Porsche has reclaimed the record for the fastest lap time for a four-door production car at the iconic Nürburgring race track in Germany, less than a year after losing the mantle to China’s Xiaomi, one of the world’s leading smartphone companies.

The Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra model, a tri-motor high-performance electric sedan, took the title last June, but Porsche has returned to the track with another special edition of the electric Taycan, shaving 10 seconds off Xiaomi’s time, and completing the lap in under 6 minutes 56 seconds on the almost 21 km track.

Kevin Giek, the head of the Taycan model line said the new Manthey Kit offers a “unique upgrade” for the Taycan Turbo GT. “The small but impactful project team from Manthey and Porsche has succeeded in transferring the Manthey DNA into a kit for electric vehicles. This effort has culminated in an impressive new Nordschleife record,” he said.

This lap record post got mixed comments with some congratulating the sports car brand and said: “Congrats Porsche! ” Others compared it to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and said: “That’s actually pathetic considering this [Xiaomi SU7 Ultra] is only 9 seconds behind while costing ⅓ the price”.

The latest lap run with the Manthey Kit adds further performance to the 4-door sedan and has performed even better than the Weissach package it had used previously, which helped the car do the same lap in 7 minutes and 7 seconds.

The kit includes quite a few components, covering aerodynamic parts like the massive rear carbon-fibre wing, front diffuser, rear carbon aero discs to help reduce drag. These parts alone will help triple the downforce over the standard model.

Other components included cassis and suspension tuning as well as lighter 21-inch forged wheels, paired with street-legal wider tyres.

According to Porsche, the car that got that lap time was fitted with special track tyres, Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS, which likely provided better grip around corners. 

On the braking front, the kit includes a larger braking system, performance brake pads for a significant bump in deceleration rate.

Powering was also increased with maximum discharge current from the battery being increased, helping with a 10-second Attack Mode, where 730 kW of power is available. 

The latest lap time from Porsche in the Taycan Turbo GT with Manthey Kit appears to be in a highly modified car, which does not meet the “production” car description in our eyes. 

We look forward to seeing what Xiaomi counters this with; after all, it’s the SU7 Ultra Prototype that lapped the same circuit in under 6 minutes and 23 seconds, over 30 seconds faster than the latest Porsche.

Porsche Taycan Turbo GT lap

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Porsche is selling its equity stakes in Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group to a consortium led by HOF Capital, a New York-based investment firm. The transaction agreement was signed on April 24.

Porsche and Rimac Group established Bugatti Rimac as a joint venture in 2021. Porsche holds a minority stake of 45%, while Rimac Group owns 55%. Porsche also holds a 20.6% stake in Rimac Group.

The German automaker has decided to fully divest its equity stakes in Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group to the HOF Capital-led consortium. This includes BlueFive Capital as its largest investor, as well as a group of institutional investors across the US and EU.

Rimac Group is set to take control of Bugatti Rimac and form a strategic partnership with HOF Capital and BlueFive Capital to support its continued growth. HOF Capital will additionally join Rimac Group as the largest shareholder alongside Mate Rimac, founder of Rimac and CEO of Bugatti Rimac.

We were impressed as soon as we drove the 718 Boxster, and then Porsche introduced a six-cylinder version that was even better. Now the Boxster Mk4 has been axed, but its desirability isn’t diminished, so here’s what you need to know to buy your perfect example.

History

The fourth-generation Boxster was launched in January 2016, two decades after the original model was unveiled. The 296bhp Boxster had a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, while the 345bhp Boxster S version came with a turbocharged 2.5-litre engine.

Launched in October 2017, the Boxster GTS had a 360bhp 2.5-litre engine, while the 296bhp Boxster T that arrived in December 2018 was a driver-focused entry-level variant that was lighter than standard, sat 20mm lower and was fitted with adaptive dampers.

The Boxster Spyder that was introduced in September 2019 packed a 414bhp 4.0-litre naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine; this same powerplant was fitted to the Boxster GTS 4.0 that was launched in January 2020, in 388bhp form. The Boxster 25 Years that arrived in January 2021 marked a quarter of a century of production and was based on the GTS 4.0; it was limited to 1,250 units worldwide.

On the road

There are many reasons why you want a Boxster, but this is the key one. Any correctly maintained and properly set up Boxster is fabulous to drive, from the weighting and feedback of the controls to the scintillating performance. Ride comfort is amazing considering how sharp the handling is, too.

The six-cylinder engines are smooth and sound superb, while the four-cylinder units are torquey, frugal and lighter. So both engines have their pros and cons and it’s the same for the transmissions; both manuals and autos are ultra-slick, and chosen purely based on personal preference.

Which one should I buy?

Even the slowest Boxster, the 2.0-litre edition, can crack 170mph and do 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, while the Spyder can do 187mph and 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds. The six-cylinder versions are glorious, but the 2.5-litre S model has the perfect balance of poke and poise, even if it doesn’t sound as lovely as a  4.0-litre edition (for which you’ll pay a very hefty premium).

There is a very specific type of motoring injustice: the car that was brilliant all along but nobody noticed until the prices started moving. The Porsche 944 is suffering from exactly that right now. For most of the nineties and noughties, you could pick one up for the price of a tired Ford Focus. Enthusiasts who knew, knew. Everyone else walked straight past it towards a Golf GTI or, if they were feeling aspirational, a used 911. That era of wilful ignorance is ending — and quickly.

Why the 944 Was Always Better Than Its Reputation Suggested

The 944 arrived in 1982 as the spiritual successor to the 924, inheriting its basic front-engine, rear-transaxle architecture but replacing the Audi-sourced engine with a proper Porsche unit. That 2.5-litre four-cylinder was, in essence, half of the 928’s V8 — and it showed. It was torquey, characterful and astonishingly well-balanced by the standards of any era.

The 50/50 weight distribution that the transaxle layout produced is the 944’s secret weapon. Modern sports cars achieve it with engineering complexity and considerable expense. Porsche achieved it in 1982 with elegant packaging. Get behind the wheel and you feel it immediately — a neutrality and composure that makes the car feel planted, adjustable and deeply trustworthy at pace.

The critics who labelled it a hairdresser’s car were simply wrong. Ferdinand Piëch didn’t commission hairdressers’ cars. The 944 Turbo, producing 220bhp in standard form and 250bhp in the later S variant, was one of the fastest cars in the world in 1985. It embarrassed Ferraris in contemporary road tests. Let that sit for a moment.

The Numbers That Make the Modern Market Make Sense

Spend £15,000 today and you are choosing between a new Dacia Sandero, a high-mileage BMW 3 Series, or — if you choose wisely — a genuinely excellent Porsche 944. That proposition becomes even sharper when you consider what you actually get for the money.

The best naturally aspirated 944s — clean, dry-stored examples with documented history — are now trading between £10,000 and £18,000. Turbo variants command a premium, with sorted examples reaching £25,000 for the best cars. Five years ago those figures were roughly half. The trajectory is unmistakable.

Compare that to buying a new hot hatch. A Golf GTI costs over £37,000 new. It is fast, polished and utterly competent — and also deeply anonymous. The 944 offers something fundamentally different: a connection between driver, machine and road that modern safety systems and electronic intervention quietly suppress. You are not isolated from the experience. You are the experience.

What to Look For: An Honest Buying Checklist

The 944 is not a car to buy in a hurry or on sentiment alone. These are forty-year-old machines and they require inspection with clear eyes. The good news is that the ownership community is extensive, knowledgeable and generous with advice. The less good news is that neglected examples can swallow money at an alarming rate.

Prioritise these checks above all others:

• Timing belt and balance shaft belt: If service history cannot confirm recent replacement, budget for it immediately. Failure is catastrophic and expensive.
• Coolant system: The 944 runs warm and coolant leaks are common. Check the expansion tank, hoses and water pump carefully.
• Sill condition: Rust here is structural and expensive. Probe sills firmly and look for filler.
• Front suspension bushes: Original rubber degrades with age. Fresh polyurethane bushes transform the handling and cost relatively little.
• Sunroof seals (on equipped cars): Leaks feed water into the cabin and rot the floor. Check the carpet for dampness at front and rear.
• Torque tube and clutch: A noisy torque tube or slipping clutch is a significant job. Budget accordingly if symptoms are present.

A pre-purchase inspection from a specialist — Hartech, 944 Motorsport or similar — costs around £200 and is worth every penny. A poorly-bought 944 is a money pit. A well-bought one is a pleasure that costs very little to maintain once in good health.

Making It Yours Without Ruining It

Part of what makes the 944 community so appealing is the culture of personalisation. These cars are old enough that nobody clutches their pearls at sympathetic modifications, and young enough that period-correct parts are still available. Light upgrades — stainless exhaust, uprated suspension, a decent sound system tucked invisibly into the cabin — make ownership more pleasurable without diluting character.

If you are registering a freshly imported example or simply want the number plate to reflect the car’s personality, Number 1 Plates is a straightforward option for sourcing road-legal pressed or acrylic plates in period-appropriate styles, which suits the 944’s aesthetic far better than a modern-format plastic plate ever could.

The golden rule with any classic is to preserve originality where it matters — bodywork, interior, drivetrain specification — and improve only where the car genuinely benefits. A 944 on fresh tyres, sorted geometry and functioning air conditioning is simply better to live with than a basket case wearing period stickers and an optimistic asking price.

Which Variant Is Right for You?

The 944 family spans more ground than many buyers realise. Choosing the right variant for your circumstances matters as much as finding a clean example in the first place.

The base 944 (1982–1989) is the entry point and arguably the purest expression of the concept. Light, naturally aspirated and beautifully balanced, it rewards smooth, committed driving. Running costs are the lowest in the range and parts availability is excellent.

The 944 S and S2 introduced a sixteen-valve head and later a 3.0-litre engine respectively. The S2 in particular is a properly rapid car — 0–62mph in under six seconds — and remains undervalued relative to the Turbo despite offering comparable performance in most real-world conditions.

The 944 Turbo is the headline act. Wider arches, a more aggressive stance and that boosted 2.5-litre unit make it the most visceral version of the car. Values have moved furthest here, but the driving experience justifies it. The Cabriolet, available across several variants, commands a small premium and offers a different kind of pleasure entirely on a warm British evening.

The Window Is Open, But It Will Not Stay Open

Classic car markets have a rhythm. There is a period when a car is genuinely cheap — overlooked, underappreciated, available to anyone willing to look. Then awareness builds, features appear, values climb and the window closes. The 944 is mid-cycle through that process right now.

The cars that sold for £4,000 in 2015 are now £12,000. The cars that are £12,000 today will very likely be £20,000 by 2030, assuming the broader classic market holds. More importantly than the investment arithmetic, though, is the simple fact that a well-sorted 944 is one of the most genuinely entertaining cars you can own at any price.

It has real Porsche DNA — not a badge on a cynical product, but an actual engineer’s solution to the problem of making a sports car that works. The fact that it also represents excellent value at current prices is almost a bonus. Almost.

Mercedes is gearing up to introduce the new AMG GT Black Series. It will take on the mighty Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which is also due for an update later this year. Rumours suggest that the 992.2 facelift could be revealed in August 2026.

The upcoming 911 GT3 RS facelift has been spotted testing quite a few times. Spy images have revealed a brand-new diffuser with dual exhaust and a pair of additional tailpipes on either side. It will also feature a new active rear spoiler with three elements and a DRS function.

Up front, the air intakes appear to be slightly larger. The ducts on the bonnet have also been reworked. In addition to the functional changes, the new GT3 RS will also get redesigned headlamps with integrated LED DRLs.

However, a lot has changed under the skin. The new GT3 RS will be powered by a 3.6-liter flat-6 engine, but for the first time, it will feature two turbochargers. According to the latest rumours, the new twin-turbo unit delivers around 650 hp @ 9,000 rpm. It is also likely to get a ‘Boost’ mode.

Porsche is aware that its customers love the manual transmission. However, the advanced PDK does a much better job than a human being. So, how do you create a transmission that offers the best of both worlds – a slick dual-clutch automatic with an engaging driving experience of a manual?

Actually, Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg has already thought about this. The company introduced a 9-speed automatic transmission on the CC850, which comes with a 6-speed gated shifter.

In a bid to replicate the same functionality, Porsche has filed a patent described as a “gear selector device for selecting gears of a motor vehicle transmission”. Instead of a mechanical linkage, it uses shift-by-wire.

Even though the manual transmission is going out of fashion, it’s popular among enthusiasts. Porsche is among the few automakers that offer a manual option in their sports cars. Currently, the Carrera T, Boxster and Cayman models are available with a manual transmission option.

Source: Autoexpress

Porsche Carrera GT values are hovering around the $3-3.5 million mark in 2026. But, when a rare, Paint-to-Sample (PTS) version comes up for sale, you can expect it to sell for a lot more than that.

One of these rare Carrera GTs went under the hammer at Broad Arrow Auctions this weekend. It is not only one of the 19 PTS cars ever produced but also the only Carrera GT finished in Gulf Blue. It’s no surprise that it went for a record $6.7 million.

The Carrera GT looks stunning in the sky blue shade. It is paired with yellow brake calipers. The interior is special too, with Ascot Brown leather upholstery all around. It also comes with a matching luggage set.

Powering the Carrera GT is a glorious 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V10 that puts out 603 hp and 435 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, with power going to the rear axle. This car has just 2,807 miles on the clock.

Another Porsche that has been making headlines this weekend is the Carrera GT Sport Canepa.

Source: Broad Arrow Auctions