2012 Porsche 911 Reviews

Nobody wants to wreck a winning formula. Especially nobody at Porsche, where the 911 is the heart and soul of the brand, with a devoted fan club and a pedestal spot in sports car history. So it’s no surprise the seventh generation of the car follows the same recipe of all its ancestors since 1963.There’s been some work on weight reduction, adding power and saving fuel. There’s some more techno trickery and clever features. But no extreme changes that might scare off the faithful. They are looking for what Porsche global board sales head Bernhard Maier called at the launch "the icon of our brand".DESIGN As you’d expect, the new Porsche 911 convertible looks pretty much like the old Porsche 911 convertible.But it also now looks more like the coupe in profile, thanks to the line of the new power-retractable soft-top – which includes rigid panels but is lighter and swifter-folding than the current design. It can be opened or closed in 13 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h and has a powered pop-up wind deflector to keep the cabin breezy without being battered.Porsche’s head of 911 product, August Achleitner, says it’s more than ‘closer’ … “It’s exactly the same as the 911 coupe – exactly. This is able to be done because of the hard magnesium panels, which also make it acoustically better,” he says, thumping our car to demonstrate their robustness.The body is slightly lower-slung than the outgoing car, longer and wider – emphasised at the back by taillights trimmed down to horizontal slivers that almost risk a copyright call from Aston Martin. There are new wheels that add an arch-filling inch to give the Carrera 19-in and the Carrera S 20-in.More aluminium and high-strength steels have been used to trim the weight to as low 1450kg, side mirrors have migrated to the doors and the roofline has apparently been lowered by a tiny 5mm. The cabin gets switchgear from the Panamera and a new colour display screen, but the biggest change there are the hefty metal paddles behind the wheel.VALUEThe starter Carrera will be priced from $255,100, with the Carrera S coming in from $288,300. What other cars can you get for the same sort of money? Quite a few.But what can you get with the same combination of performance, handling, engineering integrity and – last but not least – the styling of quiet confidence rather than neurotic attention-seeking? Not many.Jaguar’s XKR Convertible is in the ballpark at $263,000 with restrained style and a thumping supercharged 5.0-litre V8 slotted in after the brand’s shift from Ford to Tata (a move purist decried but which hasn’t seem to do any harm so far). And there’s familiarity to the styling, although in this case it’s because the Jag is due for a makeover.There’s the Aston Martin Vantage V8 Roadster at $274,698 with a 4.7-litre V8, stunning looks and all the cachet of being related to James Bond’s traditional brand of choice. But it’s not as sharp or refined as the Porsche. And touches of Ford here and there will remind you 007 drove a Mondeo too.And you can’t entirely dismiss the4.7-litre V8 Maserati Gran Cabrio, which has arguably one of the loveliest bodies around, but at $328,000 is overpriced without matching the 911’s engineering and performance.Yes, they’re all V8s and the Porsche is an in-line six. But it overdelivers on the value scale.TECHNOLOGYIt carries the same engine line-up as the 911 Coupes that will arrive here in March, but with only slight speed and acceleration penalties.The Carrera S gets a 294kW/440Nm 3.8-litre six-cylinder with top speed pegged at 301km/h (the Coupe ceilings at 304km/h) and 0-100 sprint of 4.7 seconds with the seven-speed manual transmission, and 299km/h and 4.5secs with the PDK dual-clutch manumatic.The Carrera gets a 257kW/390Nm 3.4-litre six that promises a top speed of 286km/h and 0-100 sprint of 5 seconds with the manual, and 284km/h and 4.8secs with the PDK.Efficency measures include a stop-start system and mean fuel consumption – if that’s going to worry anybody driving this car – starts from a claimed 8.4L/100km for the Carrera with PDK. But even the thirstiest official figure on the sheet is reasonably modest at 9.7L for the manual S.SAFETYIt gets six airbags, anti-skid brakes with all the extras, stability and traction controls.  Add in the new torque-vectoring differential -- which modulates braking on the inside wheel when cornering -- and increased side-impact protection, and you can judge it as having five-star safety.DRIVINGIt’s just about everything you could ask for in a sports convertible. And then, it’s also everything you could ask for in a relaxed cruising drive. You don't have to go fast to enjoy it, and it simply seems even more tractable – so much so, old-school purists might argue it’s lost a bit of soul. It hasn’t.The first thing you notice is how easy the 911 Cabriolet is to drive. We started off in the Carrera S and in a mix of town streets, freeway and tight mountain road – dodging cyclists and the occasional farm truck – the Porsche was always tractable and obliging.The steering is sweet and sharp, and through bends the massive 20-in wheels almost seemed to find their own way as the car switches direction through one bend after another, with barely any impact from the patches of crumbled surface on back roads.Slipping it over to the faux manual side and flicking the paddles sparks bursts of acceleration and glorious sound – snarling and burbling as you play with the gears and throttle.And that’s when you start to notice the second thing – how quiet the cabin is (when you’re not poking a stick through the engine’s bars, that is). Roof up or roof down – and even up to bahnstorming speeds – you’re still able to carry on a conversation without having to yell.Sure, there’s some wind rush in open mode, even with the pop-up deflector in place. But it’s never overbearing.And with the roof up, it’s closer to the coupe in comfort levels and – more importantly perhaps – the looks.VERDICTIt’s quieter, more refined and more tractable, but still has the punch and poise you expect. And it still looks like the previous 911 Cabriolet -- more or less -- but now it feels more like the Coupe.It’s a 911, Jim, and exactly as we know it.

It's the "slowest" new Porsche 911 but, hey, measured against most other cars, the 911 Carrera Cabriolet is indecently quick - all Porsches are.VALUEWe would tick both these boxes if we were spending the $259,000 for this car. It's a shed load of cash but you are getting arguably the best quality mainstream car money can buy because Porsche is made of quality components and materials by by highly qualified people who take utmost pride in their work.TECHNOLOGYThis particular car weighs in at 1500kg - 85 kgs more than the hard-top Carrera coupe due to underfloor chassis reinforcements and it has the "entry level" 3.6-litre boxer six-cylinder 254kW/390Nm engine. It means the Carrera Cabriolet puts away a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.9 seconds and tops out at a speed we can't say -  but fast.So, slow it most certainly isn't. The test car was optioned with a dual clutch 'manumatic' transmission called PDK in Porsche acronym speak. It also had optional Sports Chrono which brings with it launch control that further aids off-the-line acceleration.DESIGNWe have seen it first hand. The 911 Cab is a sports car in the truest sense as it has a folding soft top that tucks away somewhere behind the rudimentary rear seats. This is a 2+2 at a pinch. The roof operates electrically up to speeds of about 15km/h which is really handy in inclement weather or at traffic lights.Porsche paid particular attention to the roof structure which holds the soft top tight as a drum at all speeds, even with the windows down. Those weight adding underbody reinforcements do their job because the 911 Cab' feels rock solid with the roof up or down.The Cabrio offers roof down sports motoring with plenty of luxury including premium audio, heated and electrically adjustable seats, 40 gig audio hard drive and a touch screen that's simple and logical to use.SAFETYIt has six air bags and sports stability control that doesn't intrude when you are having a go.DRIVEThe engine features direct fuel injection as well as variable cam timing and other clever technology to optimise its output. The oil pump is variable depending on demand. Handling is supreme especially with the sport plus button activated. It firms up all dynamic functions and changes the gear map for the transmission into full manual - no unwanted up or down changes unless you select them.The steering is typically engaging thanks in part to the engine being rear/amidships and not compromising steering system placement. It has monumental brakes and the optional 19-inch wheels with wide rubber should also be seriously considered for aesthetics as well as grip.The seven-speed PDK can be left to its own devices in D or operated by the selector stick or buttons on the steering wheel - the only aspect of this car we don't really like (they should be paddles on the steering column). The sound is unbelievable, the feel amazing, the looks arresting and the acceleration gratifying. Where do we sign. VERDICTWe love this car though it wouldn't be our choice given the opportunity. That would be the yet to be released Carrera GTS.P0RSCHE CARRERA 911 CABRIOLETPrice: from $229,900Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kilometresService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 5-star ANCAP, six air bags, sports stability controlEngine: 3.6 litre in-line six-cylinder, 254kW/390NmBody: Two-door coupeWeight: 1500 kgTransmission: 7-speed dual clutch manual 

It's a 911. That's all anyone really needs to know about the latest newcomer in the Porsche family. The shape is traditional, the approach is traditional, and the result is tradition.But the latest car to carry one of the best-known badges in motoring is much, much more than just a backward-looking, inwards-focussed 911. It's only the third all-new car since the 911 hit the road in 1963 and that means the familiar shape is wrapped around a high-tech 21st century package that makes driving easier, greener and more relaxed - yet still just as much fun.Perhaps - just perhaps - the car is not as rewarding or challenging to drive, but there is plenty to come - the GT3 road racer and GT2 turbo beastie - for people who want and need more than just a great sports car to satisfy them.We will only know the answer when we get the 911 home and onto familiar roads, but right now I think the changes have resulted in a 911 that is right for its time and buyers. A Lamborghini Gallardo looks wilder, and a Ferrari 458 Italia is plain wonderful, but there is nothing in the 911s price class that runs even close to the German star.VALUEThere is more to see and touch and feel in the new 911, as well as more performance, but it's still a costly car with prices from $229,900 for the Carrera or $263,100 for a Carrera S with the a 3.8- litre engine.For now, the extra value comes in everything from a new and lighter body - which helps economy - to a cabin with noticeably more space and a dashboard that's been morphed from the luxury Panamera. The end result is a car that's got so many detail changes it's impossible to cover them here. "We've done a lot. Emotions, performance, comfort," says Michael Winkler, chief of Porsche Cars Australia.Of course, there are all sorts of options including sports seats, sound systems, leather choices and special luggage. And there is a new hero colour - a creamy brown called cognac, for people who have extra to spend.TECHNOLOGYPorsche has managed to make the new 911 lighter despite a basic body that's heavier, thanks to work on every area of the car including more aluminium. The wheelbase is up by 10 centimetres, a help in the cabin and also for a future hybrid system, the front track is wider and there is (controversial) electric power steering.Engine outputs are up 257 kiloWatts/390 Newton-metres for the downsized 3.4-litre flat six in the Carrera and 294/440 for the 3.8 in the Carrera S, which means sprint times as quick as 4.3 seconds to 100km/h and a top speed of 304km/h. Fuel consumption can be as little as 8.2 litres/100km and all new 911s have a stop-start system as standard, headlining a suit of efficiency improvements.There is also a new seven-speed manual gearbox - with an extra leg on the usual H pattern - that shares its casing and basic mechanicals with the quick-shifting PDK twin-clutch manumatic. And there is a stop- start system to save fuel and cut emissions.DESIGNThe basic shape is the same but the new 911 is different in almost every detail. "It is possible to modernise an Icon," says Porsche boss, Matthias Muller. So the headlamps are still roundish, the side windows are much the same shape as always, and the curvy body is wrapped around the wider front end and over the rear-mounted engine. But the body is lowered and stretched out, and the rear-view mirrors are now mounted on the doors.Inside, the dials are much the same as always - with the tachometer sitting front-and-centre - but the minor switches are trendy modern from the Panamera and there is even a park-brake button. The materials inside are the same as always, with lots of leather, and Porsche's switch to paddles for the PDK double-clutch gearbox is reflected in chunky metal levers. But there is also a new 12 centimetre colour display screen and three plug-in power sockets. So the melody is the same, even if the words have changed.SAFETYThe new 911 will be a five-star car for safety, although we're not expecting anyone to kill one against an NCAP wall any time soon.There are front-side-head airbags, ABS brakes, stability control and even a new torque-vectoring differential to make cornering safer and easier. The real proof comes in little things, like the big bins in the doors that have been sacrificed to provide more side-impact protection.DRIVINGWheel time is the only thing that really matters to 911 fans and the new car is great. It sprints well, it corners very well, and it gives the sort of feedback you expect - and need - from a 911. But, and this is a big difference, it's more refined with less road noise and none of the steering kickback of earlier cars.The pitchy, bouncing ride and steering fight through corners was something that always made 911s a challenge to drive. Some people will think it's sad that it's gone, but it means you can really tackle a testing road without fear.There is more space in the front seats, too, although I'm not a fan of the latest steering wheel designs or a multi-adjustable driver's seat that I could not get low enough in a couple of evaluation cars. But that's all minor stuff, just like the need to really think about changes in the seven-speed manual gearbox.It's sprung towards the 3-4 plane and that means coming out of the cruising top gear - 2000 revs at 100km/h - down to fifth takes concentration. The latest PDK gearbox is great, with swift shifts and a gear for every occasion. It's also great to be able to left-foot brake into a corner - something that previously killed the engine as part of a Volkswagen safety system - and then select the right gear almost at the apex.Braking is great, the ride is good, and the new dash is simpler and easier to use - like the one-touch buttons for the sports settings and the dial that records G-loading in corners and under brakes.The Porsche people have done everything they can to ensure the new 911 is headed for greatness. It is still a brilliant driver's car, but it's also now easier to access the performance and it's more relaxing for touring work. In short, the new 911 is a winner.VERDICTThe new 911 is a brilliant update of a timeless classic. It ticks all the right boxes.RATING