Blackberry has teamed up with Porsche’s design unit to develop the P’9981, a $2,000 smartphone that is all looks and no more powerful than the Bold 9900.  Cost aside, this is exactly the kind of devices RIM should be releasing if they want to offset their diminishing popularity, a result of being deemed a work, and not a lifestyle device.

So, yeah, $2,000 is a ton of coin for a smartphone that boasts the same feature set as its $300 counterpart, the Bold 9900.  But what you’re paying for is Porsche Design’s sleek and sexy finish.  The shop is well known for taking products, slapping their German inspired design on it and driving up the price tag a 10 fold.  So, really, anyone familiar with the brand shouldn’t be surprised with the exuberant price tag.

Nevertheless, you will get a Blackberry device running with their latest OS (7), a 1.2Ghz processor, 8GB of storage, microSD card slot, NFC support, a 5MP camera for capture 720p HD video, a 2.8-inch 640×480 screen touchscreen, dual-band WiFi, GPS, compass, accelerometer, a backlit keyboard, a leather back and an all stainless steal body that is no more than 11.3mm thick.

Selling a few iPad cases here and there is one thing, but hocking them in mass, to well, the masses, is an entirely different game.  As a result, companies without big media budgets and a massive brand have to get creative with their marketing.  Case in point is Sofshell.

Last night they sent us a video of an iPad resting on the back of a Porsche Boxster while driving at 60mph down a highway without straps or any restraints to keep it securely in place.  What happens?  Needless to say the iPad stays in place and returns home safely.  How?  They makes an iPad case that uses a proprietary elastomer.  The company says that it “outperforms Silicone, Neoprene, Rubber, Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) and plastic cases. In fact, SofShell provides super anti-slip protection on angles up to 70˚.”

It’s a pretty rad way to show off the stickiness of their product.  They also told us that it reduces shock to the iPad by up to 43% in the event that it does slip or drop to the floor.

In terms of practical applications, were thinking that you could slap this thing on the dash of your car, though we have to question how well it will stick to the material found on dashes, which is often porous in nature, at least by comparison to that of metal and paint, as found on the back of this Porsche.

Interested? You can pick one up for $49.50.

Pops always said never do anything for just one reason.  He must have been rapping his game over at the Porsche Design shop, because their P’6520 Compass Watch embodies that exact philosophy.

On the outside, like a standard watch, it displays three arms, conveying the hour, minute and seconds. However, flipping up the face reveals a hidden liquid compass that works in both hemispheres.  If that doesn’t stroke your desire for all things opulent, you’ll surely enjoy that it utilizes Swiss automatic Sellita caliber movement, which is just another way of saying “expensive”.   Everything is encased in a titanium black PVD finish and the glass is crafted from sapphire crystal which shouldn’t scratch or fade with time.  

Price and launch date are still TBA, but chances are you’ll need to be able to afford a Porsche to justify the cost of this timepiece.

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This to scale LEGO Porsche 911 is absolutely insane.  The roof is not only retractable but motorized, the hood can be opened by pulling a lever from the interior, the doors have real locks and that’s just barely scratching the surface.  Your best bet is to checkout the YouTube video embedded below.  We should note that this model is completely custom made, and doesn’t use any actual LEGO pieces.

Via: Dailypicksandflicks

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Call us suckers, but we love just about anything finished in an all aluminum body.  And hence why we’re currently getting down on one knee and bowimg to Lacie‘s Porsche designed P’9220 hard drive.  The enclosure is built from solid aluminum, it stores up to 500GB of data and includes a USB 2.0 and 3.0 interface.  If you must know, it measures 2.8 x 0.7 x 5.1 in., weighs 9.5oz and has a single LED light to indicate when the drive is active.

The Porsche P’9220 from Lacie should be available very soon for $104.99.

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While the prospect of a two door Porsche Panamera most certainly excites us, don’t hold your breath, because this is not one.  It’s in fact an after market kit offered by TOPCAR dubbed the Stingray GT.  They’ll produce only 25 of these with a starting cost of around $63,000.

It includes a reworking of the doors, a more aggressive body setup, rocker panels and a new front and rear diffuser.  Like all great aftermarket body kits it will rely heavily on Kevlar and carbon fiber.  But that’s not all.  What you can’t see is the mods under the hood.  The engine mod will draw an extra 200 horses from the 400 horse power 4.8L V8, and they’re promising a future tweak that might produce an extra 100 horses from the engine.

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Company TOPCAR ( www.top-car.ru ) presents a new tuning program for the Porsche Panamera, which was called “Stingray GTR”.

We’d like to remind you that the company had already produced aerodynamic body kit Porsche Panamera Stingray before. This body kit was made to enhance the shape of a standard car. Later, the company TOPCAR received a lot of clients’ requests who would like to have more aggressive and “charismatic” car.

Therefore, the company TOPCAR decided to create an entirely new and “all-sufficient “car based on the Porsche Panamera. This time we outstepped a simple design improvement of the factory model. Most of body elements have been re-created. It includes front and rare bumpers, bonnet, front and rare fender extenders, front and rear doors, side skirts. That’s the reason why you can’t call the Porsche Panamera Stingray GTR a classic aerodynamic body kit. It is essential to highlight that the car has become much wider. Extended wings, advanced air vents, sharp outlines of blade front bumper and bonnet, strongly-marked rear diffuser and spoiler on the boot lid, all this created absolutely new aggressive style. Rear doors and wings are visually combined. Now, to open the back door, you need to press a small button and the door opens automatically. All new bodywork components made from carbon fiber and Kevlar by company TOPCAR itself.

Porsche Panamera Stingray GTR is a limited range, which includes only 25 cars. Each car in the range will have its special features and be unique in one’s way.

The exterior styling costs from 45,000 Euros.

It’s obvious that our tuning program involves both design and variety of other technical improvements. The programs to higher engine performance are available for Turbo version cars. A new sport air filter, intake manifold, motronik and valved exhaust system increases car power by 600 hp. Moreover the power might be increased by 700 hp in case sophisticated modification of the engine. It is also possible to insert sports brake system Brembo.

Company TOPCAR offers its clients improving of car interiors according to individual design project and customer’s particular preferences.

Currently we’ve already received four orders for the Porsche Panamera Stingray GTR.

Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/111052433634/porsche-panamera-stingray-gtr-by-topcar-announced#ixzz1NxDrNJof

For $845,000 you can pick up Porsche‘s latest hybrid vehicle, the 918 Spyder.  Under the hood is a V8 gas powered engine that produces 500 horses of power, while two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear, produce an additional 218HP.  However, the lithium-ion powered electric motors will only provide a 16 mile range and a top speed of 94MPH – we’re confident that their range will significantly diminish at this speed.  Total charge time will be 7 hours on a standard 110v household plug, which is pretty piss poor compared to Nissan’s LEAF.

Porsche expects the 918 Spyder to tackle the Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, two seconds faster than the company’s Carrera GT.  Top speed should max out at 199MPH and 0-60MPH in a whiplash inducing 3.1 seconds.

A total of 918 of these vehicles will be produced, and those that are willing to throw down the cash can expect delivery by September 18th, 2013 (get it?).

Porsche’s Plug-in Hybrid 918 Spyder Goes From Dream to Reality

The latest rendering of Porsche’s plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder super sports car.

Now available for ordering, the 918 Spyder will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology and stunning performance, forever changing the future of the super sports car

ATLANTA – March 21, 2011 — After outstanding customer response to the concept car first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche today announced that dealers around the world will begin taking 918 Spyder customer orders. This is a significant step toward actual production of the company’s next super sports car, a Porsche that marries unique plug-in hybrid technology and outstanding performance in a visually stunning and purely Porsche package.

The 918 Spyder will feature a high revving 500-plus horsepower V8 engine assisted by two electric motors with a total of at least 218 horsepower, yet Porsche estimates it will consume only 3.0 L/100 km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Official EPA fuel economy figures or estimates will be announced just before the first customer cars begin arriving in the United States near the end of 2013.

To ensure the 918 Spyder’s worldwide exclusivity, Porsche will produce no more than 918 examples. Start of production at Porsche’s famed factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is planned for Sept. 18, 2013 (9/18), and the U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $845,000 (excluding destination and handling charges).

With its design inspired by past Porsches like the Carrera GT super sports car and the legendary 917 and highly successful RS Spyder race cars, the 918 Spyder remains faithful to the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, the two-seat production version, based on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, will feature a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.

Super high performance with very low fuel consumption and emissions

The 918 Spyder will be powered by a unique plug-in hybrid system that will include a high-revving, mid-mounted V8 engine with capacity of more than 4.0 liters and producing at least 500 horsepower. The engine will be based on the Porsche RS Spyder racing engine that demonstrated its impressive performance and efficiency through multiple Michelin Green X Challenge victories in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power will be transferred to the rear wheels via Porsche’s compact, seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch gearbox.

Two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles – together will provide approximately 218 additional horsepower. This configuration also will offer an innovative, variable all-wheel drive system with independent control of the drive forces on both axles. Electrical energy will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from a standard household outlet. Electric-only driving range is expected to be more than 16 miles on the NEDC. Recharge time will depend on each country’s electrical power network, but charging is expected to take about seven hours at 110V/10A in the United States. A quick-charge option is being evaluated to further reduce charging times.

With anticipated combined fuel consumption of just 3.0 L/100 km on the NEDC, this equates to CO2 emissions of only 70 g/km or 112 g/mile. On the other hand, the Porsche 918 Spyder will deliver super sports car performance. It is estimated that the final production version will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds on its way to an estimated top track speed of 199 mph. It should also tackle Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, two seconds faster than the Porsche Carrera GT. Under the right conditions, the 918 Spyder will be able to drive on electric power alone at speeds up to 94 mph for limited distances.

Customers who order the 918 Spyder also have the opportunity to acquire a special-edition 911 Turbo S Coupe or Cabriolet. Also limited to no more than 918 units, the 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will have exterior and interior design elements echoing the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder supercar’s styling. It features similar exterior colors, carbon-fiber elements inside and out, enhanced leather equipment and numerous acid-green accents on items such as the brake calipers, illuminated sill plates, interior stitching and instrument cluster needles. A limited-edition badge on the glove compartment door will feature the same production number as the customer’s 918 Spyder.

Worldwide 918 Spyder customers can begin ordering this special edition 911 Turbo S sports car today, and customer deliveries will start later in 2011. The U.S. base manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for the Coupe and Cabriolet versions are the same as the standard 911 Turbo S models, $160,700 and $172,100 respectively, excluding destination.

The Geneva Motor Show kicks off in March, and there you can expect to see Porsche’s Panamera S Hybrid.  It will fire out 380 horses of power, 333 of them coming from its 3.0-liter V6 petrol engine with the remaining 47 being drawn from the its electric motor.  An 8-speed automatic transmission should keep things smooth as silk and a regenerative breaking system will power up the nickel-metal hydride battery.  We’re actually surprised to see that Porsche has opted for older battery tech, especially since Lithium-ion is more efficient.  Nonetheless, the Panamera S Hybrid will achieve 34.5 miles per gallon and just 159 grams per kilometer of CO2.  

While we’re not out right impressed with the over fuel efficient, and actually expect more from a company that just launched an experimental E-Boxster, Porsche appears to be going to great lengths, even silly ones, to try and garner press for this vehicle.  They’re stating that the Panamera S Hybrid produces less grams of CO2 per HP than virtually any other car on the road, including the Prius.  An explanation probably isn’t necessary, but sure, this is possible because the Prius is a turtle in the horsepower department which means that yes, of course it will emit more CO2 per HP.  Duh.

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Think Porsche and you’ll conjure up not only an image of the 911, but the iconic sound associated with the air cooled engine.  Sure, they’re now water cooled, but the sound still remains a head turner for even the smallest of Porsche fans.

So with some disappointment we introduce to you the all new, fully electric Boxster, the e-Boxster – we can only assume it won’t include anything but a whisper of a noise.  Yes, the name is rather uninspired, much like the design team behind the 911, but keep in mind that it’s in the prototype stage and only 3 of these cars exist.  

They were unveiled yesterday in Stuttgart, Germany and are part of test program, a sort of rolling laboratory to gauge how Porsche can further develop less fossil fuel dependent vehicles. Volkswagen, which now runs Porsche, has provided the twin electric motors that produce 240 horsepower of power to the rear wheels.  There is no official word on performance, but it’s theorized that it should be comparable to that of the currently available petrol Boxster.

We don’t expect to see these go into production, and if anything they’ll roll them out into a test program much like the e-Mini.  However, the Tesla S is not too far off and there are a number of other electric vehicles on the horizon.

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5 out of 5 stars

There’s something about unrealistic racing games. Not the ones that are so far removed from reality, but the ones that weigh right on the line of fantasy and reality. They charm us, lull us into a comfortable unease, give us that pleasant itch that demands scratching. Therein lies the most enjoyable racer of last year, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

Hot Pursuit, a reimagining of the 1998 original and 2002 sequel, levies hardcore street racing with policing the streets and enforcing the law. Developer Criterion Games took a tremendous step away from prior NFS titles to introduce a uniquely new concept, without making a cartoon or Death Race videogame of the series. Recreating roads based on actual California highways – most of which I’ve actually driven, albeit at sub-relativistic speeds (purportedly) – only furthers the seriousness of their creation, making it even more enjoyable. For as they say, great fiction is always based on reality. The same applies games.

Thus, we are given a choice: the racing elite with money burning holes in their pockets and a desire for unsafe velocities normally reserved for cartoon roadrunners and coyotes; or the police, the Seacrest County Police Department, which attains high-performance machines through unruly high taxes and the absurd number of wealthy residents therein. Whose side players wish to race for is a come-as-you-please affair. As I’ve found, some days just feel like a speed freak, while others demand more damage dealing and hand cuffing.

And that’s a good thing, because to really enjoy Hot Pursuit is to play it for weeks and months, not days. For reviews, we game critics tend to do the latter, because our readers want to know before the game releases and time is of the essence. In this case, I took my time, and am glad I did. Hot Pursuit is a title worth playing long after its release, even if they announced the following Need For Speed immediately after.

Long-term enjoyment comes courtesy of two well-developed themes: a huge variety of race types, and a large number of races overall. Professional racers could complete the game’s campaign in 10 hours, though my playtime was about 13 hours with plenty of resets and races played repeatedly. All races are scored by medals (gold, silver and bronze) based on the points earned, time achieved or placement in the race. Points are then totaled and added to the player’s overall points, known as bounty. As more bounty is earned, more cars are unlocked and players level up, thereby opening higher-class cars for racing.

This system works surprisingly well, except when it doesn’t. As I played the single player campaign, I switched between playing as a racer and cop, but ultimately settled on completing the game as a racer first. In doing so, I finished every race at a level 14. As a cop, I finished at level 11, and for the last ten or so races had no choice on the race itself. I simply had to do this one, then that, until it was completed and the next opened up. This indicates a point system with a contingency for better drivers, though I was only better because I’d raced so much on the other half of the campaign.

In fact, the racer campaign is overall more enjoyable than playing as a cop. As the police, players must shut down races, which is tremendously fun, but cops don’t have as much pressure. They only need to worry about the racing vehicles. Compared to the same Hot Pursuit races (as they are called) for racers, the cops have it easy. Racers must avoid the cops and competing drivers, avoiding traps and attacks from up to a total of 13-15 other vehicles, helicopters included. As a cop, there is the game mode to catch an individual racer, who does whatever it takes to shake players and escape, but the AI is rarely intelligent enough to outrun or outpace any human. Finally, the police races are just not as good.

As a racer, there are some amazingly fun courses to drive and compete in. The final map is a 43.5 mile stretch that takes anywhere from 13-15 minutes, as insane as that sounds. Careening down a highway in a Bugatti Veyron at 256 MPH is, quite frankly, fun as hell. Doing so when competing with seven other vehicles, all capable of equally daring speeds, is challenging, perhaps more daunting than anything else. The scope of that individual race is boggling, especially when compared to the earlier 6-miel races.

Though the class of cars requires for the longer races were not the most enjoyable. I found that the super car section, featuring vehicles like the Ford GT, Nissan GTR, and my personal favorite, the Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake. These cars topped out at 217MPH, amazingly fast but humble compared to the Hyper Class (which breaks the 250MPH barrier), yet they mean something to those of us who actually drive. They’re exotic, but not so much that we’ll never see one in real life. Admittingly, I’m spoiled in this regard, knowing where to find garages with a Ford GT, a brand new white Nissan GTR, a number of Ferarri’s (a notably missing company for the game), along with every Porsche one can imagine. Still, we see them on the roads…no one ever bears witness to a Zonda on the street.

The 100 miles of road in Seacrest County is spectacular. Varying weather conditions and times for races are superb and add a degree of change that can make you choose one car over another. In several races, I found it far too difficult to succeed with my car of choice, and used a different model because it had better handling, or rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel, or it simply drifted better. As the game progresses and players become more and more accustomed to the different vehicles, your style of driving will be suited in a quiet selection of cars, but one easy to stick with, and also easy to extend with trying different models.

One aspect in which Hot Pursuit really falls short is the music. Epic race sequences cut the soundtrack’s “popular” modern hits with an orchestral rhythm, a fine tune, but everywhere else the music which today’s kids apparently like just doesn’t work. At every turn the score attached to Hot Pursuit fails to mesh with the game, fails to connect players to the race. It isn’t so far removed that I felt forced to turn it off for my own personal soundtrack or none whatsoever, but I have yet to hear a song that worked with the high intensity of fast-paced, fun driving.

And ultimately, that’s what Hot Pursuit is: a super-fast racer which is far from a simulator like the prior Need for Speed (Shift), instead promoting fun driving and reckless abandon on the speedway. It is clearly superior to any other racer released in 2010, and I have a feeling it will be better than any driving game in 2011 as well. And described in this review was only the single player…multiplayer online is even more exciting and treacherous. Because as enjoyable as racing against the AI is, it’s still dumb. The single player campaign will keep people playing for weeks. The multiplayer will keep you playing for months.

The Detroit Motor Show is under way and with it came the unveiling of the Porsche 918 RSR, a hybrid super car that takes design cues from the 917 and technology from last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RS hybrid.

The rear wheels are driven by a mid-mounted 4.5-liter V8 gasoline engine that kicks out 565 hp.  The front wheels, which work in concert with their counterparts to achieve 4-wheel drive, are powered by a pair of brushless electric motors and produce a combined 202 hp.  That’s a total of 767 hp.  On board is not only a gasoline tank, but an advanced kinetic-energy-recovery system (KERS) flywheel, which creates energy under braking and brief periods of overrun to power the electric motors.

What does an over priced piece of winter kit look like?  Just like this, the Porsche Bobsleigh. It’s £170.00 ($264 US), which is a god awful amount, but anything sporting the Porsche name is generally excessively priced.  We’re not saying it won’t split your femur in two, it just might be something you can accomplish with a $50 sled, that’s all.

Still not sold?  Well consider that it can “nimbly cut through the snow thanks to directional stability, a low centre of gravity, ease of steering, good braking and low weight (only approx. 4 kg)”.

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Shiver me timbers.  I don’t know if any power outage or apocalypse calls the for a $300 flashlight, but no matter, mPower Emergency Illuminator (flashlight) has plans to go on sale next March.

But it ain’t your garden variety flashlight.  Heck, it ain’t even equitable to the most advanced Maglite.  Designed by the Porsche Design Studio, each tube contains a set of batteries.  The first tube has a set of replaceable and rechargeable CR123 batteries, while the other tube contains a non-rechargeable “OnCommand Reserve Battery” that the company says has a 20-year shelf life.  There’s also a USB port for charging your portable gadgets when in a pinch.  To replace the ‘reserve battery’ you’ll need to drop $25, but that’s nothing when you consider the comfort you’ll take in knowing that you’ve got light 20 years down the road.

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Aesthetically Porsche’s newest vehicle, the Panamera, is a nightmare and if any thing just reaffirms Jeremy Clarkson’s opinion of brand’s design team – it’s not a positive one.  But for those of you that purchased the 4 door sedan you might receive a little thank you gift that is far cooler and more recognizable than the car itself: a Porsche Panamera USB stick that looks like a key fob (I stress the looks, since it doesn’t do double duty, which would be cool, nonetheless).

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I live in LA and I can tell you there is no low that the typical Porsche driving douche bag can reach.  That is until now, and here is my case in point.  Sure, this could be any where in California, but do the math.

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Remember that rumored electric Porsche from RUF I wrote about a few weeks ago?  Well, it’s here and RUF has released some detail goodiness.  Unfortunately, there’s no mention of price since it’s still very much a concept vehicle.  But you’ll be glad to know the RUF electric Porsche, which is based on the 911, can achieve a 180 mile range and a 7-second 0-60mph and a top speed of 160MPH. Its power is derived from a 204-HP  three-phase electric motor powered by Lithium-Ion, iron-phosphate based batteries.

More pics and specs after the ‘leap’

Drive Performance
· Acceleration 0-60 mph under 7.0 sec (development target)
· Vmax 160 mph, 225 km/h
· Cw 0.28
· Roll resistance 0.014
· Driving range approximately 250 – 320 km, depending on
performance level
· Specific power pick-up 21 kW / 125 km/h

Vehicle data
· Engine power 150 kW / 204 PS
· Max torque 650 Nm 7 0 rpm
· Weight 1910 kg (preliminary data)
· Battery weight 550 kg

Motor Data
· Max torque + 650 Nm to -650 Nm
· Power + 150 kW to -150 kW (peak level)
+ 204 hp to -204 hp
100 kW / 136 hp continuous
· Currency 300 – 420 Volt
· Current level max 550 A
· Rpm level max 5000 rpm
· Operating system brushless three phase alternating current with
permanent magnets

Dimensions
· Diameter 405 mm
· Length 241 mm
· Weight 91 kg
· Specific weight 1,65 kW / kg, 2,25 hp / kg
· Coolant flow 8 L /min max

Battery System
· Type Lithium-Ion, iron-phosphate base
· Manufacturer Axeon plc, GB
· Stored Energy (96 units) 50,72 kWh
· Nominal Voltage 317 Volt
· Maximum discharge 480 A
· Max Power 152,16 kW = 210 PS
· Charging current, max. 16 A
· Charging time 10 hours

Single Battery Cell Data
· Capacity 160 Ah
· Operating voltage 4,25 V charging, 2,5 Volt discharging
· Nominal Voltage 3,3 Volt
· Max. Temperature Level 80 °C
· Life cycle 3000 charging cycles
· Self-discharge under 3 % per month
· Weight per Unit 5,6 kg

[Autoblog]

Ruf, widely known for their Porsche aftermarket parts, will show off an all electric vehicle next month based off the 911.  At the heart of the vehicle will be an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery able to produce 500lb/ft torque and a 125mph top speed.  Expected range is said to be 150-180 miles on a single charge.

Other sources say the electric vehicle will be a spin off of the Cayman.

In either case, watch out Tesla!

Pic for demo purposes only

[Reghardware]

Porsche Design, an arm of Porsche, which is surprising since the 911 really hasn’t changed all that much in 30 odd years, is getting into the bedside business with the The Etón P’9120 Alarm Clock Radio. Featuring three speakers on its face – they look reminiscent of a car piston or exhaust – the boxy alarm clock also sports an iPod dock, an enigmatic remote and get this, a built-in flashlight. If you’re into the whole satellite radio thing, you’ll be happy to know there’s an XM antenna hookup and stand along subwoofer for bed rumbling action.

Available here for $600

[Dvice]