Porsche 911: first drive

there's been plenty of activity to make the 911 perform and handle better Photo Gallery

Where better to test drive generation II of the current Porsche 911 than on sections of the demanding Targa Tasmania course.

Car and road are made for each other and we took great pleasure imagining we were Jim Richards carving the curves, leaving the field in a wailing wake of flat six power.

The new 911 makes even mug drivers look good.

As the mid-model update of the 997 series, the new 911 ushers in a swag of under-the-skin improvements and a mild tweak to its appearance. Blink and you'd miss the body changes which centre on different bumpers, tail lights and headlights and the adoption of an array of LED running lights at the front.

Dig deeper and there's been plenty of activity to make the 911 perform and handle better, use less fuel (under 10.0-litres/100km) and deliver more driving pleasure.

The 3.6-litre and 3.8-litre engine capacities are retained but both Carrera and Carrera S engines are totally new.

“Every screw is new” said Porsche's engineering guru Thomas Krikleberg.

“We have equipped the 911 with direct fuel injection for gains in power and fuel efficiency,” he added.

“ It also features Variocam Plus (variable cam timing) and a variable oil pump that saves a couple of kilowatts.”

A semi-dry sump system is used and the engine internals treated with low friction coatings.

The other major development is a double clutch, seven-speed, automated transmission called PDK that consigns the fully automatic Tiptronic 'box to oblivion - at least for 911.

Like other automated double clutch manuals appearing on the market, the PDK system offers rapid-fire changes up and down the range, quicker than any manual or auto.

For all intents and purposes, these “PlayStation” transmissions make anything else redundant unless you are a stickler for tradition and want a manual.

But why would you, manuals are slower and use more fuel.

Both flat-six-cylinder engines are naturally aspirated and are good for 254kW/390Nm and 283/420Nm in ascending order. Both can go well into the four-second bracket for a 0-100kmh sprint with the PDK transmission proving that you don't need eight, ten or twelve cylinders and huge power to make a quick car. A few variants of the new 911 Carrera are available including rear wheel drive, all wheel drive and also soft top cabriolet versions of the same. Prices start at $210,400 for the 3.6-litre Carrera coupe manual.

The manual is a six speeder and offers a superb driving experience for the purist.

But we went all gooey over the PDK especially in the Carrera S with rear wheel drive and Porsche's optional Sports Chrono pack. Apart from other goodies, this offers Sport Plus driving mode at the touch of a button transforming the Carrera S from a hotrod road car into a no-beg-your-pardons track day special.

On the drive, the multi-mode suspension system proved a godsend on some of the rougher sections. Normal mode allows the 911 to waft over undulations and potholes in full control with barely a hint of reaction. The steering is absolutely superb, rating as arguably the best in the business and the brakes, even the standard units will bring a blood rush to your head under full application. Bigger multi-piston units and ceramic brakes are available.

But it's the way they go that is so satisfying with a Porsche 911. Hit the throttle and it's “see you later.” There's no mucking around, just whoosh, a blood curdling wail and away you go. It's heightened in the PDK Sports Chrono cars that have launch control. Inside has been mildly revised offering plenty of luxury and style as well as leather colour choices and a killer audio system.

Wonder how much equity we have in the house?