Porsche 911 Review

Revised turbochargers and a host of other revisions mean even the entry-level Carrera now produces 385hp. It’ll get from 0-60mph in just 4.0 seconds and crack 182mph, while it’s wide powerband means you always have oomph when you put your foot down.

The Carrera S and 4S get the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six but produce 450hp, 530Nm of torque and an earthy howl that’ll get the hair standing up on a petrol head’s neck.

In raw performance terms, the Carrera 2S gets from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds, while the 4S’s extra grip off the line means it hits 60 fractionally quicker – in 3.2 seconds. Both cars scythe from 0-120mph in under 14 seconds and with enough room can hit 190mph flat out.

But beyond these lies the Turbo S, which produces a monstrous 650ps and is to good at transferring it to the road via its automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive that it’ll execute 0-60mph in just 2.7 seconds. Top Speed? 205mph no less.

Apply the figures from any 911 to real-world situations and you have a car that offers great get up and go from low revs with bags of acceleration no matter which gear you’re in or what speed you’re travelling at. That usable performance comes about thanks to turbochargers that deliver full torque from not much more than tick over.

You can also thank the turbos for the 911’s admirable official combined fuel economy of just under 32mpg – the best you’ll get out of the comparable BMW M4 is 28mpg and it’s slower in a sprint.

The Porsche’s standard eight-speed automatic gearbox also makes it more usable. Its higher top gear (the old 911 only had seven speeds) means the car cruises more quietly on the motorway and doesn’t burn so much fuel while doing so.

The Porsche 911 isn’t just a usable sports car it’s one of the most fun-to-drive sports cars you can buy, which makes its easy-to-live-with nature even more surprising.

Communication is what the 911 is all about. Head down the road in the Porsche and its controls make it feel like you’ve been driving alternatives – such as the BMW 8 Series – by remote control.

You can steam up to corners using the firm pedal to modulate the powerful brakes perfectly, turn in quickly as the front tyres grip the Tarmac hard then power out using the immense traction created by having the engine sitting over the back wheels. It’s so good that you only need the four-wheel-drive Carrera 4S if you live somewhere where the roads are always slippy. In terms of involvement, it’s hard to think of a normal car – or anything that’s vaguely practical – that offers more.

And the more you drive it the more you learn to trust it, knowing that the car’s electronic safety net will come to your rescue even if you do push beyond your abilities.

That safeguard’s bolstered further by a new feature called Wet Mode. Acoustic sensors in the front wheels detect the pitter patter of moisture sprayed up by the tyres and warn you when the ground’s getting slippy. You can then switch to Wet mode – which raises the rear spoiler for more downforce and puts the car’s stability programmes on red alert – so it’s impossible to get the 911 out of shape no matter how stupidly you drive it.

You don’t have to drive like a loon to enjoy the Porsche, though. Pootling about town you can revel in the car’s excellent forward visibility and short nose that makes it easy to thread down tight streets. And, even if you don’t spot incoming disaster, the car’s automatic emergency brakes should stop an imminent collision.

There’s a whole suite of optional electronics that can also take the monotony out of motorway driving. Specify adaptive cruise control, along with lane-assist with traffic-sign recognition and you’ll end up with a 911 that can drive itself down any road with a white centre line while autonomously observing the speed limit. It can even bring the car to a complete halt and make off again automatically when the traffic starts moving again.