BMW debuting sustainable sports car concept in Frankfurt

Busy, busy. BMW starts the day by leaving F1. And it looks like for lunch they’re bringing a green sports car to the Frankfurt Auto Show. Maybe. According to Autotelegraf.nl, the new sustainable sports car concept will be inspired by the BMW M1 Hommage concept and will feature all the latest and greatest BMW EfficientDynamics (auto stop/start, regenerative brakes, electric powersteering, etc).

BMW sports car concept BMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

BMW sports car conceptBMW sports car concept

But the hits don’t stop there — look for the concept to be built from sustainable materials, too. Big question: will this car be just a concept, or will a sustainable sports car actually make its way to dealers? Dunno. But the Dutch word is that BMW is studying the viability of said project and is planning on a limited release two-door showcasing their best environmental kung fu by 2012. Again, we just don’t know, and we’re not quite willing to hold our breath yet.

Scientists: 40 Times More Cancer-Causing Toxics in Gulf than Before Spill ... Dispersants to Blame


Scientists from Oregon State University have found a 40-fold increase in the amount of cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) near Louisiana's Grande Isle between May and June.

The Oregon team is looking at "the fraction of PAHs that are bioavailable – that have the potential to move into the food chain."

As I pointed out last month, PAHs are harmful to both human health and seafood safety:

McClatchy notes today:

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill still poses threats to human health and seafood safety, according to a study published Monday by the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association.

***

In the short term, study co-author Gina Solomon voiced greatest concern for shrimp, oysters, crabs and other invertebrates she says are have difficulty clearing their systems of dangerous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) similar to those found in cigarette smoke and soot. Solomon is an MD and public health expert in the department of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco.

The Oregon researchers also believe:

The use of chemical dispersants during the oil spill coupled with the ultraviolet exposure in the Gulf may have increased the formation of OPAHs beyond expected levels.

And one of the researchers explained to the Huffington Post:

Based on the findings of other researchers, [Kim Anderson, an OSU professor of environmental and molecular toxicology] suspects that the abundant use of dispersants by BP increased the bioavailability of the PAHs in this case.

This is not particularly surprising. As I noted earlier this month about another team of scientists studying the effects of dispersant on pollution in the Gulf:

Scientists have found that when Corexit is applied to the actual crude oil from BP's well, it releases 35 times more toxic chemicals into the water column than would be released with crude alone.

As I noted in May, the crude oil released by BP is actually relatively low in PAHs compared to other crudes:

[NOAA says that the Gulf] oil is less toxic than crude oils generally because it is relatively much lower in polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are highly toxic chemicals that tend to persist in the environment for long periods of time, especially if the spilled oil penetrates into the substrate on beaches or shorelines.
Given that the BP crude is much lower in PAHs than most crude oil, for there to be 40 times more PAHs than normal is even more dramatic, again showing how effective dispersants have been in releasing the most toxic elements from the oil into the environment ... in fairly high concentrations and pretty much all at once.

See this for more information on the harmful effects of dispersants, and their ongoing use in the Gulf.

New Otomotif Kawasaki Ninja 400R

New Otomotif Kawasaki Ninja 400R
New Otomotif Kawasaki Ninja 400R
New Otomotif Kawasaki Ninja 400R

Yamaha Fazer8 Official Motor Pictures

Yamaha Fazer8 Official Motor Pictures

Yamaha Fazer8 Official Motor Pictures
Yamaha Fazer8 Official Motor Pictures
Yamaha Fazer8 Official Motor Pictures

Kawasaki KLX 250 Review | Specifications KLX 250

Kawasaki KLX 250
Kawasaki KLX 250 Review | Specifications KLX 250

Kawasaki KLX250S is a dual sport that does everything well, and if you decide to add a few modifications that do everything very well!
The Engine

The KLX is powered by 249cc 4-Stroke, Liquid-Cooled motor with 6-speed transmission. This machine is suitable for beginners directly from the factory, this is mainly because the EPA has imposed restrictions that limit the potential. The good thing about the restrictions are very forgiving bike, you will also get 70 + miles per gallon out of this little monster. It's certainly no sneeze at!
The Thin Line

Some sports dual leaning more toward the side of the road than the side they inherited the land, this motor seems to be a welcome exception and tread the line between the two worlds very well. You can take several hours Twisties easily until you arrive at this bike path in which a tear in the mud, sand, and dirt and grime just motorcycles. Do not worry about dropping this motor too, nearly indestructible. It comes with aluminum engine guards to protect the engine house and party hard plastic to prevent dents or scratches that would jeopardize the work. Even if you dropped it in my truck would be more worried about trucks than motorcycles!
Modifications

As I said before this bike is great out of the factory door, especially if you are a new motorcycle rider. If after several months you want to try and squeeze more power from these small hard working you'd be surprised how you can drastically change the performance with just a few mods. The first thing I recommend is the market after a kind exhaust and rejetting carbohydrates. Emission standards to make the bike run lean from the factory, so once you have more fuel to the engine you will see a real increase in power. People seem to have really good experience when attaching an after market exhaust system muzzy this bike, it not only increases power, but voting will bring a smile to your face.
Conclusion

I really can not say things are pretty good about this bike, my first motorcycle ride is very similar to this bike and it was a blast to ride. This motor is suitable for new riders who are afraid to drop their bikes, or someone who wants to start small but still has a motorcycle that they can play with and enhance the strength of their skills. With the addition of 6 gear you can take this bike for short stints on the road without too much trouble, although it is more in the elements that the roads or the ground.
Pros

Running back from a very good factor for beginners.
This motor is a tank! No need to worry about dropping it.
Cons

Types of small gas tank, but fuel efficiency makes for it.
You'll spend more money on parts if you want to improve performance.
Specifications

PRICE: $ 4,699.00 MSRP
ENGINE: 4-stroke, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve, Single-cylinder
DISPLACEMENT: 249 cc
BORE X STROKE: 72.0 x 61.2 mm
COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.0:1
Ignition: Digital CDI
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed
Wheelbase: 56.5 in
SEAT HEIGHT: 34.8 in
GROUND CLEARANCE: 11.6 in
DRY WEIGHT: 262 lbs.
FUEL CAPACITY: 1.9 gal.
SUSPENSION FRONT: Inverted 43 mm cartridge fork with 16-Way compression damping adjustment; 11.2 in travel
REAR SUSPENSION: Uni-Track ® with Adjustable preload, 16-Way compression and Rebound damping adjustment; 11.0 in travel
Brakes: Disc

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster, 2010

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster, 2010





The automobile Lamborghini has released the first photographs of a limited edition Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster.
The Roadster version of the Murciélago will offer an uprated 6.5 litre V12 engine that produces 650 hp (478 kW) along with permanent four-wheel drive: hence the model's LP 650-4 moniker.
With 660 Nm of torque, top performance is at 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 3.4 seconds.
The top speed is around 330 Km/h (205mph).

The special edition model will be produced in a limited volume (50 units only), with a Grigio Telesto exterior that combines grey bodywork with a special bright orange Arancio LP 650-4 featured on the front spoiler and sills. The LP 650-4 logo applied to the car's exterior is recognition of the car's increased power. The car features orange brake calipers and a transparent V12-engine cover, which shows off the V12 engine behind the driver.

The interior features echo the car's striking grey-and-orange exterior: besides the orange touches, there is an asymmetric dash design, with black Alcantara Nera on the driver's side, including door panel and central tunnel, and black leather Nero Perseus on the passenger's side.

The increased power of the Murciélago engine, from 640 to 650 hp, will be unique to the Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster: it demonstrates even further the developments that Lamborghini is able to offer from a current engine, and creates the exclusive characteristic of the Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster, 2010

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster, 2010





The automobile Lamborghini has released the first photographs of a limited edition Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster.
The Roadster version of the Murciélago will offer an uprated 6.5 litre V12 engine that produces 650 hp (478 kW) along with permanent four-wheel drive: hence the model's LP 650-4 moniker.
With 660 Nm of torque, top performance is at 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 3.4 seconds.
The top speed is around 330 Km/h (205mph).

The special edition model will be produced in a limited volume (50 units only), with a Grigio Telesto exterior that combines grey bodywork with a special bright orange Arancio LP 650-4 featured on the front spoiler and sills. The LP 650-4 logo applied to the car's exterior is recognition of the car's increased power. The car features orange brake calipers and a transparent V12-engine cover, which shows off the V12 engine behind the driver.

The interior features echo the car's striking grey-and-orange exterior: besides the orange touches, there is an asymmetric dash design, with black Alcantara Nera on the driver's side, including door panel and central tunnel, and black leather Nero Perseus on the passenger's side.

The increased power of the Murciélago engine, from 640 to 650 hp, will be unique to the Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster: it demonstrates even further the developments that Lamborghini is able to offer from a current engine, and creates the exclusive characteristic of the Lamborghini Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster.

Sports Motorcycles New Latest Images

Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.

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Sports Motorcyclessports motorcycles
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Mercedes Benz C Class Cheap Car

Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz C Class Cheap Car. Mercedes Benz C Class Picture, Mercedes Posters, Mercedes Benz Wallpaper

Mercedes Benz C Class Cheap Car

Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz C Class Cheap Car. Mercedes Benz C Class Picture, Mercedes Posters, Mercedes Benz Wallpaper

An Exhaustive, Graphic Illustration of All of the Differences Between the Modern Democratic and Republican Parties

Painting by Anthony Freda: www.AnthonyFreda.com.

Summers Skews the Playing Field for the Big Boys, then Blames Skyrocketing Inequality on a "Ruthless Economy"


Dan Froomkin notes:

Asked about new Census data showing that the income gap between the richest and poorest Americans grew last year to its widest amount on record, Summers said one factor is that "we have a more ruthless economy. There's breaking down in social norms by people in a position to take."

Skyrocketing income disparity is something I've repeatedly written about.

But increasing income disparity hasn't just happened like some unforeseen natural disaster which is difficult to forecast, such as an earthquake. It has been the result of certain efforts by the wealthy and their lackeys in government.

As Warren Buffet said in 2006:

There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.

Indeed, as I pointed out last year, Summers is more responsible for our economic problems than just about anyone else (Greenspan and Rubin also played their parts):

Summers is the guy responsible for:
  • Repealing New Deal era legislation which separated investment banks from commercial banks, insurers and stock brokers, and which kept companies from becoming "too big to fail"

As a 1999 New York Times article entitled "Congress Passes Wide-Ranging Bill Easing Bank Laws" quotes Summers as saying:

''Today Congress voted to update the rules that have governed financial services since the Great Depression and replace them with a system for the 21st century,'' Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers said. ''This historic legislation will better enable American companies to compete in the new economy.''

As I pointed out in April:

On Friday, Summers basically said we should continue to do the exact same things which got us into this mess because:

All crises must end. The “self-equilibrating” nature of the economy will ultimately prevail, although that may take massive one-off government actions. Such a crisis happens only ”three or four times” per century, so taking on huge amounts of government debt is fine; implicitly, we will grow out of that debt burden.
Um . . . sorry to break it to you there Larry, but a group of economics professors has recently demolished the "self-equilibrating economy" theory:
If one browses through the academic macroeconomics and finance literature, “systemic crisis” appears like an otherworldly event that is absent from economic models. Most models, by design, offer no immediate handle on how to think about or deal with this recurring phenomenon. In our hour of greatest need, societies around the world are left to grope in the dark without a theory. ...

The implicit view behind standard models is that markets and economies are inherently stable and that they only temporarily get off track. The majority of economists thus failed to warn policy makers about the threatening system crisis and ignored the work of those who did. ...

The confinement of macroeconomics to models of stable states that are perturbed by limited external shocks and that neglect the intrinsic recurrent boom-and-bust dynamics of our economic system is remarkable. After all, worldwide financial and economic crises are hardly new and they have had a tremendous impact beyond the immediate economic consequences of mass unemployment and hyper inflation. This is even more surprising, given the long academic legacy of earlier economists’ study of crisis phenomena ... This tradition, however, has been neglected ...

And when economist James Galbraith spoke at a recent panel on the causes of the financial crisis, the first thing he listed as the main cause of the crisis was "The idea that capitalism ... is inherently self-stabilizing" ...

Summers [is] like a guy swearing that the Sun really does revolve around the Earth and that the current orbit is just a temporary aberration . . . and that if we just wait a little while, "everything will return to normal".
As I pointed out in September, Summers has totally misunderstood the multiplier effect.

Indeed, Summers has admitted that too big to fail banks are a huge roadblock to economic recovery, yet he has blocked all attempts to break them up or meaningfully rein them in.

Summers said in 2000 "a healthy financial system cannot be built on the Expectation of bailouts", and then has built much of his recovery strategy on the expectation of bailouts.

A lot of his strategy has also been built on artificially propping up asset prices for things like toxic derivatives, and that strategy has failed miserably.

And it's not just that Summers has blown it. He has actively promoted a "more ruthless economy" and the "breaking down in social norms by people in a position to take" which he is now whining about.

As I wrote in March 2009:

Does a single independent economist buy the Geithner-Summers-Bernanke approach?

On the left, you have:

  • Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz saying that they have failed to address the structural and regulatory flaws at the heart of the financial crisis that stand in the way of economic recovery, and that they have confused saving the banks with saving the bankers
  • Nobel economist Paul Krugman saying their plan to prop up asset prices "isn't going to fly". He also said:
    At every stage, Geithner et al have made it clear that they still have faith in the people who created the financial crisis — that they believe that all we have is a liquidity crisis that can be undone with a bit of financial engineering, that “governments do a bad job of running banks” (as opposed, presumably, to the wonderful job the private bankers have done), that financial bailouts and guarantees should come with no strings attached. This was bad analysis, bad policy, and terrible politics. This administration, elected on the promise of change, has already managed, in an astonishingly short time, to create the impression that it’s owned by the wheeler-dealers.

On the right, you have:

  • Leading monetary economist Anna Schwartz saying that they are fighting the last war and doing it all wrong
  • Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and former editor of the Wall Street Journal Paul Craig Roberts lambasting their approach
  • Economist John Williams saying "the federal government is bankrupt ... If the federal government were a corporation … the president and senior treasury officers would be in federal penitentiary."
  • Prominent economist Marc Faber and many others tearing their approach to shreds.
Of course, other Nobel economists, high-level fed officials, former White House economist, and numerous others have slammed their approach as well.

Sure, the economists for the banks and other financial giants which are receiving billions at the government trough think that the Geithner-Summers-Bernanke approach is swell.

And perhaps a couple of economists for investment funds which use their giant interventions into the free market to make some quick money.

But other than them, no one seems to be buying it.
As I noted last year:
Economist Dean Baker said the true purpose of the bank rescue plan is "a massive redistribution of wealth to the bank shareholders and their top executives".

And Nobel economist Joe Stiglitz says the Geithner plan will rob US taxpayers.

And congressman Grayson puts it succinctly when he demands "Stop stealing our money!"

And as I pointed out this summer:

The bailout money didn't actually go to any productive economic uses:

The bailout money is just going to line the pockets of the wealthy, instead of helping to stabilize the economy or even the companies receiving the bailouts:

  • A lot of the bailout money is going to the failing companies' shareholders
  • Indeed, a leading progressive economist says that the true purpose of the bank rescue plans is "a massive redistribution of wealth to the bank shareholders and their top executives"
  • The Treasury Department encouraged banks to use the bailout money to buy their competitors, and pushed through an amendment to the tax laws which rewards mergers in the banking industry (this has caused a lot of companies to bite off more than they can chew, destabilizing the acquiring companies)
And as the New York Times notes, "Tens of billions of [bailout] dollars have merely passed through A.I.G. to its derivatives trading partners".

***

In other words, through a little game-playing by the Fed, taxpayer money is going straight into the pockets of investors in AIG's credit default swaps and is not even really stabilizing AIG.
The super-wealthy have been bailed out, and life is great for them. For everyone else, things are not so good.

The system is rigged to benefit the elites and their sycophants at the expense of the country. See this, this, this, and this.

Banks Suing Based on Counterfeit Court Summons in Foreclosure Lawsuits


I received the following email from a source on the Hill who has a lot of knowledge about foreclosures.

Attached is a court order quashing a case because of a counterfeit court summons. Apparently what’s happening is that private process servicer companies may not be serving people with summons, and are simply counterfeiting the documents so they can keep the fees without doing the work. That means that you could theoretically be foreclosed on without ever knowing there was even a foreclosure case against you.

This judge got wise to it.

Below are two more stories about the problem. The first is from the Florida Bar News, and the second is from prominent financial blogger Mike Konczal on the rampant violations of property rights.

Florida Bar News: Faulty filings hamper clearing foreclosures

Key quote: “If we had everyone defending their foreclosure, we’d never get through this.”

Florida’s Foreclosures Nightmare

Given that the IMF and others believe a large part of the “structural unemployment” in our country is related to the struggling housing market and underwater and barely-hanging on homeowners, what is to be done? One option is to allow for options like lien-stripping in bankruptcy courts, reseting mortgages by zip code, etc. Another option is for courts to accelerate foreclosures by ignoring due process, proper documentation and legal process in order to kick people out of their homes and preserve the value of senior tranches of RMBS while giving mortgage servicers a nice kickback.

What option do you think our country is taking?

We should all be very concerned about the foreclosure situation in Florida. If you are a homeowner or potential homeowner, you should find it offensive that people’s property rights are being violated in such a flagrant way. If you are an investor, either as “bond vigilante” or someone with a generic 401(k), you should be worried that servicers have gone rogue and the incentive structure to maximize value instead of fees associated with foreclosures has broken down.

And if you care about basic Western liberalism–the classical kind, with a Lockean understanding of freedom to own property along with freedoms of speech and religion– you should be pissed off. This is a clear-cut instance of the rich and powerful decimating other people’s property rights, rights that are supposed to protect the weak from the strong, in order to preserve their wealth and autonomy. Unless you think property rights are mere placeholders for whatever the financial sector demands are, this should be resisted. This should be viewed as a problem an order of magnitude larger than Kelo v. City of New London.

The short problem is that banks are foreclosing without showing clear ownership of the property. In addition, “foreclosure mills” are processing 100,000s of foreclosures a month without doing any of the actual due diligence or legal legwork required for the state to justify the taking of property and putting people on the street. Even worse, many are faking documentation and committing other fraud in the process. The government is allowing this to happen both by not having courts block it from going forward, but also through purchasing the services of these mills. As Barney Frank noted: “Why is Fannie Mae using lawyers that are accused of regularly engaging in fraud to kick people out of their homes?”

And the worst part is the lack of conversation about this. Thanks to Yves Smith at naked capitalism for following this story from the get-go; her blog has become the place for anyone interested in this topic (that link is a catch-up post). The rest of the media is starting to catch up to where she was weeks ago. Here’s the Washington Post with the story of an individual caught in one of these nets.

Also Dean Baker just wrote a good summary of the situation for the Guardian:

As a number of news reports have shown in recent weeks, banks have been carrying through foreclosures at a breakneck pace and freely ignoring the legal niceties required under the law, such as demonstrating clear ownership to the property being foreclosed.

The problem is that when mortgages got sliced and diced into various mortgage-backed securities, it became difficult to follow who actually held the title to the home. Often the bank that was servicing the mortgage did not actually have the title and may not even know where the title is. As a result, if a homeowner stopped paying their mortgage, the servicer may not be able to prove they actually have a claim to the property.

If the servicer followed the law on carrying through foreclosures then it would have to go through a costly and time-consuming process of getting its paperwork in order and ensuring that it actually did have possession of the title before going to a judge and getting a judgment that would allow them to take possession of the property. Instead, banks got in the habit of skirting the proper procedures and filling in forms inaccurately and improperly in order to take possession of properties.
And the situation in Florida is worse than most assume. The specially-created courts see it as their purpose to clear out the foreclosures, as Yves Smith covers here (must read). The most obvious takeaway is that homeowners aren’t being given the chance to have their documents properly viewed, have the challenges and proper legal hurdles to putting someone on the street vetted by the courts, and instead are being bribed with an additional month of house time if they don’t ask too many questions.

And the biggest fear is that the fraud uncovered at GMAC is the tip of the iceberg for what is going on nationwide. Keep your eye on this situation.

100622_Jeffs_Order on Motion to Quash Service of Process

2011 Lamborghini Super Sport Cars Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Edition

The LP570-4 Blancpain Edition was presented today by Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, and Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO of Blancpain, at the final race weekend of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo in the “Piero Taruffi” circuit, Vallelunga. The road-legal Blancpain Edition celebrates the two-year relationship between the Italian supercar brand and the watchmaker. Lamborghini’s partnership with Blancpain, the watch maker, is no longer limited to the Super Trofeo racing series as they unveiled together the first road-going Blancpain edition Lamborghini Gallardo.
The new features of the 2011 Lamborghini Super Sport Cars Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Edition are easily noticeable. It comes with a huge front bumper, massive rear spoiler and diffuser, and new side skirts. These bits are all inspired by the actual racing car, but they look a bit too aggressive for a road car. One other feature derived from the racing model is the new engine cover, which is optimized for better ventilation, and looks superb!
2011 Lamborghini Super Sport Cars Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Edition
Lamborghini super sports cars is extremely happy about its cooperation with Blancpain. In just its second year, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo has established itself in the premier league of gentlemen’s racing,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “Each race is a battle of dedication and passion for every single hundredth of a second – something that characterizes both of our brands. The Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Edition demonstrates the close bond between our road-going super sports cars and the race car.”
The engine that powers the Gallardo Blancpain is the same V10 unit from the series Superleggera production car which churns out 570 hp. Given the 1340 kilograms (2954 lb) weight of the car which results in power-to-weight ratio of 2.35 kilograms (5.18 lb) per hp, this car is capable of going from zero to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and flies past the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark only 6.8 seconds later, ultimately exceeding 320 km/h (199 mph).
Blancpain is the title sponsor of the successful Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series. The cooperation between these two brands brings together the highest levels of engineering excellence from the automotive and chronometry industries. Blancpain has been producing innovative masterpieces of watch-making art in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux since 1735. Each timepiece is assembled by one single watchmaker, reflecting the quality and individual attention with which Lamborghini builds its super sports cars for the road, and its 570 hp Super Trofeo race cars.
Abaut Lamborghini Gallardo : The Lamborghini Gallardo (Italian pronunciation: [ga'?arðo][citation needed]) is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production. Each car costs about $180,000 to $210,000. The car is named after a famous breed of fighting bull. The Spanish word gallardo  translates into "gallant".
The Gallardo offers two choices of transmissions, a conventional (H-Box) six-speed manual transmission, and an advanced six-speed electro-hydraulically controlled semi-automatic robotized manual, which Lamborghini abbreviates to "E-gear". The "E-gear" allows the driver to make shifts much faster than a manual transmission would. The driver shifts up and down via paddles behind the steering wheel, but also has an automatic mode.
The car will be exhibited at the Paris Motor Show.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano RACE

2010 NOVITEC ROSSO Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano RACE 848
Ferrari 599 GTB
Ferrari 599 GTB
Ferrari 599 GTB

Porsche 911 Carrera, 2009

Porsche 911 Carrera, 2009






The very first sports car to bear the Porsche name was introduced to the world in June, 1948. Therefore, as the proud, independent Swabian automaker celebrates sixty years of sports car excellence, it is only fitting that it has a new Porsche 911 Carrera - for many the quintessential Porsche-to help mark the milestone.

The Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and its higher-performance variant, the 911 Carrera S Coupe, are the most sophisticated, potent and environmentally friendly Porsche 911 Carrera models that Porsche has ever offered.

Despite their abundance of 21st century technologies, the 2009 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe clearly trace their engineering and aesthetic roots to the seminal Porsche. That original car evolved over fifteen years from the highly coveted 356 to the first 911 when, at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, the ground-breaking 1964 911 Coupe debuted. As a testament to the genius of its design, after more than forty years of development and six generations of engineering improvements, the 911 Carreras still showcase a horizontally opposed, rear-mounted six-cylinder engine carried in a distinctive and instantly recognizable body.
Less Fuel In, More Power Out
Though the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe are each propelled by Porsche's familiar horizontally opposed, six-cylinder "boxer" engine, and despite the fact that both engines carry the same displacement designation as their immediate predecessors, both are substantially different than in 2008 model year.

In Porsche Parlance, "S" Means More
The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe, like its predecessor model, is powered by a larger, more potent version of the Porsche horizontally opposed six-cylinder than its non-S sibling. As with the 3.6-liter version in the Porsche 911 Carrera, the 3.8-liter engine benefits from less weight, a two-piece crankcase, improved intake and exhaust, and direct fuel injection. The fruits of these refinements are 385 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 310 lb.-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm. This is an increase of 30 hp and 15 lb.-ft. of torque while achieving a power output of 101.3 hp per liter, without the need for any form of supercharging.

With a boost in potency, the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe with manual gearbox runs to 60 mph (96 km/h) in only 4.5 seconds, on its way to a track-proven top speed of 188 mph (302 kmph).

The PDK driving-shifting automatic transmission shaves two-tenths of a second off the acceleration times of Porsche's most skilled test drivers. The 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) run takes only 4.3 seconds. Track-proven top speed for the Carrera S Coupe with PDK is 186 mph (300 kmph).

Despite its awesome performance the nearly 400-hp Carrera S Coupe carries no gasguzzler stigma. And the added power and torque do nothing to diminish the engine's clean exhaust. Like the Carrera Coupe, the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe is certified as LEV-II.
It Starts With a Straight Shot
Both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter horizontally opposed, six-cylinder engines in the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe are substantially revamped from the similarly designated engines in last year's model range.

The engines still consist of a light alloy crankcase and cylinder heads, and have four valves per cylinder actuated by dual overhead camshafts. Now, for the first time in a Porsche sports car, the engines boast a direct fuel injection system (DFI), which works in concert with Porsche's VarioCam Plus valve lift and timing control.

By injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber rather than in the intake port, DFI delivers myriad benefits. Since the fuel charge arrives closer to combustion than with port injection, throttle response is instantaneous, and the Porsche 911 Carrera driver feels a razor-like reaction to even the slightest movements of his right foot, whether accelerating or lifting from the throttle.

To take fullest advantage of the DFI's attributes, Porsche's engineers designed the combustion chamber and piston crown to maximize efficiency. Those refinements allowed the engineers to design both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines with a compression ratio of 12.5:1. This is up from 11.3:1 on the previous 3.6-liter and 11.8:1 of the former 3.8-liter. To ensure maximum efficiency and durability, the DFI injectors have been designed and manufactured to deal with working pressures of up to 1740 psi (120 bar) in the combustion chamber.

The fuel injector nozzle is between the two intake valves, spraying fuel directly into the incoming fresh air charge from both valves. This is clearly far more efficient than port injection which naturally leaves some unburned gasoline on the intake walls and valves. The incoming fuel charge further aids the combustion process by cooling the incoming air as it vaporizes, allowing more air to be drawn into the engine for a denser charge and permitting the higher compression ratios. Finally, the fuel and air are mixed more evenly and thoroughly when the fuel is injected directly into the air inside the combustion chamber.

DFI also reduces emissions since the engineers were able to reshape the piston crown to completely direct the fuel charge at the spark plug for thorough combustion. During start-up, the engine benefits from high-pressure stratification of the injected fuel. Then to quickly light off the catalysts, the DFI heats the exhaust rapidly through multiple injection. To increase the temperature of the exhaust gas to an even higher level, ignition timing is very late, further minimizing start-up emissions.

The system also employs multiple fuel injection during periods of combined high loads and engine speeds up to about 3500 rpm-as when the driver floors the throttle at slower speeds. During the multiple injection phases, the injectors split the fuel charge into several successive bursts during the piston's intake stroke. Otherwise, the fuel is injected in one phase during each intake stroke.

As with their predecessors, the new 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines are equipped with Porsche's VarioCam Plus intake valve timing and lift system. Porsche's engineers have refined the elements and operation of the VarioCam Plus to optimize the benefits of the DFI. The engineers re-aligned the profiles of both the intake and the exhaust camshafts. The diameter of the intake tappets has been reduced from 33 to 29.5 mm (1.30 - 1.15 in.) and the exhaust valve tappets are down from 33 to 24.2 mm (1.30 - 0.94 in.). This reduction in mass allowed the engineers to safely raise the engines' redlines, from the previous 7300 rpm to 7500 rpm.
Two, Two Camshafts in One
As with all Porsche engines, VarioCam Plus in the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes adjusts intake valve lift and timing based on engine speed and load, and is under the umbrella of the engine's main electronic controller. Though the VarioCam Plus operates far too quickly for the driver to be aware of it, the results are obvious. The effect is that of an engine with two different intake camshaft profiles, one set up for smooth and efficient around-town driving, the other a high-performance camshaft designed for high-speed. Each of these two designs usually precludes the other and most cars have a compromise of the two. Porsche's VarioCam Plus removes the compromise and the driver benefits from the best of both driving worlds.

Valve timing is controlled via a vane cell adjuster which continuously varies the two intake camshafts positions relative to crankshaft. Valve lift is varied by a system utilizing two cup tappets, one resting in the other. These tappets are actuated by separate cam lobes of differing size. The engine control module directs oil pressure to the appropriate tappet based on engine speed and load parameters. When nonpressurized, the tappet moves under the camshaft lobe, but exerts no pressure on the valve, in effect free wheeling.

Different Size That's the Same

Finally, the various internal refinements to both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines result in slight changes to their displacements.

The 3.6-liter engine in the 2009 Carrera Coupe now has a 3.21 inch (81.5 mm) stroke, up by 1.3 mm over last year. Bore has been increased by 1.04 mm, and is now 3.82 inches (97 mm). The Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe's 3.8-liter engine has a 3.05 inch (77.5 mm) stroke, down from the predecessor's 3.226 inches (82.8 mm). Bore has been increased by 3 mm to 4.02 inches (102 mm).

The results of these changes are that the 3.6-liter has an actual displacement of 3614 cc, or 18 cc more than before. The 3.8-liter actually sheds 24 cc and is now exactly 3800 cc.

Getting the Power Out
As before, both the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe come equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. Commensurate with the increase in power over last year's models, the transmissions in both cars have been strengthened and refined.

Steel rather than brass synchronizing rings as well as thick shafts and wide gears provide strength, yet the transmission's weight is kept down by using extra-thin aluminum in the oil chamber walls. The transmission's internal architecture minimizes splash effect and flow losses, increasing the efficiency.

The gearbox uses wear-resistant carbon-coated synchromesh rings on first, second and third gears. In addition, first and second boast triple synchronizers. Third gear has double synchronizer rings and fourth through sixth gears uses a single ring. Taking advantage of the engines' increased output, the engineers altered Third gear, making it about 3 percent taller than before. This change improves around town fuel economy with no impact on performance or derivability.

These internal details mean the driver can shift more quickly and smoothly, since less force is needed and the linkage has shorter travel during gear changes.

In addition, the wear-compensating clutch which was formerly only found on the Carrera S, is now standard on the 3.6-liter model. As the friction face of the clutch wears, an adjustment ring in the pressure plate automatically compensates for the wear.

All 2009 911 Carrera models, regardless of transmission, also boast Start-Off Assistant as standard. This feature allows the driver to get moving again smoothly without rolling on a hill when starting from a stop. When the driver stops on an incline and leaves the transmission in gear, the Start-Off Assistant maintains brake pressure for about two seconds after the driver lifts his foot from the brake pedal. Then the system incrementally reduces brake pressure. As soon as the driver accelerates, brake pressure is fully released.

Multiple Clutches and Seven Speeds
For 2009, both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes can be equipped with the innovative and blazingly fast Porsche PDK transmission. The seven-speed, driver-shiftable automatic replaces the five-speed Tiptronic S as the optionally available transmission.

Though it was developed in the 1980s for the all-conquering Porsche 962 Group C racecar, thanks to recent advances in electronic control technology, this is the first time that the PDK is available in a street-faring sports car.

The new PDK (which comes from the German Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or Porsche double-clutch transmission), like the Tiptronic S, allows the driver to shift up and down using either steering-wheel mounted paddles or the console-mounted lever. Or, if he'd rather, the driver can simply leave the PDK in automatic mode and allow it to operate totally on its own.
Stopping What Goes Fast
Inherent in the Porsche philosophy is that every Porsche must have braking power at least commensurate with its acceleration and top speed capabilities. Therefore, all are equipped with cross-drilled, internally vented four-wheel disc antilock brakes. And as the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes have more power and speed than their immediate predecessors, they have more braking ability as well.

Keeping Up the Pressure
To ensure optimum safety, fuel economy and performance, Porsche engineers provide Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe drivers with a safeguard against driving on a damaged or an underinflated tire. Both cars come with Porsche's Tire Pressure Control system (TPC). This system uses sensors at each wheel to constantly monitor inflation pressures. The system offers the driver two levels of warning, should it detect a problem.

If any tire shows a pressure drop of more than 2.9 psi but less than 5.8 psi from specifications, a text message in white lettering shows in the tachometer. This warning appears for 10 seconds each time the car is started. If pressure drops more than 5.8 psi, or if inflation pressure drops at a rate of 2.9 psi or more per minute, the warning becomes more urgent and is displayed in red text. This warning appears as soon as the respective values are exceeded, whether the vehicle is stationary or moving.

Sporty Handling = Accident Avoidance
Knowing full well that all vehicles are safest by avoiding an accident in the first place, Porsche's engineers understand that their cars' awesome dynamic abilities are as much of a safety feature as a performance attribute.

To ensure both dynamic safety and an exhilarating driving experience, Porsche's engineers have continued to refine and enhance their cars' suspensions. Building upon a wide stance, both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes sit on a large, secure footprint. Both cars have a 58.6 inch (1486 mm) front track. In back, the Carrera has a 60.4 inch (1534 mm) track. With its larger wheels and tires, the Carrera S has a rear track of 59.7 inches (1516 mm). Porsche's engineers then specified a lightweight and technologically advanced suspension system and a low center of gravity for optimum agility and driver confidence assuring stability.
Better Living through PASM
As noted, the Carrera S Coupe comes standard with the most recent version of Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). This system is optional on the Carrera Coupe. For the 2009 911 Carrera models, PASM suspension has refined springs and antiroll bars for even greater comfort. Porsche's engineers were able to accomplish this by fine-tuning the PASM control function, delivering a smoother ride on bad roads in both the Normal and Sport modes with no degradation in handling.

This electronically controlled suspension allows the driver to select either a Normal or Sport setting, depending on the driving situation and conditions. Besides allowing the choice of choice setups, PASM also lowers the car's ride height by about 0.4 inch (10 mm).

Variable-Ratio Steering
The Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes come with standard variable-ratio rack-andpinion steering. This both increases agility and stability at higher speed maneuvers and reduces steering effort at slow speeds.

When the steering wheel is turned within 30 degrees of center, the ratio is to provide a smooth and calm driving experience, even on rough surfaces. However, when the steering wheel angle exceeds 30 degrees, the ratio become more direct, reducing lock-to-lock from 2.98 to 2.62 turns. This gives the driver better control both on winding roads and in slow-speed parking maneuvers.

In addition to the variable ratio technology, the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupes have steering columns that tilt and telescope. The wheel can be adjusted by 1.57 inches (40 mm) in height and reach.

Classic Profile

The cars' profiles are highlighted by the new larger outside mirrors and by the newly designed wheels. The Porsche 911 Carrera's 18 inch alloy wheels have by five double spokes which are arranged so the each pair of spokes opens outward at the rim. The Carrera S has larger, 19 inch wheels which have five pairs of parallel spokes.

The Sound of Music

The Porsche 911 Carrera Coupes' standard audio system features AM/FM radio as well as the ability to play CDs, audio and video DVDs. The standard-equipment BOSE Surround Sound System features 5.1 Discreet Surround Format, and works with a gamut of audio formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, Dolby Digital, MLP, and DTS.

The PCM has an integral six-CD/DVD changer standard which supports the same formats as the single CD/DVD player. Plus, a new, optional universal audio interface connects the PCM to an external audio source such as an iPod or a USB stick. An optional TV tuner can receive uncoded television signals. While driving, only the TV audio plays; when parked the picture is shown on the PCM monitor.

Breath of Fresh Air

Automatic climate controls with air and pollen filtration are standard equipment. The controls for the heat, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems are integrated into the center console. Airflow through the HVAC system is optimized by large ducts and side vents.

Ample Storage Space
The cabins in the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe offer the convenience of several storage locations. The cars' interiors have a load volume of 7.24 cu.-ft. (205 liters).

A large locking glove box provides nearly 400 cubic inches (6.5 liters) of room and has an integrated CD storage rack and a penholder. The center console includes more than 90 cubic inches (1.5 liters) of storage capacity. This compartment automatically locks with the Coupes' central locking system.

Cupholders are located just above the glove box and are hidden behind a folding cover. When released, the left cupholder emerges in front of the central air nozzle in the instrument panel while the right cupholder rests in front of the front passenger nozzle.
Critical Data
The five dials that comprise the instrument panel are positioned to provide outstanding readability. The faces of the dials are black in the 911 Carrera Coupe and have an aluminum-look finish in the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe.
Given the sporting soul of the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes, the tachometer dominates the instrument cluster. The rev counter is the largest gauge and it is mounted in the center of the display. A digital speedometer within the tachometer's face beneath the rev counter allows the driver to check both vehicle and engine speed in a single glance.

The separate analog speedometer includes overall and trip odometers and is located just to the left of the tachometer. The gauge to the right of the tach includes coolant temperature and fuel indicators, as well as the clock. The oil temperature gauge is at the far left of the cluster with the oil pressure gauge at the far right.

Safe by Design
Thanks to the high- and ultra-high-strength steel as well as the sophisticated spotwelding and bonding techniques used during their manufacture, the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe bodies are extremely torsionally rigid and flex resistant while still being lightweight.

Particular attention was paid in designing and engineering the junction of the A-pillars and the roof frame, as well as the safety structure involved in head-on and offset collisions, including the transition between the door and B-pillars. Forces in a collision can be transferred through the door, around the passenger compartment to the rear of the car.

A bulkhead crossbar at the front of the car is made from high-strength boron steel and special assembly processes were developed to minimize intrusion or into the foot well in an offset collision.
Six Airbags with POSIP
Occupants in the Porsche 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S Coupes are protected, in the event of a collision by six airbags. There are two front-impact airbags; two front seatmounted, thorax protecting, side-impact airbags; and the two curtain-style, doormounted, side-impact airbags that are part of the Porsche Side Impact Protection (POSIP) system.

The frontal airbags are full-size, two-stage front units featuring an organic-based propellant. This propellant reduces the stored airbags' size and weight, and aids in their recyclability.

The front passenger seat features sensors that accommodate child safety seats. Should the sensors detect a child sitting in that seat, the airbag is defeated.

The POSIP boasts head airbags that deploy upward from their housings in the door windowsills. These airbags provide a flat cushion that inflates to nearly 500 cu.-in. (8 liters) and are designed to help protect the heads of the driver and front-seat passenger from broken glass and objects that might enter through the window, in the event of an accident.

Sport Chrono Package Plus
Both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes are available with the optional Sport Chrono Package Plus feature. Sport Chrono Package can be specified with either the manual gearbox or PDK transmission.
This enhancement package brings specific control maps to the engine management system and Porsche Stability Management (PSM), as well as to Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and PDK on vehicles so equipped.

The revised engine control maps strongly favor performance over comfort and provide even quicker engine response, not only on deployment but also on release of the throttle. This helps the PDK shift even more aggressively.

Stability thresholds allow more lateral slip before the ABS and PSM intervene. On those cars with PASM, that system switches to its firmer setting to provide more agility in cornering. However, in some instances, such as on wet pavement, a softer suspension setting can be advantageous so the driver using Sport Chrono can press the PASM button to return to the normal damper settings.

The Sport Chrono package also includes a digital/analog stopwatch and lap-counting function.

Porsche 911 Carrera, 2009

Porsche 911 Carrera, 2009






The very first sports car to bear the Porsche name was introduced to the world in June, 1948. Therefore, as the proud, independent Swabian automaker celebrates sixty years of sports car excellence, it is only fitting that it has a new Porsche 911 Carrera - for many the quintessential Porsche-to help mark the milestone.

The Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and its higher-performance variant, the 911 Carrera S Coupe, are the most sophisticated, potent and environmentally friendly Porsche 911 Carrera models that Porsche has ever offered.

Despite their abundance of 21st century technologies, the 2009 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe clearly trace their engineering and aesthetic roots to the seminal Porsche. That original car evolved over fifteen years from the highly coveted 356 to the first 911 when, at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, the ground-breaking 1964 911 Coupe debuted. As a testament to the genius of its design, after more than forty years of development and six generations of engineering improvements, the 911 Carreras still showcase a horizontally opposed, rear-mounted six-cylinder engine carried in a distinctive and instantly recognizable body.
Less Fuel In, More Power Out
Though the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe are each propelled by Porsche's familiar horizontally opposed, six-cylinder "boxer" engine, and despite the fact that both engines carry the same displacement designation as their immediate predecessors, both are substantially different than in 2008 model year.

In Porsche Parlance, "S" Means More
The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe, like its predecessor model, is powered by a larger, more potent version of the Porsche horizontally opposed six-cylinder than its non-S sibling. As with the 3.6-liter version in the Porsche 911 Carrera, the 3.8-liter engine benefits from less weight, a two-piece crankcase, improved intake and exhaust, and direct fuel injection. The fruits of these refinements are 385 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 310 lb.-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm. This is an increase of 30 hp and 15 lb.-ft. of torque while achieving a power output of 101.3 hp per liter, without the need for any form of supercharging.

With a boost in potency, the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe with manual gearbox runs to 60 mph (96 km/h) in only 4.5 seconds, on its way to a track-proven top speed of 188 mph (302 kmph).

The PDK driving-shifting automatic transmission shaves two-tenths of a second off the acceleration times of Porsche's most skilled test drivers. The 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) run takes only 4.3 seconds. Track-proven top speed for the Carrera S Coupe with PDK is 186 mph (300 kmph).

Despite its awesome performance the nearly 400-hp Carrera S Coupe carries no gasguzzler stigma. And the added power and torque do nothing to diminish the engine's clean exhaust. Like the Carrera Coupe, the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe is certified as LEV-II.
It Starts With a Straight Shot
Both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter horizontally opposed, six-cylinder engines in the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe are substantially revamped from the similarly designated engines in last year's model range.

The engines still consist of a light alloy crankcase and cylinder heads, and have four valves per cylinder actuated by dual overhead camshafts. Now, for the first time in a Porsche sports car, the engines boast a direct fuel injection system (DFI), which works in concert with Porsche's VarioCam Plus valve lift and timing control.

By injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber rather than in the intake port, DFI delivers myriad benefits. Since the fuel charge arrives closer to combustion than with port injection, throttle response is instantaneous, and the Porsche 911 Carrera driver feels a razor-like reaction to even the slightest movements of his right foot, whether accelerating or lifting from the throttle.

To take fullest advantage of the DFI's attributes, Porsche's engineers designed the combustion chamber and piston crown to maximize efficiency. Those refinements allowed the engineers to design both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines with a compression ratio of 12.5:1. This is up from 11.3:1 on the previous 3.6-liter and 11.8:1 of the former 3.8-liter. To ensure maximum efficiency and durability, the DFI injectors have been designed and manufactured to deal with working pressures of up to 1740 psi (120 bar) in the combustion chamber.

The fuel injector nozzle is between the two intake valves, spraying fuel directly into the incoming fresh air charge from both valves. This is clearly far more efficient than port injection which naturally leaves some unburned gasoline on the intake walls and valves. The incoming fuel charge further aids the combustion process by cooling the incoming air as it vaporizes, allowing more air to be drawn into the engine for a denser charge and permitting the higher compression ratios. Finally, the fuel and air are mixed more evenly and thoroughly when the fuel is injected directly into the air inside the combustion chamber.

DFI also reduces emissions since the engineers were able to reshape the piston crown to completely direct the fuel charge at the spark plug for thorough combustion. During start-up, the engine benefits from high-pressure stratification of the injected fuel. Then to quickly light off the catalysts, the DFI heats the exhaust rapidly through multiple injection. To increase the temperature of the exhaust gas to an even higher level, ignition timing is very late, further minimizing start-up emissions.

The system also employs multiple fuel injection during periods of combined high loads and engine speeds up to about 3500 rpm-as when the driver floors the throttle at slower speeds. During the multiple injection phases, the injectors split the fuel charge into several successive bursts during the piston's intake stroke. Otherwise, the fuel is injected in one phase during each intake stroke.

As with their predecessors, the new 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines are equipped with Porsche's VarioCam Plus intake valve timing and lift system. Porsche's engineers have refined the elements and operation of the VarioCam Plus to optimize the benefits of the DFI. The engineers re-aligned the profiles of both the intake and the exhaust camshafts. The diameter of the intake tappets has been reduced from 33 to 29.5 mm (1.30 - 1.15 in.) and the exhaust valve tappets are down from 33 to 24.2 mm (1.30 - 0.94 in.). This reduction in mass allowed the engineers to safely raise the engines' redlines, from the previous 7300 rpm to 7500 rpm.
Two, Two Camshafts in One
As with all Porsche engines, VarioCam Plus in the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes adjusts intake valve lift and timing based on engine speed and load, and is under the umbrella of the engine's main electronic controller. Though the VarioCam Plus operates far too quickly for the driver to be aware of it, the results are obvious. The effect is that of an engine with two different intake camshaft profiles, one set up for smooth and efficient around-town driving, the other a high-performance camshaft designed for high-speed. Each of these two designs usually precludes the other and most cars have a compromise of the two. Porsche's VarioCam Plus removes the compromise and the driver benefits from the best of both driving worlds.

Valve timing is controlled via a vane cell adjuster which continuously varies the two intake camshafts positions relative to crankshaft. Valve lift is varied by a system utilizing two cup tappets, one resting in the other. These tappets are actuated by separate cam lobes of differing size. The engine control module directs oil pressure to the appropriate tappet based on engine speed and load parameters. When nonpressurized, the tappet moves under the camshaft lobe, but exerts no pressure on the valve, in effect free wheeling.

Different Size That's the Same

Finally, the various internal refinements to both the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter engines result in slight changes to their displacements.

The 3.6-liter engine in the 2009 Carrera Coupe now has a 3.21 inch (81.5 mm) stroke, up by 1.3 mm over last year. Bore has been increased by 1.04 mm, and is now 3.82 inches (97 mm). The Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe's 3.8-liter engine has a 3.05 inch (77.5 mm) stroke, down from the predecessor's 3.226 inches (82.8 mm). Bore has been increased by 3 mm to 4.02 inches (102 mm).

The results of these changes are that the 3.6-liter has an actual displacement of 3614 cc, or 18 cc more than before. The 3.8-liter actually sheds 24 cc and is now exactly 3800 cc.

Getting the Power Out
As before, both the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe come equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. Commensurate with the increase in power over last year's models, the transmissions in both cars have been strengthened and refined.

Steel rather than brass synchronizing rings as well as thick shafts and wide gears provide strength, yet the transmission's weight is kept down by using extra-thin aluminum in the oil chamber walls. The transmission's internal architecture minimizes splash effect and flow losses, increasing the efficiency.

The gearbox uses wear-resistant carbon-coated synchromesh rings on first, second and third gears. In addition, first and second boast triple synchronizers. Third gear has double synchronizer rings and fourth through sixth gears uses a single ring. Taking advantage of the engines' increased output, the engineers altered Third gear, making it about 3 percent taller than before. This change improves around town fuel economy with no impact on performance or derivability.

These internal details mean the driver can shift more quickly and smoothly, since less force is needed and the linkage has shorter travel during gear changes.

In addition, the wear-compensating clutch which was formerly only found on the Carrera S, is now standard on the 3.6-liter model. As the friction face of the clutch wears, an adjustment ring in the pressure plate automatically compensates for the wear.

All 2009 911 Carrera models, regardless of transmission, also boast Start-Off Assistant as standard. This feature allows the driver to get moving again smoothly without rolling on a hill when starting from a stop. When the driver stops on an incline and leaves the transmission in gear, the Start-Off Assistant maintains brake pressure for about two seconds after the driver lifts his foot from the brake pedal. Then the system incrementally reduces brake pressure. As soon as the driver accelerates, brake pressure is fully released.

Multiple Clutches and Seven Speeds
For 2009, both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes can be equipped with the innovative and blazingly fast Porsche PDK transmission. The seven-speed, driver-shiftable automatic replaces the five-speed Tiptronic S as the optionally available transmission.

Though it was developed in the 1980s for the all-conquering Porsche 962 Group C racecar, thanks to recent advances in electronic control technology, this is the first time that the PDK is available in a street-faring sports car.

The new PDK (which comes from the German Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or Porsche double-clutch transmission), like the Tiptronic S, allows the driver to shift up and down using either steering-wheel mounted paddles or the console-mounted lever. Or, if he'd rather, the driver can simply leave the PDK in automatic mode and allow it to operate totally on its own.
Stopping What Goes Fast
Inherent in the Porsche philosophy is that every Porsche must have braking power at least commensurate with its acceleration and top speed capabilities. Therefore, all are equipped with cross-drilled, internally vented four-wheel disc antilock brakes. And as the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes have more power and speed than their immediate predecessors, they have more braking ability as well.

Keeping Up the Pressure
To ensure optimum safety, fuel economy and performance, Porsche engineers provide Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe drivers with a safeguard against driving on a damaged or an underinflated tire. Both cars come with Porsche's Tire Pressure Control system (TPC). This system uses sensors at each wheel to constantly monitor inflation pressures. The system offers the driver two levels of warning, should it detect a problem.

If any tire shows a pressure drop of more than 2.9 psi but less than 5.8 psi from specifications, a text message in white lettering shows in the tachometer. This warning appears for 10 seconds each time the car is started. If pressure drops more than 5.8 psi, or if inflation pressure drops at a rate of 2.9 psi or more per minute, the warning becomes more urgent and is displayed in red text. This warning appears as soon as the respective values are exceeded, whether the vehicle is stationary or moving.

Sporty Handling = Accident Avoidance
Knowing full well that all vehicles are safest by avoiding an accident in the first place, Porsche's engineers understand that their cars' awesome dynamic abilities are as much of a safety feature as a performance attribute.

To ensure both dynamic safety and an exhilarating driving experience, Porsche's engineers have continued to refine and enhance their cars' suspensions. Building upon a wide stance, both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes sit on a large, secure footprint. Both cars have a 58.6 inch (1486 mm) front track. In back, the Carrera has a 60.4 inch (1534 mm) track. With its larger wheels and tires, the Carrera S has a rear track of 59.7 inches (1516 mm). Porsche's engineers then specified a lightweight and technologically advanced suspension system and a low center of gravity for optimum agility and driver confidence assuring stability.
Better Living through PASM
As noted, the Carrera S Coupe comes standard with the most recent version of Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). This system is optional on the Carrera Coupe. For the 2009 911 Carrera models, PASM suspension has refined springs and antiroll bars for even greater comfort. Porsche's engineers were able to accomplish this by fine-tuning the PASM control function, delivering a smoother ride on bad roads in both the Normal and Sport modes with no degradation in handling.

This electronically controlled suspension allows the driver to select either a Normal or Sport setting, depending on the driving situation and conditions. Besides allowing the choice of choice setups, PASM also lowers the car's ride height by about 0.4 inch (10 mm).

Variable-Ratio Steering
The Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes come with standard variable-ratio rack-andpinion steering. This both increases agility and stability at higher speed maneuvers and reduces steering effort at slow speeds.

When the steering wheel is turned within 30 degrees of center, the ratio is to provide a smooth and calm driving experience, even on rough surfaces. However, when the steering wheel angle exceeds 30 degrees, the ratio become more direct, reducing lock-to-lock from 2.98 to 2.62 turns. This gives the driver better control both on winding roads and in slow-speed parking maneuvers.

In addition to the variable ratio technology, the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupes have steering columns that tilt and telescope. The wheel can be adjusted by 1.57 inches (40 mm) in height and reach.

Classic Profile

The cars' profiles are highlighted by the new larger outside mirrors and by the newly designed wheels. The Porsche 911 Carrera's 18 inch alloy wheels have by five double spokes which are arranged so the each pair of spokes opens outward at the rim. The Carrera S has larger, 19 inch wheels which have five pairs of parallel spokes.

The Sound of Music

The Porsche 911 Carrera Coupes' standard audio system features AM/FM radio as well as the ability to play CDs, audio and video DVDs. The standard-equipment BOSE Surround Sound System features 5.1 Discreet Surround Format, and works with a gamut of audio formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, Dolby Digital, MLP, and DTS.

The PCM has an integral six-CD/DVD changer standard which supports the same formats as the single CD/DVD player. Plus, a new, optional universal audio interface connects the PCM to an external audio source such as an iPod or a USB stick. An optional TV tuner can receive uncoded television signals. While driving, only the TV audio plays; when parked the picture is shown on the PCM monitor.

Breath of Fresh Air

Automatic climate controls with air and pollen filtration are standard equipment. The controls for the heat, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems are integrated into the center console. Airflow through the HVAC system is optimized by large ducts and side vents.

Ample Storage Space
The cabins in the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe offer the convenience of several storage locations. The cars' interiors have a load volume of 7.24 cu.-ft. (205 liters).

A large locking glove box provides nearly 400 cubic inches (6.5 liters) of room and has an integrated CD storage rack and a penholder. The center console includes more than 90 cubic inches (1.5 liters) of storage capacity. This compartment automatically locks with the Coupes' central locking system.

Cupholders are located just above the glove box and are hidden behind a folding cover. When released, the left cupholder emerges in front of the central air nozzle in the instrument panel while the right cupholder rests in front of the front passenger nozzle.
Critical Data
The five dials that comprise the instrument panel are positioned to provide outstanding readability. The faces of the dials are black in the 911 Carrera Coupe and have an aluminum-look finish in the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe.
Given the sporting soul of the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes, the tachometer dominates the instrument cluster. The rev counter is the largest gauge and it is mounted in the center of the display. A digital speedometer within the tachometer's face beneath the rev counter allows the driver to check both vehicle and engine speed in a single glance.

The separate analog speedometer includes overall and trip odometers and is located just to the left of the tachometer. The gauge to the right of the tach includes coolant temperature and fuel indicators, as well as the clock. The oil temperature gauge is at the far left of the cluster with the oil pressure gauge at the far right.

Safe by Design
Thanks to the high- and ultra-high-strength steel as well as the sophisticated spotwelding and bonding techniques used during their manufacture, the Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe bodies are extremely torsionally rigid and flex resistant while still being lightweight.

Particular attention was paid in designing and engineering the junction of the A-pillars and the roof frame, as well as the safety structure involved in head-on and offset collisions, including the transition between the door and B-pillars. Forces in a collision can be transferred through the door, around the passenger compartment to the rear of the car.

A bulkhead crossbar at the front of the car is made from high-strength boron steel and special assembly processes were developed to minimize intrusion or into the foot well in an offset collision.
Six Airbags with POSIP
Occupants in the Porsche 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S Coupes are protected, in the event of a collision by six airbags. There are two front-impact airbags; two front seatmounted, thorax protecting, side-impact airbags; and the two curtain-style, doormounted, side-impact airbags that are part of the Porsche Side Impact Protection (POSIP) system.

The frontal airbags are full-size, two-stage front units featuring an organic-based propellant. This propellant reduces the stored airbags' size and weight, and aids in their recyclability.

The front passenger seat features sensors that accommodate child safety seats. Should the sensors detect a child sitting in that seat, the airbag is defeated.

The POSIP boasts head airbags that deploy upward from their housings in the door windowsills. These airbags provide a flat cushion that inflates to nearly 500 cu.-in. (8 liters) and are designed to help protect the heads of the driver and front-seat passenger from broken glass and objects that might enter through the window, in the event of an accident.

Sport Chrono Package Plus
Both the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes are available with the optional Sport Chrono Package Plus feature. Sport Chrono Package can be specified with either the manual gearbox or PDK transmission.
This enhancement package brings specific control maps to the engine management system and Porsche Stability Management (PSM), as well as to Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and PDK on vehicles so equipped.

The revised engine control maps strongly favor performance over comfort and provide even quicker engine response, not only on deployment but also on release of the throttle. This helps the PDK shift even more aggressively.

Stability thresholds allow more lateral slip before the ABS and PSM intervene. On those cars with PASM, that system switches to its firmer setting to provide more agility in cornering. However, in some instances, such as on wet pavement, a softer suspension setting can be advantageous so the driver using Sport Chrono can press the PASM button to return to the normal damper settings.

The Sport Chrono package also includes a digital/analog stopwatch and lap-counting function.

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