sexta-feira, 27 de fevereiro de 2009

Porsche Approved

When a pre-owned Porsche meets the high quality standards set
by the brand, it will receive the name Porsche Approved. So if you
want a Porsche but you can’t afford a brand new one, a Approved
vehicle is your best choice since you can be sure that it will meet
your expectations.

But what is the difference between a Porsche Approved certified
vehicle from a conventional pre-owned vehicle?

First of all, the Porsche Approved cars are inspected by factory
trained technicians and if they find any faults, repairs are carried
out in line with the strict Porsche quality criteria.
Secondly, every Porsche Approved vehicle comes with a
comprehensive Warranty:
- If sold while under the new car warranty, Coverage is up to
6 years or 100,000m/160,000km total, whichever comes first
- If sold once the new vehicle warranty has expired, Coverage is
2 years from the date of sale or up to 100,000m/160,000km,
whichever comes first.
And last but not least, you will get membership in Porsche Road
Assistance that offers exclusive support server & security.
The result of owing a Porsche Approved is that you will enjoy
driving a safe, quality value which really cannot be described as
a pre-owned vehicle.

Porsche and Formula One

When Porsche entered into races, Porsche astonished the world
with its performances. But participation in Formula One races
brought mixed results. In the 1961-1962 season, Porsche participated
as a constructor but produced just one win in a championship
race, claimed by Dan Gurney at the 1962 French Grand Prix.
In a non-championship race, one week later Stuttgart's Solitude
it repeated the success. At the end of the season, Porsche retired
from F1 due to the high costs.

In 1983, Porsche returned to Formula One, supplying engines
badged as TAG units for the McLaren Team. It was a success
as the Porsche-powered cars won two constructor championships
in 1984 and 1985 and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

Less than ten years later, in 1991, Porsche returned as a engine
supplier, but this time the results were disastrous: Footwork, the
Porsche-powered cars, didn’t score a single point and at over half
of the races it even failed to qualify. Since that year, Porsche has
not participated to Formula One.

Still, lightly-modified Porsches participate in many competitions
around the world, mostly in amateur classes for enthusiasts. The
only professional category is the Porsche Michelin Supercup raced
as a support category for European Formula One rounds.

Porsche - A Brief History

Ferdinand Porsche played an important role in the development
of airplanes and racing cars, and the construction of tanks for
the Wehrmacht. He is an automobile engineer with more than
a thousand patents to his name. He was appointed chief engineer
at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart in the 1920s. Later on, he set
up his own engineering workshop and designed among others
the Volkswagen. At the plant where Volkswagen was made,
Wolfsburg, he was chief of operations and at the end of the war
he was interned by the Allies.

He was released a few years later and started building his first car
with his son, Ferry Porsche. The car was named the Porsche 356
and it was a sports car and a reminiscent of the Volkswagen.
It had the same four-cylinder boxer engine that was rear-mounted,
just like the VW. It was far from being a powerful sports car,
developing only 40 bhp and a maximum speed of 87 mph (140 km/h).
First produced as a convertible and later as a hard top it distinguished
by the very elegant and innovative body. It was developed in the
workshop of Erwin Komenda, a master of restrained streamlining
who had been in charge of sheet metal and design techniques at
Porsche since the VW Beetle. The new style of closed coupe was
designed by Komenda and it soon became the embodiment of the
sports car, thanks to its fastback.

This tradition was continued by Komenda and Ferdinand “Butzi”
Porsche, the founder’s grandson, with the 911.

The 911 became easily recognizable: it had attractive sloping
bonnet and what later became characteristic “frog eye” headlights,
curves running from the top edge of the windscreen to the rear bumper
and a straight waistline. From a functional and technical point of
view it was more like BMW 1500, although it retained the stylistic
features of the original Porsche. The new 911 will become the
foundation stone of Porsche’s identity, even though the design
was not always appreciated. During the 1970`s and 1980`s, the
designers attempts to distance Porsche from its legendary design brought
the company to the edge of disaster. The more modern 924 model,
“a people’s Porsche”, developed with Volkswagen, as well as the
928 were far from fulfilling the expectations.

In the 1990`s, the company realized that what for over twenty years
was perceived as a straitjacket, it was in fact a market
advantage. During the 1990`s, Porsche became highly
profitable since they now knew that the typical Porsche features
were timeless. Nearly forty people now worked in the design
department on further developments of the long-running 911.
These developments included the 911 GTI, a powerful combination
of sports and racing car, put forward by the in-house designer
Anthony R. Hatter. In 1999, chief designer proudly presented the
new Boxster which enabled Porshe to establish a second
independent range of models.

Porsche 977 bodyshell

A new Porsche 911 is always fascinating because it’s interesting
to see how after more than 40 years of development the Porsche
team still manages to bring changes and improvements to this
icon model.

The new 997 bodyshell combines the sleek modern looks of
the 996 series with the popular retro styling cues from older 911s.
The front end is completed with round lights and separate
parking/fog/indicator lights. This change, combined with wider
hips echoes the last of the air-cooled 911s, the 993. Other changes
in the bodyshell are the new door handles, wing mirrors and the
stylish cut of the rear wings into the bumper/lights.

Even if the 997 looks a lot like the previous model, the 996, the new
car is actually 38mm wider which creates a more aggressive
appearance. With each new model introduced, Porsche has aimed
to reduce the drag co-efficient helping the 911 slide through the air
more effectively, and so aiding performance. The same thing has been
done with the new car, and if we compare the 993 Cd of 0.34 to the
997`s 0.28 we can see how far the aerodynamic game has moved on.
The latest body shell and rear wing combine with new underbody
paneling to also offer increased levels of down force for this latest
evolution of Porsche's finest.

The latest Porsche model is the best handling 911 ever. Improving a
car's rigidity helps ensure the suspension can work more effectively
and while not making such a quantum leap as the team did with the
996. Porsche improved torsional rigidity by 8% and added as much
as 40% more flexural strength.

For the new car, Porsche wanted to improve crash safety so they
added two new air bags located in the side of each front seat back-rest,
designed to protect the thorax. They kept the previous two front and two
side airbags, which means that now there are six in total. For the same
reason, crash safety, the reinforced body shell features further protection
such as a more extensive use of super high strength steel.

The latest model is also 50 kg heavier than the 996. The reason is that
modern crash safety regulations kind of force the new cars to come with
increased weight, despite the usage of a large range of weight saving
measures, including an aluminum bonnet.

Aside from the crash safety improvements, much of the additional weight
can be attributed to the higher standard specification of the new cars.
Power to weight is similar with the latest car offering 233 bhp per tone
against it’s predecessors 238 and the new models improved aerodynamics
must help it post Porsches claimed performance figures, which are
identical to the 996.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 is basically the successor of the Porsche 944.
It has a low nose and wide wheel arches that helps accentuating
the beautiful lines of this classic shape that in a Porsche Guards
Red is a real head turner. It has also the classic GT front engine,
rear wheel drive layout with the added advantage of a rear transaxle
giving almost perfect weight distribution.

Instead of the hidden headlights of the 944, the 968 has visible
pop up headlights, similar to the Porsche 928. This brings the
look of the car inline with the new Porsche 997-911. This change
has also a practical advantage: the headlights can be washed
along with the rest of the car instead of having to pop them up to
wash them.

As for the interior, it remains the same as produced in the 944,
keeping the famous “oval dash”. The designers used the same
robust materials which have given all Porsche owners many years
of trouble free motoring.

The exterior has a few differences: the door mirrors have
been streamlined with the tear drop effect and the wheels
have 5 spoke Cup design alloys. The rear bumper is more
blended and with integral rear light clusters, making it almost
indistinguishable from the bodywork. All these bodywork changes
made the 968 look a lot like the 928, and added the engine heritage,
some people have referred to it as “the daughter of 928”.

The engine is a version of the one first used on the 944 S2: it is a
4 cylinder, 3 liter, 16 valve unit. And they added VarioCam for
optimum power throughout the speed range. It has 240 HP
at 6200 rpm and a torque of 305 Nm at 4100 rpm, given by the
improved combustion chamber and inlet manifold design. At the
time of production, it was a remarkable engine, having the highest
displacement per cylinder of any car engine and also the highest
torque output of any unblown 3 liter engine. Clearly, the result of
Porsches investment in this engine paid off.

The rear-mounted gearbox is a 6-speed manual or 4 speed tiptronic.
It is the first ever mounted on a production car. The chassis has
almost perfect weight distribution and very stiff characteristics.

Usually, most cars start to fail when it comes to breaks and the
reason is that it doesn’t matter how fast the car is in a straight
line if you can’t take a bend (turn) at the right safe speed. But Porsche
brakes have always been the envy of most road sports car
manufacturers. You will notice little or no or no discernable fatigue
even under harsh use of Porsche 968. ABS adds even more
safety to the already excellent braking system. Also, what makes
the brakes so effective is that the wheels themselves are designed
to prevent the tire from coming off the rim in the event of a sudden pressure
loss.

Porsche 914

Introduced in September 1969, the Porsche 914 was a sporty,
mid-engined two-seater with a targa top and a 4 cylinder boxer
engine. The idea for this new model came up as Volkswagen
and Porsche collaborated to create a new car. VW would take
914 bodies and finish them as 914/4s, and Porsche would take
their portion of the body shells, and build 914/6s. When sold in
North America, however, all 914s would be considered Porsches.

Porsche 914 is not like other Porsches. It has pop-up headlamps,
a vertical rear windshield, and a flat deck lid covering the rear
trunk and engine. It has no backseats so when you sit down,
you are practically on the floor, which is on the road.

The interior of the 914 is quite simple, not luxurious but with all
necessities. There’s not too much space other than the
passenger seat. The transmission is like the 928's with 1st
down and to the left. The 914 has a targa top, and like
911's, it stores in the trunk. But if you take off the top and
roll down the windows, the Porsche 914 is a pretty nice
little roadster.

Porsche 911 Turbo

In 2006, Dr. Ing. H.c. Porsche will extend it’s current product
line with the addition of a new 911 Turbo, the sixth generation
of the 911 series. This top-of-the-range model will have its world
premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on February 28, 2006 and
as from June 24, 2006 it will be available in German dealerships.

The 911 Turbo (type 997) has a few improvements. It has an
output of 480 bhp at 6,000 rpm, a 3.6 litre engine, a rated torque
of 620 Nm and a maximum torque available between 1,950 and
5,000 rpm. All these numbers are translated into driving
performance, as the 911 Turbo with six-speed manual transmission
only needs 3.9 seconds to get from zero to 100 km/h. The coupe
reaches 200 km/h in 12.8 seconds. Despite these performance
statistics, Porsche developers succeeded to keep the average
consumption to 12.8 liters per100 km.

For those who need even more speed, the 911 Turbo offers the
optionally Tiptronic S automatic transmission. This way, it can reach
100 km/h from a standing start in just 3.7 seconds and 200 km/h in
a mere 12.2 seconds. Both manual and automatic transmissions
have a top speed of 310 km/k. Available for the first time, the optional
“Sport Chrono Package Turbo” enhances the vehicle’s flexibility even
further.

The Porsche 911 Turbo features a redesigned all-wheel drive with
an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch. The result will be the
transfer of the available power to the road. That’s because, depending
on the driving conditions, this system will determine the optimal torque
distribution to ensure the best-possible drive. Also, Porsche Traction
Management (PTM) ensures variable power distribution to the two
driven axles. This means that on the road the 911Turbo will prove
outstanding traction in the rain or snow, high agility on narrow country
roads and optimal active safety even at high speeds.

The new 911 Turbo’s driving performance is duly tempered by its brake
system, which comprises monobloc fixed-caliper disc brakes with six
pistons at the front axle and four at the rear. The diameter of the internally
ventilated and perforated brake discs at the front and rear wheels is 350
millimeters. An optimized ceramic brake system that Porsche offers is
Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB). This high-tech system
reduces with 17 kilograms the standard brake system and provides an
excellent fading stability.

The major bodywork change of the 911 Turbo is the modified front end with
its distinctive, tautly drawn cooling air inlets. Combined with the standard
oval bi-xenon headlights, it will define the new unmistakable image. From
the rear perspective too, the Turbo will seem more powerful. This is due
first and foremost to its tail end, 22 millimeters wider than that of the previous
model, to which the redesigned wing spoiler element has been aligned.

Secondly, the lateral air inlets behind the doors have been redrawn and now
they offer a more efficient supply of cooling air to the charge-air intercoolers.

The basic price for the 911 Turbo is 115,000 Euros. In the USA, from July
8, 2006, the vehicle will be available at $122,000 (not including taxes).

Porsche 911

The 2005 Porsche 911 redesigned rear-wheel-drive models.
The models are available as coupes and convertible Cabriolets.
They all have a rear-mounted, horizontally opposed 6-cyl engine.
The redesigned Porsche 911 has subtly altered styling and dimensions
and changed the interior. There are two types of 911: The Carrera, with a
325-hp 3.6 liter engine and The Carrera S, with 355-hp 3.8 liter.

The 6-speed manual transmission is standard to all 911s. Optional,
we can choose the 5-speed automatic with manual shift gate and
steering-wheel controls. Standard, the 911s have antilock 4-wheel
disc brakes, antiskid/traction control and front side airbags. The
redesigned Careras include side airbags in the windowsills for head
protection. In the convertibles models, we find a power top and heated
glass rear window. A suspension with lowered ride height and shock
absorbers are standard on the Carrera S and optional on the Carrera. This
system helps adjusting firmness within driver selectable Normal and
Sport models. All other Porsche models have 18 inch wheels, but the Carrera
S has 19s. An option for the Carrera is a Sport Chrono Package. It includes
a dashboard-mounted stopwatch and it allows altering various engine and
chassis controls in order to improve driving performance. All 911s offer
a navigation system.

Porsche 550 Spyder

In 1953, Porsche needed a race car more powerful than the
356. So they created the 550. This was the first true competition
car from Porsche. It was lightweight, it had two seats, aluminum
body, tubular frame and an open top. They were racing only with
Volkswagen. The initial pair of 550 dominated their class at Le
Mans finishing one-two in the 1500cc division. Then, one of the two
cars won its category in the famed Pan Americana Mexican road race.

Subsequent 550`s carried on what the initial 550`s had started.
They were fitted with the four-cam Carrera flat four cylinders. They
soon became dominant cars world wide. During races, it was fast
and easily maneuvered so no other car stand a chance. But people
loved it purchasing every one of these quick little cars they could find.

In 1956, Porsche started to produce the 550A, a slightly modified
Spyder. It was a hit, shocking the entire world by winning in its first
Appearance in Targa Florio, a brutal road race. It also humbled well-known
and more powerful rivals such as Ferrari, Maseratti and Jaguar.
In the next five years it won almost all the races in which it competed.
It became a car that attracted more attention for its occasional
losses than for the nearly non-stop victories.