Porsche marked its presence at the 2008 New York Auto Show, not with more SUVs or a Panamera "4-door coupe" but with a pair of products true to its high-performance sports-car heritage.

2008 Porsche 911 GT2

2008 Porsche 911 GT2
2008 Porsche 911 GT2

2008 Porsche 911 GT2
2008 Porsche 911 GT2

Is the Porsche 911 Turbo too tame? Is its 480-horsepower engine just not doing it for you? Then the folks in Stuttgart may have your ride. Enter the 2008 911 GT2. It might not look too much different than a regular 911 Turbo, but its visage is deceiving. While both the Turbo and GT2 have a boosted 3.6-liter horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine, the latter's motor is the product of even more force-feeding. With a peak output of 530 horsepower, the GT2 is the most powerful production 911 to date. A revised intake manifold and larger compressor wheels on the twin turbochargers give this potent Porsche a 50-horsepower boost over the standard 911 Turbo model. The company also claims that despite the power increase, fuel economy improves by up to 15 percent.

CG Says...
Five hundred-plus horsepower but lower fuel consumption? We'll believe it when we see it. Hey, Porsche, can we please see it? Please?

Other features specific to the GT2 include a titanium muffler and tailpipe, which weigh about 50-percent less than comparable parts made from stainless steel. Also standard are high-performance carbon fiber/ceramic brake discs and Porsche Active Suspension Management.

If you want one, get in line and have your executive platinum credit card handy. The 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 goes on sale later this year at a price just south of $200,000.

2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder

2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder
2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder

2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder
2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder

Already in production, Porsche showed off the special edition RS 60 Spyder version of its Boxster two-seat convertible. This model rolls off the assembly line as a tribute to Porsche's 1960 victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring race, where Olivier Gendebien drove a Type 718 RS 60 Spyder.

CG Says...
No doubt the Porsche faithful will queue up to purchase every one of these limited-edition roadsters. Most of them have probably been sold already. It's nice to see Porsche wanting to celebrate its sports-car heritage, but we hope this won't start a trend where the company will release a non-stop stream of "special edition" vehicles.

Porsche is basing the modern iteration of the RS 60 on its top-line Boxster S model, decking it out in GT Silver Metallic paint and specific 19-inch wheels on high-performance tires. Suspension settings are unique to this car, and it comes standard with Porsche's electronic Active Suspension Management.

The RS 60's midship-mounted 3.4-liter horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine gets a slight boost in horsepower to 303 from the standard Boxster S model's 295.

A total of 1,960 2008 RS 60 Spyders will see production. About 800 or so will be offered for sale in North America at a starting price of $64,900.