If you don’t believe that a car can have an impact on you at a young age then there’s something seriously wrong. For some it comes in the shape of a certain red Italian sports car, for others it’s something built in Detroit, and yet for others it takes the shape of one of the most iconic cars ever built. The Porsche 911 is not just a car, but a way of life for many of its owners. It combines elegance, performance and status in an automotive package that is very difficult to match which is why it seems so appropriate that Porsche is capable of creating ads like the one you are about to see.

The beauty of living in the state of California is that you can drive your hot-rods, exotics and muscle cars year-round. Sure we may get some rain from time to time, but other than that the weather is glorious. Other parts of the world aren’t so lucky though and because of this drivers have to get their kicks in when the weather allows. Chris Harris of Youtube’s DRIVE Network knows exactly what I’m talking about as winter is on the horizon over in the UK. That means soaked and salted roads with driving conditions that are, shall we say, less than stellar. Therefore it seams only fitting that he’d take out one of the greatest super cars of the last 20 years, a Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, for one final drive before Mother Nature closes down the high performance roads for good.

Source: Youtube.com/DRIVE

More than 1,500 horsepower, seating for 15 adults and all weather capability. This is what happens when you bring together the big guns of the SUV world in a no-holds-barred performance based shootout. All of these family haulers, the 2012 Jeep SRT8, 2011 BMW X5 M and 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, hit 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds and ungoverned would top at at well over 160 mph. So, this begs the question – does the world really need SUV’s that have the ability to take on some of the worlds premier performance cars? Motor Trend Magazine recently gathered these bad boys up to find out the answer to that very question. Click through and enjoy.

Source: MotorTrend.com

When Lamborghini announced that their new supercar, the Aventador was going to put some serious hurt on the competition, they weren’t kidding. I mean getting a car to a top speed of 217 mph is one thing, but having it accelerate to 60 mph in under 3-seconds? Well, that’s just crazy talk. This however is Lamborghini, the makers of the ridiculous, therefore it comes as no surprise that their performance claims on the new Aventador seem to be true. I remember when back in the day a top speed of 150 mph was fast, and getting to 60 mph in 7 seconds was pretty good. Nowadays though and uncorked Honda Accord can achieve those speeds. But I digress… Autocar Magazine over in the UK was a bit skeptical of the claims that Lamborghini was making, so they decided to have a little test. Granted, it wasn’t official, but when you’ve got access to a Porsche GT2 RS, Lamborghini Aventador and a Mercedes-Benz SLS, who really cares?

Source: Autocar.co.uk

“Made in China”. That’s a sentence that is unfortunately seen on most of the goods we have over here in the United States. As Americans, we see that, sigh, and then drop our heads wishing that we produced all of our own goods and services. Apparently though that phrase is paying off big time for the Chinese as they’ve got a car club over there that rivals just about anything I’ve ever seen stateside. Pagani, Ferrari, Bugatti, Koenissegg, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are all present and accounted for and hot damn if these guys don’t drive the piss out of them as well. Stored in a warehouse somewhere in China, the value of these automobiles together rivals the yearly economy of some small countries. So, next time you see a label that reads “Made in China”, don’t worry because it’s helping keep our favorite super car companies in business.

Ugh…

I always find it amazing when people complain about the price of high end sports cars. I mean sure there are exceptions to the rule like Bugatti and Koenigsegg, but if you look at what you get for your money in a modern day performer, well… they’re actually quite a bargain. Now don’t get me wrong, you’ll always get those individuals who say that for $80,000 that they can build an equally good car from a old Ford Mustang in their shed, but let’s be real here, the amount of engineering and development that goes into these machines is simply staggering. With the debut of the new 2012 911, Porsche decided to treat us to a little video showing us once again, how they managed to reinvent one of the greatest automotive icons the world has ever seen.

Source: Youtube.com

There is no question that the Porsche GT3 RS is one of, if not the most impressive track beast you can purchase off the showroom floor. It comes stock with a 3.8-liter flat-six that makes 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, as well as handling characteristics that have garnered praise from every motor-journalist and race car driver on the planet. In short, the Porsche GT3 RS is a staggering automobile in terms of performance and all out capability which is why so many hardcore track junkies purchase them. Autoblog recently posted this video containing 22-minutes of Porsche porn, and it was so good that I simply had to give it a plug here on Ridelust. You may think that 22-minutes is long for an internet video, but trust me on this one, it’s worth every second of your time.

Just make sure to turn up your speakers!

Source: Autoblog.com

The Porsche 908 was built for FIA Group 6 competition, so it was smaller, lighter and considerably less powerful than Porsche’s monstrous 917. On a technical course, with plenty of tight corners, the 908/3 seen here could easily hold its own against the 917K, especially in the hands of a driver like Brian Redman. In the video below, the 600+ horsepower 917s walk away from the 908 on the straights. The corners, on the other hand, are ruled by the 370 horsepower 908/3.

Unlike most videos, which feature cheesy soundtracks that detract from the music of the automobile, this Road & Track video lets the user enjoy the roar of the 908/3′s 3.0-liter flat-eight engine. Blow it up to full screen and crank the volume, then enjoy nine minutes of Porsche 917 hunting.

It’s longer, wider and now has more techno-goodies then you can shake a stick at. It’s the new 2012 Porsche 911 and according to EVO Magazine’s Chris Harris, it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close. The new 911 employs such things as an all new electric power steering system, revamped quick shifting PDK transmission and a wider front end that allows for more grip for when the going gets twisty. It also has less tire roar and a more refined ride, making it a far better everyday driver. Harris recently flogged the new 911 through some of California’s back road twisties and I’ve got to say, he was diggin’ it.

Source: AutomotiveAddicts.com

The 2012 Porsche Panamera GTS. Image: Porsche AG

Porsche’s Panamera sedan won’t win any beauty contests, but there’s no denying that the car is fast and supremely capable. In fact, we’d go so far as to call it one of the world’s best sport sedans, even if we would be tempted to wear a hat and sunglasses behind the wheel. If you’re in the market for a car you can use to share track days with three friends, Porsche has just announced a new Panamera variant that’s up for the task.

The 2012 Panamera GTS gets a bump in power, bigger brakes, a lowered body, air suspension and Porsche’s PASM electronic suspension management system. The 4.8-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 now sends 430 horsepower (up from 400 in Panamera S models) to all four wheels, ensuring that you have sufficient traction to go with your thrust.

The 2012 Panamera GTS will hit dealers in Europe next February, priced from 116,716 euros. There’s no word yet when it will make it to this side of the pond, but when it does you can expect it to slot in between the Panamera 4S (which starts at $95,200) and the Panamera Turbo (which starts at $136,700).