Purpose, Power & Poise
The striking new Porsche 911 is nothing short of sensational, writes Paul Agnew. Photography: Peter Austin
Is there anything Porsche designers and engineers can’t do? Having just made acquaintance with the sensational and innovative new Porsche 911, it would appear not.
For they have taken a truly iconic sports car – perhaps the truly iconic sports car and most certainly a vehicle respected, loved and admired the world over – and guess what?
They’ve achieved what many believed impossible – they’ve made it even better.
Not only that, they have also brought the 911 – a car steeped in tradition and motorsport – forward with purpose, power and poise to take its place at the front of the future.
From launch are two variants – the 911 Carrera and Carrera GTS. The first street-legal 911 GTS is equipped with a super-lightweight and powerful T-Hybrid system. It’s quite important at this point not to get confused by the inclusion of the word ‘hybrid’ in the name.
Essentially the 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid is a petrol-powered, mean machine with a newly developed 3.6-litre, flat-six cylinder ‘boxer’ engine, electric turbocharger and electric motor which can capture kinetic energy to feed back into the battery. There are no plugs and there is no estimated electric range.
But does it hit the sweet spot and deliver in terms of true Porsche performance? You bet it does.
Combined peak power is up to 534bhp, with 610Nm of torque and it can power from 0-62mph in three seconds to reach a top speed of 194mph.
Just in case you think you’ve mis-read that – 0-62mph in THREE seconds and a top speed of 194mph!
But there is so much more to tell you about.
For starters, a striking design with new exterior styling, optimised and active aerodynamics, a fresh interior, upgraded standard equipment and expanded connectivity.
A more sporting, streamlined exterior means improved aerodynamics and performance with changes including new, model-specific bumpers and stunning LED headlights with four-point graphic. This makes it possible to omit the front driving lights and creates space for larger cooling vents in the front of the car.
The new headlights are offered with the option of HD matrix LED functions featuring more than 32,000 light points. The high-performance high beam illuminates the road to a distance of more than 600 metres and also offers innovative additional functions such as a driving-mode-dependent dynamic cornering light, lane brightening, construction site and bottleneck light and a non-dazzling high beam that is precise to the pixel.
The redesigned light strip with an integrated arc and Porsche logo makes the tail appear deeper and a re-designed rear grille with five fins per side connects to the rear window to form a graphic unit that fades into the retractable spoiler below. The number plate is positioned higher, with a clearly structured rear bumper. Model-specific exhaust systems are elegantly integrated into the striking diffuser fins.
There is, of course, a sports exhaust system and those clever aforementioned engineers used knowledge gained from motor racing as the basis for designing the ‘hybrid’ system.
The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS rolls on 21-inch wheels with a width of 11.5 inches and in the cockpit, you’ll discover the familiar design DNA combined with modern technology.
Driver Experience control focuses on the driver’s axis and intuitive, faster operation. Essential control elements centre directly on or around the steering wheel. These include the standard driving mode switch and revised driver assistance lever.
In the centre console storage compartment of the new 911, there is a cooled compartment for smartphones, with a wireless charging function.
The fully-digital instrument cluster houses a 12.6-inch curved display which fits elegantly into the new control and display concept and can be extensively customised.
The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system is still operated via the high-resolution central display with a 10.9-inch screen.
There are new connectivity features with a QR code significantly simplifying the logging-on process to the PCM with the Porsche ID. Apple CarPlay® is more deeply integrated into the car and, if desired, it displays information in the instrument cluster and enables the operation of vehicle functions directly in the Apple® ecosystem, for example via the Siri® voice assistant.
Video streaming is also available (optional) and Apps like Spotify® and Apple Music® can be used as native apps in the PCM without a connected smartphone.
There is a selection of new colours, including Laguna Blue and Slate Grey Neo, and the overall look, feel and drive is exactly as you’d expect. Superb.
This is powertrain engineering and digital engine management at its absolute best.
But it’s a Porsche, what else did you expect?
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