Bo ost sho er t fue deIt mig l co bu htn nsu ts a ’t l mp n al ook tion l-ne dra . Ga w d ma uta rive tical m train ly d Sh th iffe arm at ren a r deliv t, bu ate er t P s it s m ors as ore che a tr of ’s ue ev upd eve ery ate ryd thin d 9 ay g – 11 T sup exc urb erc ept o ar
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Porsche 911 Turbo | First Drive
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Enlarged exhaust tips and bi-plane rear wing make it easy to distinguish the 2010 911 Turbo from its forerunner
I
s this car faster around the Nürburgring than a Nissan GT-R?” I queried somewhat cheekily at the official press conference during the media launch of the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo in Portugal. I figured, at the very least, the response would provide some entertainment value – if not hard facts – about the new Porker’s prowess. For those who came in late, Nissan has been shouting from the rooftops about the 7min 26sec lap its allpaw demon has allegedly accomplished around the dipping, diving Nordschleife, but it’s a claim the Germans have poohpoohed from the outset, saying there’s no way in hell this could have been set in a standard car with road tyres. Be that as it may, the question was answered in the most diplomatic way possible, with a senior Porsche official venturing that an independent magazine had managed a best of 7min 38sec in the GT-R and that, consequently, the 7min 39sec lap posted by the 911 Turbo indicated that “we are very close”. Accompanying the response was the slightest of smiles. The new 911 Turbo comes more than three years after the 997 Series model arrived in showrooms, and while it’s not an “all-new” car, Porsche’s team of labcoats has thoroughly reworked the drivetrain to yield a package that’s faster, more surefooted and unlikely to make enemies within the tree-hugging brigade. The revamp is worth sitting up and taking notice of, as it’s the first time in
the 911 Turbo’s 35-year history that the engine has been created from scratch (until now it had been a case of constant refinement and development). Supplementing the lag-reducing variable-geometry turbochargers from the outgoing model – with vanes that vary in angle to mimic a small turbo at low revs and a larger one at high revs – are directinjection, dry-sump lubrication (making for a lower centre of gravity and less wasted energy) and an “expansion-type” intake manifold that boosts efficiency across the rev range. The raw stats aren’t earth-shattering, as peak power rises modestly from 473bhp to 493bhp, while torque is up from 620Nm to 650Nm (or 700Nm with the Overboost function in cars equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Plus Package). What the numbers don’t fully convey is the sheer unrelenting urge that’s on tap from 2000rpm to 6000rpm. Arguably the biggest news, though, is the supplanting of the outgoing model’s antiquated five-speed Tiptronic auto by a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch sequential gearbox. Better still, this gearbox can be had with paddle-shift levers (optional) in lieu of the infuriating steering wheelmounted shift buttons that severely compromised the driving experience in its predecessor. Yes, Porsche has finally addressed the biggest gripe of every enthusiastic Turbo pilot. But here’s what you really want to know: this thing is fast… spinecompressing fast, in fact. Porsche
Optional RS Spyder wheels with central bolt are delectable
conservatively quotes a 3.6sec 0-100km/h split for the PDK-equipped 911 Turbo, but we managed to repeat a couple of 3.2sec dashes in a car with the optional Sport Chrono Plus and Launch Control. It’s a no-brainer, too. Just dial up the requisite revs, sidestep the brake and you become an instant traffic-light-grandprix champ. The rate of acceleration barely diminishes as speeds rise, with 200km/h dispatched in 11.3sec, and a top whack of 312km/h. Yet, Porsche boasts the 911 Turbo is the only car in its category that
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Porsche 911 Turbo | First Drive
‘here’s what you want to know: this thing is fast... spinecompressing fast, in fact’ doesn’t fall victim to the Gas Guzzler Tax in the US, thanks to a miserly overall fuel consumption figure of 11.4L/100km (11.6L/100km for the six-speed manual). As potent and elastic as the new engine is, it still doesn’t completely overcome the lag that comes with having a force-
TOP 911 Turbo is equally at home on a racetrack as it is in the real world ABOVE 3.8 engine shares nothing with outgoing 3.6 unit
fed engine. Stamp on the throttle at dawdling speeds and there’s the briefest of pauses as the turbos spool up and ram compressed air into the intake manifold. This is particularly noticeable below 2000rpm, where the 911 Turbo can’t match the cracking throttle response of a Carrera S or, better still, a GT3. That said, the 911 Turbo is electrifyingly fast everywhere. The fact it ate up the Estoril circuit with little of the brake fade or roly-poly characteristics that usually mar road-going cars on racetracks was no surprise, but more eye-opening was its appetite for poorly surfaced B roads. The drive route took in an assortment of narrow, twisting – and occasionally lumpy – Portuguese back roads, but these were all quickly and effortlessly dealt with. Porsche has been a past master in endowing supple ride in its performancefocused offerings, and the Turbo is no exception. Even a roughly cobbled section didn’t have our noggins banging against the roof… except with the suspension in “Sport” mode! The handling dynamics are pretty much foolproof too. Early 911s, and especially the Turbo versions, had a propensity for disappearing into the scenery – backwards – with little warning, but the 2010 iteration is supremely easy to pedal at pace. The chassis electronics no doubt play a role here, as the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and Porsche Stability Management (PSM) systems have been enhanced, and they’re now ◊ December 2009 WWW.AUTOCARmAg.COm 29
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Clustered instrument panel is a Porsche trademark, but the design is now starting to look a bit dated
Three-spoke steering wheel is a delight to hold, and polished alloy spokes look great
∆ supplemented (in PDK-equipped cars) with a new mechanical rear limited-slip differential that brings yet another acronym – PTV (for Porsche Torque Vectoring). In a nutshell, PTV combats understeer by braking the inside rear wheel when necessary, encouraging the car to turn in, rather than push straight on. It works, and the 911 Turbo is one of the most
Sport Chrono Package brings a swivel-mounted timer that can record individual lap times and the number of laps completed
PdK gearbox is a huge improvement over Tiptronic. gearlever supplemented by steering wheel buttons (or optional paddles, as in this car)
formidable point-and-squirt weapons you can lay your hands on. It’s also a doddle to drive in traffic, with the PDK gearbox providing virtually seamless shifts for the most part, and the super-smooth 3.8-litre powerplant doing little to compromise refinement levels. An interesting new feature on Sport Chrono Plus-equipped cars is “active” engine mounts, and these
vary their stiffness and damping effect so the chassis/drivetrain still has a solid, connected feel, but without compromising comfort. Speaking of comfort, the seats are also agreeably sculpted, and the newly designed three-spoke steering wheel is a delight to hold and behold, with the grippy leather rim framing a trio of polished alloy spokes, within which are ◊
RIVALS –THE UBER-COUPÉ BRIGADE
Effortless high-speed touring in a range of conditions is what the 911 Turbo excels at
Engine Power Torque Transmission 0-100km/h Top speed Price
NiSSAN gT-R
AUdi R8 V10
BmW m6
ASTON mARTiN V12 VANTAgE
3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 473bhp 588Nm Six-speed sequential 3.8sec 310km/h From $120,000
5.2-litre V10 517bhp 530Nm Six-speed sequential 3.9sec 316km/h From $143,000
5.0-litre V10 500bhp 520Nm Seven-speed sequential 4.5sec 250km/h (limited) From $132,000
6.0-litre V12 510bhp 570Nm Six-speed manual 4.6sec 305km/h From $197,000
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First Drive | Porsche 911 Turbo
‘it’ll pin your shoulders back everytime you mash the throttle’ resulting in a muffled exhaust note. For me, the lack of aural excitement is but one symptom of car that’s superbly accomplished, but perhaps slightly bereft of the passion and charisma you might expect in an exalted supercar. On the flipside is the fact that it’s more userfriendly than most of its rivals – even the BMW M6, which is hamstrung by its harsh-shifting sequential gearbox – and the best proposition as a daily driver. So there you have it: the new 911 Turbo is typically Germanic supercar you can happily live with everyday. It’ll pin your shoulder blades to the backrest everytime you mash the throttle, and you’ll be able to turn up at track days whenever you feel the urge and wallop most other comers. Yet the Porsche also enables you to comfortably tackle the urban crawl on the way home. Just a smidgeon more personality might have been nice though. L
ABOVE All-paw grip makes for stunning acceleration out of tight corners
fACTfILE Vitals
∆ a cleverly integrated pair of display panels that show what mode you’re in. However, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel the clustered instrument panel (with five intersecting dials) looks a bit cluttered and old-hat in an age when dashboard minimalism is starting to come to the fore. In fact, the cabin has a feeling of datedness about it, and it lacks the feeling of specialness you find on sliding into the innards of a Lamborghini Gallardo or Audi R8. Porsche hasn’t gone overboard with the exterior revamp either, and among the few distinguishing marks are LED daytime running lights (replacing the conventional foglamps) and titaniumcoloured louvers in the side air intakes. The new tail-lights are festooned with LEDs, and other tweaks to the derriere include a split wing and a larger set of tailpipes. Somewhat disappointingly, these emit a nondescript “whoosh” under throttle, rather than the tuneful bellow you’d get in an Italian exotic. This isn’t a surprise though, as turbocharging more often than not has the effect of
PORSChE 911 TURBO Engine 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six Power 493bhp at 6000rpm Torque 650Nm from 1950-5000rpm; 700Nm from 2100-4000rpm (Overboost) Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch PDK sequential Length 4450mm Width 1852mm Height 1300mm Wheelbase 2350mm Kerb weight 1645kg 0-100km/h 3.6sec 0-200km/h 12.1sec Top speed 312km/h Price From $133,000 (Cabriolet from $144,000) On sale Deliveries start January 2010
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