Beetle Mania!

2012 VW Beetle (New York)

It seems the new Bug has already made its way to the Big Apple. Today, VW officially revealed the all-new VW Beetle today in New York. A lot of Beetle fans turned up to look at the new Bug as it was presented by Klaus Bischoff, VW's head of design.

"We took the current Beetle and threw everything about it out the window and had the original Beetle in the studio when we started redesign in 2007" - Klaus Bischoff, VW's head of Design

It turns out a lot of people like the new Beetle. There were some people who said, "it doesn't look like a Beetle anymore." Yeah, that's what they said about the last one. But anyway, VW showed off two models of the Beetle, the standard model and the Turbo. It looks like the Turbo will carry VW's 2.0-liter 200 horsepower turbo-4 engine. And since it's a small car, expect it to be quite quick. VW's Global Marketing Director, Luca de Meo, says that thanks to the Beetle's new XDS electric front differential, it's more nimble and agile, it's like driving Herbie or a mosquito.

"the fact that the 200-horsepower turbocharged motor makes this a 'toy for a boy'; and the Fender audio that includes some first-time features such as the Panasonic technology in the tweeters." - Luca de Meo, VW Global Marketing Director

Basically what VW is trying to do is make the Beetle less feminine as it was back in Y2K. Of course, women may love it, but for men who love power, like I do, they hope that the new Beetle has enough to please them.

"We want to make a statement without making compromises, to get out of niche and into core demand in many markets, not just the States."- Luca de Meo, VW Global Marketing Director

So, all-in-all, the Beetle looks like it's one for the masses: a revolution of something that was ugly into something more streamlined. In my opinion, it looks like a bubbly Golf. There is some Golf-ness in this car that some people can't see. I'll take it for a test drive this fall. Top Gear so far says it's not half bad. The sporty styling they think is actually much better and the interior is top notch. I think Clarkson & Hammond have the deciding vote on this one. The all-new Beetle will come out this fall at a pretty decent price.

Porsche's Idea of Green Becomes Reality

2013 Porsche 918 Spyder

When I first saw the concept version of this thing last year, I thought that this car would rival or even be greater than Porsche's other fantastic creation, the 959. Now, I think it's just greater than it, and much much more. Porsche has just told me this morning that the 918 Spyder has reached production mode and will be here when I turn 21 (September 18, 2013). It will feature their clever 4.0-liter 500 horsepower V8 engine that revs all the way to 10,300 RPMs. Team that engine with two electric motors totaling 218 horsepower, and you've got yourself a 718 horsepower plug-in hybrid supercar destined to break records. It's already achieved a faster lap time around the Nürburgring than its predecessor, the Carrera GT. Porsche say that thanks to its electric all-wheel drive system and its 7-speed PDK transmission, this car will do 0 to 60 in less than 3.7 seconds on to a top speed of over 200 MPH. Now that all may be true, but what makes this Porsche better than all the others is the way it looks.

Rear View

I mean, just look at that! Has any other Porsche ever looked this good? The only Porsches that have looked this good before this car came along were the Carrera GT and the 959. Everything else was just, ugghh!! Honestly, the more I look at this car, the more I want one, which is a shame. Porsche has also told me their only going to make, you guessed it, 918 of these, each costing about $845,000. Porsche has also told me they're now taking orders for this car, so you better you get your order in fast! The 918 won't be here until two years from now, but in the mean time, while you wait for your 918, Porsche will provide you with an extra special 911, if you're willing to pay for it, that is.

2012 Porsche 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder

And here it is. For an extra $160,000 to $172,000, if you're one of the lucky 918 people who pre-order the 918 Spyder, Porsche will personally give you this rare 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder. Basically, what this is is a 911 Turbo with some acid green accents and trims. But, hey! It's better than nothing. Once you pre-order the 918 and pay for the 911, Porsche will immediately add you to the list and ship the 911 to you as soon as possible, like an appetizer to a main course.

Porsche to the Rescue!

2011 Porsche Panamera Turbo ALMS Safety Car

So who do you call when you've crashed on a race track, your car's on fire, and you have no way of getting out? Well, if you're an ALMS (American Le Mans Series) driver, you're gonna call Porsche, because they've been chosen as the official emergency manufacturer of the ALMS Racing Series. First up, there's the Safety Car, which, unfortunately, is the ugly Porsche Panamera Turbo. I understand that most safety cars are muscle cars or grand tourers, but honestly, I would rather pick the 911 instead of this car. But, help is at hand because the Rapid Response cars are actually good looking.

2011 Porsche Cayenne & Cayenne Turbo ALMS Medic Units 

When you're stuck in a ditch or if you've crashed your car, the first cars to pull up for your rescue are these Porsche Cayennes. Now that it's nicer looking, I wouldn't mind having these cars transport me to a hospital whenever I've crashed my race car. So, there they are: the new Safety Team of ALMS. Hopefully, no one gets into a serious accident this weekend at Sebring.

Good Man!

David Beckham's Chevy Camaro SS (Courtesy of Splash News)

I'd like to take a moment today to honor a man who made a wise decision when it comes to cars: David Beckham. The British L.A. Galaxy player just sold his $150,000 Porsche 911 Turbo for this dubbed out Camaro SS. It might look somewhat ridiculous, but it's 10x better than what he had before.

David Beckham's old Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet (Courtesy of Ebay)

Look at that thing. Not only is it an ugly squashed beetle, but with all this customization going on, it looks absolutely bonkers. Well done Beckham. You've realized a problem and properly fixed it. Now if only Wayne Rooney would stop Roonifying Britain with his Range Rover.

Source [DailyMail]