The Porsche 917

Lots of automakers like to brag about how their “racing heritage” informs their production vehicles, but none of them can claim nearly the star power of Porsche. They’re the Tom Cruise of automotive racing.

Let’s warm up with some initial stats:

• 16-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (more than any other manufacturer)
• More than 50 class wins at Le Mans
• An estimated 28,000 total championships won globally as of 2007
• 275 dedicated race cars produced in 2007 alone (more than any other manufacturer)

Porsche’s philosophy of small cars with high-displacement engines led to their initial nickname in the racing circuit: “giant-killer.” While other automakers tried out V8s, V10s and even V12s, Porsche stuck with their four or six cylinder flat engines and lightweight bodies for a long time.

The first official Porsche racing entrant was the 356 SL in 1951, a custom version of Porsche’s first production car, the 356. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche won the under 1100cc category in its first try thanks to its aluminum body.

The Porsche 356 SL

This led to the 550 Spyders in 1953, which will look familiar to anyone has seen a Boxster Spyder in recent years. In 1956, the 550A Spyder won the Targa Florio against competitors from Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar, which would inspire Porsche to use the Targa name years later. Similarly, a win in the 1953 Carrera Panamerica would encourage Porsche to appropriate those names, too.

Rally racing also proved to be an effective arena for Porsche due to a lesser known vehicle: the 911. The automaker racked up three wins in a row at the Monte Carlo Rally toward the end of the 1960s. Porsche won the International Championship for Manufacturers in 1970, and a range of private drivers using the 911 have had success at rally races over the years.

The Porsche 550A Spyder

In terms of Formula One, we’ve had a more complex relationship. Sometimes Porsche built their own car, like 804 F1 in 1962 at the French Grand Prix. That eight-cylinder single-seat rocket was enough to silence critics who said Porsche could not design a larger engine car. Thereafter, in the 1970s Porsche was content to build custom engines for F1 teams at McLaren and TAG, thus sharing the glory. Still, there are indications that current CEO Matthias Mueller could bring Porsche back into Formula One racing after a decades-long sabbatical.

Finally, it’s impossible to reference Porsche’s wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans without bringing up the 917. Regarded as one of the most iconic racing cars ever, its shape informs the 918 and 919 today, as well as multitudinous imitators. Its 5.0-liter V12 was a masterwork in air-cooled engine design. Its tempestuous power proved difficult for many drivers to control, but once tamed, allowed Porsche to rack up an uninterrupted string of victories. Rule changes in 1971 made the 917 illegal, but it lives on in subsequent derived designs.

For even more of Porsche’s 28,000 championship wins, we would direct you to our Porsche Motorsports page.

The Porsche 804 F1

The post Porsche Motorsports and Awards History appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

It’s heartbreaking. You can see the other car coming before the teenager can. You can’t warn them. You can’t save them. And neither could the researchers who had to watch these troublesome last seconds before impact.

Watch this video. Share it with your kids. And your friends. Don’t forget to tell yourself that you need to learn this lesson, too. Over and over. For every year of safe driving, we tell ourselves that we don’t need to be so vigilant any more. We’re a pro. We can take some leeway. So we look down at our phones. We answer a text. We pick up a call. And we too are oblivious in those final seconds. Before impact.

This video will make you never use your phone at the wheel again.
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The study looked at 1,700 crashes. The data came from dashboard cameras that teenagers voluntarily agreed to put in their cars. For the first few days they probably drove safer. They sat up straighter. They checked their blind spots. And they stopped using their phones while driving.

Then they got used to the cameras. They forgot why they were there. They slipped back into their normal selves. They slouched more. Drove drowsy more. Checked their phones more. Let their minds wander more. And it happened.

The study was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The sad thing is how oblivious most drivers were before impact. How blissful. How calm. They were safe drivers up to that point. Many had probably never been in a collision before. Their driving record was spotless. Points on their license were zero. They were “good drivers.”

Seeing their eyes go suddenly wide is arresting. They snap to full attention. Hands plead frantically with the wheel. But it’s too late. The car is now hostile. It rotates heedlessly across lanes. It’s apparent that the driver has completely lost all control. They are now captive. Chained to the potentially lethal fate that awaits.

This heartbreaking video shows what happens when you text and drive.
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A few seconds ago, they would have been fine. A few seconds is all a crash needs to weasel its way between you and the wheel. A few seconds are fraught with lethality. A few seconds.

Share this video. Remind yourselves to stay safe.

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March Madness, the frenzied tournament to find the best in college basketball, has begun. If you’re into college basketball there’s a good chance that you filled out one or more brackets with friends, family, coworkers, or even strangers. But if you’re not into college basketball, you might feel a little left out from all the fun.

To make the tournament more enjoyable, we decided to have a little fun by imagining what a few of the teams would be like if they were turned into movies. That is, if you were going to the movies and saw “Wofford,” what do you think it would be about?

Some of these, like Ole Miss, were ripe for imagination, while others, like UNI, weren’t quite as easy. Whether you have a bracket or not, we hope that you’ll enjoy these imaginative back stories. For those of you who didn’t have a clue who you were choosing in your bracket, feel free to superimpose these narratives on your choices.

If They Made a Movie About Your NCAA Team, What Would It Be About?
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Manhattan – A club of well-heeled socialites puts aside the cocktails and investment banking for a shot at the ultimate title: hoops at the top of the Empire State building.

Hampton – After diagnosis of an incurable disease in her legs, a girl makes a pact with her housekeeper to become the first female head accountant of the NBA.

Ole Miss – It’s southern, it’s old-fashioned, and it’s doing it’s best to be politically correct, but don’t hold your breath. A high school team heads to the championship, fueled by the dinners cooked by a mysterious elderly lady.

NC State – A group of determined professors devises the world’s largest water tower only to realize a fatal design flaw. Arguments grow heated when an industrialist offers nine figures for the tower.

BYU – A boy who has never heard of the school declines his admission, and instead plays ice-ketball in the wilderness of Alaska. He meets a trapper, Jeff Daniels, who might have once been a BYU chancellor.

Kentucky – Hogs, bourbon, corn mash and George Clooney unite to say very little about basketball, but quite a lot about bluegrass. A young girl dreams of playing basketball but is forced to become a makeup artist instead. She likes it.

Purdue – Student engineers discover a breakthrough in catapult technology, but are halted when the school band refuses to provide music for the egging of the provost’s house. A power struggle ensues.

Cincinnati – Disconsolate Bengal fans take up crocheting instead, positively energizing a community and revolutionizing the ethical manufacture of clothing in the country. Kevin Spacey plays the union boss.

West Virginia – An arctic freeze turns the state into the premium skiing destination for the world’s elite. Class tensions surface when those operating the lifts realize that people make jokes about West Virginia.

Buffalo – A volcanic eruption in Montana releases an eruption of buffalo who have lived below the country for a century and now outnumber the human population.

Valparaiso – Survivors of a global catastrophe have no choice but to take to the seas in search of a mythical island that controls the earth’s weather.

Maryland – A boisterous factory worker in China hears of a place where tacos cost an entire day’s wages. Accepting a dare, she embarks with the boss’s parka and dress shoes.

Butler – The manservant to a spoiled headmaster at a private school slowly teaches himself enough calculus to challenge his employer at the end of year ball, and earns the respect (or more?) of the headmaster’s wife.

If the Teams of March Madness Were Movies, This Is What They'd Be
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Texas – Two cowboys take turns shooting at a snake as the sun goes down. They talk about their pickup trucks and the intrusion of kale and other trendy vegetables into taco salad.

Northeastern – Wearied of hearing about the “Pacific Northwest” a group of marketers hatch plans to make their region the fast food super capital of the world.

Notre Dame – A priest watches the film Rudy and decides to pursue puppetry. All goes well until his YouTube channel sends him far more fame than he bargained for.

Indiana – The origin story of Indiana Jones goes awry when his parents leave their son in hospital care for 72 hours.

Wichita State – The 51^st state admitted to the U.S. becomes a haven for the occult and dark magic.

North Carolina – Tobacco and cartoon drawing go hand-in-hand at a private club for newly arrived librarians.

New Mexico St. – A grand rebuild of the Alamo happens in the wrong state thanks to the scheming political ambitions of the memorial’s congressman.

Kansas – A grand epic centered around agriculture, homesteading and puppy farms in the 1830s. Adam Sandler goes mute for six months in preparation for his starring role.

Wisconsin – A network of cheesemakers realizes that they can bring the French cheese market to its knees, but only if their leader, the governor’s daughter, returns from studying abroad in time.

Coastal Carolina – The Wright Brothers turns out to be a cover name for an entire family of engineers working in the outer banks. Who really deserves credit for the birth of the fabled first flight?

Oklahoma St. – A shopkeeper’s boy stays awake all night building popsicle stick replicas of the seven wonders of the world. With a photographer’s help, he sends the photos to his architect idol, and waits for a reply.

Duke – A new strain of lavender gives cancer survivors the ability to pass on their immunity, but only once. Who they choose becomes the subject of an international media sensation.

Wofford – Terriers abound in this dialogue-free comedy centered around the famous animals. One dog shows himself to be more than a punchline during a sudden forest fire.

That’s all, folks. Sure, it was silly. But for those of us who don’t know the players, teams, rivalries, or expectations, why not indulge in some stories of our own? At the very least, we hope to combat the cliché of the “cinderella story” by showing that there are many more stories than that—you just have to make them.

Enjoy the tournament and best of luck in your bracket.

The post The Teams of March Madness Reimagined as Movies appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

We have no doubt that you are beyond saturated with gift recommendations by now. When we walked into a store this year before Halloween and noticed red-and-green holiday items on the shelf, we knew it had already begun.

However, there are plenty of us who like to take our time when choosing our gifts. In fact, we like it so much that we sometimes forget until the very last minute that, oh yeah, that’s something we really need to take care of.

Never fear. Leith Porsche wants to help, and we certainly won’t send you to the mall to do so. Can you imagine the gridlock at the mall right now? Pure anarchy. Avoid all of that mess by getting your special someone one of our recommended apps, or swing by our gift shop to pick up something quick. We guarantee you can park easily and knock out at least one gift. Easy!

Here then are three apps and three things from our Porsche gift shop. Good luck.

6. Trackr App

This is an app to help you find your keys, wallet, purse, phone or anything else you routinely lose. Small, coin-sized “TrackR” devices can be stored on your keychain, wallet, or whatever. These devices have Bluetooth wireless capability. With the company’s app, the device will ring, or you can search for it based on location.

5. Porsche Martini Belt

4. XLR8 App

This app makes up for the lack of ferocity in today’s fuel-efficient cars by giving you the engine growl you wish you had. Thanks to clever location-monitoring, the app changes gears and accelerates as you accelerate. Take your foot off the gas, and the app will decelerate your virtual V8. You can even choose which muscle car you feel like today. Sit at idle and your virtual carburetors will rattle and pop just like Steve McQueen’s. Reclaim your car’s soul.

3. Porsche Ballcap

2. Waze App

Bought by Google last year, Waze is arguably the most popular driving app today, aside from Google Maps. Waze’s strength is its crowd-source information about traffic delays that creates faster, more efficient routes than Google Maps. How can this be if Google owns Waze? For whatever reason, Google Maps doesn’t integrate all of Waze’s data.

Google Maps certainly looks nicer; its polish is world-class. But for the fastest routes in real-time, as well as real-time info about police speed traps, Waze is still king.

1. Porsche iPad Air Case

The post Top 6 Driving Apps and Porsche Gifts For 2014 Winter Holidays appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

Another fund drive done! Leith Porsche teamed up with Audi Cary in October to raise money for breast cancer awareness. To give extra pay-off for trying one of our excellent vehicles, both dealerships donated $10 for every service visit and $25 for every test drive during the month. These sums ended up totaling more than $18,000, which it was our pleasure to award this week.

Leith Porsche and Audi Cary worked with the Susan G. Komen foundation to make this happen, specifically the local North Carolina Triangle to the Coast branch. The NCTC has been serving 29 of North Carolina’s counties since it hosted its first race in 1997. With more than $15 million raised since then, we couldn’t think of a better partner for this issue.

NCTC’s executive director, Pam Kohl, was on hand to accept the oversized check on her organization’s behalf.

“We are thrilled that Audi Cary and Leith Porsche have chosen to partner with Komen NCTC,” Pam said. “The funds will help provide breast cancer services to underinsured and underserved women and families in our 29-county service area. We are grateful for Audi Cary and Leith Porsche’s support.”

We’re already looking ahead to the first race of 2015, the Race for the Cure in Wilmington on March 7. We highly recommend getting a team together and beginning training now; we all need things to occupy these winter days, and this is an excellent way to do so.

Visit the NCTC’s website for more information about ways to raise awareness about breast cancer, including a race that will happen right here in Raleigh (that’s next June). We’d love to see you out there, and your support will accomplish a world of good.

And if you helped make this week’s donation possible: thank you! We appreciate it more than we can say.

The post Breast Cancer Awareness Raises $18,000 for Komen NCTC appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

Photo: HDW

As one of the busiest holidays of the year, Thanksgiving can be pretty packed. Visiting with loved ones, shopping, napping, and all the wonderful hobbies we enjoy can take up the entire day. One way to make your time simpler is to sample a local restaurant for your Thanksgiving dinner.

You can skip the dishwashing, cooking, and scrounging in the grocery store, and still have an enjoyable meal. To help in this endeavor, we’ve come up with a list of options for Thanksgiving this year. We recommend making a reservation as soon as possible: driving around on Thanksgiving with an empty stomach is no fun. Best of luck!

Mia Francesca – Raleigh

Thanksgiving Day buffet from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. We celebrate fresh NC local ingredients and participate in the NC Agriculture Department’s ‘Got to Be NC’ program. If warm weather is in the forecast, dine al fresco on our patio.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House –Raleigh

Traditional 3-Course Dinner – $38.95- Children’s Menu – $13.95. A la carte dinner menu is also available. Open Noon – 8 p.m.

Elements – Chapel Hill

Turkey Day Brunch. $40 per adult, $18 per child (age 5-12). Times Available: 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Holiday Favorites and Elements Brunch Fare!

The Carolina Inn – Chapel Hill

Join us for our delicious Thanksgiving Brunch buffet from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen – Cary

Leave the cooking to us this year…and the dishes. We are open 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. serving our dinner menu as well as a turkey plate with all the trimmings.

Chef’s Palette – Cary

Traditional Thanksgiving Buffet! 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. $28/adult, $15 ages 6-12. Prime Rib, Turkey, Ham, Fresh Catch and more! We’ll do the work while you enjoy time with your family!

Four Square Restaurant – Durham

Four Square will be serving a 3 course, $60 per person menu. While the price and structure are set, there will be choices on the menu. Of course one will be turkey!

Gregoria’s Cuban Steakhouse – Durham

Join us for Thanksgiving buffet from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Price $29.00 Includes 10 variety of salads, Turkey, Ham and Pork Lechon Asado plus many more.

Hilltop House Restaurant – Fayetteville

Thanksgiving Day Buffet- $27.95; serving a traditional Thanksgiving Buffet from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Fred Chason’s Grandsons – Hope Mills/Fayetteville

Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., $15-$20, traditional dinner with extra fixings.

The post Best Thanksgiving Dinners in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

As one of the unsung workhorses of the American life, we want to mention the humble calendar. Of course, part of this is because we’re offering a sale on our 2015 Monochrome Purity calendar which features gorgeous shots of the newest Porsches. But in a larger sense, we have a lot of memories of calendars.

As a tool and instrument, calendars have very little room to err. As long as the hinge works and the numbers are correct, the calendar is functional. Hang on a wall and your entire year gets recorded in a series of pencil, pen, and highlighter markings. A calendar is something you see in a lot of movies because it’s a functional blend of utility and art.

Hung on a wall, a calendar can become a companion of sorts. Walk into its room and it is there, silently reminding you of the appointments you kept last week and those you have for this week. We remember the calendars from our childhoods, where birthdays and holidays were decorated and counted down toward. These days we pencil in different reminders: anniversaries, Tax Day, doctor’s visits, the vet.

The most important function of a calendar, however, is its most obvious: as a marker of time. People with goals to keep and important dates need a way to reference their progression into the future. It keeps us motivated, and it also provides small milestones. Each morning you can cross another day off the list and remind yourself what you’re moving toward. You might even get attached to the pen or marker you use to track this journey.

As good as electronic calendars are, they can’t replace this physical relationship, just as newspapers, books and other media continue to endure. There is both a corporeal and historical connection to calendars in our minds. It will be a long time before calendars fade away, if ever they do; they’re just too simple.

If you’re looking for a new or pre-owned Porsche in Raleigh, stop by our showroom.

The post Reduced Price on 2015 Calendar: Gorgeous Porsche Photos appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

We never thought we’d say this, but pink doesn’t look too bad. No matter where you look these days, pink is everywhere. That’s because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Grocery bags, football jerseys, pencils, smartphone cases—people are going pink to show their solidarity against this medical condition.

We at Leith Porsche have easy ways for you to raise money for this cause. Because we’re awesome we’ve made this a lot more exciting than writing a check. Consider these fun levels:

• Writing a check = 0.6 fun
• Donating via app = 2.3 fun
• Making it rain with dollar bills = 5.1 fun
• Money parade with floats= 9.9 fun
• Giant check presentation = -1.6 fun

Pretty good, right? We have something better. What if you could make a donation by driving a brand new 911? At Leith Porsche that’s what we think makes the most sense, so while you’re out having fun getting to know a new Cayman, we’ll handle the boring part. Test drive a new Porsche and we’ll donate $25. That’s it! How’s that for easy?

If your car needs a service visit, we’ll donate for that, too. Lots of people need to get their state inspection around this time of year, or pump up their tires, or even just take care of that check engine light that’s been on for a while. For every service visit, we’ll donate $10. Sure, it might not be as fun as driving a new Boxster, but this way you can both take care of your car and make a difference.

What’s our goal and where exactly are funds going? Leith Porsche is partnering with Susan G. Komen, just like last year, to fight breast cancer. Your donations totaled about $18,000 in 2013 so our goal this time around is an even $20,000. For high-performance cars, we think that’s a pretty good way to start.

So stop by Leith Porsche before the month is out to get your test drive or service visit in. Thank you for your support!

The post Leith Porsche 2014 Breast Cancer Fundraising Update appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.

The American Cancer Society has estimated that 232,670 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer by the end of 2014. In addition to that startling approximation, doctors will diagnose another 62,570 women with carcinoma in situ (CIS), which is an early-detected, noninvasive form of breast cancer.

295,240 women in the United States, during the year of 2014, will have received the news that they have some form of breast cancer.

By December, 40,000 women will have lost their lives to breast cancer.

At this time, 2.8 million women have survived breast cancer.

Though statistics indicate a drop in diagnoses – and highlight millions of survivors – we can do better. Our nation has the best facilities and staff to find a cure, narrowing all of the numbers down to one category: survivors. It does, however, take time and research, which requires funding. And we at Leith Porsche want to do our part.

Breast Cancer Awareness

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our team at Leith Porsche has partnered with Audi Cary and Susan G. Komen for another fundraising effort. This will span the entire month of October, from the 1^st to the 31^st, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and treatment.

Here is how it works …

• $10 donation per service visit
• $25 per test drive

Simple, right?

Last October, we raised more than $18,000.

If you haven’t previously made a donation, it is an intrinsically rewarding experience. That is why we are proud to renew our partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which combats breast cancer through a variety of means: scientific research, advocacy, and global education programs. When you come in to either Audi Cary or Leith Porsche for a test drive or service visit, you help work toward a world without breast cancer.

About Susan G. Komen

Susan G. Komen.

While we now associate it with a nonprofit group, it began with one woman’s fight and her unwavering compassion for others – even in her final days. From diagnosis through treatment, Susan G. Komen battled against breast cancer with every fiber of her being, every ounce of positivity from her heart and soul. All the while, she selflessly spent her time in an attempt to better the lives of those around her, disregarding her own situation.

Moved by her sister’s immense capacity for love and kindness, Nancy G. Brinker made the promise that she would commit all of her talent, skills, and power – everything she could muster – to eradicate breast cancer for good.  That promise lives on in the Susan G. Komen for the Cure ®, a global leader of the breast cancer movement.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure ® has invested more than $1.9 billion since its inception in 1982. A vast network of breast cancer survivors remains unrivaled, and they all work indefatigably to save lives, empower people, and invigorate scientific research. It has always been much more than a nonprofit; it is an ideal – a breast cancer-free world.

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In the classic TV show “Seinfeld”, George is acting like a cool guy. He brings a vintage American muscle car to impress a woman, and all is going well until she sees the front seat.

“Is that your orthopedic back pillow?”

“Maybe.”

“Well is it or isn’t it”

“…guess not.”

That’s what we could call economical writing. Humor aside, many of us can empathize with George Costanza. You can have the coolest car in the world, but if it doesn’t offer your back the proper support, driving it will bring you an unwarranted amount of pain.

Getting a properly fitting orthopedic pillow is a great way to make a vehicle truly your own. Think of it as customizing your car precisely to your own body. Having the proper lumbar support can reduce your stress levels, ease strain on your back, neck and head, make you more alert and aware, and make driving a more pleasant experience.

To help you, we scoured Amazon.com and found the most well reviewed lumbar pillows. We looked in multiple categories to ensure that no area of the site would go overlooked (Automotive, Home & Kitchen, Office Products, and Health & Personal Care).

Duro-Med Relax-a-Bac with Insert and Strap, Gray

• Number of reviews: 1,276
• Overall rating: 4 out of 5
• Category: Health & Personal Care

With 1,276 reviews and a 4 out of 5 five stars average rating, the Duro-Med appears an excellent choice. Weighing just under two pounds means that you don’t have to worry about lugging anything into your vehicle. Within the foam cushion is a wooden core to help it retain shape over time.

HoMedics OT-LUM Therapy Lumbar Cushion Support Pillow with Velour Cover

• Number of reviews: 295
• Overall rating: 4 out of 5
• Category: Home & Kitchen

Quantity of reviews isn’t necessarily the determining factor, as a lot of people have wonderful things to say about the HoMedics. Boasting thermo-sensitivity and the ability to respond to body heat, the OT-LUM offers a high degree of customization.

Fellowes Professional Series Back Support, Black

• Number of reviews: 291
• Overall rating: 4 out of 5
• Category: Office Products

The Fellowes offers an unusual design to support both lumbar and mid-spine areas. The lumbar section actually has three memory foam partitions to uniquely shape itself to the person’s back. The included straps ensure that the support won’t move around on you either, remaining firmly in place.

Lumbar Cushion by King of Canes

• Number of reviews: 229
• Overall rating: 4 out of 5
• Category: Automotive

At a hefty three pounds and wide base of support, this pillow was made with the bigger is better mentality. With a super thick base and available rear strap, this non-descript darkly colored support can be easily transferred to whatever vehicle you have for the day.

That’s it! There are plenty of more options within each category, so use the links at the top of the article to do additional research. As with any enterprise, it might take you more than one try to find a product that works for you. We at Leith Porsche hope, however, that you remain positive and find relief for your back. Good luck.

The post Baby Got Back: Your Guide to the Best Orthopedic Lumbar Support for Cars appeared first on Leith Porsche Blog.