► New 2016 Porsche 911 unveiled
► 2nd generation 991 at Frankfurt
► Turbos, 20bhp boost all round
And so the next chapter of Porsche 911-kind begins. Stuttgart has confirmed the worst-kept secret in motoring: the second-generation 991 will sprout a pair of turbochargers on lowly Carreras, boosting power and torque significantly and lowering emissions and fuel consumption.
This is downsizing in action. The new 2016 model year 991.2 will shrink the flat six to 3.0 litres in capacity, but swell outputs through forced induction. Key figures are:
- Porsche 911 Carrera 365bhp, 332lb ft from 1700-5000rpm, from £76,412
- Porsche 911 Carrera S 414bhp, 369lb ft from 1700-5000rpm, from £85,857
In both instances, that’s 20 horses more than their predecessors. Both models share the same capacity; the Carrera S’s extra power comes from modified turbos, a separate exhaust and tuned engine management.
Turbos for all on the 911: but will it be boring?
Porsche is keen to pledge not. The redline is set at 7500rpm, quite high for a forced-induction engine.
And the downsizing pays dividends at the pumps: Porsche claims the base Carrera with PDK auto achieves a combined average of 38.2mpg, while the similarly equipped Carrera S manages 36.7mpg. The cars go on sale in December 2015.
How fast are the new 991.2 Porsches?
Predictably rapid. The Carrera now dispatches 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds (when equipped with the seven-speed PDK ‘box and Sports Chrono) while the S dips below four seconds to record a claimed 3.9sec. Top speeds stand at 183mph and 191mph.
These are ‘base’ 911s, remember. It’s extraordinary to think that these lowliest coupes will out-muscle Turbos and GT3s from not so long ago… There’s more technology trickle-down here, too: the Turbo and GT3’s four-wheel steering is now available on the Carrera S as an option.
A manettino from Porsche
Check out the steering wheel of the new 2016 model year 911. You’ll see a driving mode switch, a bit like you’ll find on modern Ferraris. Choose from Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual, letting drivers select different models on the PASM active dampers (now standard across the range), transmission behaviour and the lairiness of the sports exhaust, where equipped.
And a Sports Response Button on the PDK will prepare the transmission for an extended 20sec burst of extra acceleration before overtaking; razor-fast throttle response and the lowest, punchiest gear are pre-selected.
Standard equipment includes leather seats, sat-nav, colour touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, bi-xenon headlamps, PASM adaptive dampers and anti-theft tracking package. The infotainment is significantly upgraded, with Apple CarPlay compatibility, iPad-style swiping on the touchscreen, voice control and cloud connectivity.
The 911: 52 years old and counting
The latest changes to the 911 are designed to keep the sports-car-that-refused-to-die going until its successor planned for later this decade. And while it’s hard not to be impressed by economy figures that wouldn’t embarrass an exec, we just hope the all-turbo 991.2 range hasn’t disappeared out of reach of mere mortals – with performance figures more akin to a fully blown supercar and prices soaring to nearly £100k for a Carrera S Cabriolet.
Next year’s new four-cylinder Boxster and Cayman twins take on an additional appeal…
