LEAKED: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Breaks Cover With More Power

This is Porsche's most powerful naturally aspirated 911 road car to date—but you weren’t supposed to see it quite yet.

Last year, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS generated plenty of publicity thanks to its record-breaking Nurburgring lap time, but don’t think Porsche has forgotten about the GT3 RS. To ensure the 991.2 generation goes out with a bang before the new 992-generation 911 arrives, Porsche is preparing to unleash an updated version of the hardcore GT3 RS for 2018. It seems an official reveal is imminent as Australian publication Drive has posted the first official images and details for the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Presumably, someone at Porsche wasn’t happy with Drive’s report as it has since been taken down. But it was too late, as other sites like Motor Authority saved all the images and lifted the juicy details. As you’d expect, the exterior of 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS has been upgraded with a more aggressive front fascia matching the recently updated 911 GT3, which takes its design cues from the 911 GT3 Cup race car. The rear has also been updated with the latest 911’s taillights and a massive wing. According to the report, the 2018 GT3 RS will retain its 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated engine, which has been massaged to deliver an extra 20 ponies.

This has resulted in a total output of 520 horsepower, making the 2018 GT3 RS the most powerful naturally aspirated Porsche road car to date. This performance boost was achieved by cranking the revs up a to 9,000 rpm redline. As a result, 0-62 mph now takes 3.2 seconds in the 2018 GT3 RS, shaving a tenth of a second off last year’s model. Porsche has also tweaked the car’s rear-wheel steering system and has added new aerodynamic elements, including a custom hood with two small NACA-styled ducts, a reshaped front bumper with different ducts to optimize airflow, and a modified rear bumper with larger air extraction ducts.

The 2018 GT3 RS also rides on 20-inch wheels at the front and 21 inchers at the back, wrapped in 265/35 and 325/30 tires, respectively. For some extra coin, you can buy the 2018 GT3 RS with an optional Clubsport package, which includes six-point seat belts, a fire extinguisher, and an aluminum roll cage. Inside, nylon opening loops on the grace lightweight door panels, racing seats are composed of carbon fiber shells, and sound absorption material is stripped out to reduce weight. As previous reports suggested, the 2018 GT3 RS will only be sold with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, unlike the GT3, which can be had with a six-speed manual.

If you really want a manual version, the guys at BGB Motorsports will likely you one eventually. The 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is expected to make its world debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but this leak has almost guaranteed an earlier online reveal.

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LEAKED: 2020 Porsche 911 Appears Before LA Debut

992 Porsche 911 week has officially begun.

First things first: Yes, we know these leaked images are not of the highest quality and we expect plenty of high-res images to arrive in another day or so. But thanks to the crew over at Jalopnik who received these leaked images from an anonymous source, you can see official images of the all-new 2020 Porsche 911 right here right now. Presenting the 992 generation 911 in all of its (grainy) glory.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a lot of 992 911 spy shots and even a few showing nearly naked prototypes with little to no camo. But this is the week. More specifically, 992 911 week. It will be making its official debut in a few days at the LA Auto Show and we’ll be on hand to take plenty of live photos and bring you all of the biggest details.

For today, let’s examine a bit further these leaked images. Based on what we can tell from the rear end, the new 911 you’re looking at is the Carrera 4S. The other two images show the car from the front and a side-rear angle. We don’t have official specs at this time, but we can confidently confirm the following: it’ll be rear-engined and its engines will be turbocharged.

More specifically, those turbocharged flat-sixes will be heavily revised versions of the two currently available in the base 911 Carrera and Carrera 4S where the produce 385 hp and 450 hp, respectively. A new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox is expected to replace the current seven-speed DCT but, again, that’s not exactly new news. The seven-speed manual is expected to be carried-over, though with some adjustments.

While the new 911’s exterior can’t be mistaken for anything but a 911, it’s the interior that’s undergoing the most dramatic styling changes. For example, expect a far more sophisticated dashboard design than on the current model as four out of the five gauges are now digital. The rest of the interior is also all-new and features a more premium look and build materials. So, when exactly will the 2020 Porsche 911 be revealed to the world. That will happen on Tuesday, November 27 at 8 p.m. LA time.

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2019 Acura ILX Facelift Leaked With These Patent Images

A new corporate grille doesn't change the fact this car is past its prime.

The Acura ILX first debuted back in 2012 as a 2013 model and has changed relatively little since. For 2019 it’s set to receive yet another facelift to keep things fresh and thanks to Car and Driver we’re able to see the changes in these leaked patent images. The images were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, so we know they’re official. It’s very obvious what Acura has done to its entry-level premium sedan: a front-end design that matches the new look of the rest of the sedan and crossover lineup.

Acura’s new five-point grille design is clearly visible and it helps give the car a slightly more aggressive look. Aside from the front, everything else appears to be exactly the same, more or less, as the 2018 model. Some have wondered why Acura continues selling a sedan that rides on the same platform as the previous generation Honda Civic. According to GoodCarBadCar, sales were actually up last year compared to 2016 by over 4,000 units. So far this year sales seem to be holding fairly steady, so the 2019 refresh is justified. This is the second time the ILX has been refresh since it launched, with the first refresh happening for 2016.

We also expect the 2019 ILX’s engine to carry over as well: a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four with 201 hp paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Chances are the updated ILX will also receive some interior improvements as well, such as the touchpad-based interface infotainment system we first saw in the all-new 2019 RDX crossover. More than likely this will be the final refresh for the ILX until it’s either replaced with a new model or dropped entirely, the latter option being the more likely scenario given the sedan sales slow-down the industry has been experiencing. Acura will likely keep the ILX’s base price just below $30,000, which really isn’t bad for an entry-level luxury sedan.

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