Porsche 992 911
991 Carreras are not exactly off the mark performance wise but the 992 moves the game on a notch or two. 444bhp combined with 391lb ft of torque. Up 30bhp and 22lb ft respectively. The Carrera S equipped with the Sport Chrono pack covers the 0- 62mph benchmark in 3.5sec and a 4S will do it in 3.4sec. Remember there is only one ‘wide’ body style with the 992. And we now have an 8-speed PDK dual clutch Box which should ensure that Porsche stay ate the fore in providing the world’s best gearboxes.
The performance lift over the outgoing Carrera S is obvious the second you drive the car and, coupled with the new eight-speed gearbox the new powertrain is just immense and the engine sounds good especially for a turbo unit.
So what of the chassis? Absolutely terrific. At first on the motorway, you’re impressed at the refinement on offer inside the 992 given it is running on 21” rear rims and the optional 10mm drop in suspension, the cabin feels almost too quiet and plush for you to be in a sports car, and the ride is impressively compliant. A car that will cover continents with ease and leave it’s occupants fresh and ready for more. Wind noise inside the cabin is also impressive. A new wet mode for difficult conditions makes life easier as well.
But find some space, nudge the gearbox into Sport and the new powertrain is instantaneous in it’s delivery and soon you’re covering distances at will, tight hairpins and seriously difficult bends are all taken at speed that probably wouldn’t have been possible outside a full blown GT3 in the previous generation. The brakes really are quite excellent, strong and feelsome, bringing your speed down with ridiculous ease. In the corners you could be forgiven for thinking you are in a 991 generation GTS, front track width is up, increasing front-end grip and therefore confidence and while grip at both ends is improved, it’s at the front that you really feel it giving the confidence to really push the car in the bends.
Porsche have engineered an all-new bodyshell, now over 60% aluminium, the 991’s was less than 40% aluminium. And this is a great looking car tweaked and enhanced subtly but the net result is a more aggressive looking car than the 991.
The interior is another move on from the 991 but to my eyes not a resounding success. But there is no denying from a technology viewpoint it contests with the best with a simple dash in the vain of the Panamera with it’s part electronic dials with the analogue REV counter centrally placed. The infotainment centre is simply huge for this type of sports car. No heads up display though which I had understood was now available in a Panamera. A surprising omission!
Electronics abound in this car but it never never feels digital or synthetic on the move–from the optional rear-wheel steering (£1592) to adaptive dampers which are standard – the 10mm lower Sport set-up is £665, active anti-roll bars (PDDC, is an optional, £2273) to a torque-vectoring diff which is standard.
The 992 isn’t perfect but with every new version Porsche come closer and closer into turning this rear engined machine into the best drivers car available on the planet. Can’t wait for the specials, the GTS and the GT3 variants. Going to be some machines. As it is the base version get five stars imo right now.