No, don’t scratch your head. This is the all-new 911 — an all-new aluminium-bodied car that shares almost nothing with its predecessor. Usually, things get better when you jump from two to three dimensions, making it easier to distinguish new car from old, but not in this case.
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| Photographs by author |
STYLE FILE
Even in flesh, this car is so similar to the earlier ‘997’, it’s baffling. Sure, place the two side by side and the new details and slightly-different proportions emerge; eventually, after spending a couple of days with the car you recognise the new bits instantly. But just how do you tell this one from the old car?
The easiest way is to observe the rear. Unlike the compact back of the earlier ‘997’, this 911 is wider and fuller-looking. An obvious detail is the word ‘Porsche’, spelt out across the back — a throwback to the original 911 from the early ’60s. This new 911 also has a significantly-raked front windscreen, the headlights have been moved out to give it a wider-looking nose, and the longer wheelbase and wider front track give it a more planted stance. Otherwise, it has all the iconic 911 design cues. The half-amphibian, half-reptilian smiley nose, the compact Coke bottle-like shape and the big gumball tyres.
This 911 is nearly 20 per cent stiffer than the earlier one, and with so much of the weight slung over the rear, Porsche says achieving this target was important.
INSIDE STORY
Pull open the light aluminium doors, step into the comfortable cabin and you see the dual appeal the 911 has always had. Ingress is almost as comfy as a luxury saloon, the typical cabin feels better built than an Audi, and the driver’s seat seems to have exactly the right blend of support and cushioning. You can use this car every day and not feel any worse for wear.
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The insides are all 911 too — the horizontally-aligned dials look fantastic and the numbers on the dials are pretty exciting. The slightly over-optimistic speedo reads 330kph, the tachometer is redlined close to 8000rpm, and the split dial gives you oil temperature and pressure.
What’s new inside is the Panamera-like raised central tunnel. This has allowed Porsche to get rid of the small fiddly buttons that earlier infested the tightly packed central console.
UNDER THE HOOD
The ‘993’ may have been the last air-cooled 911, but this new car sounds air-cooled too, especially at start up. You hear that ‘chitty-chitty-chitty’ at idle; but blip the throttle and you get that faint whistling sound, so familiar on Porsches of yore. However, spin the direct-injection flat-six motor harder and the exhaust note tightens up into something between a rasp and a snarl. And the faster you spin it, the harder-edged it gets.
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Driving around quiet roads on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi with windows down and sport exhaust button on, in the new Carrera S was truly divine. This new aluminium chassis feels tight, at least 40-50 per cent stiffer than you expect, and performance from the 3.8-litre motor, even in midrange, is seriously urgent. A big surprise is the all-new electric steering system — it’s so accurate, you can drive this car precisely and quickly, with almost no conscious effort.
The familiar motor may make only 15bhp more but, coupled with the lighter body and the improved gearbox, performance has taken a massive leap forward. It feels brutally quick, even when you are using only 80 per cent of the motor’s potential, the performance gets stronger the harder you rev, and hitting the last 1000rpm, especially in high gear, is awesome.
DRIVER’S DEAL
I was at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit. Could this greener, cram-med-with-all-kinds-of-electronic-driver-aids 911 deliver as pure an experience as the earlier ones?
A couple of hard laps prove that there are times when you miss the extra feel and feedback of the hydraulic steering. However, the new steering works so well in every other area, you soon overlook this little blemish. You can place the car exactly where you want with millimetre precision, even with the tyres protesting. There’s little understeer, while active torque vectoring between the driven rear wheels provides further stability under power. This allows the 911 to shoot out of slow, medium and fast bends — like it’s been shot from a cannon.
Pinning the throttle to the floor and giving the 911 its head, specially towards the top end of the powerband, also makes it feel brutally quick. What’s nice too about the new car’s handling is that it allows you to use the rear weight to your advantage. You can feel it come around in tighter corners but, far from being intimidating, the new 911 encourages you to flick the steering wheel gently and help the car change direction. And that just ups the fun factor massively.
The new 911 also drives much better in street mode. While the earlier motor had a gutless bottom end and a PDK gearbox that was reluctant to downshift, this one feels far more energetic and willing. There’s considerably more muscle at regular driving speeds, the gearbox is infinitely sweeter and ride quality is better too. Despite the 20-in rims, the suspension is more supple, the active engine mounts cradle the engine with soft hands and the 911 now only thumps through poorly paved sections rather than crashing through them.
FINAL VERDICT
The new 911 may be designed for a greener era but Porsche has engineered the fun-to-drive factor into every single nut and bolt. And its appeal is truly global. A little care and smaller rims, and you could use this car everyday, on our roads.
This is one of the best sports cars in the world. But how many Indian buyers will have the good sense to snap up the new 911, which even at Rs 1.13 crore, is actually surprisingly good value? It’s rare to find a car that blends everyday usability and super car performance into one package.
SPEC check
PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S
Price: Rs 1.13 crore (ex-showroom) 0-100kph: 4.3 seconds Top speed: 302kph L/W/H: 4491/1808/1303mm n Wheelbase: 2450mm n Engine: 6-cyls, horizontally opposed, 3800cc, petrol/ rear, longitudinal, rear-wheel-drive n Power: 394bhp at 7400rpm Torque: 44.9kgm at 5600rpm n Gearbox: 7-speed manual, 7-speed auto
High on the highway: The interiors of the Porsche 911 Carrera S look swanky and spell comfort
My dream car
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I think the Mercedes spells elegance and I would love one in a classy white. On the other hand, I associate cars with Michael Schumacher and it’s a dream to own a red sports car. The Porsche is stunning and I would love to drive one.
– Sheena Chohan, model