Porsche 991.2 Carrera S first drive: a new dawn
Evolution is a curious thing, but in the great race for survival of the fittest the Porsche 911 has consistently been ahead of its competition. Porsche’s Darwinian sports car has thrived thanks to continual development, rather than whole scale re-invention.
Just occasionally in its 52 years, though, the 911 DNA gets a serious shake-up, like the addition of a water jacket around its rear-mounted flat-six engine with the introduction of the 996, the electric power assisted steering in the 991, or here with the new 991 Gen2.
Visually you could be forgiven for missing the distinction between this and its 991 predecessor. There are new front air intakes with active vanes to aid cooling and the bumper’s revision includes new LED driving lights. The headlamps are the same shape, but the technology inside them is new.
But it’s around the back where the changes are a bit more obvious. The engine cover’s slats are now vertical, while the rear bumper is punctured toward the rear wheels with some air vents.
On the sports exhaust equipped cars the standard quad finishers are replaced by a pair of more inboard pipes, giving both a visual and aural reference to their fitment.
There are new lights, LED units with their form following that of the Macan’s units, and new door handles. Typically Porsche in its evolution then, nothing superfluous, the revisions coming about entirely through form rather than a mere styling flourish for the sake of any concerted visual distinction.
Those vertical engine slats and the vents in the lower rear bumper reveal the biggest revisions to the 991 Gen2 model: the engine. Both the Carrera and Carrera S are now turbocharged.
The drive to efficiency hits even Porsche’s iconic sports car, the 3.4 and 3.8-litre naturally aspirated flat sixes are replaced by a new 3.0-litre flat six with twin turbochargers.
They are fixed vane compressors, unlike the still flagship Turbo model, and the fitment of the 3.0-litre engine with forced induction sees not just an improvement in economy and emissions, but an increase in power and torque, and specifically, how and where they are delivered.
To read our Porsche 991 Carrera first drive in full, pick up a copy of Total 911 issue 134 in store today. Alternatively order your copy online for home delivery, or download it straight to your digital device now.
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