this accolade. After spending a fairly euphoric week behind the Macan’s 918-style wheel, I would have to agree with the conclusion that this brutal looking Leatherman tool defines a new category of its own. Porsche has devised a 4-door 5 seat sports car that may look like an SUV but drives like something else entirely.

2015 Porsche Macan Turbo

• Engine: 3.6 liter V-6 Twin Turbo
• Horsepower: 400hp @ 6,000rpm
• Torque: 406 lb.-ft. @ 1,350-4,000rpm
• Fuel Consumption: 17.1 MPG (Observed)
• Price as Tested: $87,940
• Star Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Beautiful to behold, Thrilling to drive
Gripes: Everything Good Costs Extra

The latest iteration of the Cayman S really is the best Porsche I’ve ever had the pleasure to drive. It’s intoxicatingly fast, which is the essential attribute in the $100,000 league. Porsche factory figures peg the Cayman S with PDK automatic gearbox at 4.4 seconds for the 0-60mph run. Car and Driver bettered that when they tested the 2014 Cayman S and recorded 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds, and 12.6 seconds at 112mph for the standing start quarter mile. You can be dawdling along at 60mph in 7th gear when you suddenly feel the need for speed. Flap the left PDK paddle toward you 3 or 4 times and this Porsche will jump faster than a cheetah ambushes a springbok.

Any Porsche is the sum of its options. Start with a base 2014 Cayman S ($63,800), add GT Silver Metallic paint ($2,580), Carrera Red Natural Leather interior (3,895) and a Burmester High-end Surround Sound System ($6,730) and you have the makings of a truly brilliant sports car. Adaptive 18-way Sports Seats ($3,465) insure comfort and support will never wane. Three stage seat ventilation ($730) evaporates stickiness on long trips while seat heaters are invaluable on cold mornings (Premium Package $1,170).

At first I was disappointed to discover that this otherwise magnificent Porsche was saddled with an automatic gear change system called PDK. It’s a habitual view acquired during Porsche’s Sportomatic period and reinforced by years of experience with feckless Tiptronic Porsches. Adding to my consternation was the need to pay $3,200 extra for something I expressly disliked.

By the end of the week, I was singing an altogether different tune. PDK really is a terrific advance in gear change technology, one that I could happily abide in my own garage. There is simply no downside to this system. It never does anything without being told to do so by you. Automatic shifts? Never a problem. Full manual control? No problem there either. I hereby surrender my lifetime stick shift membership card.

When the Cayman S first arrived in our driveway, I looked it over and thought, ‘How are we ever going to pack enough stuff for a week-long trip in this tiny car?’ At first glance, the front and rear trunks look more like toe lockers than foot lockers. However, it soon became apparent that the deep front storage well is designed specifically to accommodate two airline Cabin Trolleys laid on their side. The Cayman’s interior is also full of surprising crannies and nooks for additional storage, like the pair of lockers located behind and above the seats. Each bin is equipped with a sliding serrated cover to discourage prying eyes.

Last week, JD Power and Associates announced that Porsche “easily led its 2014 Initial Quality Study” according to USAToday. With 5,000 miles on its odometer, our Cayman S could have been the poster child for Power’s IQS. In our 10 days with the car, we found nothing amiss, either cosmetically or functionally. Tailoring of the natural leather interior is particularly judicious. The perforated leather seating surfaces fit better than a Saville Row suit. Visitors from another planet would never guess this is supposed to be Porsche’s entry level sports car.

A bevy of worthy options help elevate Cayman driving to an art form. In particular, the complex Adaptive Cruise Control ($2,170) allows freedom from the drudgery of stop and go interstate driving. Set your car length limit and the ACC will insure you never get closer to the car in front than you specify. ACC also includes Porsche Active Safety, which will actually stop your Cayman in the event you don’t. It will then resume forward travel with a tap of the cruise control lever. Our test car’s specification sheet also included Porsche Torque Vectoring ($1,320) which electronically mimics a rear axle limited slip differential. This in turn optimizes steering precision. In fact, try as hard as I might, I could never get the rear end to unload or lose traction, even through a heavily banked, 180 degree freeway onramp. The aggressive Pirelli P Zero tires (235/35ZR20 f., 265/35ZR20 r.) mounted on optional ($1,560) 20 inch Carrera S wheels played a major role in the Cayman’s sublime stability.

Surely there must be something to carp about here? Well, OK, Porsche could do better with the cupholders, which spring forth from the dash like something out of Popeil’s Pocket Fisherman. For starters they’re too short to hold a water bottle or a Starbuck’s Venti cup. When you order the optional $2,370 Sport Chrono Package, your Cayman’s on board computer can be configured to read instantaneous “G Forces” on the right hand instrument face. But this is really a duplication of assets. Because all you need do is check your cupholders, At just over 0.2g’s your skim milk latte will puke its contents out of the cup’s sipping hole. At 0.5g’s, the cupholder will pitch the whole thing into your lap. With those irrefutable indices available, who needs a g force meter?

2014 Porsche Cayman S

• Engine: 3.4 liter opposed 6 cylinder with Direct Fuel Injection and VarioCam plus
• Horsepower: 325hp@7400rpm
• Torque: 273 lb.-ft.@4500-5800rpm
• Fuel Consumption: 21 MPG City/30 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $97,890
• Star Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Superb Dynamic Chassis, PDLS Headlights, Mega Pirellis
Gripes: Don’t Have One in My Garage Yet

Back in the sexist 1930s, Packard used the adage “Ask The Man Who Owns One” to seal the deal on the superiority of its brand. Since I currently own three Porsches 911s, you might want to ask me that same question about the company’s latest offspring, the 2013 911 Carrera S. In a nutshell, this newest addition to the model line is better in every way than any previous 911 Porsche has built. When I first learned about the specifications for this new model, internally designated “991,” my reaction to it was tepid. Logic seemed to dictate that the 991’s 4 inch longer wheelbase would make it more comfortable to ride in, but slower to react to steering input and directional change. And to a tutored eye accustomed to the svelte and chiseled 911 profile, the 991 looked bulbous and overweight. I couldn’t have been more wrong on all counts.

The extended wheelbase does indeed help eliminate the harsh ride quality of its immediate predecessor, the 997 version of the 911 that Porsche produced from 2005 to 2011. Although the ride quality of the 2013 Carrera S is more relaxed and luxuriant than that of the 997, it is even better snubbed and more informative than its choppy predecessor. And when it comes to ultimate handling, the 991’s wider front and rear track elevates this new model to a new echelon of stability never before achieved by any previous 911. Helping in this regard are several features exclusive to the “S” model Carrera, such as 20 inch diameter alloy wheels measuring 8.5 inches wide up front and 11 inches wide in the rear. Porsche has generously shod these standard S rims with Pirelli’s best rubber, P Zero Nero tires measuring 245/35R20 front and 295/30R20 rear. In addition, the S enjoys standard “torque vectoring” technology which subtly brakes the inside rear wheel on a turn to promote better traction for the outside rear wheel

The cumulative effect of these measures yields a 911 so confident in handling, so adept at directional change, that you could enter this stock coupe, as delivered, in any 24 Hour race and expect to finish well up in the overall standings. That’s because the new Carrera S has been sired by a long line of stellar race cars including the infamous 935, and more recently, the GT3 RSR version of the 997, which is still winning at the international level. The breeding line shows in every facet of the 991. Its informative 5 gauge cluster looks avionics correct when ordered in optional (no extra charge) “dials in black.” Its phenomenally effective Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) headlights not only blaze the night, but swivel to illuminate corners as you turn into them.

And speaking of corners, there must have been at least a thousand of them on the 43.2 mile drive through wine country I enjoyed, along with 23 other Porsches from the Porsche Club of America. With a starting point in Sonoma’s picturesque town square, this backroad adventure proved the mettle of this latest generation 911, not only to me, but to everyone else in the Porsche Club who witnessed its incredible agility. The 991, in S trim, guarantees you will rule the road.

To enjoy the new 911 Carrera S, you don’t need to extend its engine beyond 5,000 rpm. Because my test car had only 551 miles on the odometer when delivered to me (and appropriately, 991, when my week ended), I decided to do the right thing and break in the motor properly by observing a 5,000 rpm redline and not using full throttle. Amazingly, these self-imposed restrictions never materially impinged on the 911’s performance, because the new S engine has so much torque available so low in the rpm range that you never really need to boot it to redline to maximize forward progress. Even though this engine, when broken in, will comfortably scream to its 400 hp redline of 7, 400 rpm, it makes peak torque of 325 lb.-ft. at just 5,600 rpm. Keeping the revs down also helps achieve reasonable fuel consumption of 22 MPG overall.

If there’s a better sports car available than the new 911 Carrera S, than I’ve yet to drive it.

2013 Porsche Carrera 911S

• Engine: 3.8 liter opposed 6, Direct Fuel Injection, Variocam
• Horsepower: 400hp @ 7,400rpm
• Torque: 325 lb.-ft. @ 5,600rpm
• Fuel Consumption: 19 MPG City/ 27 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $107,830
• Star Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Torquemeister, Impeccable Interior Appointments
Gripes: Slight Vibration at Idle

When the term SUV was coined back in the late 80s to describe the Ford Explorer and its imitators, the word “sports” in the descriptor ‘sports utility vehicle’ referred to the amount of sports gear your utility vehicle could transport. It certainly didn’t mean that your SUV was sporting to drive.

But all that changed when BMW debuted the X5, followed by Porsche’s introduction of the Cayenne. These SUVs put a premium on driving enjoyment rather than pack mule capacity. Porsche has been refining the Cayenne for almost a decade now, and the latest diesel-powered offering is a testament to just how much they’ve improved the breed.

This is a heavy duty truck, with a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds. It’s also capable of traversing just about any wilderness trail, thanks to full time all wheel drive, air-adjustable ride height, and locking front and center differentials. Yet on paved roads, the Cayenne diesel behaves much like any Porsche sports car, with an agility and responsiveness that belie its curb weight of 4,700 pounds.

Under the hood lies a 3.0 liter, turbocharged, V-6 diesel that makes just 240hp. While that horsepower rating seems low compared to available gasoline fueled Cayennes — which range from 300hp (3.6 liter V-6) to 500hp (4.8 liter twin turbo V-8) — the diesel’s immediate torque output of 406 lb.-ft. elevates it above the rest of the model line for sheer grunt. When you swing wide to pass slower traffic, the diesel’s torque produces an instant surge that is unmatched by any other Cayenne. It’s exactly the kind of thrust you’re going to need when towing a travel trailer over the Sierras.

The beauty of the Cayenne diesel is that Porsche cloaks this hammer of an engine in such a silken shroud that you never know when it’s working hard. All the oomph takes place between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. Almost no noise intrudes on full acceleration, and there is never a whiff of diesel fuel inside the plush cabin. Mileage figures are excellent, with 29 MPG on tap for freeway trips. Given this Cayenne’s 26.4 gallon tank you can expect to run 700 miles between fills. The silky 8-speed gearbox insures that the diesel always remains in the heart of its narrow operating range. Of course, you can manually override the Tiptronic S transmission by engaging gear of choice via metal thumb selectors on the steering wheel. But there’s really no need to do so as the diesel does not benefit from high rpm operation.

Our test Cayenne seemed to be fitted with just about every extra Porsche could conjure from the long list of special order items. Topping the extravagances was the $5,165 “Natural interior in Espresso” which looked terrific and covered every single door panel and dashboard facet with rich, dark brown, hand stitched leather. If you want the effective air suspension, it will set you back another $3,980. When we gave our local Porsche salesman a look at this car’s sticker price of $91,990, he suggested that you could do a lot better by incorporating some of its stand alone options into cheaper available packages.

The fact of the matter is, the base price of this diesel Cayenne stands at just $55,750. This compares to $48,850 for the gas V-6, $69,850 for the Hybrid model, and $82,050 for the V-8 powered 400hp GTS. So you’ll have to do a good bit of driving before you recover the initially higher investment the diesel demands over the gas V-6. But if you plan on towing a significant load, if you loathe engine noise, or if you just want to be different from the herd, then opt for the most effective Cayenne of them all, the new turbo diesel.

2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel

• Engine: 3.0 liter diesel V-6, turbocharged
• Horsepower: 240hp
• Torque: 406lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 19 MPG City/29 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $91,990
• Star Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Best 2 Seater You Can Buy
Gripes: Poor Rear Vision With Top Up

Up Front Disclaimer: there’s a 1998 Porsche Boxster in my garage. Because it’s fitted with a factory hardtop, the soft top almost never goes down. During the week I spent with this latest Boxster, the soft top hardly ever went up. In its day, my ’98 Boxster was a great sports car, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the Porsche that goes by that name today. Because the 2013 Boxster is the best sports car on the market you can buy right now. And given its base price of $49,500, it’s also a sensational deal.

It’s unlikely you’ll find a new Boxster for $49,500 unless you order one that way from your dealer. Porsche offers so many options to customize this car that your head will spin just trying to make sense of them all. The options on our test Boxster added $15,735 to the car’s sticker, and there’s not a single one in the bunch that you’d want to eliminate, because they’re all worth the extra money. Start with the $2,385 Leather Interior in Yachting Blue. This is a bargain when you consider that not only the seats, but the entire sweep of the dash, from windshield to console, is covered with pennant blue leather set off by deviated color stitching. This pale blue, combined with matching blue cloth roof, sets off the $710 Platinum Silver Metallic paint like a heavenly duet. The silver glows with a golden sheen that energizes the expanse of blue.

My ’98 Boxster has a thin-rimmed, 4-spoke steering wheel set on a fixed column, providing a take-it-or-leave-it steering position. The newest Boxster offers electric positioning for reach and height of the wheel. The 3-spoke “Multifunction” wheel itself is perfectly configured for ease of grasp. It features knurled knobs on the left spoke for sound system volume control, and on the right spoke for multifunction readouts which appear in the right instrument face. You can scroll through a bevy of information, including tire pressure, trip details (including mileage to empty), oil and water temps plus oil pressure, and radio settings. Best of all, you can turn that right gauge face into a navigational map if you have ordered the $3,860 Infotainment Package.

The fabric roof drops or raises in just 5 seconds, which is about what it takes the Boxster to sprint from 0 to 60mph. The handling of this mid-engine roadster is impeccable. Porsche fits 8 inch wide front, and 9 inch wide rear alloy wheels as standard. These 18 inch diameter wheels can be upgraded to 19 inch diameter Boxster S wheels for an additional charge of $1,560. Our test Boxster enjoyed this improvement. It charged through corners on its 235/40ZR19 front and 265/35ZR19 rear Pirelli P Zero tires with an effortlessness that defied the laws of physics. You’ll want to option your Boxster with the $1,790 PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) which places a pair of buttons on the central transmission tunnel, one to stiffen the shocks for a more sporting ride, the other to quicken the response of your throttle pedal.

It should not go unnoticed that Porsche has managed to green the Boxster by equipping it with an automatic idle shut-off feature that turns the engine off after a few seconds of waiting at a red light. This new program saves fuel and engine wear, as well as cutting smog output. The Boxster scores 24 MPG overall, with a high of 30MPG on highway runs. The Auto Start Stop system, which you can turn off at will, is so slick you hardly ever notice it in action. This is in distinct contrast to a similar system on a 3 Series BMW which gyrated the whole car every time it sprang into action.

Our test Boxster sported a 6-speed manual gearbox which is absolutely state of the art for ease of use, precision, and clutch engagement point feedback. Although you can equip your Boxster with a 7-speed semi automatic PDK transmission, the 6-speed is so fine that it burnishes the ownership experience to a shinier luster than the Platinum Silver Metallic paint.

2013 Porsche Boxster

• Engine: 2.7 liter opposed 6, DOHC, 24 Valves
• Horsepower: 265hp
• Torque: 206 lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 24 MPG City/30 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $66,185
• Star Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Pros: Ultra sharp handling, Future collectibility
Cons: A/C pricey optional extra

Porsche has been building category killing cars for 62 years. Back in the 50s and early 60s, the 356 topped the sports car world. Since 1964, the 911 has been the sports car of choice for wealthy enthusiasts. But Porsche has always offered less expensive alternatives to the 911 such as the 912 in the 60s, 914 in the 70s, 944 and 968 in the 80s and 90s, Boxster since 1997, and Cayman since 2008. A coupe variant of the mid-engine Boxster, the Cayman came to market in 2 versions: a 3.4 liter base model, which produced 265hp, and the Cayman S, with a 3.8 liter motor good for 320hp. Now Porsche has introduced its latest category killer, the Cayman R, which makes 330hp, and thanks to an intensive weight reduction program, saves 121 lbs, compared to the Cayman S. In addition, Porsche lowered the chassis of the Cayman R by 0.79 inches compared to the ride height of the Cayman S.

These subtle “R” model changes have transformed the Cayman into the most responsive Porsche you can buy today. Its handling is simply telepathic. Point this chassis where you think you want to go, and the Cayman’s already been there. The exceptional road holding is due to the coupe’s enormous tire footprint. Instead of Cayman S alloy rims measuring 8×18” front and 9×18” rear, the Cayman R sports Porsche’s lightest-ever production road wheel measuring 8.5×19” front and 10×19” rear. These effervescent looking rims were first seen on the RS Spyder LeMans racer. Painted a stunning gloss black on our test car (for an extra $1,815), the forged rims plant Bridgestone’s stickiest RE 050A rubber on the road (235/35ZR19 front, 265/35ZR19 rear). The combination of reduced ride height and enhanced tire patch elevate handling of the Cayman R into celestial territory.

Even further performance refinement is available for just $960 if you order option No. 640, the Sport Chrono Package. You not only get a very slick looking 12 hour timer on the top-center of your dash, but also a software upgrade that alters your Cayman’s engine responsiveness. The Sport Chrono Package adds a “Sport” button to the lower dash. Activation of the Sport setting quickens throttle response, raises the RPM limit, and retunes engine dynamics for sportier driving. If you opt for the 7-speed PDK gearbox (a $4,100 option) instead of the delightful 6-speed manual transmission of our test car, the Sport Chrono Package adds launch control to your armada of performance weapons. Launch Control rockets the Cayman from a standing start like a bullet, and performs faster gear shifts than the manual gearbox. A Sport Chrono-enabled PDK Cayman R thus accelerates faster than the manual transmission model (0-60mph in 4.6 seconds vs. 4.7 for the manual). Both 6-speed and PDK share identical top speed of 175mph. The manual gearbox Cayman R, however, weighs 55 pounds less than the PDK version (2,855 lbs. vs. 2,910 lbs.).

The interior of the Cayman R is optimized for the business of driving. Text messagers and phone yakkers please look elsewhere. The carbon fiber shell buckets define retention perfection, with super high side bolsters and open headrest slots to facilitate competition shoulder belt usage. Our test car was fitted with body color silver grey safety belts and door pulls ($340 extra), plus a set of optional Bi-Xenon Dynamic Cornering headlights ($1,560) which provided miraculous illumination when tackling twisty roads at night. The biggest splurge on the option list was the Sport Exhaust System (at $2,810) which was worth every penny of the expenditure. This mood exhaust allows you to tailor the tune of your Cayman with just the push of a dash button. The octave ranges from meek and mild to snarly and gnarly.

A dear friend of mine who sells Lexus cars took one look at the Cayman R and dismissed it as “that bulbous junior Porsche.” I never did manage to take him for a ride to prove how wrong he is. To me it’s very much the Porsche to own. Based on price, performance and looks, it’s another category killer. Caymans R Us.

2012 PORSCHE CAYMAN R

• Engine: 3.4 liter DOHC Flat 6
• Horsepower: 330hp at 7,400rpm
• Torque: 273 lb.-ft. at 4,750rpm
• Fuel Consumption: 19 MPG City/27 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $76,145
• Rating out of 10 Stars: 10/10

The next generation Porsche 911, internally known as project 991, isn’t set to be officially shown until September at the Frankfurt Auto Show this year. Spy shots have been posted on such sites as autospies.com and WordCarFans. Now a video from Porsche has been released on their YouTube channel.

Clear differences between the new model and the current 997 are the more upright headlights, a slightly longer body, and the side mirrors are now positioned at the side of the doors and not at the window.

Other new features for the new 911 will include extensive use of lightweight carbon materials and active aerodynamics–surfaces that react to what the car is doing, and how fast it’s doing it. Expect adjustable front and rear spoilers, dynamically opening and closing air intakes and an automatic rear wing.

As for powertrains, reports coming out of Germany claim power in the base Carrera will stand at 350 horsepower from a 3.4-liter boxer engine and 280 lb-ft of torque. Step up to the Carrera S, however, and you’re expected to get a bigger 3.8-liter engine and 400 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. New drivetrain technology includes a special electronically controlled limited-slip differential in cars equipped with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For many new car buyers, heading over to the local dealership for a test drive is part of the shopping routine. Unfortunately, going for a 10 min. spin around the block with an over-eager sales-person sitting shotgun doesn’t really help in evaluating a car, especially if it’s a high-performance vehicle.

Recognizing this flaw, Porsche has decided to hit the road this year and make its world-class cars available to the public, and allow for much more than just a brief test drive. The Porsche World Roadshow program will be stopping at 6 US cities this summer, offering extended test drives and a performance driving experience that allows prospective buyers to put select models to the test.

We were invited to check out the San Francisco leg of the tour, which was held at scenic Candlestick Point, home of the San Francisco 49ers. A good portion of the stadium parking lot had been converted to a short autocross-style course and a longer track-style course. We joined around 30 Porsche enthusiasts for a 2 hour afternoon session that included drive time in a variety of Porsche models on both courses.

After a brief presentation and pep talk from Hurley Haywood, chief instructor at the Porsche Sport Driving School, we were off to the autocross to see how Porsche’s mid-engine models perform in tight cornering conditions. An extra bonus was being able to drive different models of the same car back-to-back to see the subtle, but significant differences between versions. A few quick laps in a Boxster, Boxter S, Boxster Spyder, and Cayman R demonstrated how nimble this platform really is.

Once finished with the autocross we were directed over to the longer track course and a lineup of different 911 models, including the base, S, and 4S. Also thrown in for comparison was a base model Cayman. The routine here involved playing follow the leader around the mile long course, and so long as we kept appropriate distance the instructor in the lead car promised to keep the speed nice and high.

After flinging each of these cars around the surprisingly bumpy, twisty track, we came away with a definite appreciation for the performance potential of each of these Porsches. The surprise performer proved to be the Cayman, which despite short on horsepower, felt as quick and quite a bit more nimble than the larger 911 models.

As always, the driving session ended far too soon, and we were directed back to the showroom style tent and invited to chat with representatives about the cars. We took the opportunity to chat with some of the other participants to gain some insight into why Porsche has developed such a loyal following of performance-minded car enthusiasts.

For many attendees, Porsche was already an important part of their lives. One man regaled us with tales of picking up a 1969 Porsche 912 from the factory in Germany and then going on a road trip throughout Europe. Another mentioned having recently purchased an Audi R8, but being unable to sell his older 911 because of the sheer joy of driving the car, even if it isn’t quite as fast. For the few Porsche newcomers, the main response was one of smiles and grins, and thoughts about which model to own, should the bank allow it.

We came away with one certain conclusion: Porsche will gain more than a few new lifelong fans with its World Roadshow events. We would happily join this growing community, if only automotive journalism were a more lucrative profession.

2011 Porsche World Roadshow Locations

South Florida – Palm Beach International Raceway
April 5 – 7, 2011

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX – Texas Motor Speedway
April 15 – 17, 2011

Los Angeles, CA – Autoclub Speedway at Fontana
May 3 – 5, 2011

San Francisco, CA – Candlestick Park
May 11 – 13, 2011

Chicago, IL – Autobahn Country Club
May 25 – 27, 2011

New York, NY – Monticello Motor Club
June 10 – 12, 2011

Atlanta, GA – Turner Field
June 28 – 30, 2011

A redesign of the intake duct has added 23 hp, taking the peak power output to 408 hp at 7,300 rpm. Consequently, the fire breathing engine has a more generous torque curve in the lower and middle engine speed range. This means 236 lb-ft of torque (320 Nm) is available from as low as 1,500 rpm; overall, the six-cylinder engine delivers its peak torque of 309 lb-ft of torque (420 Nm) across a broad engine speed range from 4,200 – 5,600 rpm.

The driver’s euphoria is further enhanced by an unmistakable acoustic signature from the sports exhaust system, and this unique character is supplemented by exhaust tailpipes finished in a distinctive black surface design.

Underneath the Carrera GTS, the four-wheel drive version features Porsche Traction Management (PTM) that offers even more driving stability, traction and agile handling. Additionally, the Carrera 4 GTS features a limited-slip rear differential as standard which contributes to the dynamic performance of the electronically-controlled all-wheel drive system. We recently drove a 911 Carrera 4S and liked how the four wheel drive system complemented the power of the rear-engined sports car and made it a more predictable driving machine. Overall, we preferred the four-wheel drive setup over the rear, two-wheel drive configuration.

The Carrera 4 GTS is fitted as standard with a six-speed manual transmission, and the Coupé model sprints from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, the Cabriolet in 4.8 seconds. If equipped with the optional Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) seven-speed double-clutch transmission, an additional 0.2 seconds can be trimmed from these acceleration times.

The Carrera 4 GTS gets wider wheel arches in the rear to accommodate increased rear track width. There also is a special front apron, black side skirts and 19-inch RS Spyder wheels.

The interior is largely black with Alcantara parts and a three-spoke steering wheel.

On sale fall of 2011, the coupe starts at $110,200 and the cabriolet starts at $120,100, not including destination charges.

Hits:

• Be the first on your block
• Incredible torque
• Lavish interior

Misses:

• Some drivetrain tremors
• Pricey

It’s been nearly 8 years since I first drove the Cayenne, back when it was introduced in 2003. At that time, the Cayenne Turbo, which I toured in a long loop around Lake Berryessa, seemed like the answer to a question no one had asked: can a Porsche SUV be a sports car too? The introductory version of the Cayenne Turbo impressed me as a vehicle at war with itself. It was immensely fast in a straight line, with such a wallop on tap at full boost that it seemed reluctant to deviate from straight ahead. Turning and braking proved difficult due to the SUV’s top heavy weight and tremendous momentum. That first generation Cayenne Turbo wanted to be a sports car but just didn’t have the chops for the job.

Fast forward nearly a decade to the newly introduced Cayenne S Hybrid, which knows its place in the scheme of things far better than its predecessor did. Unlike the gasoholic Cayenne Turbo, the Hybrid Cayenne is the flower child of a new, greener generation of engineers at Weissach, Porsche’s brilliant development center near Stuttgart. In a straight line, the new Hybrid, at 6.1 seconds from zero to 60, is not quite as quick as that original Turbo, but instead of the Turbo’s poor mileage figures, the Hybrid returns 20 MPG around town and 24 MPG on the highway. How does a 4,400 pound off-roader with a 7,700 pound tow capacity manage mileage figures you’d expect from a sports sedan?

It’s all in the ingenious layout of the drivetrain. As you would expect from a Hybrid, there are two separate sources of propulsion. A supercharged, direct fuel injection V6, displacing only 3.0 liters, produces 333hp. A parallel electric drive system consists of a 47hp electric motor which augments the gas engine to produce 380hp. The Hybrid carries a 288 Volt NiMH battery which stores electrical power produced by heat from regenerative braking. The most noticeable feature of the Hybrid is its stunning torque output: 428 lb.-ft. at only 1,000 rpm. In other words the Cayenne Hybrid steps off the line with a surge akin to an Atlas Booster Rocket.