A Sunday Drive

Porsche Pulls It's Best Punch Yet: GT2 RS. And Now Speed Is Scared...

Official details and photos have been released on the upcoming Porsche GT2 RS, which will be unveiled to the public on August 25 at the Moscow auto show.


  

It will produce staggering numbers except for the number of GT2 RS available: 500. Horsepower: 620 (90 more than 911 GT2). Weight loss versus the 911 GT2 will be a substantial 70 kg. That power rating will make this the most potent Porsche road car in history. Don't discount the achievement of squeezing every drop of power from a 3.6 liter boxer engine, with much credited to the twin turbochargers.

The details:

The car will weigh a mere 3,020 lb (1,370 kilograms), giving it a power to weight ratio of 4.9 lbs (2.21 kg) per horsepower, and rides on 245/35 ZR 19 tires at the front and 325/30 ZR 19 for the rear axle. It will come with anti-roll bars and Porsche Adaptive Suspension Management (PASM).

It's time on the Nürburgring's Nordschleife track: 7 minutes and 18 seconds. 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds (0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds), 0 to 200 km/h in just 9.8 seconds, and 0 to 300 km/h in 28.9 seconds. Top speed: 205 mph or 330 km/h.


  

To shed weight, Porsche makes use of carbon-fiber-reinforced (CFR) components, such as the CFR plastic for the bucket seats.

"GT2 RS" tags are placed on the doors and rear lid to distinguish the car too.

The car will be available in North America starting in October 2010. The Euro base price is €199,500. Including VAT and national specifications/equipment the new 911 GT2 RS will retail in Germany at a price of €237,578.  For the Canadian market pricing starts at $297,000.

 

2010 Is the Year for Our Inimitable Porsche and VW Headquarters in Calgary

You might wonder where I'm coming up with "inimitable." It's one of those $5 words I came across recently. It means "incapable of being imitated" and I couldn't think of a better word to describe South Centre Fine Cars here in Calgary. 2010 is shaping up to be the big year here at South Centre for a number of reasons.

On the back end, we have websites devoted each to South Centre Porsche and to South Centre Volkswagen. Both websites are reachable through our main South Centre Fine Cars page. I have to hand it to Autofusion, who built our sites. The information is accessible and the look is very fresh! Not only do we have Facebook pages for both South Centre Porsche and South Centre Volkswagen but you can now follow us on Twitter. Our South Centre team and marketing partners have aided us in branding ourselves at a new level and, by doing so, creating a unique voice to answer to the needs of the Calgary area Porsche and Volkswagen customer.

Now, on the front end of things, we've got some amazing specials to offer our clients. South Centre Porsche is offering a Canadian cash currency credit of up to C$7,500 on all 2010 Porsche models. South Centre Volkswagen is hosting the Volkswagen Customer Loyalty Program with 1% off financing and 0.5% off the lease rate if you currently own a 2003 or newer Volkswagen.

Both South Centre Porsche and South Centre Volkswagen offer the online capability to order parts and to schedule a service appointment. Beyond our physical location here on Macleod Trail in Calgary, our online presence comes pretty close in surefire accessibility and convenience. You even get to see our team's smiling faces although we would rather see you face to face. Either way, it's how we maintain our strong sense of community with our customers.

I could wax on about my home away from home (no kidding) but then this couldn't qualify as a blog. More like a tome. But back to that very important word inimitable. There's no getting around the fact that we at South Centre Fine Cars have continued to offer impeccable customer service with ongoing excellent deals...at least I like to think so.

One more thing: all of Calgary sends a congratulatory wave (with cowboy hats in hand) to Vancouver, our sister out west. We were the fortunate city chosen to host the first Winter Olympics in Canada in 1988. Twenty-two years later, Vancouver received the honor and has made all of Canada proud. We hope you enjoyed the days of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games!

The Porsche Panamera Flies Into Calgary

Well, it was the party to be at.  A group of Porsche owners and enthusiasts along with some high-flying folks got together at AirSrpint Private Aviation's Calgary Airport hangar on October 17.  Guests were welcomed by a valet, then the festivities kicked off with music provided by Burmester Audio Canada, the company responsible for the new Panamera's amazing, customized sound system.  With everyone enjoying hors d'ouerves and cocktails looking over a collection of new and classic Porsches, the anticipation built. 


As the buzz increased, all eyes were drawn to the 10 by 14 foot screen for a short video montage while the hangar filled with the sounds of the sport-tuned exhaust of the Panamera S.  The large hangar doors crept open, met by billowing smoke, to greet the Panamera S screaming in from the tarmac outside.

It's rare that Porsche brings a completely new product to market and the response to the Panamera so far has been tremendous.  There is not another vehicle on the market that has had so much detail and attention paid to it and delivered.

"Four Uncompromised" is Porsche's slogan for the new sedan.  We at South Centre Fine Cars belive that not only is the vehicle uncompromised, but that it's truly a significant leap forward in thinking about what a true luxury performance vehicle should deliver!

 
With everyone in attendance excited and engaged with the new Porsche arrivals, AirSprint added another fantastic element to the evening: eight lucky guests were given a 45-minute champagne flight over Calgary in a Citation XL-S corporate jet!

The evenings's resounding success was due to our enthusiastic guests, partners and staff, we're greatful for such a great group of people to associate with.  With the Panamera now having arrived after much fanfare and attention, it is clear to see that Porsche has another winner on its hands and South Centre Porshce is greatlful to be the only place in Calgary for the newest member of the family tree!

Why get hung up on a model year when you want the model?

Having been in the auto business for a number of years now, it is still interesting to see that people who want to buy a car are more concerned about the year than the car.  Especially around the time that the new models arrive (right now), it is typical to hear that someone is 'waiting'.  Fact is the newness wears off quickly and the experience takes over.

While I can't tell you exactly how much the knob moved over to the right on the stereo between a '01 and a '06 Jetta, I can relate the driving experience of a Cayman to a Boxster. It seems comparing would be more relevant for the new owner or that having the '09 Routan will be just as gratifying as the '10 without the wait.

Knowing that car purchases are emotional, it seems interesting that people try to add logic around a model year as much as the payment.  Driving a car should be a real enjoyment in addition to a daily necessity to get from point A to point B.  Think about it: the photos from your travels will end up being more important than the day your call came off the production line.

One of things I believe we do better than anyone else is connect with our customers.  It's always been about the experience long after the window sticker falls off and the 34th scratch is on the car, not that you're counting.

Just remember that your car is part of your life and while you may want to celebrate it's birthday, age is not as important as fun, model years are not as important as pride in ownership and having the right car for you is ultimately more important than the registration sticker.

Drive fun Calgary!

Watch out Calgary: How to get a car to blog

There's a little bit of an odd feeling that comes with rambling about your business online but I'm giving it a fair shake.  Well, it is about time since our dealerships have offered the best to our community for over three decades.  And watching how the web and marketing have changed our business dramatically in the past few years is amazing.

Simply put, we sell and service some of the best cars on the planet.  But what our staff and dealership family really do every day is build relationships.  So while getting a car to blog may be difficult, sharing my prespective about the auto biz, what goes on here and how much we appreciate the people of Calgary is not.

Being in the car business is typically not a person's first choice.  After a number of years around Porsche and Volkwagen brands, it's easy to understand that you could do worse!  The focus on customer satisfaction and providing the best possible experience daily is a challenge.  My family has been in the automotive industry for a while and it's what I know, aside from a good game of golf and real down time - whenever that happens.

There probably hasn't been a better time for people to buy cars: the technology, prices and competition is really amazing.  Still it is a struggle for most people to believe that they can actually have a good time and get a great value from a dealership.  We are fortunate that our attention to detail and complete satisfaction allows us to service more customers than we've ever sold a car to.

Well I think we'll start with this and see where it goes.  Please comment or make suggestions on topics to share.  That should make things a little more fun.