Luxury and Exotic Car Reviews

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Michael Van Runkle – September 05, 2026

First Drive: 2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric

Over a decade ago, in 2013, Porsche stunned the world with the 918 Spyder’s spectacular performance specs. The years that have passed since that early hybrid hypercar have proved beyond a reasonable doubt how much electric power can entirely transform the concept of automotive power, and fittingly, any 918 Spyder still commands well into the seven-figure range from collectors today. And yet, for 2026, the Cayenne Turbo Electric – the largest Porsche in the lineup – can launch off the line quicker than that svelte 918 Spyder, with a potent 0-60 time of just 2.4 seconds despite giving up a full metric ton of mass disadvantage. All while comfortably hauling a family of five, with plenty of cargo storage and a starting price far below the top-spec “Mini-Lambo” Cayenne Turbo GT. Not to mention a surprising amount of off-road capability, too, as proven by the recent American media launch held in the high mountains around Aspen, Colorado. Such unbelievable performance comes courtesy of dual electric motors rated for peaks of 1,139 horsepower and 1,106 lb-ft of torque. Launch Control and Push-to-Pass unleash every last pony, but even making do with “just” 844 horsepower available the rest of the time, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can punch out the kind of rollercoaster acceleration that borders on legitimately painful. So much so that passengers tend to appreciate a warning to press skulls back on headrests for fear of whiplash while only making only modestly aggressive maneuvers. As befitting an Autobahn stormer, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can also manage a healthy amount of electric range, with an EPA rating of 298 miles – or as high as 303 miles when optioned with smaller wheels and range-focused tires. Porsche focused on life cycle durability for the Cayenne’s skateboard pack, with more efficient liquid cooling of the cells as well as improved serviceability. And driving around Aspen revealed that the EPA’s rating may well understate real-world capability, as the onboard gauge cluster showed 360 miles remaining with a full charge at the start of a day that included climbs over two separate 12,000-foot passes and plenty of romping around at full throttle. On any road, though, from the Autobahn to a graded section of gravel between Carbondale and the remote ski town of Crested Butte, the EV Cayenne drives so smoothly and quietly that the prospect of such brutal acceleration quickly fades out of mind. Porsche managed to keep a foot in the high-performance and luxurious camps simultaneously thanks to the recent development of Active Ride suspension, which does away with sway bars in favor of a hydraulic system that effectively pressurizes the shock dampers from above without any noticeable reduction in compliance or cushion. The resulting ride quality truly borders on mind-boggling, even on Colorado’s roughest paved roads and those gravel sections too. And yet while most cars that ride so smoothly typically struggle to corner with any sense of confidence, the Cayenne Turbo Electric can also carve up a tight canyon with the best sports cars on the planet. All despite weighing 5,860 pounds, or about 800 pounds more than a Turbo GT and 400 more than an E-Hybrid. Fingertipping the wheel while pushing hard provides excellent feedback from the electrically assisted steering, as Active Ride allows for a bit of body motion in a progressive and predictable fashion. Feather in some more juice, and the axles will push pull out of corners without breaking grip – even with traction and stability control turned down to the minimum setting allowed. Simply put, on switchbacks and long sweepers, the Cayenne Turbo Electric rides on rails, absolutely glued to the ground regardless of chunked-up asphalt or light afternoon drizzle while hustling up Independence Pass. As fun as ripping around at top speed with so much power on tap sounds, on the gravel portion, the sheer mechanical grip initially prevented some of the more hooligan behavior that low- traction environments typically encourage. The section of graded road extended much farther than expected, especially considering the optional Pirelli P-Zero R Elect summer tires equipped on this press car. Theoretically, such smooth rubber should only slip and slide more easily, and yet the torque vectoring between all four wheels prevented much in the way of drifting through rally-racing transitions sideways. Only by playing with more delicate steering inputs, while surprisingly switching out of Off-Road mode (which raises the chassis up to the maximum 9.6 inches of ground clearance) in favor of Sport mode, with the dampers set to Comfort to absorb washboards and ruts, can the Cayenne Turbo Electric manage any real arcs of oversteering joy. But doing so requires hitting speeds of up to 50, 60, or 70 miles an hour – which brings on real concerns about slashing a hole in the Pirellis. That speed never feels anywhere near as dangerous as expected, though, because again, Active Ride absolutely gobbles up the rougher surface without transmitting the expected jolts, bumps, and bangs into the passenger compartment. One of the typical “lightbulb” moments for every great Porsche arrives at the realization that all of a sudden, 80 miles an hour really feels more like 40. The serenity at speed in an early 911, or a mid-2000s Cayman, and now this enormous electric SUV proves exactly where Porsche’s engineering prowess hits a level no other mass-market automaker can reach. And never more so, perhaps, than with the refinement of the Cayenne Electric’s hydraulic suspension system – Active Ride in this application leaves the Rivian R1, Land Rover Defender Octa, and even Porsche’s own 911 Dakar well in the metaphorical (and literal) dust. The Cayenne Turbo Electric’s interior naturally matches that level of refinement, with a practical and convenient layout dominated by the massive central touchscreen arranged in a “waterfall” down from the dash to the center console. Crisp graphics in the configurable gauge cluster, plus a few physical knobs made of a pleasing knurled metal with a thoughtful palm pad below for steadying the hand, all make dipping into the many infotainment, climate, and drive modes fairly easy. <- Gallery -> Most criticisms for the new Cayenne will likely focus on those many modes and features, including the strictly electronic adjustment of the climate vents – a dangerous trend that needs nipping in the bud as soon as possible. Porsche also doesn’t allow full one-pedal driving in EVs, despite the Cayenne Turbo Electric’s programming that allows for a full 600 kilowatts blending between the friction brakes and the electric motor recuperation. And the second row probably offers slightly less space than expected – a large trunk and usable frunk hopefully make up for the lack of legroom. In comparison to the base-spec Cayenne Electric, good for 425 horsepower and 615 lb-ft, the main difference, other than infinite wellsprings of instantaneous torque, comes down to a lack of Active Ride. The base model cannot even come with that most important option, yet still accelerates just as quickly as any family hauler ever needs to, and turns into corners with an even lighter and twitchier nature. But that initial impression stems from unsettled air suspension rather than true weight savings, and the lack of quite the same raw edge shows up while skittering out wider than the Turbo once back under the power. Comfort mode in the air-suspension Cayenne Electric similarly lacks the unbelievable float on the other end of the spectrum, but should still lull kids in the back seat (or overtired journalists in the passenger seat) to sleep quite well. Still, in the end, Active Ride likely becomes the number one option to select while speccing up a new Cayenne Electric. Resisting the Turbo’s unrelenting acceleration, which can scare friends pulling away from stoplights or bring up daydreams of high-speed Autobahn passes, a Cayenne S Electric with 657 horsepower might hit the sweet spot at $126,300 to start. Other than tacking on Active Ride, the Variable Light Control electrochromatic roof [$3,460] to prevent the sun from heating up the cabin – and then requiring precious electrons for the climate system – stands out as mandatory. And every Cayenne Electric order should include prep for the wireless inductive charging mat that will arrive in the US late this year or early in 2027 (expect to spend around $10,000 for the full setup, installed). The idea of never needing to plug in an EV again sounded especially appealing while stopped to charge at a remote station in Buena Vista that lacked the ability to max out the NACS port. Similarly, selecting the optional 20-inch wheels on the S can bump the EPA’s range rating up to 325 miles, while allowing more tire sidewall to work in concert with Active Ride and make daily driving all the more comfortable – if that’s even possible. And as a closing thought, while returning the Cayenne Electric to Aspen after such an impressive performance on gravel and through Colorado’s typical summer rainstorms, the dual motors, advanced suspension, and impressive traction should work shockingly well once the wintry weather of ski season arrives, too. View All Porsche Cayennes for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – August 22, 2026

Ice Drifting Rally Porsches with Kalmar Automotive Adventures

After visiting McLaren’s ice driving school in Ivalo, Finland, this winter, the opportunity to continue sliding around sideways in vintage Porsches built by Danish firm Kalmar Automotive proved far too tempting to pass up. Kalmar holds a similar winter experience dubbed the Spirit of Speed in central Finland, near the Levi ski resort – and though both programs cater lavishly with cozy lodges, wood-fired saunas, and spectacular cuisine, the driving and coaching are nonetheless just about as different as a brand-new mid-engined McLaren and a rear-engined air-cooled Porsche. In summer, Kalmar pivots from winter experiences to a calendar full of off-road rallies all across the planet. Founder Jan Kalmar calls these trips “Beyond Adventure” and plans each itinerary to live up to the slogan “We start where others stop.” Kalmar’s team transforms a range of Porsches into rugged safari builds that can handle extreme abuse, from early air-cooled classics to modern Cayenne SUVs, and more recently branched into the restomod world, as well. Nearly the entire lineup of Kalmar creations awaited me in Finland, where I learned firsthand just how seriously both Jan Kalmar and his eponymous company take the instruction at Spirit of Speed. My coach for most of the day, professional TV and film precision driver Joe Hopkins, started me off in a lifted 964-generation 911, keeping a close eye on my technique as I adjusted to Porsche’s famous rear-end weight distribution while trying to hustle through a coned-off slalom course, then a drifting donut. Most critically, I needed to find confidence not only in my own driver inputs, but also in the set of skinny, studded Michelin tires equipped with tungsten tips, a true WRC spec setup that only Kalmar offers among any driving school in the world. Soon enough, I stepped up to a more powerful 993-generation coupe, still manual and rear-wheel-drive but with the next evolution of the 911’s rear suspension. This larger car with more power might have driven faster and smoother on the surprisingly wavy frozen lake, but I suspect the 964’s simpler setup benefited more from the skinny tires precisely because the 993 adds a fair amount of weight as well. On a longer circuit, I started hitting higher speeds that almost caught me out approaching tighter corners, where the risk of beaching into the snow drifts increased with each lap. I then swapped into a mid-engine Cayman, an all-wheel-drive 997, and finally, into quite possibly the best single car I’ve ever driven: what Kalmar calls the 7-97 Evo. Once again based on a 964, this customer-owned creation goes more than a few steps further than the company’s entry-level rally build. Hanging off the rear end, an RSR-spec 4.1-liter flat- six pumps out 375 horsepower through an uprated six-speed manual transmission and a Numeric shifter kit. The suspension lift included deleting the sway bars in favor of a six-axis hydraulic roll control system – somewhat similar to a McLaren, actually – and the whole body sheds weight while beefing up with aluminum underbody protection and aramid (Kevlar) panels. Inside, a hydraulic handbrake and that Numeric shifter on the center console hint at the Evo’s capabilities, as does a central tachometer with a Danish flag indicating the screaming redline. All in, Kalmar spent years developing this car, and Hopkins cautioned me to take my first few laps a little easy. But soon enough, I fell into a spectacular flow state, ripping the Evo up through gears and holding wider drifts than ever, as the chassis rollicked and rolled around the frozen lake without missing a beat. By riding high and allowing impeccable transfer of weight onto each tire, the Evo communicates a crystal clear picture of available grip through both the steering wheel and the driver seat. So much so, in fact, that I even found myself subconsciously shifting my hips around, trying to use my own body weight to initiate oversteer going into corners. Smitten, I kept ripping through quicker and quicker laps, fully unleashing that rasping and screaming 4.1-liter engine at full cry until at last, we stopped for a quick lunch break of piping hot Nordic stew and a steaming mug of coffee. “You only learn and you only find the limit by exceeding it,” Jan Kalmar explained from across the table. “From time to time, we exceed the limits… We have nice food, we sleep nice, but its the driving that counts.” Back out into the crisp wintry air, Hopkins then led me onto a more technical rallycross circuit, full of dips and dives, higher snow banks, and even more blind corners. He specifically wanted me to find, and exceed, my own limits (this time back in the “base” 964). Sure enough, I lost control more than a few times and plowed high into the fluffy stuff—but never so badly that I needed a tow out from either a Cayenne or a tractor. We spent the rest of the day switching up the cars and courses any time I started to feel comfortable, precisely because Kalmar and Hopkins wanted to keep me in full mental overload at all times. By the end of the day, having driven no fewer than five spectacular Porsches on every track across Kalmar’s expansive facility, that regular changeups left me confident enough to climb into any of the cars and find my edge immediately. No matter the traction level, terrain, or the trees I desperately wanted to avoid, the same skillset transfers over: throttle input, weight transfer, and slow hands as I grew to trust those WRC tires more and more with each passing minute. Hopkins then put me on the stopwatch to rank my pace on an out-and-back course that every Spirit of Speed student must complete. Though I fell just short of setting a new lap record on my third try, the fact I came even close in the 964 – the slowest car on site – showed just how well the instruction can level up any driver, regardless of prior experience. The Evo, in particular, perfectly typifies Kalmar’s teaching methods and lifestyle. No Kalmar build deserves to live as a garage queen; instead, these cars are purposefully engineered to take a beating, and many proudly bear the scars of battle in the form of scratches, dings, dents, and bent bull bars. I learned more in that single day of rip-roaring fun than at any driving school previously, but the idea of joining a full Kalmar “Beyond Adventure” trip also sounds utterly intoxicating. Each itinerary includes a spectacular location, from Australia to the Himalayas, Namibia and Morocco in Africa, Patagonia in South America, or even a closely curated route through unknown peaks and valleys in the European Alps. Personally, the Lima to Ushuaia route from the Pacific Ocean, across the jagged Andes mountains, and then out onto the expansive flat desert brings to mind the biggest daydreams. <- Gallery -> Kalmar runs each of these trips regulation rally style, to build camaraderie among clients through the fire of competition – in similar fashion to my timed runs at Spirit of Speed. Africa or Australia might seem so distant from within a cozy lodge in frigid Finland, but the same ethos of experiencing all the world has to offer, getting far beyond the comfort zone to learn more about oneself, other cultures, the cars, and crew. Every route traverses stunning nature, then days end at the finest lodging available, typically bought out exclusively for attendees. If the locale is too remote, Kalmar then builds a full camp—overlooking the Pacific Ocean or empty dunes as far as the eye can see. “It is extremely simple, what we are doing, but quite difficult to execute,” Jan Kalmar told me. “We’re always very off the beaten track, and we have few rules, but we follow them. We always stay in the best available accommodation. The customers who travel with us never question where they're going to sleep. It's our place. We can feel home, and 90% of the time we only stay there one night. My philosophy has always been to never backtrack. I don't like to go up and back down the same road, ever.” Cars do get stuck and break on Kalmar trips, whether by accident or simply from wear and tear over thousands of miles of hard driving. A team of support vehicles and mechanics join the convoy, on hand to hook up tow ropes, replace axles, or even fully rebuild engines if necessary. Kalmar also offers a Safari trip to Mount Etjo Safari Lodge in Namibia’s Okonjati Game Reserve with a dedicated educational conservation focus rather than catering strictly to automotive expeditions. I wrapped up my time in Finland with a session in the sauna, winding down my adrenaline rush after a dinner cooked by local chef Sirly Ylläsjärvi, an exquisite meal cooked family style in our private villa. Falling into the deep sleep of a silent, snowy winter night, I only wished that instead of heading home the next morning, I might spend another day sliding around sideways in the 7-97 Evo. And dreaming of how such a spectacular lifted Porsche crests a sand dune, crosses a flooding stream, or summits a precipitous mountaintop. Everything I learned on the ice revealed the level of preparation necessary for a Kalmar Beyond Adventure drive, where the cars and drivers alike need to be ready for absolutely anything at any time. View All Porsches for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle, Kalmar Automotive

By Michael Van Runkle – July 18, 2026

Review: Porsche 718-Based Stärke Speedster

For the Southern California Porsche show Air|Water at the end of April, custom coachbuilder Stärke Motor Company brought out the company’s second-generation Speedster prototype. Neither a restored Porsche nor a restomod, instead the Stärke Speedster builds on the backbone of the 2017-and-onward 718 Boxster platform. The design harks back to the days when Porsche’s lightweight cars outperformed big American V8s and Italian V12s in the early era of motorsport. After Air|Water, Stärke CEO Seth Gortenburg stuck around SoCal to host media drives. I joined for a crisp spring day off the Pacific Ocean Highway in Malibu, just about the perfect scene and setting to enjoy some of that quintessential James Dean sun-drenched lifestyle and suss out how Stärke’s vision for a Speedster translates to the modern age. The Stärke design clearly references Porsche’s earliest models, including the mid-engined 550 Spyder and 718 RSK, as well as the rear-engined “bathtub” 356 Cabriolet that preceded the original 911. Photos struggle to do the form justice, however. Smooth and low and wide, with retro details right down to the headlights and fogs, this Speedster nonetheless occupies a much larger footprint than any of those classics. Even the custom wheels, one-offs that Gortenburg dubbed the “Wide Five” design, nearly replicate original Porsche steelies. Creating this body required 3D scanning and CAD renderings, then two years to source hand-laid body panels to update Stärke’s original 981-based project to the newer 718. Installing the panels then requires removing the body as much as possible, including cutting off the doors and rear panels. The front clip mounts using all the factory bolting location, the inner fenders bond to the rear quarter-panels for additional stability, and the side strakes feed the Boxster’s original engine air intakes. No, nobody will mistake a Stärke Speedster for an original Porsche. And Porsche purists may balk at the whole concept in the first place. But with these kinds of custom projects, if the most important questions always emerge about design decisions, engineering always takes priority, as well. In this case, I pulled up to meet Gortenburg and the Speedster, wondering how the built quality lives up to Stuttgart standards. I came away convinced that everything about the Stärke makes the most sense when viewed from the lens of Gortenburg’s American hot-rodding background. In person, the metallic silver paint shimmers with endless depth. The panel gaps and alignment from front to rear line up perfectly. And once I climbed behind the wheel, I noticed zero creaks, clunks, or rattles – other than some wind noise from the factory Porsche convertible, anyhow. Stärke can swap the Speedster body onto any 718 Boxster, from the 300-horsepower turbo-four base model to the Boxster S with 350 ponies, or even the 394-hp GTS 4.0 with that incredible 7,800-rpm flat six. Each comes with the choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK gearbox, and when optioned with Stärke’s standard fiberglass panels, weighs about the same as the original car. That means the 718 Boxster’s impeccable driving dynamics carry over, too. This second prototype started life as a base turbo-four with PDK, so not exactly a ripper but still one of the most balanced sports cars ever made. The steering and suspension perfectly straddle the line between comfort and compliance, with a low center of gravity that makes any day in Malibu an absolute joy. “That's one of the beauties about what we're doing,” Gortenburg explained from the passenger seat. “You know, a 356 is beautiful, but there’s not a lot of horsepower there, and they didn't handle that great. These cars can handle, the GTS has so much horsepower that they’re just so much fun to drive, and they're made to drive hard.” Gortenburg purposefully started with the base car for this prototype because he wanted to sort out any potential problems before beginning a customer build. Over the course of my drive, my main gripe about the Speedster design versus the original Boxster came down to the extended front overhang and low ride height. Without a front-axle lift system, I worried about driveways, speed bumps, and turnouts – which the prospect of choosing Stärke’s optional carbon fiber only exacerbates. Going for the carbon does cut a couple of hundred pounds, though, and Gortenburg claims the material makes the process easier, as well. Given that a Boxster weighs right around 3,000 pounds, depending on powertrain, that weight savings should result in noticeable improvements while driving hard. Most importantly, though, while retaining all the cornering capability of a Boxster in a retro package, the comfort and convenience of a modern car carries over, too. No more worrying about tuning carburetors, adjusting valves, or the constant oil leaks of an air-cooled engined. “The styling of the old Porsche was iconic; it’s one of the most amazing designs ever, in my opinion,” Gortenburg admitted. “But you know, I'm at a point where I sure want those side windows, and I want that power top and that air conditioner, so this is kind of the best of both worlds.” Plus, any Porsche dealer or mechanic worth their salt should be able to work on the Stärke Speedster with ease. My other main criticism? The choice to skip out on the GTS 4.0’s absolutely peak engine and unique chassis tuning for this prototype, as well as the stick shift and clutch pedal. The rasping flat-six all the better emphasizes Porsche’s long history of rear and mid-engined screamers. Then again, I can understand clients who might want to enhance the ease of use while cruising, as the PDK dual-clutch takes care of gear changes. Stärke will help customers source the donor car to begin this process, and recommends starting by choosing an interior spec so that the majority of upholstery and trim finishing takes as little time and effort as possible. The exterior gets removed anyway, to make way for the new body. Personally, I’d go with the classic metallic silver for the paint job, as on the car I drove. A rich black might also help, for a slimming effect, as with black jeans or slim dresses. On the inside, Boxster Red matches the silver perfectly, but a Pepita houndstooth overhaul in the cabin might fit best with a darker tone. <- Gallery -> Pricing starts at $135,000, or if Stärke helps to source the donor car, then $189,000 before personalization. The 718 ended production late last year, with no concrete plans for a replacement yet underway, which appears to be bolstering values on the used market (and especially for the higher-spec models). A base equipped with PDK typically starts around $40,000, depending on mileage and condition, while the GTS 4.0 with a manual can easily eclipse six figures. The rest of Stärke’s ask goes toward amortizing the design and development, the extensive labor hours of completing the body swap, and hundreds of miles of shakedown testing to ensure that the rock-solid Porsche durability still shines through. “We're hot-rodders at heart,” said Gortenburg. “Building cars, there's always a rattle here and there. You’ve got to work through the issues. So as we build the cars, we find little things that we can do better. We've worked through most of the problems now, and each car we do gets a little bit better.” Clearly, Air|Water went well for Gortenburg and the Stärke Speedster, as each build takes about six months to finish, but the order roll now requires approximately a one-year wait. Around 12 weeks of that process goes into crafting the body panels alone. And for anyone who potentially thinks the wider, flatter design grafted onto a 718 Boxster misses the aesthetic mark, Gortenburg admitted a Cayman-based coupe may eventually emerge to match. Porschephiles may well scorn the concept of a project that blends this mix of old and new style and performance, but at least Stärke never takes the knife to older, rarer air-cooled models. And in comparison to wild restomods so popular these days, the concept makes more sense than shoehorning modern powertrains into old monocoque chassis. The final aesthetic always comes down to the buyer’s personal preferences, anyhow. “We've done cars that are 100% traditional, we've done cars that are more of a restomod look,” Gortenburg told me. “We like them all. It's not the exact proportions of a 356, but we're just trying to capture the essence of the old car.” View All Porsche Speedsters for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – July 11, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche Macan GTS Electric

Plenty of challenges emerged quickly when Porsche undertook its first serious foray into mass-market electrification with the Taycan. Of course, experience with the larger Panamera and Cayenne/Macan siblings helped establish a baseline, but Stuttgart engineers still needed to figure out how to build a relatively heavy sedan that still bore a strong resemblance to – and drove as well as – the stalwart 911 sports car. Now, nearly seven years later, the Taycan’s Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo variants recently got the axe in the United States, where buyers increasingly prefer crossover SUVs rather than the low-slung sedan form factor. In their place, an all-electric Macan joined the lineup and, for 2026, received Porsche’s signature GTS treatment that caters directly to driving enthusiasts. The Macan EV represents a much more significant step forward for Porsche, and the week I spent driving a GTS reveals exactly how much the company learned from the Taycan’s Tepid customer response. The 94.9-kilowatt-hour battery offers up to 294 miles of EPA-estimated range with an 800-volt architecture that allows for fast charges up to 270 kilowatts, or good enough for a 10-80% charge in just 21 minutes. Those stats can keep up with the competition on paper, but more importantly, the Macan simply looks more familiar to the shape that American buyers – Porsche’s number one market – prefer by leaps and bounds over traditional four-door sedans. Unlike the Taycan, Porsche decided to sell internal-combustion and all-electric Macan variants simultaneously. The two clearly resemble each other, though the EV’s crisp design with vertical air intakes up front and a chopped rear end above a horizontal lightbar certainly adds a more futuristic element to the sporty crossover. The EV technically rides about a half-inch lower, depending on drive mode selection, but the overall design clearly helps to foster the impression of sporty potential despite the typically dense “skateboard” battery pack beneath the passenger compartment. Inside, the dash and gauges all resemble other Porsches. The Macan does offer more storage in the center console, a lesson in packaging efficiencies that the Taycan sorely lacked. The rear seat might not count as particularly spacious per se, at least in direct comparison to competitors, but it definitely fits adults much better than the cramped Taycan back bench. The rear hatch opens up to a large trunk, and, plus, without a gasoline engine under the hood like an ICE Macan, the EV comes with a funk just like a 911! Design and ergonomics count for a lot during the EV revolution, but for Porsche’s discerning customers, driving dynamics need to take priority – and especially for any GTS model. In this case, a pair of dual electric motors rated for up to 563 horsepower and a punchy 704 lb-ft of torque can hook up for a 0-60 sprint in just 2.6 seconds. A hard launch requires overboosting the powertrain, though, and the rest of the time the system throttles back to “just” 509 horsepower and 675 lb-ft. The brisk acceleration never quite matches the most absurd high-performance electrics on the market – the Plaids or Sapphies of the world – and falls just shy of the Macan EV Turbo at 630 horsepower, too. On the other hand, all the instantaneously available torque from electric Motors effectively democratized straight-line speed, even at the lower end of the market. And no EV at any price point highlights that fact more than the Macan, precisely because the GTS absolutely nails Porsche’s quintessential steering and suspension tuning. It’s no stretch to say the Macan EV GTS might have the best steering of any EV yet, just as tight and precise as any 911 in the lineup today. Only the Lucid Gravity might take the cake, though only driving both back-to-back will solve that heated rivalry conclusively. <- Gallery -> The Macan’s thin steering wheel helps to impart such razor-sharp response, as finished in a tight layer of Race-Tex, Porsche’s brand name for Ultrasuede (the material of Alcantara). But the shock dampers and body roll management, for an EV that tips the scale right around 5,400 pounds, also manage to perfectly straddle the fine line between compliant comfort and raring rigidity. Only occasional wavy road surfaces or heaves will cause a bit of rafting at times, as a typical byproduct of skateboard mass and density. Even the 22-inch wheels with relatively tall sidewalls (Pirelli P Zero Corsa Elect summer tires, a $660 option for those keeping track) contribute to the handling characteristics, versus lower profile rubber that might up the style points while taking away from the spectacular ride quality. I barely needed an adjustment period before I started ripping around town, taking advantage of the quick pickup to outrun traffic from stoplights or carve through rush hour stop-and-go with ease. Up in the canyons, everything about the Macan EV GTS felt similarly cohesive, just one of those cars that almost anybody can climb right in and drive hard without too much effort. At full cry, the electric motors whine a bit, and regen helps to rein in speed despite a relatively small braking package (by Porsche standards anyway) of 400 and 350-millimeter rotors front and rear, respectively. Exactly where and when to lift off “throttle” and start braking before tight turns changes due to regen, but again, I quickly stopped thinking about that EV behavior and started enjoying the drive nearly as much as any internal-combustion sports car and certainly more than any electric crossover so far. The faux powertrain soundtrack that Porsche pumps through the Macan’s speakers will no doubt come down to a matter of taste. I personally prefer to strictly listen to the whine of electric motors under strain. After all, otherwise the quietude of an EV only ramps up the luxury factor even more. And in that regard, electric cars serve so perfectly for most of life in a city, with no rumble of an engine or smell of exhaust fumes and no sensation of lugging around a massive, thirsty engine. Just point and shoot, all immediacy and vastly superior performance, especially at lower speeds. As a commuter, the Macan EV GTS stands out with Porsche’s sense of solidity and legitimate range. With a Level 2 home charger, I’d never need to worry about charging other than overnight for urban driving, or even a fun morning in the canyons. I still hesitate to call this a true road-tripping EV, though, despite the quick charge times. Porsche will need a new generation of battery tech before reaching the magical 400 or 500-mile mark without sacrificing the dynamics that make the Macan EV special in the first place. A Macan EV might nail the brief, but watching Porsche’s overall EV strategy unfold still bedevils comprehension. The Boxster/Cayman replacement seems likely to either go uber lightweight with pitiful range (which will likely render both DOA) or share a chassis with an internal- combustion variant (leading to inevitable compromises). At the other end of the spectrum, the newly electrified Cayenne can outrun a 918 Spyder but also weighs more than a Ford F-150 Raptor, not to mention any other production car ever to leave the Porsche factory. As the Taycan seems to face a dire future, if values on the used market portend anything these days. And in fairness, not everything about the Macan EV turned out perfectly. The stop-start button straight out of Volkswagen AG’s parts bin brought on a sad shake of the head at the beginning of every drive. Excessive piano black plastic on the center console also contrasts starkly against the rest of the premium materials throughout. And including a Sport Chrono lap timer on the dash, even as a reference to Porsches of old, almost seems laughable in a family electric commuter. The starting MSRP for the Macan GTS Electric somehow still slots in well below a base 911, though. My loaner’s Carmine Red paint job, stunning if not quite subtle, paled in comparison to Paint-to-Sample shades at just $1,310. Rear-axle steering added another $2,150, while the 22- inch RS Spyder Design wheels tacked on $3,010. Spec'ing a Macan EV GTS, I’d definitely spring for the Bose surround sound at $1,050, but the rest seem fairly insignificant despite contributing to a window sticker of $125,920 as tested – still less than a zero-option 911. Also worth mentioning, Porsche earlier this year solidified a partnership to allow for access to Tesla’s nationwide network of Supercharger stations. Doing so requires an adaptor to the NACS port from the Macan EV’s CCS capability, but still adds another pro to the list, as an absolute game-changer that makes the prospect of living with Porsche’s mass-market EV all that much more palatable. View All Porsche Macans For Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – May 02, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid

When Porsche first launched the Cayenne for model year 2003, customer response proved doubtful SUV critics wrong immediately. And for good reason: combining Porsche panache with serious performance and borderline unbelievable off-road capability arguably put both the “Sport” and “Utility” in an SUV for the first time ever. More recently, though, the Cayenne started trending more in the sporty direction – and especially the top-spec Turbo GT that essentially swaps a Porsche badge onto a Lamborghini Urus super-SUV. The Urus SE then added hybrid power to Lambo’s SUV lineup, though Porsche paved the way for hybrids as far back as 2010. Now, despite lacking much in the way of off-road cred anymore, the new 2026 Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid can stack up in almost even terms to the Turbo GT (or Urus SE) by throwing EV utility into the mix as a daily driver, commuter, and family hauler. And one that still absolutely snarls when the times comes for aggressive driving, too. Much the same as that original hybrid Cayenne in 2010, as well as the Urus SE today, my tester uses a single electric motor between the engine and transmission. In this case, the e-motor can pump out 174 horsepower and a prodigious 339 lb-ft of torque, the latter of which takes some load off the familiar Volkswagen AG twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. In total, Porsche rates the combined powertrain at 729 horsepower and 700 lb-ft, good enough to log a 3.5-second sprint to 60 miles an hour. For 2026, the Turbo E-Hybrid’s battery steps up in capacity to 25.9 kilowatt-hours, or 45% more than the previous model year. That translates to plenty of range in fully electric mode for this plug-in hybrid. In reality, the estimated 24 miles paled in comparison to what my Cayenne showed on the gauge cluster regularly, at well over 30 miles with the battery fully charged. I spent plenty of time driving around silently and stealthily, as much to save my neighbors from early morning wakeups as to test the overnight charging capabilities. Once I purposefully drew down enough juice, I also plugged the provided charger into a standard 120-volt outlet. With only 3% charge by that time, the Cayenne showed a graphic on the center touchscreen predicting about 21 hours to fill up all 97% remaining. But I unplugged early the next morning, after a little under 15 hours plugged in, and the state of charge already sat above 75%. Not bad, since that means any Level 2 charger running on 240V should top up the battery overnight with ease. The gasoline engine itself can also charge the battery, which I regularly tried to do by spinning the drive mode dial on the steering wheel to Hybrid, then selecting E-Charge mode on the center touchscreen. This only works while driving at higher speeds, though, rather than in stop- and-go traffic or neighborhoods, when the hybrid system best contributes to efficiency rather than all-out performance. Luckily, despite the variable settings, Porsche makes figuring out the Turbo E-Hybrid’s many modes quite intuitive. The Cayenne always fires up fully electric to start, though, and I sometimes noticed a bit of lag when dipping into the gas pedal without the gasoline engine already running. So, I stayed in Hybrid mode for most drives with the engine lazily chugging along, prioritizing the seemingly endless wellspring of low-end torque until the time came to head up into Malibu and spin the dial further to the right for Sport and Sport Plus. As usual in Sport, the burly V8 unleashes a deep crescendo of exhaust grumble as valves open up and the suspension tightens down. Paddles on the steering wheel let me rip through gears, but in reality, Porsche’s typically impeccable shift logic stayed in the proper rev range at all times anyhow. In a similar fashion to the Urus SE, the Cayenne’s curb weight of well over 5,500 pounds results in a fair amount of wallowing and wafty over rough roads. The suspension clearly works hard to manage body roll and prevent understeer, but even the wizards of Weissach can only combat sheer physics so much. Rear axle steering, meanwhile, allows for a tremendously tight turning radius, though the interplay between PDCC (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control) adjusting the air springs, the active sway bars, and that rear-steer system sometimes results in some ungainly and unpredictable moments. For the majority of driving, though, the Cayenne simply rides so smoothly that this tradeoff seems absolutely worth any bit of confidence lost at the very limit. Porsche quality control on full display; every touchpoint feels so solid, with no creaks or rattles anywhere in the serene cabin. Turn up that Burmester sound system, stretched out in the front or rear seats, and the Cayenne turns into a wellness retreat. The trunk even fits a substantial 21.9 cubic feet of cargo, despite the battery pack below the cargo floor eats modestly into that volume versus non-hybrid Variants. For this reason alone, I’d argue against choosing the Cayenne’s Coupe roofline for the Turbo E- Hybrid – since allowing a bit more room for hauling grocery, luggage, or sports gear versus a station wagon pretty much inspired the whole genre of the SUV in the first place. In fact, the prospect of owning a true “one-car solution” that perfectly combines sport and utility inspired me to buy a first-generation Cayenne Turbo years ago. Of course, I then modified it for off-roading with knobby tires, skid plates, and a swingout spare tire carrier – which only dulled down the lateral cornering by a small margin. And when so equipped, this luxury German Autobahn stormer then hit some heavy trails with surprising ease, too. I still recommend first-gen Cayennes quite regularly, but it’s nice to get a chance to experience how Porsche’s pioneering SUV ethos carries on today. Some similarities hit my memory bank hard: the angular grip handles on the center console, a familiar hood bulge out the front windshield, the shape of the headlights, that trunk sill made out of brushed metal. <- Gallery -> Other than leaping up in horsepower by just about another two-thirds versus my old Cayenne, the new generation also steps up in price quite quickly when diving into Porsche’s infamously extensive options list. The Turbo E-Hybrid comes fairly loaded already at $162,500 to start, but my tester ran to $210,140 with a laundry list of add-ons. I can skip the passenger touchscreen for $1,580 since everybody travels with a smartphone anyway. And that rear-axle steering costs $1,310 for those who believe the reduced turning radius sounds necessary. And though Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) make sense on a GT3, on an SUV, an additional $10,580 for braking seems a bit excessive. The Burmester 3D High-End Surround System, on the other hand, absolutely amplifies everything spectacular about the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid and should be mandatory for $5,940. And I need the Premium Plus Package because it includes ventilated seats – that’s another $3,450. Just $730 for a trailer hitch seems reasonable, given that this Cayenne can tow easily with all the torque in the known universe. More realistically, that trailer hitch will probably hold a bike rack, though roof rails and a box always look good on almost any Porsche, too. Few other cars on the market today can compete with the Cayenne’s impressive breadth of abilities. At least Porsche still retained a bit of adventure potential, too, given that the air suspension can crank up in Off-Road mode – not to mention the dedicated off-road gauge Screen. Unfortunately, the huge brakes necessary to rein in such a prodigiously powerful and heavy SUV dictate 22-inch wheels (PCCB or not), which rules out the big knobby tires that my old rig fit on its 18-inch wheels. Even without hitting any trails and truly torture-testing the Pirelli Scorpion tires, my week with a Turbo E-Hybrid revealed just how far the Cayenne has come in refinement terms as much as anything. Equal parts EV, efficiency hybrid, and supercar, this plug-in absolutely excels at living well day in and day out, and still truly approaches about as close to a one-car solution as possible. View All Porsche Cayennes for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Michael Van Runkle – February 21, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche 911 GT3 Andial Edition

By: Michael Teo Van RunkleFor model year 2026, Porsche released a new special edition of the GT3 that celebrates the legendary American engine tuning and race prep company Andial. The livery wrap first debuted at Werks Reunion during Monterey Car Week last summer, and is available exclusively on the facelifted 992.2-generation GT3. Now, with an Andial media loaner car available in Los Angeles, I got the chance not just to check out the eye-popping wrap job in person, but also to experience how the GT3’s latest revisions take Porsche’s racecar for the road to a new level of performance and refinement. Fittingly, my loaner arrived with a six-speed manual transmission – a clutch pedal and stick shift seems more appropriate than the optional seven-speed PDK gearbox, given the retro theme of the Andial livery, which adds the unique stripes, racing numbers, names above the doors, carpeting, and a host of other minor details for a pricetag of $7,680. Versus the 992.1 GT3, the 992.2 generation steps further into the future with a mildly redesigned front and rear end that improves aerodynamics, which also extends to redesigned suspension components beneath the car. From a more noticeable performance perspective, the 992.2 gen also receives an 8% shorter final drive ratio, to combat slightly reduced torque output from the 4.0-liter flat-six engine, plus a new short shifter borrowed from the halo 911 S/T. Fully digital gauges carryover from the rest of the Carrera lineup – though thankfully not the push-button stop-start. My GT3 specifically features a surprisingly low number of additions from Porsche’s infamous and infinite options list. No Weissach package, no carbon buckets, not a Touring, the 992.2 therefore stays just barely on the right side of liveable. The GT3’s adjustable suspension only offers the choice between Sport and Track mode, with no Comfort or Normal setting, so the chassis rides taut and tight at all times. Still, only the worst bumps and ruts send harsh reverberations into the cockpit, and even the typically unbearable heaves of the 405 freeway in West LA never quite reach the level of pain as in other sports cars. Meanwhile, perhaps the greatest drivetrain ever to grace planet Earth hangs off the tail. That naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter pumps out 502 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque, all in a car that weighs as little as 3,130 pounds in Touring trim when spec-ed with the optional Lightweight package. My car probably weighed around 130 pounds more without the carbon roof, magnesium wheels, lightweight glass, etc. And I put a ton of testing miles on this GT3. With minimal sound deadening, highway cruising lacks much appeal since 80 miles an hour translates to about 3,750 rpm. So much tire, wind, and engine noise intrude into the cockpit that even the sound system becomes pretty pointless. Luckily, the aural signature of the motorsport-derived engine constantly tingles the spine with a scintillating cacophony of mechanical vibrato and exhaust resonance. Driving the GT3 as a daily made more sense, and luckily, front axle lift (a $3,800 option) can raise the nose to prevent scraping on drainage ruts and speed bumps. Consider this mandatory, but accept that the underbody plastics – for the all-important aero – will scrape on mild driveway entrances still, another reminder that Porsche somehow made this racecar legal for street driving. Naturally, the GT3 therefore enjoys pushing anywhere near the limit much more than puttering around town. Punching the throttle can chirp the tires in first through third gear in Track mode, which turns stability and traction control fully off immediately. Those shorter gear ratios do result in quick acceleration, though nowhere near the kind of brutality that modern turbocharged or hybrid supercars can thump out. But the lack of instantaneously available thrust means the driver and car need to work together to find speed, wringing out the engine with the manual transmission, higher and higher up toward the screaming 9,000-rpm redline where the last two thousand revs whip by seemingly faster than the human mind can comprehend. Lift off early, and the exhaust overrun pops and bangs under braking, the tail will still shimmy in quintessential 911 fashion despite the additional stability of rear-axle steering, and then the steering comes into play. At some point, everyone who drives the 992.2 GT3 will reach the same point I did: First amazement, then confusion, then absolute shock that electrically assisted steering can reach this level of direct muscular connection between driver, steering wheel, and road. Each minuscule movement of my hands translated perfectly to linear tire input. Smooth yet responsive, not quite darty, a willing dance partner despite the chassis flatness. The GT3’s suspension calibration and steering provide so much traction at all times that even a half hour of canyon driving legitimately made my neck sore – and I ride superbikes on the racetrack regularly. I don’t mean the kind of whiplash from launching hybrid hypercars off the line. Instead, eternal lateral grip, cornering harder than any road car I’ve ever driven before. Diving into corners, braking later than possibly imaginable, whipping through apex, then blasting back out onto the straights, all while heel-toeing through some of the quickest downshifts of my life. With automatic rev-matching turned off, of course, since that level of connection with the machine is the whole point anyhow. Whether the Andial livery adds to the ownership of a GT3 probably comes down to personal connection with the team or the pride of Deutsche national colors. Unfortunately, on a white car, the mustard yellow and catsup red wind up resembling a certain global burger chain more than anything, at least to my eye. And remember this is a wrap, not a paint job –, and on closer examination, the new mats don’t quite snug up nor match the rest of the carpeting. Without a doubt, the bright colors turn noticeably more heads, but I do wonder how the stripes might look on an all-black car, even if that wouldn’t quite match the period-correctness of the white paint. Meanwhile, the under-the-radar nature of a GT3 Touring obviously renders the Andial package pointless. But in terms of other options, the Chrono Package for $320 seems like a no-brainer to add both a clock on the dash and unlock a performance gauge screen. The larger 22.1-gallon fuel tank costs just $230. My loaner surprisingly lacked Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, which I recommend for $10,140 if only for the additional longevity. And I also thought the faux-leather plastic dash looked ripe for more premium materials – various dash finishes can fix this easily. I’d skip upgrading the sound system, since the engine volume alone will render any additional fidelity completely unnoticeable. Same for bucket seats, though I might spring for the 18-ways for $2,730 for anything short of a dedicated track toy (and hopefully Porsche’s redesigned buckets will be more comfortable than the last few years). All of this, of course, assuming a dealer will even consider speccing a GT3 rather than tacking on unbelievable markups (or both). Given the GT3’s track-ready capability, arguing for seven-speed PDK – the best automatic transmission in the biz – makes some semblance of sense. But then I believe in stepping up to a GT3 RS, which cannot come with the manual gearbox. Doing so will likely graduate nearer into legit supercar status, but this six-speed borders so nearly on perfection that skipping the chance to shift by hand seems anathema to the existence of the GT3 in the first place. In fact, especially in first or second gears, the flat-six revs up so quickly that I frequently got caught out redlining at fuel cutoff before shifting – something that hasn’t happened to me in a long time. This level of mechanical connection, from the screaming soundtrack to the telepathic inputs and the never-ending grip, highlights why Porsche still offers a manual at all. I simply kept finding excuses to go out for a drive, hitting the canyons or racking up miles on road trips, even just grocery runs. My week with the 992.2 GT3 Andial does beg the question, though: Is the GT3 too perfect, too clinical a study into impeccable conception, development, and execution? Luckily, no. Because of the sensory stimulation alone. A 6 am drive, double shot of espresso on an empty stomach, rushing to an early morning meeting, absolutely peaking in the flow while carving through traffic. This “normal” GT3 is anything but, a reminder that Porsche can still engineer a car so good that the rest of the automotive industry almost struggles to comprehend, much less replicate. Having driven just everything under the sun, from Ferraris to Lambos, McLarens, and Bugattis, despite the point becoming almost passé, all other sports cars truly irrelevant after driving the GT3. Visceral, raw, intoxicating… This car requires reframing the entire pantheon of Porsche performance. If this is the pinnacle, then everything else gets thrown into a new perspective. I can admit to becoming thoroughly addicted, gobsmacked by the transcendental life experience available in my driveway for a full week. And for better or worse, without any exaggeration, the single new car I’ve most regretted handing back the keys to in my entire automotive career thus far. <- Gallery -> View All Porsche 911 GT3s For Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

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