TechArt tunes the new Porsche 911

By Stephen Edelstein Published March 1, 2012

More than any other high-end sports car, aftermarket companies have also loved to customize the Porsche 911. Something about Germany’s iconic sports car attracts companies like Ruf and Gemballa to use the 911 as a blank canvas, even though that canvas is already one of the most exclusive and accomplished sports cars on the market.

With the new 991-series 911 out, the tuning companies are at it again. The latest to offer a modified 911 is TechArt, with their bright yellow machine. The company will unveil their new range of 991-911 parts at the Geneva Motor Show. TechArt has been tuning Porsches in 1987; it modifies them so extensively that it is recognized as an independent car manufacturer by the German government.

Recommended Videos

The changes start on the outside, with a new body kit that includes: a new front fascia, side skirts, a body-color rear diffuser, and quad exhaust tips. TechArt added custom wheels (available in 20 or 21-inch sizes) and a larger rear spoiler that looks like the one from the previous generation (997) 911 GT3.

The interior is colored in the same seizure-inducing shade of yellow. The seat belts and pieces of the leather-and-alcantara interior match the body. The stitching is also yellow, as are the door handles, shifter, gauge surrounds, and HVAC vent sliders. Finally, the 911 gets a TechArt steering wheel with paddle shifters for the double-clutch PDK transmission, a pretty sophisticated touch for an aftermarket parts company.

Since the new 911 hit showrooms only recently, TechArt does not have any serious performance upgrades ready. The words “all show and no go” come to mind. The Geneva Show car will have a new exhaust system with valves that open to make the car sound better at full throttle while still meeting E.U. sound regulations the rest of the time.

TechArt says it will offer its custom 911s in a variety of colors, including a bright red exterior and white interior combination that will probably make the 911 look like Santa’s Florida rental car. The company will also produce different body kits than the one pictured. As with any other high-end carmaker, it’s all about giving the customer the most options.

Tuning started out as the modern form of hot rodding, with car enthusiasts souping up Honda Civics and Nissan 240SXs instead of ’32 Fords and ’57 Chevys. Some might question the wisdom of slapping a body kit on an expensive, high-performance sports car like it’s a ten-year-old Chevy Cavalier. However, everyone wants to stand out, regardless of what they are driving.

In the past, tuners like TechArt were able to massively enhance the performance of the 911; the cars had the substance to back up their showy looks. TechArt promised a series of performance parts for the new 991-series, but until those upgrades arrive the car will be all about showing off.

Stephen Edelstein

Former Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Topics

Cars

Order an Uber and a self-driving Mustang might show up

Electronics, Phone, Mobile Phone

Ordering an Uber in London could come with a surprise today. Instead of a conventional car and driver pulling up, you might find a Ford Mustang Mach-E that can drive itself. Uber has launched London's first public robotaxi service in partnership with British autonomous driving company Wayve. The service is available through the Uber app, meaning you don't need to download anything new or book a special type of ride to try it.

There is one important caveat. Although the cars will handle the driving themselves, a trained safety operator will initially sit behind the wheel, ready to intervene if necessary. Fully driverless rides are planned for a later stage. The launch fleet consists of electric Mustang Mach-Es equipped with cameras, radar, and Wayve's AI Driver technology. These systems give the vehicle a 360-degree view of what's happening around it. And if anywhere can put that technology through its paces, London seems like a pretty good candidate.

Cars

Range Rover Electric arrives with 543hp, 600km range, and a starting price of the moon

The electric Range Rover is here, and your wallet may need CPR

Range Rover EV

The Range Rover has never been shy about luxury, size or price, and its first fully electric version is carrying that tradition into the EV era. Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) first battery-electric Range Rover is now open for orders, starting at £154,070, or about $208,420. That makes it one of the most expensive electric SUVs on the market.

The electric model costs almost £50,000 more than the standard combustion-engine Range Rover. It is priced in the same territory as the electric Mercedes-Benz G 580 and not far from ultra-luxury gasoline SUVs such as the Bentley Bentayga.

Cars

A solar ambulance has successfully tackled 500 miles of difficult terrain

Stella Juva

For years, solar-powered vehicles have largely lived in the world of prototypes, university projects and ambitious demonstrations. Now, one has completed the kind of test that matters far more than a flashy concept reveal: it drove hundreds of miles through difficult terrain while carrying medical equipment and generating enough electricity to operate independently.

Called Stella Juva, the vehicle was developed by Solar Team Eindhoven, a group of 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology and two other educational institutions. According to a CNN report, the team describes it as the world's first solar ambulance. Unlike a conventional ambulance, however, Stella Juva is designed less to rush patients to hospitals and more to bring medical care to people who cannot easily reach it.