73-Year-Old Shows How Not To Park A Porsche 911 Targa 4S

The Porsche 911 Targa 4S ploughed through a brick wall before landing nose first in a pedestrian overpass.

We’re used to seeing inexperienced drivers wrecking exotic cars, but in this case the accident wasn’t caused by an over confident man or woman in their teens or 20s, but a 73-year old elderly gentleman. The car casualty? A Porsche 911 Targa 4S. No, it’s nowhere near as powerful as, say, a 911 Turbo or GT2 RS, but it still needs to be handled with care. According to the BBC, the driver was trying to park the sports car, when they somehow ploughed through a brick wall.

The car then landed nose first in a pedestrian overpass and was left perched against a wall almost vertically. As you can see from the photos posted by The Sun, it’s probably not the best way to park a Porsche 911. The accident took place in Colchester, UK. Exactly what caused the crash is unknown, but one possible explanation is that the elderly driver may have confused the brake with the accelerator, which isn’t uncommon. Luckily, neither the driver or any pedestrians were injured, but the 73-year old will be offered to take a "fitness to drive" course. The 911 Targa 4S didn’t fare quite as well however, suffering damage to the bodywork and smashed windows.

But considering it smashed into brick wall and crashed down an overpass, the damage could have been a lot worse and the structure appears to have survived the impact remarkably well. Powering the Porsche 911 Targa 4S is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 420 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque, paired to either a seven-speed manual transmission or an optional seven-speed PDK gearbox. The latter setup allows all-wheel drive model can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.0 seconds before hitting a top speed of 187 mph. Prices start at $124,300.

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Porsche's Coupe-ified Cayenne Shows Itself In Prototype Form

The Cayenne is ready to take on the SUV-coupe market.

It seems like no matter how many new models an automaker releases, there always seems to be more room for SUVs. BMW started the trend of SUV-coupes with the X6: an uglier, less practical version of the X5. The X6 has become better looking over time, and has spawned countless competitors from Mercedes, Audi, and now Porsche. Rumors indicated that Porsche would build several new models, including a Cayenne-based SUV-coupe. The rumors were clearly true, because we've just spotted this new SUV out testing.

Like most SUV-coupes, the Cayenne will likely receive a chopped roofline resembling a two-door coupe, without sacrificing all of the practicality that an SUV offers. The rear hatch and rear headroom will likely be compromised, as it is on competitors like the BMW X6, Mercedes GLE Coupe, and Audi Q8. Based on the appearance of the test mule, the Cayenne Coupe will resemble a cross between the standard Cayenne, the smaller Macan, and the Panamera Sport Turismo. This could change on the production car, but we like what we see so far. At the back, a retractable spoiler will increase aerodynamics at high speeds.

We can't confirm whether the Cayenne Coupe will have seating for four or five passengers. This prototype was a four-seater, but a middle seat may be offered on the production version. We expect the Cayenne Coupe to share engines and an interior with the standard car. These SUV-coupes have been hit and miss in terms of styling, so we hope Porsche can get it right. Expect to see the production car in late 2019 as a 2020 model.

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Porsche Shows Off How It Makes The Best Paint In The Business

We continue to be impressed by Porsche's incredible attention to detail.

Porsche may not be the only company that lets you paint a car in virtually any color, but it is the company that we think of first when talking about paint-to-sample. This is an option that we absolutely love from Porsche that lets customers choose a completely unique color scheme for their car. PTS is definitely a fun option, but sometimes the Porsche factory knows what's best for its own models. Some of the stock Porsche colors have become legendary, and the company has continued to release new colors that still drop our jaws.

Porsche's latest paint color is a multi-layer coat called Saffron Yellow Metallic. The color gets its name from saffron, a rare spice that takes 20,000 flowers to produce just 100 grams and is harvested by hand. Like its namesake, this new color requires an incredible amount of detail to create.

The color requires four coats: base coat, a gloss clear coat, an effect coat, and a final clear coat. Porsche must also sand the paint by hand between each coat in order to give the color its unique effect. The pearlescent effect comes from the use of mica, which is coated in metal oxides. Porsche has to be so careful when applying this paint job that even spraying the paint in a slightly different direction can cause the color to vary. Saffron Yellow is the latest in a long line of amazing colors from Porsche. We have recently seen amazing colors from Porsche such as Gold Yellow Metallic and Python Green. This new color feels right in line with the rest of Porsche's stunning options list.

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Porsche Macan Shows Its Fresh Face In Paris

Updated crossover isn't quite all-new, but should keep it fresh for another few years.

A couple of months ago, Porsche revealed the first images and details of the refreshed Macan, and has since started rolling them down the assembly line in Leipzig. But this is the first time members of the public (or the press for that matter) have gotten to see the updated crossover in the metal.

Unveiled here on the floor of the 2018 Paris Auto Show, the revised Macan doesn't quite represent a complete overhaul of the hot-selling model that first hit the scene in 2014. But it does encompass a wide range of improvements – not least of which can be found under the hood.

While we may have to wait a little longer for US specifications, the European model packs an upgraded 2.0-liter turbo four with improved combustion and a diesel-style particulate filter to make it run cleaner. The base model now produces 245 horsepower, which is actually a little less than the preceding model, but the same 273 lb-ft of torque.

0-62 mph as a result is quoted at 6.7 seconds and top speed at 140 mph while consuming 8.1 liters per 100 kilometers on the New European Driving Cycle. And you can bet there'll be more engine options to follow.

Porsche also retuned the suspension and fitted it with wheels ranging from 18 inches to 21. And it's all wrapped in subtly revised sheetmetal, with dynamic headlights and three-dimensional LED taillights. There are four new color options as well: Mamba Green, Dolomite Silver, Miami Blue, and light-grey Crayon (otherwise known as Chalk).

The interior's been overhauled as well, and fitted with a 10.9-inch touchscreen to replace the previous 7.2-inch display. Buyers will also be able to opt for a 911-style sports steering wheel, an air ionizer, and a Sport Chrono package designed to make the Macan drive even more like a Porsche should.

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