2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet: Photo Gallery

For the price difference you pay for the 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet over the coupe, you could buy a new Nissan Versa. For the price difference between the base-model Carrera 4S Cabriolet and a fully loaded one, you could buy a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT — with a droptop.

Starting at $118,480 and topping out at $147,175 (including a $950 destination charge), it's a safe assumption that either you can afford it or that your long-term investment strategy is still finding its way. In either case, what you'll find is that the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4S Cabriolet offers a rare balance between the performance aspects of a luxury sports car and the touring experience of a convertible

The Carrera 4S cabrio's 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine is mated to a seven-speed manual transmission, generating 400 horsepower and 325 pounds-feet of torque for a zero-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds. Exterior styling changes for 2013 include wider rear wheels and rear fenders, a light strip connecting the rear taillights and a revised front grille. Abundant safety, comfort and tech features come standard, and racing yellow paint and a black roof are no-cost options. Flourishes like a black leather interior, sport exhaust and black wheels will cost you thousands, however.

Check out the gallery below.

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S: First Look

• Competes with: 2014 Audi R8 5.2, 2014 Nissan GT-R
• Looks like: A 911 with swollen rear fenders
• Drivetrain: 520- or 560-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder; seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late 2013

The new 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S are the latest, most powerful additions to the 911 lineup since the platform was redesigned for the 2012 model year. A steady release of new 911 variants, including the 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera 4 and track-oriented 911 GT3, continues with the bad-boy 560-horsepower Turbo S. Porsche says it's capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. The "entry-level" 911 Turbo with 520 hp takes 3.2 seconds to reach 60 mph.

2014 Porsche 911 GT3 Photo Gallery

911 buyers will once again be able to hit the track in Porsche's new high-performance GT3 that's positioned at the top of the 911 lineup and set to go on sale later this year.

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Power comes from a 475-horsepower, 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine, which teams only with a recalibrated seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The rear-wheel-drive GT3 gets numerous aerodynamic enhancements like a large rear spoiler, front and rear lip spoilers, numerous air vents and special 20-inch wheels.

Porsche claims the new GT3 needs just 3.3 seconds to accelerate from zero to 60 mph, and it can reach a top speed of 195 mph. It even has rear-wheel steering for spirited handling and stability, a Porsche first.

Check out photos of Porsche's new 911 GT3 to get your adrenaline pumping, below. Cars.com photos by Evan Sears.

2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S at Roebling Road Raceway: Photo Gallery

The Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is among a quartet of new incarnations — along with the Carrera 4 and a corresponding cabriolet for both the 4 and 4S — in the automaker's 2013 911 lineup. A notable addition is the new all-wheel-drive system, Porsche Traction Management, paired with a 3.8-liter flat-six engine and a seven-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission. Porsche says it's good for 400 horsepower, a zero-to-60 time of 4.3 seconds and a 185-mph top speed.

The 4S starts at about $106,580, including a $950 destination fee. Though you may not be able to tell by looking, the new 911 boasts a slightly wider rear wheel housing, extending out an extra 22 mm, while the rear tires are 10 mm wider. Other distinguishing features include a center brake-light strip on the taillights, nameplate decals and a new glass sunroof option. Check out Cars.com photographer Evan Sears' photos below.

2014 Porsche 911 GT3: First Look

• Competes with: Audi R8, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin V8 Vantage
• Looks like: A 911 for track-day enthusiasts
• Drivetrain: 475-hp, 3.8-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late 2013
• MSRP: $131,350 including $950 destination charge

The track-oriented Porsche 911 GT3 returns for the 2014 model year. Last offered for 2011 on the prior-generation 911 sports car, the new GT3 is more powerful, brings new technology to Porsche's lineup, starts at a higher price and has the kind of dramatic rear wing that's come to symbolize the model. It hits U.S. dealerships late this year.

Like other 911s, the GT3 uses a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, though Porsche says the GT3's engine doesn't share many parts. It's a high-revving engine, with peak output of 475 horsepower arriving at 8,250 rpm. Peak torque of 324 pounds-feet is achieved at 6,250 rpm, and the engine's redline is 9,000 rpm.

Rather than a conventional manual transmission like that fitted in the previous GT3, the 2014 model gets a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with more closely spaced gears, quicker shifting operation and shorter-travel shift paddles compared to other 911s, according to Porsche.

Recall Alert: 2012-13 Porsche 911

Porsche is recalling 2,263 model-year 2012-13 versions of the 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 coupes and convertibles due to a problem with the exhaust system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from March 7 through Nov. 12, 2012 (check your vehicle's build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb), and equipped with the 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine and standard exhaust system. In these cars, the tailpipe could fracture and fall off the car, becoming a road hazard.

The automaker has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. "Porsche is not aware of any defects or reported failures on any customer-owned vehicles. All defects determined to date were reported on internal Porsche test vehicles with higher mileages [greater than 25,000 miles]," the automaker said in a statement.

Owners can call Porsche at 800-767-7243 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more information.

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2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Video

Mercedes-Benz's redesigned 2014 E-Class lineup comprises a coupe, convertible, wagon and sedan, but it's the absurdly quick E63 AMG that gets Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays' pulse racing. The luxury sedan, bowing this week at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, gets 550 horsepower from its twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8, and paired with the automaker's new 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, that translates to a zero-to-60 time of 3.6 seconds.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

To knock a half-second off of the 2013 model's 4-second zero-to-60 time, speed enthusiasts will have to upgrade to the E63 AMG S-Model, which will make a Porsche 911-rivaling 3.5 seconds. While the average law-abiding citizen may consider that measure of power luxurious, Mays imagines an unconventional application for getting misbehaving children to sit still in the backseat during car trips.

Watch the video below.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: Photo Gallery Two

If the stingray's stinger could deliver the viper's venom, could it become the most formidable fish in the sea? Chevrolet hopes to take that analogy to the high-performance sports car segment with the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray, whose design cues from fellow American icon the SRT Viper are apparent.

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The 2014 Corvette Stingray, bowing this week at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, boasts Viper-like exposed headlights and a gaping lower grille. But with features like defined rocker creases and shoulder lines, this Stingray-badged Corvette tempers the hulking appearance of the Viper. Still, the Stingray retains enough classic Corvette flavor to satisfy the faithful while tempting higher-end enthusiasts.

Check out the gallery below.

Recall Alert: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3

Porsche is recalling 455 model-year 2010 versions of the 911 GT3 sports coupe due to problems with the rear wheel hubs, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were manufactured from May 15, 2009, through Feb. 11, 2010 (check your vehicle's build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb), the rear wheel hubs are prone to fail. This could lead to a loss of vehicle control. Also, "the original suggested maintenance intervals may be insufficient to prevent wheel hub failure," according to NHTSA.

Porsche will notify owners later this month, and dealers will replace the wheel hubs on the rear axle for free. Owners can call Porsche at 800-767-7243 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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Porsche to Introduce Two Vehicles at L.A. Auto Show

Since the U.S. is Porsche's largest market, it's no surprise the luxury automaker plans to show off two new vehicles at the L.A. Auto Show later this month.

The 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 was unveiled at the Paris International Motor Show in September, and it will make its North American debut at the show Nov. 28. For 2013, the 911 Carrera 4 gets an updated version of Porsche's all-wheel-drive system, called Porsche Traction Management.

Details are slim about the second vehicle, but we expect to see a new Cayman during auto-show season. Porsche is calling the second vehicle a compact sports car that hasn't been revealed at any other show. It, too, will meet the press on Nov. 28.

Check back with us as we learn more about the vehicles at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show.

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