Porsche premiered it’s 2011 Boxster Spyder at the LA Auto Show and while different manufacturers define Spyder differently (Ferrari, Mitsubishi) to Porsche it means an agile, lightweight, mid-engined roadster, the lineage of which began with the iconic 1953 550 Spyder. In fact the Boxster model line itself is attributed as a spiritual successor to the OG Spyder.

Upon first glance the Boxster Spyder separates itself visually from the rest of Boxster family by the space just aft of the seats occupied by the most voluptuous pair of domes this side of a Carrera GT (or perhaps, Joanna Krupa). Hit the jump to see what else differentiates this Spyder from its Boxster brethren.

Porsche’s Spyders rely on the less is more edict, adopted from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe or Colin Chapman, depending on what circles you run in. To this end the Boxster Spyder weighs a scant 2811 lbs (176 less than the Boxster S) with such touches as carbon fiber ribs for the soft top and aluminum doors. A/C and the audio system were also jettisoned in the name of scale tippage but Porsche will put them back – no doubt for a price. Power is also up by 10 little ponies. With less weight and more power Porsche claims the Boxster Spyder will make the dash to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Of course this speed is not easily attained unless you have $61,200 burning a hole in your pocket when the Boxster Spyder reaches dealerships in February of 2010.

In other news the Panamera is still wicked fast and just as ugly.

The green category seemed a little subdued this year, and there were a lot of cars we’d already seen during previous visits to SEMA. Still, that didn’t stop us from finding some real standouts in the zero-emissions, electric, hybrid, and alt-fuel divisions–showing that green performance is still alive and well. For one thing, there was the Corsa Motorsports hybrid-electric LMP1 car, which will be running a full series in the American Le Mans Series this year. And the Progressive Automotive X Prize contingent was out in force, vying for the $10 million prize in the race to build marketable ultra-fuel efficient cars–we thought the Saba Motors electric roadster was one of the coolest rides in this section. The LPG-powered ‘56 Ford pickup was an absolute knockout with its candy paint, copper-lined engine compartment, and propane-powered 460 big block. That all-electric 1976 Porsche 912 took a more subtle approach to vintage green, looking refined and flawless following its concours-level restoration and EV drivetrain conversion. Then finally there was Factory Five’s new electric hot rod, a total show-stopper that handily lived up to the hype that’s surrounded it in recent months. Vote on your favorite SEMA green car, below!

I’ve seen Porsches covered in gold. I’ve seen Porsches covered in Tweed. Hell, I’ve even seen a Porsche 911 thrown in a crusher in the name of art. This, however, is the first time I’ve seen a Porsche covered in chocolate. Created by a Porsche dealer in the Netherlands, this is not a standard Porsche option.

We are all great admirers of Nakai-san and Rauh Welt here at Speedhunters. The cars that have rolled out of this small countryside body-shop in Chiba-ken have pretty much all assumed cult status. Nakai’s creations are all about raw style, a vision into what he thinks a Porsche should look, sound and even smell like! There are no compromises here, the cars that bare the Rauh Welt touch have been built for one simple thing, driving.

I though it would be cool to take a nice and detailed look into one of the last cars Nakai-san has built, a customer car that has already done the rounds on the internet, the 993-based Natty Dread. This, like all Rauh Welt cars, is a prime example of stance… Continue reading at Speedhunters

By Dino Dalle Carbonare

I wish Porsche would just get on with it and do a major overhaul on the Boxster. I’m totally fine with the slow, evolutionary pace on the timeless 911, but the Boxster is just, well, dated. To distract us a bit, Porsche is coming out with the Boxster Spyder. For $3k more than a Boxster S, the Spyder features radio and AC delete, a tad more power, bigger brakes, better wheels, better seats, LSD, sports suspension and of course all the stuff that makes it look special. Weight saving include the lightweight soft top and aluminum door skins, which brings the weight down almost 200 pounds from the Boxster s. So, pretty cool… More details at Porsche USA.

It’s a 1976 912 packing 85 3.3v lithium ion batteries. They power a NetGain Warp11 DC motor, which puts go to the wheels via an original Porsche 5-speed transmission. Built by Sunshine State Restorations in consultation with the Tallahassee Area Electric Vehicle Association. The overall effect? An ultra-clean classic EV. See more…

In ALMS, we’re generally for Corvette Racing. But at Laguna Seca, driver Jan Magnussen was bumping like it was NASCAR, and on the last lap, Flying Lizard driver Joerg Bermeister gave him a taste of his own medicine. This battle was the highlight of the entire race, and you can watch the last few laps in this longer clip, but if you just want to see the final confrontation, check out the video below. As you can imagine, the officials weren’t happy…

I’ve kept this topic to myself for a long time. My plan has been to build a car using this color for years now. In fact, it is still my plan (someday).

I take note of various things that impress me and keep a folder on my computer called “Inspiration”. It might be something as simple as a color I like or a material. It could be the shape of a fender, or the way a custom interior is put together. The fact is that certain things inspire me and I like to remember them and integrate into my builds that very essence of where my inspiration started. For example on my S2000 some of the style came from my desire to resurrect the Top Secret gold demo car concept that I loved so much+ my love of Mana-P’s (MS-R) graphics on the Top Secret V8 G35 (version 2 of the graphics). So I told Mana-P what I liked as a starting point for our collaboration on my car and together he and I came up with a design that I felt was even better than what he did on the Top Secret G35 (if you look, it is still similar on the hood and the doors but more style was added).

I saw this Porsche at SEMA perhaps 3 or 4 years ago and immediately fell in love with it. Champion put the car together and did a phenomenal job. But really what made me fall in love with the car is the paint color choice. Pictures simply do not do it justice but I’m glad I at least have those to remember it by. It was one of those cars and color combination that just left a lingering impression on me. I find myself years later still waiting for the perfect project to break out this color with a different spin on it. The use of this color and carbon fiber accents is absolutely perfect on this Porsche. Classy all the way. With the right car and the right lines, this color can and should be revived once again. I hope to be the next one to do it, but now that I’m putting this out there you can go ahead with it too if you like.

I realize some of you may not think the color lives up to my own personal hype of it. True, the pictures don’t do it justice. But trust me, in person this car in this color is absolute perfection.

The Porsche dominated our first eBay Motors Showdown. I guess that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, though of course, as many people pointed out, the Bullitt will be much cheaper to own and mod over the year. Still, used 911s are pretty tempting these days, and the 993 is many people’s favorite air-cooled Porsche.

Anyway, I think we’re gonna have some fun with these eBay Motors Showdowns. Again, anything goes as long as the prices are fairly close and it seems like a fair fight. If you come across any cool auctions or have any suggestions for future match-ups, shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment below.

I’ve had a lot of people asking me about the Showroom Showdown, which stalled out over the summer. Why the lapse? Well, it seems like we ran through just about every new car combo out there, and it was getting harder and harder to pick compelling match-ups. A bunch of members also suggested that I start doing used car showdowns, since most of us car enthusiasts go used anyway. So today I’m kicking off our eBay Motors Showdown. Each week I will feature two cars plucked off eBay Motors. They’ll both be priced about the same, and they’ll both be enthusiast cars. Other than that, pretty much anything goes, as long as I think we’ll have a good battle.

This week I’m starting out with two cars I love. In fact, I waste a lot of time looking at Bullitts and 993s on eBay. 993s tend to command a bit more money than Bullitts, so for this showdown I picked out a nicely modified HPDE ready 993, which in some ways is a lot cooler than a stock car, but will probably command less money. The Bullitt in question looks to be a low mile, clean car. Both cars are fast, fun and should hold their value pretty well. So, which would you choose?