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Some Dutch Engineering Students Built This Mid-Engine Shooting Brake From An Old Boxster Source: https://flatsixes.com/cars/porsche-boxster/some-dutch-engineering-students-built-this-mid-engine-shooting-brake-from-an-old-boxster/?fbclid=IwAR0Uk2nBKdPTcxw9wFFsvkeVBmBIwiG3ROAT-ksdb0_eBXoNBFXqEnLxOzA Four students at the Fontys Minor Motorsport Engineering school in the Netherlands have built the car that Porsche is afraid to because it has too much awesome in one package. Porsche's Boxster and Cayman are already amazing platforms, and are quite easy to live with on a daily basis. I daily drove a Boxster for several years, and it served quite well. But if you have to carry more than a briefcase or a duffel bag, you might be hard pressed to find space for it in Porsche's mid-engine platform. That's why these students built what amounts to a Cayman Shooting Brake, and it is so incredibly great. I wish Porsche would build something like this right now. The students began with a fresh 986 Boxster for the project because it's an inexpensive and reliable platform to modify. It's a well balanced chassis with great handling and a superb flat-six engine. Because the car is already an open-top design, the chassis itself is stiff enough to accept a hard top without issue. The team of engineering students worked with Van Thull Development to develop this car's composite bodywork. Up front, the car is fitted with 997 GT3 carbon bodywork, including a headlight update and new lightweight materials. Out back the car makes use of 991-style tail lights and a custom bumper and fascia. The rear hatch and roof assembly come from a Peugeot! The finished product looks fabulous, especially with the Miami Blau paint and black accent. This car looks like it could be a factory-built special edition for folks who enjoy Grand Touring across Europe with a full bevvy of equipment. The best part is that Van Thull is already working on building this as a kit for your own Boxster hatchback conversion. Pretty cool if you ask me. Maybe I'll order one.

New Road Rover model to launch in 2019 New Land Rover model line will kick off with an electric-powered XJ-sized luxury vehicle The first production vehicle will be a premium all-electric model, aimed primarily at markets such as California in the US and China. The first Road Rover is understood to be a Mercedes-Benz S-Class rival in terms of outright luxury and interior craftsmanship but with
 some ‘all-terrain’ capability. The car will also be tuned 
for impressive on-road dynamic performance, taking advantage of the potential delivered by electric motors. The car could make its public debut at the Los Angeles motor show in late 2019, with sales starting soon after. Prices are expected to be pegged at around £90,000 for the top-line versions. Over time, the Road Rover line-up is expected to develop into a series of more car-like and road-friendly, but still rugged, vehicles. In fact, Autocar understands that the first Road Rover model is being developed in parallel with the next-generation XJ. The underlying structure for both of these vehicles is a new-generation aluminium architecture that can accommodate both battery packs and piston engines. It’s thought that the new XJ and the Road Rover will both be pure-electric vehicles with twin electric motors and on-demand all-wheel drive. The Road Rover will emphasise extreme luxury — the huge success of the current S-Class has proved that SUVs have not pushed super-luxury saloon cars out of the market — and it is also expected to have height-adjustable suspension for a degree of all-terrain ability. A range of at least 300 miles is predicted, as well as a 0-60mph time of under 5.0sec. JLR has to compete head-on with premium-brand rivals such as Porsche and Audi, which are both launching luxury EVs in the next two years. Perhaps the closest rival to the new Road Rover is Audi’s E-tron Sportback, which is due to be launched in 2019. This also has all-wheel drive and an expected driving range of 300 miles in ideal conditions. There is no hard news on whether the Road Rover will have its own stand-alone design language. However, it is likely to build on the look of the Velar, emphasising taut and very clean surfaces, and it will have more of a shooting brake profile than other high-end electric SUVs. The new XJ and Road Rover, along with Jaguar’s electric I-Pace compact SUV, will be part of JLR’s plan to meet stringent new Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) sales targets in California.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake goes to the Brabus camp for an extensive upgrade programme which gives a performance and cosmetic update. Brabus have revealed their new handiwork through the CLS Shooting Brake (CLS SB). The German tuners have not only given the trend setting station wagon a usual power boost but also a rather 'modest' cosmetic upgrade. The CLS equipped with the AMG sport package also gets the 'Brabus touch' with a new front spoiler lip, while the CLS 63 AMG is available with an additional front spoiler and fender attachments. The cosmetic kit contains the usual goodies comprising a new front spoiler, front fascia attachments with LED lamps, side skirts and fenders manufactured either from flexible high-grade plastics or carbon fibre. Different models of the CLS SB get varying kit components and power output. AMG sport package equipped CLS receives a striking front spoiler lip that can be further refined with an additional front spoiler and fender attachments. The CLS 250, 350 CDI models and the CLS 350, 500 receive the Brabus front spoiler, front fascia attachments with integrated LED daytime running lights, and sport fenders side skirts with integrated entrance lights. The CLS SB rides on Brabus Monoblock wheels in various sizes, available in six designs. A new suspension option, created in partnership with Bilstein, brings the car closer to the ground by approximately 35mm. The performance kit increases the power output of the CLS 250 CDI by 31bhp and lifts torque figure to 560Nm. The CLS 350 CDI has a raised output of 313bhp in sport mode, propelling the car to a 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The CLS 500 with its own tuning kit, produces 500bhp and 720Nm to hit a top speed of 300 km/h. The CLS 63 AMG can generate 619bhp and 737Nm of torque, good for a century sprint of 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 320 km/h - in a station wagon that's probably as long as a light-sport aircraft. Brabus also offers a stainless-steel quad sport exhaust system with butterfly valve for the CLS 63 that can switch between a quiet 'Coming Home' mode and throaty 'Sport' mode. Exclusive interior design range from custom crafted Mastik leather and Alcantara. Scuff plates with backlit Brabus logo, a speedometer with up to a 400-km/h dial add sporty highlights. Pedals are finished in aluminum components while clear-coated carbon-fibre inlays for dashboard and center console can be finished in any desired colour or wood inlays in any desired colour and grain.

Many people know what a station wagon is. Basically, it is a sedan car with its roof extended towards the rear and the rear boot is usually replaced with a lifting tail door. The station wagon comes in two distinct design; a four door (the most common design that we get to see) and a two door which is also known as a shooting brake. Many automakers give unique names for their station wagon versions. For example, Volkswagen names their station wagons as Variants. Other than that, we have heard of other version names for station wagons such as estate, carryall, touring, sportwagon and etc. But the most common names used are the station wagon, estate and shooting brake. If you are wondering how these 3 names come about, then read on. Back in the early era of the automotive industry, the first station wagons people got to see were the wooden-bodied Ford Model Ts and at that time there were known as