GERMAN POWERHAUS
Few cars still in production carry as much historical gravitas as Porsches truly iconic 911 and thankfully, the story is set to continue with the latest release of the incredible rear-engined sports car.
Almost 60 years in the making, it’s not especially surprising that Porsche have come to understand their customer base when it comes to the 911, and they’re not short of understanding the wider automotive community either for that matter. Performance, style, technology and of course, an extra dose of that instantly recognisable style previously mentioned.
Bringing the ever evolving 911 design up to date, the latest release actually brings a touch of the past back into the fore with design features taking inspiration from models of yesteryear. The eighth generation of this powerhouse from the German marque adds a wider stance, more assertive aesthetic and the most technologically advanced iteration yet. Maintaining the round and upright form synonymous with the 911, the newly developed LED headlights offer a visual demonstration of how technology has advanced while a continuous LED light strip and distinctive third brake light at the rear – which is set into the vertically arranged rear louvre designed air intake – continue the dynamic and modern aesthetic theme.
The latest 911’s headlights are entirely and almost seamlessly set into the front wings while the forward-extended bonnet harks back to the earlier G Series 911 from the 80’s creating a sleeker, dynamic look. Adding to the new visuals, the front intake in black perfectly integrate the latest running lights which add to the cars presence during the day.
It is at the rear that you will notice the most obvious visual changes on the 911. That sleek, aggressive aesthetic comes in the shape of not only bigger wheels at the rear, but extended wheel arches and a considerably wider stance creating a much lower, even sportier look. Add to this that striking air intake with its structured louvres and enlarged extending spoiler – which includes its own additional brake light to replace the fixed louvre setup when raised – and you have one of the most aggressive 911 Carrera 4S’ to ever grace the road.
Talking of gracing the road, this car has it all when it comes to driving pleasure. A ride that is both firm and comfortable, you will never be short of responsiveness through corners or stability on the straight whilst maintaining the everyday usability that the car has become renowned for. With its softer, more comfortable side, you can enjoy driving through towns and cities with all the added ground features – speed bumps and potholes to name a few – just as much as the open road. That is however where this car really comes to life.
Boasting a new generation of their spectacular turbocharged flat-six engine, the latest 911 packs a 3.0-litre block producing a whopping 450 PS and 530 Nm of torque which combine to offer a blistering zero to sixty-two time of just 3.6 seconds – or 3.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package – and top speed of 190 mph. Needless to say these are impressive figures in their own right, but when you consider everything else this car has to offer, you begin to understand – at least to some degree – why the 911 Carrera 4S coupé’s price tag starts at just shy of £98.5k.
Combined with the silky smooth and lightning fast gear changes offered by the 8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), you will enjoy unnoticeable changes at light load and immediate, unfathomably quick changes when driving a little more aggressively. This is thanks to the double-clutch, dual half-gearbox setup meaning the car is able to prepare the next required gear before you even think about making the change. The system is so efficient that you will rarely find use or necessity to utilise the paddle shift option, however, it’s always enjoyable to have a little play every now and again with your own gear selection.
Performance relies solely on gears one to six offering sports ratios with top speed achieved in the latter, while two overdrive gears – seven and eight – provide improved efficiency and comfort by reducing the revolutions at low load and high speed. Also helping to adhere to continually tightening emission and efficiency regulation is a completely redesigned air intake system which features newly positioned intercoolers – now sitting centrally under the tailgate grille to improve the inflow and outflow of cooling air – dramatically improving efficiency. At the same time, the new piezo-controlled injectors directly inject fuel into the combustion chambers and asymmetrical intake camshafts improve fuel management and combustion in order to reduce consumption and emissions.
All of that power and combustion has to go somewhere and thankfully, Porsche have created a suitably apparent exhaust system through which to expel it. A central rear silencer leads into two laterally positioned tailpipes uniquely designed with two pipes positioned either side of the lowered number plate mount. Available in silver or black to suit your style, the system is not only a fitting finish to the cars look, but offers a superb soundtrack for your weekend drive – or even commute should you so choose.
Inside, Porsche have continued the sleek, athletic theme from the exterior. Bringing a clean aesthetic with simple, easy to use controls and switchgear along with one of the most user friendly interfaces around, you can maintain full concentration on the road whilst making alterations on everything from the music your listening to and temperature of the cabin to the cars setup and safety functions.
This is where the technology comes in to its own. Taking cues from the marque’s sister companies along with development of in-house technologies, Porsche have created a virtually autonomous setup. Collision and brake assist combine with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping and changing assist including traffic sign recognition and night vision to deliver one of the most responsive and safe experiences on the road.
Everything you need is neatly displayed on a combination of analogue and digital displays. An analogue rev counter is the central element while to the left and right of this sit two high-resolution 7-inch displays that provide all the essential car information on virtual instruments. Next to this positioned in the centre console is the high-resolution 10.9-inch touchscreen display which offers access to everything through the Porsche Communication Management system.
The latest iteration of the 911 continues this cars rich history as one of the most functional luxury sports cars around and now provides the added benefit of further improved styling and vastly improved performance, efficiency and safety. Yes, you will find yourself delving a little deeper into your bank balance should you choose to go for the range topping Carrera 4S, but with that, you will get the most advanced 911 to hit the road and can drive in the knowledge that you should be able to handle any situation on almost any road regardless of the conditions thanks to the all-wheel drive system. Lets not forget those performance figures too.
