A Porsche so rare, even Google hadn't heard of it

The 911 HLS resurfaces after being forgotten for 40 years. 

Project 'Racing Coupé'

The story of the forgotten Porsche began in 1964. Back then, this particular Porsche 911 was happily running along in its standard configuration. Then, in 1966, it would be sent to the Automotive Engineering department at the University of Aachen.

The mission: turn it into a 'racing coupé' with a folding roof. The design study seems to take at least some inspiration from the Porsche 904 race car and its rear engine cover, which could be seen as a kind of retractable roof.

Body shop at the end of the road

Technical drawings and a miniature model were devised before the in-house body department at the University of Aachen went to work on building a completely new body. To keep the weight low, many parts were fabricated in aluminium, including the characteristic rear louvres and the adjacent 'Targa' rollover bar. 

The fact that this Porsche had genuine racing ambitions can also be seen from the arrangement of the instruments on the dashboard: they were subsequently added to the right-hand side. The highlight of the study was undoubtedly the hinged cockpit canopy, integrated in its closed state to flow in harmony with the body line. 

Finally, the concept car, complete with its retractable roof, was sent to a paint shop in Würselen, a German town in the Aachen district of North Rhine-Westphalia, where it was given its bright green color. Here, too, the model name Porsche HLS was added in black letters.

What happened next explains why the retractable roof Porsche 911  has, until now, generated not a single entry on Google: it simply disappeared. Presumably, the eccentric study found no favor at  Zuffenhausen, so it was simply parked at the body shop and left there—for 40 years. 

It was not until 911 expert Manfred Hering of Early 911s was asked whether he could restore the long-forgotten concept that it once again saw the light of day. 

"I was asked whether I could restore the Porsche for around 30,000 euros. Of course, I had to say no, but I then tried to buy this unique Porsche," says Hering. "After three years of discussions and negotiations I stood in front of the handsome wreck that had been left exposed to the weather for the last four decades. The original engine and a spare engine were dismantled but came with it—and had already served as a home for several families of mice."

Bright future ahead

Hering has definite plans for the car's future of the car: "In mid-April 2015, I will present the retractable roof Porsche at the Techno Classic for the first time. Then we will study it more closely and attempt to restore as many original parts as possible." 

Whether he will, at some point in the future, want to sell this unique treasure is a question we'll save for a later meeting.

                                                                    Source: Classic Driver

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Alfa Romeo Should Build This Gorgeous Giulia Sportwagon

Even a Giulia-inspired crossover wouldn't look so bad. Check out these expert renders of what future Alfas could look like.

Alfa Romeo's long-awaited new sports sedan, the Giulia, has proven to be every bit the sexy Italian the brand needs as the follow-up to the 4C. We can't wait to drive the new Alfa, which is due to arrive here in mid-2016. Of course, the automaker will need to further flesh out its lineup globally, both to satisfy its dealer body and to maximize the return on its investment in the Giulia's new rear-drive platform. Our illustrator has worked up two additional Giulia-based body styles, presented here for your approval. Which one should sit alongside the Giulia sedan in Alfa showrooms?

The Giulia sedan was unveiled in high-zoot, Quadrifoglio form, which will be powered by a superb-sounding, 503-hp twin-turbo V-6. With that engine, the Giulia is claimed to be good for a 3.9-second sprint from 0 to 62 mph, and—according to a report on the Italian web site alVolante (via World Car Fans)—a top speed of 200 mph.

But of course there will lesser, more mainstream versions, likely powered by a naturally aspirated V-6 and a turbo four. In seeking higher volumes, probably no body style would serve Alfa better than a crossover. As rendered here (below), we see that a crossover SUV—and Alfa is expected to build at least one such model—could maintain a distinct Alfa Romeo look. The ostensible Audi Q5 and BMW X3 fighter also benefits from the sporty proportions afforded by the underlying rear-drive-based architecture.

All that said, there's no denying the smoldering hotness of the Guilia wagon rendering at the top of this post. Unfortunately, Alfa has told us that it has no plans for a wagon, but maybe they should reconsider. To our eyes, the Guilia in wagon form is every bit as handsome as the BMW 3-series wagon or the Audi A4 Avant, both of which are quite popular in Europe. Of course, we'd also love to see a Giulia wagon here, but that's even more of a long shot.

We'll see how Alfa goes about building on the Giulia, as it works toward its highly ambitious goal of400,000 annual sales by 2018. First will come the additional sedan offerings, which we'll see at the Frankfurt auto show this fall. After that—well, we'd bet on the crossover, but we're pulling for the wagon. Who knows, maybe we'll get both.

                                                                     Source: Car and Driver

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A New Audi RS4 Could Be Coming to the U.S.

The head of Audi's Quattro confirms that the next RS4 will pack a turbocharged V6—and it might make its way to the U.S. market.

Let's start with the good news. Heinz Hollerweger, head of Audi's Quattro GmbH, says that expanding sales in the U.S. is vital for improving the division's performance. "Europe is becoming a less important market, the U.S.A. and China are where we see growth happening," he told us at the press launch for the new Audi R8. So naturally we asked him about the replacement for the current RS4 (pictured)—specifically its prospects for America. And those prospects look good.

Firstly, as previously reported, Hollerweger confirmed that the new car will switch to six-cylinder power, with a turbocharged unit in place of the outgoing model's charismatic naturally aspirated V-8. "I think that power has increased more than enough, and of course other performance is improved too," he said, adding that the upcoming car will have a higher output than the last one's 420 horsepower.

Although he wouldn't discuss exact timing, he said the RS4 will be launched relatively early in the production cycle of the new A4. We're presuming that means shortly after the S4, which is due next year and which will stick with a modified version of the current car's supercharged V-6.

The more pressing question is whether the new RS4 will make it to the U.S. Hollerweger confirmed that it will launch as an Avant station wagon, saying, "that is what people expect from the RS4." Based on past experience, that means Audi America is likely to deny it to us. But there is a glimmer of hope. "The U.S. is changing, and there is more demand there [for wagons], so maybe that will change," Hollerweger said.

So will there be a sedan? Hollerweger suggested not: "we have to think of where we want to sell cars, and what is expected there. The potential in China and the U.S. for RS models is getting us thinking about body styles that may work there—maybe a hatchback, like the RS7."

With a Sportback four-door version of the current S5 having already been sold in certain markets, that sounds like a pretty broad hint that we're likely to get an RS5 Sportback rather than an RS4. RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback, we'll take Audi's maximum A4 however we can get it.

                                                                 Source: Car and Driver

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Will the Barracuda Roar Once More?

It has been 41 years since the Barracuda nameplate adorned one of Chrysler’s automobiles. When new, the name inspired fear in lesser cars, and joy in those who owned them. Between the pistol grip shifter, and the now infamous shaker hood on the Hemi ‘Cuda, the Barracuda nameplate is one of the most iconic muscle cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Yet, because of a new patent filing, we now wonder, “Could the Barracuda be resurrected after all these years?”

Last month, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) filed a new trademark for the name “Barracuda” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Specifically, though, the trademark refers to FCA using it for “motor vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles, their structural parts, trim and badges.”  So, could this new trademark refer to an all-new muscle car wearing the Barracuda badge? Well, maybe not.

Automakers have a habit of filing these trademarks when they just want to renew old ones. It essentially keeps things within the company that the executives aren’t willing to let go of just yet. Now, this filing could be for a future concept vehicle, or something that FCA is working on, but doesn’t have a plan on building in the immediate future. Alternatively, it could mean that the company is finally building a successor to the original Barracuda.

That said, FCA’s own internal plans for the Challenger are to end the car’s life cycle in 2018. With that, there appear to be two potential courses of action for the company. The end of a car’s life cycle could mean consumers will be getting an all-new Challenger, running on a brand new platform, with a host of new engines. On the other hand, FCA could be gearing up to end the Challenger platform altogether, and replace it with an all-new Barracuda.

One interesting bit of information to end on—When Ralph Gilles was head of SRT a few years ago, he was pressed about a rumor that the Barracuda was being resurrected. He flatly dismissed those rumors. Nevertheless, when has an auto executive ever shown all his cards at once?

                                                               Source: Yahoo Autos

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Ford's Carbon Fiber GT350R Wheels Use NASA Technology

The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R is the first mass-produced vehicle to offer carbon fiber wheels. Each one is a high-tech marvel.

The absolutely evil sounding, track-ready Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R is a racing-inspired marvel among mass-produced cars, a fact that's most clearly highlighted by the wheels Ford is putting on the thing: R models come from the factory with carbon fiber wheels, a distinction previously reserved for a handful of special-order Koenigsegg hypercars.

We've known this fact since the Shelby GT350 and GT350R debuted late last year, but today Ford released a few more details about the wonder-fiber wheels for each new Mustang Shelby GT350R. In short: There's NASA tech in those wheels.

Calling them "the world's first mass-produced carbon fiber wheels," (Koenigsegg and aftermarket offerings notwithstanding) Ford says that the carbon fiber wheels weigh a mere 18 pounds each, compared to around 33 pounds for a comparable aluminum wheel. This, Ford claims, adds up to a 60-pound total reduction in unsprung weight, and a 40-percent drop in rotational inertia. As we learned at the car's debut, the carbon wheels measure 19 by 11 inches up front, with an extra half-inch of width out back, wrapped in hyper-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires with a unique tread compound and construction.

Produced by Carbon Revolution of Australia, the wonder-wheels faced significant engineering challenges to be included on a roadgoing car. Ford says the wheels required a special coating to protect the carbon fiber resins from UV degradation and road salt (and gosh, something perverse within us loves the notion of a GT350R as a winter driver, splattered in road salt and constantly in a state of snow-covered oversteer).

Experimental carbon fiber wheels photographed at Ford's technology center in California. Measuring 19 by 5 inches, these wheels are different from those that will appear on the GT350R, but constructed using the same technique.

There was also a curb-impact test, which Ford claims was handled so smoothly by the GT350R's real-time adaptive MagneRide suspension, "the driver wasn't sure the test had been carried out correctly and ran it twice to be sure." Color us a tad skeptical on that one—maybe Ford's test curbs are smaller than the ones we regularly try to avoid.

Of course, since the GT350R is built to be a track day beast, it brings particular challenges to the table, namely heat. Ford says the GT350R's front brake rotors can reach temperatures over 1652 degrees F (900 C), presenting a thermal challenge to the integrity of the wheels. The solution? An aerospace-derived ceramic spray coating that's nearly as hard as diamond and was first developed for engine turbine blades for the original Space Shuttle. Applied to the inside of the front wheel barrels and the backs of the spokes, the coating, which is also used in open-wheel racing, reduces maximum wheel temperatures to prolong service life in the crucible of the racetrack.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to admire that carbon fiber beauty on production GT350Rs: Ford had to develop a high-gloss black finish to protect the wheels. The last person who gets to admire the carbon fiber in these high-tech rollers is the quality inspector who examines each wheel using the same CT scanner technology used in medical imaging, peering at cross-sections of each completed wheel to make sure it's up to spec.

It's just one more thing to drool over on the new Mustang Shelby GT350R. We can't wait to get our hands on one when they hit the streets at the end of this year.

                                                              Source: Road and Track

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Ride Up Goodwood Onboard a Porsche LMP1-98 Le Mans Racer

Evo's Dickie Meaden goes uphill in one of Team Joest's Jaguar-derived Porsches.

If you recall the three Porsche Le Mans cars that fired up at night in the video we showed you yesterday, the WSC-95 may have been the most obscure for you. This is an evolution of that car—like it, it's a TWR chassis that was run by Team Joest. Unlike the WSC-95, the LMP1-98 failed to finish at Le Mans, but it's really an evolution of the same car.

That being said, ride along with Evo's Dickie Meadan as he starts up, acclimates to, and ultimately charges up the hill in it. It sounds fantastic. And don't worry—the camera angle for the pre-hillclimb part is lousy but the audio is fascinating. If you just want to see the on-board run, skip to 4:50 or so.

Source: Road and Track

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Notable 2015 F-150 Options You Should Check Out

If you’ve been to Ford.com recently to build a new F-150, you’ll notice that there’s a plethora of options available. You can get a base work truck with nothing on it, a popular XLT with some useful stuff, or a fully-loaded Platinum that has technology that would rival Mercedes-Benz. Now that we have spent a decent amount of time in a few different trucks, here are some noteworthy options you might want to consider on your next build.

Extended-Range Fuel Tank

At $395, paying for the ability to carry more fuel might not seem that important to you. While you obviously don’t have to fill up as often, you’ll have to put more fuel in each time. But trust me on this one, the extended range is worth it.

With a full tank of fuel on the 3.5L EcoBoost Platinum we had, that gave us an estimated range of 600 miles. I really don’t like stopping for gas, so I think the option is worth it to me.

Twin Panel Moonroof

A moonroof adds weight to your vehicle. If you live in a place where it hails, the glass also has a higher probability of being shattered. But if you like having sunroofs or moonroofs in your vehicle, you really can’t go wrong with the Twin Panel Moonroof Ford sells on the F-150.

Only available on the SuperCrew, the moonroof is like the panoramic roofs you get on expensive luxury cars, but it doesn’t carry as expensive of a price tag. $1,295 gets you the roof on the truck.

It also really opens up the cabin, making it feel even bigger than it already is. If you’re a fan of letting the sun in, you should check this option box for sure.

2.7L EcoBoost

This engine is Ford’s attempt to build a more fuel efficient engine in the F-150 that doesn’t sacrifice performance. While it’s not even available on higher-trim levels like the King Ranch and Platinum, it’s a great motor in the XLT trim. It’s also an inexpensive upgrade over the base V6.

If you’re getting a F-150 where this engine is an option, you won’t be disappointed with it, or the fuel economy.

LED Side Mirror Spotlights

If you’re ever in a situation where you need some extra lighting, you’ll appreciate having the LED Side Mirror Spotlights. They’re perfect for lighting up a worksite, a campsite, or anywhere else.

They only work at 5 miles-per-hour or less, but at $175 you’ll get your use out of them after just one or two times.

Snow Plow Prep Kit

If you’re ordering a F-150 XL, XLT, or Lariat with the 5.0L V8 (sorry EcoBoost fans), an option you might want to consider is the Snow Plow Prep Kit. It gives you all the electrical connections you need to fit a snow plow. Obviously, you still need to purchase the plow (we have a handy guide here), but for $50 for the extra factory integration, it’s a good deal.

While not all of the options I mentioned make the truck work harder, I did try to pick a few noteworthy ones that add function or convenience.

                                                                    Source: Ford-Trucks

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Nothing Sounds Like This Shelby Daytona Coupe Flat Out on Track

Shelby Daytona coupes are among the most expensive, rarest, and greatest race cars to ever come from America. They're worth at least $7 million a piece now, which is why this one going flat out at Spa is such a delight.

Some believe that old cars like this shouldn't be run in anger. It's doing nothing to enhance their provenance and they are no longer running in races that would make them any more valuable, but there is the possibility that it could be totally destroyed.

I don't agree with that notion. Driving these cars on track is a public service for fans that never got to see the legends of racing running in their prime. The drivers might not be big names, and the cars might not be driven with as much vigor as they were in their heyday, but you need to see them move to really appreciate them.

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Shelby Modified Ford Raptor on Patrol in Utah

If you live in Park City, Utah, you better watch out. The police department there has acquired a brand new police vehicle, and it’s definitely something special. It’s a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor that has been modified by Shelby American to make boat loads of power to chase down the baddies. It’s pretty awesome!

A local business owner in Park City wanted to do something for the police department that would help make the city a better place, bridge the gap between the police and the civilian population, and promote a positive lifestyle. Working with the police chief, they acquired a Shelby American modified Raptor, with a supercharged 6.2L V8.

Additional Shelby modifications include new wheels and tires, custom bumpers, and a set of white racing stripes.

The truck was then fitted with typical law enforcement equipment, including lights, power for computers, and a truck bed storage system.

Even though this truck sees some police duty, like many modified police vehicles, this one is used for public outreach. It’s the exact same reason why Dubai has such an elaborate police force; it encourages young people to talk and interact with the police. That, hopefully, reduces the fear they have in law enforcement and would be more willing to turn to them in the future when they need help.

We recently featured a Raptor police truck in Australia. Now we can add Park City to the list of places using Raptors for law enforcement duties.

                                                                  Source: Ford-Trucks

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Why The Death Of The Manual Lamborghini Is All Our Fault

Spend five minutes in the comments section of any automotive site and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the automatic gearbox is a pointless, archaic technology that nobody likes and nobody buys. Should you have the audacity to defend the fact that you own a car that shifts cogs on your behalf, you’ll be immediately set upon by all and sundry with the sort of fervour usually reserved for Westboro Baptist Church members attending a pride parade.

The thing is, if the people of the internet want manufacturers to continue making manual transmissions, they should probably start actually buying them. Lamborghini’s new Huracan model is not available with a stick shift, and the reason is that pretty much nobody bought a manual Gallardo.

At a recent event at Lamborghini’s headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, journalists were pestering chief engineer Maurizio Reggiani about the absence of a manual option on the new car. According to AutoGuide, Reggiani began to explain how fewer than five per cent of Gallardo owners ticked the manual ‘box option, when CEO Stephen Winkelmann jumped in.

Apparently, that five per cent statistic is out of date. In fact "close to zero per cent of Gallardos were ordered in manual," Winkelmann confirmed. In fact, orders for manual Gallardos became such a rare event, that when one did come in, engineers would contact the dealership to double check the form was correct.

It’s further proof that no matter how much we all cry out for manual shifters, out in the real world, high performance cars aren’t actually more enjoyable with three pedals. Sure, I’d still argue that something like a hot hatch is most fun in manual form, however I believe there’s a 400bhp cut off point where you just start to feel like anything other than paddle-shifters is a waste.

Consumers don’t care about manuals, so we can’t complain when manufacturers ditch them. On top of that, supercars in particular have become so complex that handing shifts over to the driver would mess with other systems. For example, the Huracan offers three settings - Strada, Sport and Corsa - that adjust multiple factors including steering, throttle response, suspension setup and, of course, gearshifts.

Is this such a bad thing, though? With modern manual shifters becoming few and far between, changing gears yourself will become a specialist skill reserved for true enthusiasts. In a few years, when more and more cars take any semblance of skill away from driving, classic cars with a shifter and three pedals will suddenly become even more thrilling.

                                          Source: Carthrottle

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2017 Raptor Finishes Initial Desert Testing

This author is really excited for the 2017 Ford Raptor, which just completed its first round of desert testing in the southwestern United States. Engineers at Ford pushed the truck harder than most owners will push it over its lifetime to see how it will perform. The results are excellent.

Designed to mimic the Baja off-road course, the facility they used saw over 1,000 miles of testing. At times the truck exceeded 100 miles-per-hour, while in other sections the truck was going slow as 10 miles-per-hour. Over the 1,000 miles of testing, the truck averaged 50 miles-her-hour.

But let’s put that testing into context. Its lap times were 25 percent faster than the last-generation Raptor with the V8. That means that the extra lightness of the truck, combined with the extra power of the 3.5L EcoBoost, truly is making this truck a rocketship.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Raptor testing without big jumps, and at the end of each run the Raptor was subjected to a tabletop jump consisting of a steep ramp up to a two-foot plateau, then a step-off back to level ground.

While I’m foaming at the mouth to drive this new truck, it’s still over a year away as a 2017 model. But it’s nice to know testing is going well and everything appears to be on schedule.

                                                                  Source: Ford-Trucks

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The Next Ford GT is a Glimpse of Things to Come

Ford’s 2017 GT is a study in dichotomies. It’s a high-performance American exotic powered by the efficiency of EcoBoost technology. It’s also a look back on Ford history and a glimpse into the automaker’s future.

The GT is inspired by the Blue Oval’s Le Mans racecars of the 1960s, which won the race four years in a row. Ferrari remembers. Next year, Ford will return to Le Mans with the racing version of its GT – and be looking to whip some prancing horses all over again.

Ford Performance has its eyes set on performance off the track, too.

XCAR recently interviewed the Director of Ford Performance, Dave Pericak, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed about the next GT. The EcoBoost-ed beast will be made of a great deal of carbon fiber, thanks to Ford’s partnership with DowAksa. The two companies are working together to discover new production methods for the lightweight material and ways of reducing the costs of generating it. That way, less expensive Ford cars of the future might possibly incorporate carbon fiber for enhanced performance and greater fuel economy.

The lessons in aerodynamics Ford will learn from the GT will also potentially benefit Blue Oval models down the road. Ford’s successful use of a race-ready 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine in IMSA races has probably yielded plenty of information about how to improve the durability of Ford’s beloved power plants.

I’m sure the V6 in the next Ford Raptor, another Ford Performance product, will give the automaker plenty of insight into how to make its turbocharged truck engines – and the upcoming 10-speed automatic – even better, more robust performers.

                                                                     Source: Ford-Trucks

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