Porsche looking to China for production of Cajun CUV

When Porsche was integrated into the Volkswagen group, its new parent company set an ambitious sales target for its latest division: 150,000 units annually. That would require a 50% increase in sales, but Porsche figures it can hit the far more ambitious target of 200,000 units per year for a 100% increase.

To get there, however, Porsche realizes its current production capacity will not be enough. And so it will need to produce vehicles at additional facilities, which could include plants in the United States and China.

The latter would seem a logical first step as the Audi Q5, on which the upcoming Cajun SUV is based, is already being built in China. Beyond the Cajun, however, production in the United States – still the biggest market for Porsche – could be in the cards within a few years.

New Car JNH Porsche GT3 996

New company J.N.Hephaiss have released details of this PIG UGLY kit for those wanting to devalue their Porsche 996 GT3.  (J.N.Hephaiss Press Release) Our very first model is the Porsche GT3 (Type 996), one of the top performance cars on the public road among naturally-aspirated engine cars. With power performance and instant acceleration that tops 300km/h, sharp handling and gear sound, it’s completely different from standard Carrera.

Humble appearance and exhaust sound of GT3, which we find a little disappointing for such a prestige car, are the main reason why we went into the lab for a year to create the extreme Porsche. The final product, aggressive yet not vulgar and so fitting of its power, adds am impact to its slender body of GT3. At the same time, it exceeds the functionality of the original car in terms of aerodynamics and cooling effect.

Mooted Cadillac flagship could be mid-engined sports car

Car and Driver is reporting that the often-reported Cadillac flagship is at a crossroads. There have been many rumors that the planned range-topper will wind up as a rear-wheel drive, high-end luxury sedan slotting above the production version of the XTS Platinum (the concept version of which is shown above). Now C/D has apparently been hearing whispers that it may in fact show up as a mid-engined sports car.

While the thought of a luxurious, mid-engined ZR1 sounds appealing, we’ll file this in the don’t-hold-your-breath category. Although, if the company is brassy enough to build the ultra low-volume CTS-V Sport Wagon, then perhaps anything is possible.

Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio coupe enters production with Saudi investment

Want to get your hands on a Maybach coupe? You’ve got two options. First would be to commission a replica of the Exelero concept car on the chassis of a Dodge Viper. That’ll set you back €550,000, or about $730k at today’s conversion rates. Your other choice is to have Xenatec convert a Maybach 57 S limo into a coupe for €675,000 ($894k).

We brought you initial news of the project back in May, followed by details in October. For a quick refresher, the German coachbuilder brought in Fredrik Burchhardt, designer of the original Exelero, to pen the modified shape for the coupe. The result keeps most of the saloon’s mechanicals in place – including the 600+ horsepower twin-turbo V12 – only with modified bodywork, cabin and (of course) two longer doors instead of four.

Seen until now only in sketches, the Xenatec Maybach coupe has been (awkwardly) dubbed the Cruiserio, and it has just made its debut at Daimler headquarters in Stuttgart. The project is now being underwritten by a €70 million ($93M) investment from AutoKingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the course of three years, Xenatec and AutoKingdom ambitiously anticipate building 100 examples, and say they’ve already got enough orders to keep them busy for the next year or so. Can’t wait that long? The first example is up for sale out of Riyadh, with a price tag of just under a cool million.

eBay Find of the Day: Volkswagen New Beetle Limo

We all may be up to our eyebrows in holiday cheer at the moment, but prom season is right around the corner. Thanks to the wonder of the Internet, now you can be ready to rake in the cold, hard cash of parents desperate to please their teenage daughters. Behold, the Volkswagen New Beetle limousine. This fine piece of machinery is up for bid right now from New Jersey’s Route 22 Limousines. Inside, this stretcher has everything you’d expect from an engorged Beetle, including a grey leather interior, television, minibar and trippy mood lighting.

Miraculously enough, this machine gets its power from the Beetle’s stock 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine bolted to the same four-speed automatic gearbox that it used from the factory. Loaded with screaming teens, we have to imagine that this thing gets to 60 mph in about the same time frame as our grandmother. On foot.

Still, a limo as unique as the one above could be a genuine money-maker. Or at least it would be if it didn’t have a $45,000 Buy It Now price. Check it out on eBay.

Lotus reveals Evora S and Evora IPS ahead of Paris debut

Not long after Lotus accidentally leaked its plans to unveil two new Evoras at this year’s Paris Motor Show, we now have the full details weeks before the dynamic duo make their public debut. The Evora S and IPS (which stands for “Intelligent Precision Shift” or “automatic transmission” in layman’s terms) will nicely fill out the Evora range, and we’re aching to get our hands on the former.

For the Evora S, Lotus has tweaked the Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6 to produce 345 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque – gains of 69 hp and 37 lb-ft over the standard car. The run from 0-60 happens in just 4.8 seconds and top speed has been raised to 172 miles per hour. What’s more, the Evora S comes standard with a sport button that allows the driver to control the throttle response and activate an exhaust bypass valve. On top of that, pressing the magic switch increases the rev limiter and changes the stability control settings, and we imagine that the end result is more than pulse-quickening.

Lotus willing to build Evora-based sportscars for other automakers?

Lotus is considering offering up its latest sports car platforms to other automakers, and this isn’t the first time. When the Elise debuted in the mid-90s, Lotus sold the chassis to form the basis of new lightweight coupes with different powertrains, the most notable of which included the Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 and, of course, the Tesla Roadster.

According to recent reports, Lotus has received inquiries from several automakers about using the new Evora in similar ways. While the Evora is all-new, the chassis is built using similar, Elise-like aluminum extrusions riveted and bonded together for a light, strong structure. Since the Evora has been designed around a V6, automakers have the potential to fit a range of larger, more powerful engines. The upsized chassis could also provide a better platform for electric motors, with far less modifications than those required to turn an Elise into a Tesla. However, if any automaker does develop something off the Evora, it’s likely to be a few years away.

Us? We’re thinking about a 3.5-liter Ecoboost-powered, mid-engine mini-Ford GT. How about you?

Lotus Reveals New Evora Cup Racer with 400 Horsepower V6

Having already launched the road-going Evora 2+2 mid-engined sports car, Lotus has now turned its focus on the development of a competition version that will be eligible for racing in the FIA GT4 category and a special one-make Evora Cup series.

Finished in Epsom Green with a Solar Yellow stripe down the centre, the Evora Cup racing car is powered by a modified version of the stock model’s Toyota sourced 276HP 3.5-liter V6 engine enlarged to 4.0-liters. The result is more than 400HP and 400Nm of peak torque.

The mid mounted V6 engine is mated to a Cima six speed sequential paddle shift dog gearbox, designed for international motor sport.

Other tweaks include adjustable motor sport dampers and six piston front brake callipers, with two piece aluminium belled brake discs, while the car also gets electrical cut off, fire extinguisher and traction control.

Lotus says that it has managed to reduce the car’s weight to 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs) or 200kg (440 pounds) less than the production model by using numerous high performance parts and materials and deleting parts not required for motor sport.

In addition, the Evora gets a Dallara developed aero package that includes a number of updated carbon fibre parts and is said to significantly improve downforce and cooling.