Porsche Panamera (2014-)

If you are asking yourself why there are so many Porsches on this site at once, that is because I was  in the Porsche section near the beginning of my visit to the L.A. Auto Show. If you didn't know already, Porsche is one of my favorite car brands. Pictured first is the top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo/S, my favorite version of the Panamera. The Turbo/S is powered by a 4.8-liter turbocharged V8 producing 520 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Power is evenly distributed through all four wheels and it comes with a seven-speed automatic. 0-60 mph happens in around four seconds and top speed is approximately 190 mph. The Panamera Turbo has a starting price of $141,300, while the Turbo S starts at $161,100. Add lots of options and it will end up costing you around $200k. The second one is the e-Hybrid, which has a hybridized 3.0-liter V6 producing 416 hp and 435 lb-ft of torque. It's more powerful than a base Panamera, but not as powerful as the GTS or Turbo variants. I am definitely a fan of the Panamera, but for the similar price range, I'd rather have a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Pictured below is the Panamera S (in white); the first one was taken one week before the L.A. Auto Show while the second one was taken in late December. Also pictured is a base Panamera (in black) that I took in late December.

 

Porsche 911 GT3 991

In my opinion, the Porsche 911 is one of the greatest sports cars that ever existed. Pictured above is the GT3 variant, which is faster than a standard 911 but not as powerful as the 911 Turbo. It is powered by a 3.8-liter flat-six producing 475 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque mated to a seven-speed PDK. The 911 GT3 is equipped with rear-wheel drive and just like every other 911 ever built, its engine is located in the rear. 0-60 happens in 3.3 seconds and top speed is 195 mph. The 911 GT3's base price is $130,400. I like the GT3, but if I had the choice between this and the Turbo, I'd go with the Turbo if I had the money. In general, the 911 is the most iconic and best-looking Porsche ever built. Pictured below is the 50th Anniversary Edition 911 (in gray) and a standard 991-gen Porsche 911 (in black). The standard 991-gen 911 photos were from one week before I went to the L.A. Auto Show.

 

Porsche 918 Spyder

What you are seeing here is the Porsche 918 Spyder, one of only 918 ever built. It is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 paired to two electric motors. Altogether, the 918 produces 887 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. It can go from 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 214 mph. It comes with a seven-speed PDK (dual-clutch) and all that power is sent to the rear wheels. The 918 Spyder lapped the Nurburgring in 6:57, making it the fastest production car to ever lap the famed circuit as of now. The McLaren P1 had a Ring time of 6:47, but that has not been confirmed yet. The only downside of the Porsche 918 Spyder is its starting price, which is $845,000. The Weissach package, which takes away 77 lbs. from the 918's curb weight, is priced at $929,000, an increase of $84,000 over the base 918. Overall, this is a very cool and fast car. It is also one of my personal favorites. This is an indication of where the future of the supercar industry is headed; more supercars will be getting hybrid powertrains in the near future (i.e. 2015 Acura NSX and 2016 Nissan GT-R) due to fuel emissions regulations. I am okay with this as long as the performance of these cars are not affected. In reality, the electric motors may add weight to the car, but they give the car the power boost that it needs.

1968 Chevy Camaro COPO 427

When I was headed toward the other halls, there was this sick Camaro on display known as the COPO 427. What makes this particular example very special is that it is owned by Tim Allen, who is an actor, comedian, and fellow car enthusiast. If you didn't know already, the COPO variant is geared more towards drag racing. This is powered by a 427 cu LS7 V8 mated to a five-speed manual. There have also been a lot of aftermarket products used on this car. Overall, this Camaro looks very nice and I would like to have something very similar in my garage.