V10 BMW E30 520bhp

Bored, fed up and nothing on TV. Fed up with the playstation (at leased until GT5 is released). I decided to search YouTube to find something to widen my eyes, and I did. Some chap has got his hands on the BMW V10 that sits inside an M5 (an engine that makes a two ton car reach 200mph if de-restricted) and strapped it to his 1100kg BMW E30, returning a fantastic power to weight ratio. He has a bag to cement in the boot to help traction at the back, drilled and vented disc at the front and new seats. This must of cost quite a bit to produce, not to mention getting his hands on one of the best engines ever! But the final results are brilliant, he sees off almost everything apart from the most tuned super cars. Can I have a drive? Please?

Volkswagen takes 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG

Further milestone reached on the way towards the integrated automotive group with Porsche.

Wolfsburg, December 7, 2009 – Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has today taken a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG. The next important step on the way towards the integrated automotive group with Porsche has therefore been completed, as announced, before the end of the year. The price for the stake is €3.9 billion and is based on the enterprise value for Porsche AG calculated under a careful due diligence and valuation procedure.

Following the Comprehensive Agreement concluded in August, the implementation agreements signed in November and the Volkswagen Extraordinary General Meeting held last week, the stake in Porsche AG represents the next milestone on the way towards the integrated automotive group with Porsche under the leadership of Volkswagen. The acquisition of the trading business of Porsche Holding Salzburg is planned for 2011. The creation of the integrated automotive group is then to conclude with the merger of Volkswagen AG and Porsche SE during the course of the same year.

The combination of the two companies follows a compelling strategic, industrial and financial logic. For the Volkswagen Group, Porsche ideally complements the brand portfolio. The Stuttgart-based car maker will allow Volkswagen to further expand its position in the premium business, which offers particularly strong earnings. In turn, as an independent brand under the roof of the Volkswagen Group, Porsche will have the potential for significant additional growth.

The transaction will have a sustained positive effect on the earnings situation of the Volkswagen Group. With a return on sales of 10.3 percent, Porsche AG is the world’s most profitable automobile manufacturer. Volkswagen will in future participate in this business success through its stake. In addition, the planned integration of Porsche in the Volkswagen Group and the associated closer cooperation will realize significant synergies on both the income and the cost side. As a result, the annual operating profit of the Volkswagen Group is expected to increase by some €700 million in the long term.

Nissan GT-R Nürburgring record run footage

In April 2008, a stock JDM spec. Nissan R35 GT-R, steered by Nissan’s chief test driver, completed a lap on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in only 7 min 29 seconds – the new record time for serial production vehicles. This lap time was later disputed by Porsche, claiming the tires used in the record run were not standard, as claimed by Nissan. But Porsche were not really going to stand around while Nissan put there camp fire out and stole sales.

Porsche introduces definitive roadster – the new Boxster Spyder

Porsche is introducing a new, lightweight version of the mid-engined Porsche Boxster roadster at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December, the distinctive styling and technical specification of which represents the true, purist form of the Porsche sports car – light, powerful, open-roofed, and very efficient.

Weighing 1,275kg, the Boxster Spyder is the lightest model in the Porsche line-up, and continues this clear-cut philosophy in a package offering full homologation for the road, reflecting a common wish expressed by Porsche customers.

Significantly, the new model weighs 80kg less than the Boxster S which, combined with a lower centre of gravity and revised suspension, gives the Boxster Spyder the calibre of driving dynamics that clearly reflect the unique look of the car.

The Boxster Spyder features a tuned version of the proven 3.4-litre flat six ‘boxer’ engine with Direct Fuel Injection, which is located ahead of the rear axle. Maximum output is 320 bhp, 10 bhp more than in the Boxster S. Equipped with the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) twin-clutch transmission and the Sports Chrono Package, the new Spyder, using Launch Control, accelerates from a standstill to 62mph in 4.8 seconds. Again with optional PDK, fuel consumption is a mere 30.4mpg (9.3 litres/100km) in the NEDC New European Driving Cycle and top speed, in turn, is 166 mph (267 km/h) – with the roof removed.

Market introduction of the new Porsche Boxster Spyder will start worldwide in February 2010, and will be priced from £44,643 in the UK. Included in the purchase price is the invitation for customers to explore the dynamic attributes of their Boxster Spyder, and develop their own skills behind the wheel, courtesy of a Driving Experience Programme at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone.