PORSCHE 911 TURBO S by Tony Yates
I’ m going to be honest here, unlike Si – our editor, I am not a big Porsche fan – but the 911 Turbo is a amazing car.
So first off- here are some stats; inside you will find a 3.8 litre twin turbo horizontally opposed engine that sits at the rear and produces 397 kW( 540 hp) and a maximum torque of 710 Nm. 0 to 62 mph comes up in 3.0 seconds( with launch control) and a on a race track you will reach a max top speed of 198 mph. Now I have your full attention I will begin;
Design: The new 911 Turbo is one of the best looking in the range and it has this ability to appeal to a person’ s heart as well as their heads. I said I was not a Porsche fan – but if I am honest, I can’ t stop looking at it because it is such a stunning looking machine that’ s extraordinary in every way. Looking down its flanks makes me go all giddy – as does looking at that rear end because it is positively one of best designed rear flanks you are ever likely to see. Yes the 911 has been around since the beginning of time – but then Porsche have an ability to take a design that let’ s face it, has had many incarnations over many years- and then refine it until they end up offering you something that is simply staggering- this will of course immediately send you into a sort of daze with a lust beyond words.
You’ ll find an all new front section which has the addition of LED headlights and 4 point daytime running lights as standard specification on all models. Then, at the rear you will find the elegantly designed three dimensional tail lights and the powerfully shaped twin tailpipes that you tend to find nailed to the back of NASA Rocket. The interior is just as dynamic as the exterior. Sitting inside a modern Porsche is just as good as it has always been. This is a driver focused car- everything is in the right place and placed perfectly at the drivers fingertips. Nothing in here is out of place or fussy.
One of the most important features for me is the next generation steering wheel which is derived from the 918 Spyder. You can actually feel those emotions associated with motorsport once you press the starter and take control. The only way I can describe the feeling is that – and this may sound completely bonkers- but it feels like the 911 has become part of your central nervous system. You instantly have this feeling of wanting to race. What other car makes you feel this way – nothing I have been in for a while anyway.
As standard the Turbo also comes with plenty of equipment, including dual-zone climate, heated windscreen washer jets, electric sports seats and a media system that features integrated sat-nav, USB, Internet functions and a whole host of things to keep you happy for hours.
Chassis: The chassis of the 911 Turbo is epic – there is no other word to describe it. The smooth high speed manoeuvrability of the 911 is the icing on your nans sponge cake when it comes to having a lot of fun with a car that basically, has a very large engine hanging out the back. Also, being a 911 it has exceptional levels of stability and cornering agility thanks to those Porsche engineers and those large 20 inch wheels which all help in playing their part in keeping the 911 firmly planted onto the tarmac. Even with four-wheel drive, if you are planning on dialling in a generous amount of throttle, a degree of caution needs to be applied in the wet by the driver, no matter what your experience level is- because it will – make the car rotate with ease and catch you out when you are least expecting it. But, the chassis is transparent enough to make up for the loss of traction from the rear and you can feel when things are getting on the edge so that makes it a little bit more predictable- which then allows you to correct any errors you may have made in your quest for hyperspeed. Also, remember 540bhp should not be dismissed – because at times it can be a little scary – especially because of the way the 911 Turbo gets you from standstill to Defcon1.
Rear-axle steering: I am not sure I understand this fully – but here goes anyway. Porsche says:‘ Thanks to the rear axle steering- at speeds up to 31 mph, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to that of the front wheels. This has the virtual effect of shortening the wheelbase. The turning circle is reduced, steering into corners becomes much more dynamic and parking is noticeably easier. At speeds above 49 mph, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as that of the front wheels. The result is a virtual extension of the wheel base and increased stability when performing high speed manoeuvres on the motorway’. I hope you all got that – so, for people who don’ t understand it either, this basically means is that it is pretty much nailed to the deck at any speed.
To sum up: Everything about the 911 Turbo is absolute perfection, I’ m missing it terribly already.
Price: Porsche 911 Turbo costs from 126,925
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