Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

2027 Porsche Taycan Debuts E-Shift System, New Infotainment, and Manthey Track Package

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Electric cars have spent the better part of a decade convincing us that instant torque and silent acceleration are enough. Porsche isn’t so sure.

For 2027, the German automaker is giving its Porsche Taycan a surprising new feature: simulated gear changes. Called E-Shift, the system adds eight virtual gears, steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, artificial shift shocks, engine-braking effects, and a revised soundtrack designed to make Porsche’s electric sports sedan feel a little more like the company’s gasoline-powered icons.

It’s a move that acknowledges a reality many enthusiasts have been reluctant to admit. EVs may be objectively quicker than their internal-combustion predecessors, but they’re not always as engaging. Porsche’s answer isn’t to fight electrification—it’s to inject more theater into it.

A Taycan That Pretends to Shift

The new E-Shift system is available across the Taycan lineup and comes standard on the range-topping Taycan Turbo GT. Drivers can leave the system in an automatic mode or use paddles mounted behind the GT Sport steering wheel to work through eight simulated gears.

Unlike some novelty sound effects we’ve experienced in other EVs, Porsche appears to have gone all-in on the illusion. Each virtual gear carries its own acceleration profile, while noticeable shift jolts and simulated drag torque recreate the sensation of engine braking. A virtual rev limiter, shift lights, and a digital tachometer complete the experience.

The company says the accompanying Porsche Electric Sport Sound has also been reworked to react to vehicle load and virtual engine speed. The result is intended to make the Taycan feel less like a one-speed electric appliance and more like a traditional performance car building speed through the gears.

Whether enthusiasts embrace the concept remains to be seen, but Porsche deserves credit for addressing a criticism often leveled at EVs: they’re astonishingly fast, yet sometimes emotionally distant.

Manthey Turns the Taycan Into a Track Weapon

If simulated gears sound playful, Porsche’s other major Taycan update is anything but.

For the first time, Porsche’s motorsport partner Manthey is offering a factory-backed performance package for an electric model. Previously reserved for hardcore GT products such as the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Manthey kits have become synonymous with Nürburgring-focused performance.

Now the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT joins that club.

The new Manthey Kit includes extensive aerodynamic, chassis, and powertrain revisions aimed at extracting even more performance from what is already one of the fastest production EVs on sale. The package’s credentials were established on Germany’s most demanding circuit, where Porsche development driver Lars Kern recorded a 6:55.533 lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, setting a new benchmark in the electric executive-car category.

More importantly for buyers, the kit can now be specified directly from the factory instead of being installed solely as an aftermarket upgrade.

Seven Hundred Kilometers on a Charge

Performance isn’t the only focus.

Porsche has also squeezed additional efficiency from the Taycan through new low-rolling-resistance summer tires developed for rear-wheel-drive variants. Combined with the larger Performance Battery Plus pack, the company claims a WLTP driving range of up to 700 kilometers (435 miles).

While WLTP figures tend to paint a more optimistic picture than EPA estimates, the number nevertheless underscores how far the Taycan has evolved since its launch. Early versions impressed with their charging speeds and performance but lagged behind some competitors in outright range. The latest updates continue Porsche’s effort to close that gap without compromising the car’s dynamic character.

A Much Smarter Cabin

The interior sees one of its biggest technology upgrades since the Taycan’s debut.

Porsche’s latest Porsche Digital Interaction interface arrives with a cleaner visual design, significantly faster processing power, and a more smartphone-like user experience. The automaker says the new Porsche Communication Management system delivers up to five times the computing performance of the previous setup.

A customizable home screen built around widgets allows drivers to prioritize navigation, media, phone functions, or vehicle data. A detailed 3D model of the owner’s car—rendered in its actual exterior color—sits at the center of the interface and serves as a shortcut to key vehicle controls.

Voice control has also received a substantial overhaul. The AI-supported Voice Pilot can understand more natural speech patterns, perform Google-backed points-of-interest searches, and handle follow-up questions without requiring drivers to repeat the “Hey Porsche” wake phrase every time.

Wireless smartphone charging jumps to 25 watts, while over-the-air updates can now be downloaded and installed entirely in the background.

The Bigger Picture

The most interesting aspect of the 2027 Taycan isn’t necessarily the Nürburgring record or the added range. It’s Porsche’s willingness to acknowledge that performance is about more than numbers.

Most EV manufacturers have focused on making electric cars faster, quieter, and more efficient. Porsche is taking a different path. By adding virtual gears, synthesized mechanical sensations, and a more dramatic soundtrack, the company is trying to preserve the emotional qualities that have long defined its sports cars.

Whether fake shifts become a must-have feature or remain a curiosity, they represent something notable: one of the world’s most respected performance brands openly experimenting with ways to make electric driving feel less digital.

And in a market where nearly every EV is chasing the same formula, that may be the most Porsche thing of all.

Source: Porsche

NEW CARS

Porsche’s £252K GT3 Touring Is a Love Letter to Britain

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Seventy-five years after Porsche first planted its flag on British soil, the company is celebrating in a way that feels perfectly on-brand: by building an outrageously expensive, obsessively detailed special-edition 911 that most people will never see in person.

Meet the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Earls Court 51 Edition—a 51-car tribute to the first Porsche models imported into the UK in 1951 and displayed at London’s famous Earls Court Motor Show. And while commemorative editions often amount to little more than a unique paint color and a plaque, this one doubles as a rolling showcase for Porsche’s increasingly ambitious Sonderwunsch personalization division.

At first glance, the choice of the wingless GT3 Touring as a starting point makes perfect sense. The absence of the GT3’s towering rear wing lends the car a cleaner, more understated profile, one that subtly echoes the elegance of those early 356s that introduced Britain to the Porsche name.

The centerpiece is a bespoke shade called Earls Court Green Metallic, created specifically through Porsche’s Paint to Sample Plus program. It’s paired with silver mirror caps, silver door handles, and a silver bonnet stripe, giving the car a distinctly vintage-inspired appearance without descending into retro caricature. Special Earls Court graphics are scattered throughout the exterior, while the diamond-cut center-lock wheels feature matching green inserts that tie the entire design together.

The cabin is where Sonderwunsch really gets to flex.

The upper dashboard and door panels are wrapped in rich Paldao Green leather, contrasted by Chalk Beige upholstery. The sports seats receive custom corduroy inserts—a material that’s enjoying a surprising resurgence among high-end performance cars—and feature green leather and wood-finished backs. Even the sun visors get special treatment, embossed with Union Jack motifs that serve as a reminder of the occasion being celebrated.

Underneath all that craftsmanship, however, remains one of the greatest driver’s cars currently on sale.

There’s no increase in power, no chassis revision, and no secret performance upgrade lurking beneath the skin. The Earls Court 51 Edition retains the GT3’s glorious 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, producing 503 horsepower at a spine-tingling 8500 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque. Buyers can still choose between Porsche’s razor-sharp seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission or the increasingly rare six-speed manual gearbox—the latter arguably being the choice that best suits the car’s nostalgic mission.

The result is a machine that combines old-world craftsmanship with one of the last great naturally aspirated engines available in a modern sports car.

More importantly, the Earls Court 51 Edition highlights just how far Porsche’s Sonderwunsch operation has evolved. Originally established in the 1970s as a special-order department, the division has become a full-scale customization powerhouse since its relaunch in 2021. Today, customers can commission everything from unique color and trim combinations to factory-restored classics and one-off creations built to their exact specifications.

The department’s capabilities have become so extensive that Porsche can even perform complete factory recommissioning projects on older vehicles, stripping them down and rebuilding them to as-new condition.

Of course, exclusivity comes at a price.

The Earls Court 51 Edition starts at £251,951, placing it more than £20,000 above the already eye-wateringly expensive 911 S/T. That figure alone ensures the car’s rarity, even before considering its strict 51-unit production run.

Still, pricing almost feels beside the point. Cars like this aren’t designed to offer value. They’re designed to tell a story.

And in this case, Porsche’s story stretches back to a London motor show in 1951, when a handful of curious British buyers first encountered a little German sports car called the 356. Seventy-five years later, the company is celebrating that moment with a GT3 that’s less about lap times and more about heritage.

Not that anyone will complain about getting 503 horsepower in the process.

Source: Porsche

NEW CARS

Bentley’s 100-Car Masterpiece

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Limited to 100 cars, Bentley’s latest Mulliner collection treats the Continental GT S like a luxury fashion statement.

Bentley has spent years reminding customers that personalization is one of its greatest strengths. Now it’s turning that philosophy into an annual event.

The British luxury marque has unveiled the first chapter of what it calls “The Bespoke Series,” a new Mulliner-led program that will deliver highly curated, limited-production vehicles each year. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of a seasonal runway collection—except instead of handbags and tailored jackets, the stars are hand-finished Continental GTs wearing some of the most elaborate paintwork Bentley has ever offered.

The inaugural collection arrives with all the exclusivity expected from a modern luxury flagship. Production is capped at just 100 examples worldwide, split between the Continental GT S Coupe and Continental GT S Convertible. Underneath, they’re familiar grand tourers. What buyers are really paying for here is craftsmanship, color, and scarcity.

Fashion-Inspired, Coachbuilt Execution

According to Bentley, every Bespoke Series collection will begin inside Mulliner’s Design Studio, where designers study emerging trends in color, materials, and luxury goods before translating those influences into automotive form. The idea is to create annual releases with the anticipation and desirability of a luxury fashion house’s seasonal collection.

It may sound like marketing speak, but there’s a tangible result. This first Bespoke Series celebrates Bentley’s expanded paint capabilities and the craftsmanship available at its Crewe factory, pairing six newly developed exterior finishes with matching interior themes and exclusive detailing.

Every car receives a hand-painted Beluga and pearl-effect center stripe stretching the length of the body, while black-painted 22-inch wheels, gloss-black mirror caps, and the GT S model’s Blackline trim package create a dramatic contrast against the vibrant paintwork.

Six Colors, Six Personalities

The centerpiece of the collection is undoubtedly its palette.

Salerno Blue delivers a deep metallic finish that continues into the cabin through matching accents on the seats, steering wheel, and embroidered Bentley emblems. Snow Quartz offers a cleaner, more contemporary aesthetic, contrasted by Arctic White interior highlights.

For buyers seeking something darker, Midnight Prism Pearlescent combines blue-black bodywork with Peacock blue interior detailing, creating perhaps the most understated specification in the lineup.

Bentley’s historic connection to British racing green receives a modern interpretation through Spectral Verdant, while Manuka Orange abandons subtlety altogether with an extroverted finish that seems purpose-built for making an entrance.

Rounding out the collection is Bright Ruby Red, a rich, jewel-like shade developed in-house by Bentley’s design team and carried throughout the cabin as a contrasting accent.

In every configuration, the chosen exterior color reappears inside through upholstery accents, steering-wheel markers, gear selectors, and bespoke dual-finish veneers separated by dark chrome pinstriping.

More Than Just Paint

The Bespoke Series goes beyond exclusive colors. Every example includes a substantial equipment list as standard, featuring Bentley’s rotating display, mood lighting, comfort seats, dark-tinted chrome trim, and a unique perforation pattern across the seats and cabin panels.

Owners will also find individually numbered plaques, Mulliner seat tags, special treadplates, and an unusual color-swatch display embedded within the center console that showcases all six Bespoke Series paint finishes.

Even the welcome sequence gets special treatment, with animated puddle lamps projecting a unique graphic onto the ground when the doors are opened.

Each car is delivered with a fitted indoor cover tailored specifically to the selected colorway, mirroring the appearance of the vehicle underneath.

Luxury Through Limitation

In an era when virtually every premium manufacturer offers extensive customization, exclusivity increasingly comes down to limitation rather than possibility. Bentley appears to understand that reality.

The Bespoke Series doesn’t introduce more power, sharper handling, or groundbreaking technology. Instead, it elevates something that has become increasingly valuable at the upper reaches of the luxury market: distinction.

With only 100 examples planned and Mulliner’s reputation continuing to grow among collectors, Bentley’s latest exercise in automotive couture is likely to find buyers long before production concludes. After all, when a Continental GT already represents one of the world’s finest grand tourers, making it rarer may be the most effective upgrade of all.

Source: Bentley