The 992 now engulfs us in all its guises and the model is actually as brilliant as ever. Does the eternal success of the Porsche 911 feel like a rut?
At the facelift of the 991 generation, the 911 Carrera got a turbo engine just like the S, which of course took some getting used to after decades of characteristic atmospheric howling. And where the non-S had a smaller engine in the past, the car now got the same 3.0-liter boxer engine as the S. That stayed with the transition to the 992 generation. Of course there was some tweaking and there was the inevitable increase in power, but not as much as with the S. The car has two turbos, just like the S, but these are smaller. As a result, they wind up faster, so that the throttle response is very eager. Despite the smaller blowers, the engine knows how to keep up with high speeds.
Yes, the S is pumping harder there, but we know enough turbo blocks at the top that are more deadly than this 911. It is linked to the new eight-speed PDK transmission, a manual gearbox will only be available to the starter later. We will not measure anyone with a preference for a manual 911, but the machine is extremely good. Smooth and soft in traffic jams and city traffic, but fast and alert on a mountain road or circuit. Of course he does not achieve the extreme hardness of a GT3, but that is not necessary for this level of sports car.
The Carrera shows how important the big picture is. Everything is correct. The steering is fine, the seating position is top, the response of the carriage to your gas input is fine and because of the way the turbos wind up at high revs, you never bother with a turbo hole. The interior is sleek and perfectly finished with a modern multimedia touchscreen that incorporates the most important things. The car is also fast. The sprint was a bit disappointing due to the wet weather, which the winter tires had difficulties with, but trust us, once you are on the road you never run out of power. Sportsmanship then? Well no, neither. The Carrera doesn’t have four-wheel steering or PASM suspension (with harder suspension, stabilizers and lower road holding) but are we really missing that? No. The car is top notch, you can wring out the engine without risking jail time and you won’t feel patronized or pinched for a moment. The test car had the Sport Chrono Package, with the rotary knob on the steering wheel and the excellent sports mode of the ESP, which lets you have fun with a non-disturbing safety net. The main difference from the previous generation, however, is not its dynamics (although it is undoubtedly faster on the same track), but its GT qualities, which are better than ever. The car offers enough comfort to drive to the South of France, without the 911 feeling disappearing. In terms of driving, the 911 offers unprecedented purity. Naturally fluent with that well-known mechanical boxer sound, which unfortunately has less freedom due to turbos and particle filters than before, but in these electrical times it is already nice that it is still possible.