WS Awards 2013: Car of the Year

It’s getting nearer to 2014, and it’s now where we start to reflect and dwell on the past year. But it’s not all doom and gloom for 2013, it has been an amazing year for car nuts. The best part of 2013 has got to be the the debuts of all the hypercars at the Geneva Motor Show, it was a biblical scene.

However, this article is way more important than the most exciting debuts of 2013, it’s our very own Car of the Year award. It will be split up into 5 segments from Hypercars to Performance SUV & Saloons. Each nominee will receive an award for either 1st (gold), 2nd (silver) or 3rd place (bronze).

HYPERCAR OF THE YEAR

Hypercars. There’s many ways to describe them, barbarically fast, ridiculously expensive, incredibly lust-able, however you describe it though, just defies this segment of cars into one word: Mad. 2013 saw the most incredible Hypercar fight of all-time, this included the all-new McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, Koenigsegg Agera R and the Pagani Huayra. It was an incredible competition between all 5 automakers, but only 3 will come out on top for us.

1st: McLaren P1



The P1 is McLaren’s successor to the F1 from the 90′s. It was created to rival with the likes of the LaFerrari, Huayra, 918 and Agera R. The P1 boasts 903 horsepower, can hit 62 mph in less than three seconds, can hit 186 mph in less than 17 seconds, and will run into an electronic wall at 217 mph. It has also set a ‘sub-seven minute time at the Nurburgring. Why does it take first place? Well, the P1 is a massive step up from the F1, for a firm who didn’t make road cars for over 10 years to suddenly come out with a innovative super-sonic masterpiece like the P1, is truly incredible.

2nd: Porsche 918 Spyder



The Porsche 918 Spyder is a direct successor to the 2003 Porsche Carrera GT. Costing a whopping £720,420 (with Weissach pack), the 918 must pack a punch. It does. The 918 features a 4.6-litre V8 which produces 875bhp, hits 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds, a combined economy figure of 85.6mpg, a top speed of 211. On top of all that, it’s a hybrid, it has an electric motor which runs on lithium-ion batteries. The electric motor produces 154bhp alone. Solely on electricity, it can go 18 miles at a top speed of 93 mph. The 918 is a technological step forward in the automotive world, many automakers will learn from the 918. Porsche proved you can still go stupendously fast, whilst keeping your wallet happy. 

3rd: Ferrari LaFerrari



After the Enzo, Ferrari had to decide where to go next, and this is it, the Ferrari LaFerrari. Forget about its odd name for a second and just look at it, it’s nothing short of bloody awesome. It is definitely a bed-room pin-up poster. The LaFerrari packs the same 6.3-liter V12 as the front-engined Ferrari F12, but it’s been reworked for the LaFerrari’s mid-engined layout. This means the power has been upped to a mind boggling 789bhp produced at a crazy 9000rpm. And the V12 will keep revving to 9250rpm. Peak torque is 516lb ft at 6750rpm.

SUPERCAR OF THE YEAR

Think of supercars as toned-down versions of hypercars. They are mad, but quite subtle compared. Supercars are focused, road going batshit-fast-mobiles, that can make you look immensely cool on the road whilst obliterating everything at the lights.

Porsche 991 GT3



The 991 GT3 is a direct successor to the 997 GT3. The new GT3 features a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six engine which develops 475 hp and has a rev limit of 9,000rpm. This power is sent to the road via a seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission with unique steering wheel paddle-shift. The GT3 also features innovative active rear-wheel steering which increases cornering agility and enhances high speed stability. Combined, the 991 GT3 will accelerate from naught to 62 mph in 3.5 and will reach a top speed of 196 mph.

Honourable Mentions

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Lamborghini Aventador Roadster
McLaren 12C

 

SPORTSCAR OF THE YEAR

The definition of fun, adequate performance, just enough to allow you to throw it around a corner and come out the other side completely unscathed, the sportscar.

Jaguar F-Type V6 S



The F-Type. Nothing short of amazing. As a car we’ve driven and tested, it was one of our all-time favourites. The V6 was lacking the specialty and the potential to what the F-Type could offer, the V8 was just a mental patient hiding in a car’s engine bay, but the V6 S is the sweet spot of the bunch, not too harsh, not too less, just perfect. Incredible handing, incredible performance and a truly biblical sound. It wins our Sportscar of the year award.

Honourable Mentions

Porsche Boxster S
Porsche Cayman S
Toyota GT86

HOT-HATCHBACK OF THE YEAR

Little pocket rockets. Using 100% of the power all of the time, whether it’s in town, or on a country road, hot hatches dominate corners, yet they retain being practical for the weekly shop as well! The perfect segment of car? Well, that’s for you to decide.

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG



Mercedes-Benz totally revolutionized the hot-hatch market when they revealed the A45 AMG. The A45 is faster than its rivals in a straight line and around a track. Some incredible engineering has gone into this car by cramming a record thrashing 355bhp into a little 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine which gave its engine the title of the most powerful 4-cylinder engine ever made. It’s an absolute hoot to drive, it crackles on upshifts, it wants to oversteer even though it has a very good all-wheel-drive system and handles wonderfully. It wins our hot-hatchback of the year award.

Honourable Mentions

BMW M135i
Audi S3
Ford Fiesta ST

 

PERFORMANCE SALOON OF THE YEAR

You’ve settled down now with kids, a stable job, a loving wife, but no car. You need a family car, but you’re a race-car driver, and you want a family race-car.

Jaguar XFR-S


Before you chant “why not the M5, E63 or RS6?!” Well, specialty, exclusivity and brutality is what fun means these days. The XFR-S is not just unique, it’s rare, with only 20 entering the UK and 100 going to the US, it’s an epic unicorn. The XFR-S is Jaguar’s attempt to take on ‘Benz, BMW and Audi. It may not be faster in a straight line, nor it may not be faster around a track, but this car is just such an awesome creation by Jaguar, it turns heads, it makes a sweet noise and is still bloody quick.

Honourable Mentions

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Model
BMW M5 F10
Audi RS6

 

PERFORMANCE SUV OF THE YEAR

Need more space, power, and practicality? Well look no further, performance SUV’s might just be for you!

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S



When it comes cars that are heavy and tall, taking it on a track seems totally hopeless. However, it seems Porsche has totally defied physics by making this car feel like a sports car on the road. No idea how they’ve done it, but those clever engineers at Porsche deserve a pat on the back for the Turbo S, it’s immensely quick in a straight line and can do four-wheel-doughnuts all day long, what more could you want? Oh, it can take the kids to school and do the weekly shop.

Honourable Mentions

Range Rover Sport 5.0
Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
BMW X5M

 
That wraps it up for this year, see you on the other side in 2014! Happy new year from us at Wild Speed.

Porsche To Expand Range With 911 Off-Roader

So far, the 911 lineup is quite extensive indeed. There is the Carrera, the Carrera S (+cabriolets), the Carrera 4 and 4S (+cabriolets), the Turbo and Turbo S (+cabriolets), the 50th Anniversary edition, and the GT3. All-in-all that is 14 911 variants, more than enough right? Well, Porsche doesn’t think so.

According to German publication, Motor Revue, Porsche will launch a 911 Crossover concept at the Beijing auto show in April.

The concept will possibly be called the 911 Safari and will be based on the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4. It’ll feature larger tyres, higher ground clearance, skid plates, and an off-road-capable suspension.

If the concept follows into production, it could hit the market around 2016 with a mid-cycle facelift.

So, what’s the point? Porsche wants to take advantage of the Chinese and Middle Eastern market where roads aren’t as smooth as Europe or US.

What are your thoughts on the 911 Safari?

Top 5 Car Debuts Of 2013

We’re nearing the end of 2013, and it’s around this time where we start to reflect on the whole year, specifically the year of automobiles. 2012 had some pretty cool debuts such as the BMW M5 and even fast sports-utility-vehicles like the ML63 AMG.

However, 2013 was less about thje ‘normal car turned fast’ and more about cars that were built to be fast in the first place. Below we have listed our top 5 car debuts of 2013. This list is in no particular order.

McLaren P1

The P1 is McLaren’s successor to the F1 from the 90’s. It was created to rival with the likes of the LaFerrari, Huayra, 918 and Agera R. The P1 boasts 903 horsepower, can hit 62 mph in less than three seconds, can hit 186 mph in less than 17 seconds, and will run into an electronic wall at 217 mph.

Porsche 991 GT3

The 991 GT3 is a direct successor to the 997 GT3. The new GT3 features a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six engine which develops 475 hp and has a rev limit of 9,000rpm. This power is sent to the road via a seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission with unique steering wheel paddle-shift. The GT3 also features innovative active rear-wheel steering which increases cornering agility and enhances high speed stability. Combined, the 991 GT3 will accelerate from naught to 62 mpg in 3.5 and will reach a top speed of 196 mph.

Ferrari 458 Speciale

–

Being the successor to the legendary F430 Scuderia, the Speciale had a lot to live up to, and it did. The 4.5-liter V8 in the Speciale makes 597 horsepower at a 9000-rpm peak unlike the regular 458’s 562 horsepower. This is made possible by a14.0:1 compression ratio, revised combustion chambers, new pistons, shorter intake runners, reshaped intake ports, and higher lift on the exhaust and intake valves, along with a new carbon-fiber manifold and airbox.

Jaguar F-Type R Coupe

After the success of the F-Type Roadster, Jaguar gave the Coupe variant a green light and with its unveiling came the ‘R’ version which packs 550PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine enabling acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.0-seconds, and a top speed of 186 mph (limited)

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

Although not appealing to many, it appeals to the family man who wants the perfect blend between luxury and performance. The S63 AMG features AMG’s M157 5.5-liter biturbo engine which produces 585 horsepower and a mad 900 newton meters of torque.

Porsche 911 Targa (991) Sketches Leak

123

HISTORY

In 1967, Porsche introduced a convertible variant of the 911. However, they feared the NHTSA would ban convertibles in a place where demand was high, the US. The clever chums at Porsche took it seriously which resulted in the engineers having to think of a new way to go about things. Porsche engineers decided to create a roof which offered a removable center and rear window but retained the steel cover over a roll bar in the center. This idea would soon to be called the 911 ‘Targa’.

Porsche has decided to give the 991 Porsche Targa a greenlight for 2014, but this time, it won’t be dropped at last minute as Porsche has promised to its purists that it’s coming back, for good. The Targa top will be somewhat reminiscent of the 67′ Targa, this will include a brushed aluminium finish for the roll bar and black fabric-covered removable panels.

PERFORMANCE

The 991 Porsche 911 Targa will be offered with a 3.4-liter flat-six engine which produces 350hp and a 3.8-liter flat-6 which produces about 400hp in the 4S variant of the Targa, somewhat similar to the 991 Carrera 4 and 4S powertrains. These engines will be bolted directly to a 7-speed PDK transmission which will drive all four wheels.

TARGA 4

2014 release

3.4-liter flat-six engine

390 Nm, 350 hp

283 km/h (175 mph)

0-62 4.7 sec

7-speed double clutch transmission (Porsche Doppelkupplung - PDK)


TARGA 4S


2014 release

3.8-liter flat-six engine

440 Nm, 400 hp

297 km/h (184 mph)

0-62 4.3 sec

7-speed double clutch transmission (Porsche Doppelkupplung - PDK)

TECHNOLOGY

Obviously, in this day and age, which human in this world has the time to pull over, remove the panels and stow them somewhere, hmm? Well, Porsche are definitely aware of that as the technical patents reveal that the Targa will electronically operate at a touch of a button, a bit like a conventional cabriolet.

It appears that the rear upper panel and the windshield will move upwards and backwards while the center of the rollover bar lifts vertically out of the way. The rest will be levered backwards and contained in a space under the windshield.

RELEASE INFO

The 991 Porsche 911 Targa is expected to debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Prices are unconfirmed as of now, but expected to be around the £85,000 mark.

video: Heroic Porsche Driver

Daejeon City, Republic of Korea.

The driver of this modified Porsche 997 convertible saved the day as he blocked in the car that hit a motorcyclist just moments before and drove on as if nothing happened.

REPORT
“The hit-and-run car was boxed in by Porsche 911 turbo, black sedan, and driver of this vehicle(Taxi)
“The driver of the hit-and-run car didn’t know what happened.”
“I can smell alcohol from her breath”

it could have been more serious tragic,
but the motorcycle rider was ok.

The interviewer received awards from police commissioner.
but he wanted more than just award.

he wishes.
“it’s pain and suffering for both party, i wish people don’t drink & drive and no hit-and-run”

“

Launch Control: 991 GT3

Climb aboard the insane 991 GT3 for a flat six, 475 horsepower, 9000RPM  dobbelkupplungsgetriebe 0 to 200 km/h launch. Engine sounds strong, capable and awesome! What a machine!

Video by Magazine Motorsport

 

991 Saga Continues: GT2 Spied

Photographers have caught Porsche testing the all new 991 GT2 at the Nurburgring. It’s obviously no secret as the GT2 is a one-step-up from the GT3 which was revealed this year at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The new 991 GT2 will be a much more hardcore and hunkered down version of the GT3, or the lovechild of a GT3 and a Turbo, so to say. The GT2 will feature a RWD platform, a 3.8l twin turbo flat six engine that will produce around 560 hp, which evidently will be able to catapult the GT2 to 60 mph in just under 3 seconds! Push hard enough and the GT2 will hit 200 mph. That’s absolutely mind boggling, but as much as this sounds like the ultimate widowmaker,  modern technohow might just sort things out a bit.

[nggallery id=38]

 

Porsche 991 Targa Spied

The Targa Is Coming…

[nggallery id=37]

We’ve seen this car drive around before disguised as a convertible,  but it is now spied with the roof .. open. We know Porsche is ditching that full glass roof for this Targa! They’re going oldskool!  Great news to Porsche enthusiasts who have been sending Porsche requests after requests to build a new Targa. It seems they listened and grabbed a convertible 991 and put a shackle on it. It’s no secret anymore! check out the video above to see it with the roof opened up.

Expect the 991 Targa for a late 2013/early 2014 release!

Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Action!

This is the brand new 2014 Porsche 991 GT3 CUP in action at Monza racetrack, just listen to that sound and shifting! Watch how fast it can go even in bad track conditions!
Truth is though , behind the wheel of car number 88 is the most successful driver in WRC history, having won the world championship a record nine times in a row, the famous and French driver;  Sebastien Loeb!  

 

TECHNOLOGY AND CONCEPT
The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is based on the 911 series production model – a pure-bred sports car that offers an exceptional level of power and yet our engineers were able to raise it even further. How? By fighting hard for every kilogramme saved and every kilowatt added. Thanks to the weight-optimised modular racing exhaust system, the 3.8-litre flat-six engine of the new 911 GT3 Cup now produces 338 kW (460 hp). The power of the engine is transmitted to the rear axle by a racing clutch and a newly developed Porsche six-speed sequential gearbox with mechanical slip differential. The electropneumatic paddle shift system makes gear changes even faster and more efficient.

The 911 GT3 Cup is also quicker to decelerate. Fit for endurance the newly developed race brake system performs impressively and will impress rival drivers, who can now be overtaken under braking even more frequently. The stability needed is provided by the extended wheelbase – 100 mm longer than that of the predecessor – as well as the optimised chassis. [source]