Jay Leno's Garage: Porsche 918

[GTaudiophile]

Such a gorgeous machine!

Video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaOfgevPphk

 

[phucheneh]

Am I the only one that thinks this car is kinda ugly? It looks too 'boutique' or even 'kit car.'

918:

Factory Five GTM:

Also I thought Porsche was getting away from number names...I keep picturing a 914 when I hear this car mentioned. '918' seems very nonsensical.

...of course, on non-superficial grounds, this thing IS damned awesome.

 

[JackBurton]

Am I the only one that thinks this car is kinda ugly? It looks too 'boutique' or even 'kit car.'

Yes. This is the most amazing looking and performing Porsche ever built. God damn that car is gorgeous!

 

[Fenixgoon]

Yes. This is most amazing looking and performing Porsche ever built. God damn that car is gorgeous!

:thumbsup:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hey look, it's the rich fat dude with the white hair and blue denim shirt again...

 

[sandorski]

Awesome car.

 

[Throckmorton]

Am I the only one that thinks this car is kinda ugly? It looks too 'boutique' or even 'kit car.'

Yes you're the only one

 

[Aharami]

what an incredible machine! I wanna see this and the P1 go head to head!

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

please tell Jay to stop clapping his hands while hes talking. Very annoying.

Dat Sound though. wow.

The paint on that car is also incredible.

 

[tweakmonkey]

what an incredible machine! I wanna see this and the P1 go head to head!

I'm gonna go there: P1 would run circles around the 918. I don't care what the Top Gear track time is. P1 is 600 lbs lighter, has more power and even crazier aerodynamics. 918 is incredible don't get me wrong, but Jay made the right choice on this one

 

[JMapleton]

There would be rioting in the streets (well the streets of upscale neighborhoods) if Porsche went away from number based names, at least for their higher end models. (Real Porsche fans don't roll around in Boxers and Cayennes.)

 

[SSSnail]

What about the Carrera? Panamera? It's Boxsters BTW you fake Porsche fan

 

[JMapleton]

What about the Carrera? Panamera? It's Boxsters BTW you fake Porsche fan

I'll get flamed for this, but every model except for their supercar (currently the 918) and the 911, is just a money maker sold to upper middle class suburban housewives and doctors.

The "essence" of Porsche does not exist outside the 911 and 918.

Oh, and bonus points for the first person to flame my ILX.

 

[SSSnail]

You mean the upscaled Civic? Boooooourrrnnnnnnneddd..

 

[Throckmorton]

I'll get flamed for this, but every model except for their supercar (currently the 918) and the 911, is just a money maker sold to upper middle class suburban housewives and doctors.

The "essence" of Porsche does not exist outside the 911 and 918.

Oh, and bonus points for the first person to flame my ILX.

What about the Boxster/Cayman?

 

[satyajitmenon]

I'll get flamed for this, but every model except for their supercar (currently the 918) and the 911, is just a money maker sold to upper middle class suburban housewives and doctors.

The "essence" of Porsche does not exist outside the 911 and 918.

Oh, and bonus points for the first person to flame my ILX.

Hmm. What exactly is the "essence" of a true Porsche car? I mean, what is it that the Boxster/Cayman does not have, that 911s have? Besides technical details like engine differences, etc.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Am I the only one that thinks this car is kinda ugly? It looks too 'boutique' or even 'kit car.'

Agreed. Fugly.

Glad they built it though. Gives the P1 something to run against.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Hmm. What exactly is the "essence" of a true Porsche car? I mean, what is it that the Boxster/Cayman does not have, that 911s have? Besides technical details like engine differences, etc.

The essence of porsche is the 914 and 928. Best cars ever.

Outside of 911 there aren't really any iconic porsche number cars. Maybe 944. Cayman could have worn the 944 badge with style but that's not how Porsche does their numbering system.

The essence of porsche, to me, is a somewhat comfortable street legal yet track capable car.

 

[JMapleton]

What about the Boxster/Cayman?

They're nice cars, for women and retirees.

But they do not live up to the Porsche name.

 

[exdeath]

Much respect for Leno being a true car guy. He's the only "rich guy with expensive cars" that will happily park a beater Corolla or whatever next to his Ferrari because it has sentimental value to him.

 

[roguerower]

Yea, you and the monkey stand alone. That is a beautiful vehicle.

 

[olds]

<---- Heads out to buy a lottery ticket

 

[_Rick_]

picturing a 914 when I hear this car mentioned. '918' seems very nonsensical.

I suspect it was called that as an hommage to the 917. Calling their new LMP the 919 is another sign in that direction.

And re Cayman: All I've ever heard about it, especially since the new model came out, is that it's a better car than the 911, because it's got a proper mid-engine layout, and the only niggle people have, is the lack of horse power - but with the Cayman R, even that was addressed.
Now the Boxster is a less serious vehicle, I agree, but then I don't believe a car maker should ever only build one type of car...

 

[tweakmonkey]

The essence of porsche is the 914 and 928. Best cars ever.

928!!??? BRB while I vomit. I don't think the essence of Porsche was a front engine pig overly technical V8. It was basically the early Panamera.

Outside of 911 there aren't really any iconic porsche number cars. Maybe 944. Cayman could have worn the 944 badge with style but that's not how Porsche does their numbering system.

944s were front engine, Caymans are mid engine. They're called 987s by owners but most people don't call them that of course. Nobody would call them 944.

Porsches have always been known by numbers but they didn't always get badged that way. But 550, 356, 911, 904. All of these are as/more iconic but maybe not as well known as the 944 nowadays.

Or race cars 906, 908, 917, 956, 962

 

[fstime]

They're nice cars, for women and retirees.

But they do not live up to the Porsche name.

Sounds like a foolish statement.

When the Cayman was first released, I remember magazines raving how much superior the chassis was to the 911 naturally since it is mid-engine and Porsche knew they had to purposely hold the power back to avoid it overtaking the 911 flagship.

When you take a convertible based design (the Boxster in this case) which has all sorts of chassis stiffening due to lacking a roof, then covert it to a hardtop, you have yourself a very rigid chassis.