OFFICIAL: New turbocharged 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera unveiled
The new 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera has been unveiled ahead of the car’s debut next week at the 66th Frankfurt Motor Show, the venue for Zuffenhausen’s unveiling of the original neunelfer 52 years ago.
For the first time in its history, the entry-level Porsche 911 will be turbocharged with both the Carrera and Carrera S models using a new twin turbo flat six that replaces the 991.1’s naturally aspirated 9A1 powerplant.
Both featuring capacities of 3.0 litres, the new engine will develop 370hp in Carrera trim, boosted to 420hp for the Carrera S variant. For both models this marks a boost of 20hp over the outgoing naturally aspirated versions.
In accordance with the Porsche 911’s free-revving spirit, the 991.2’s new turbocharged motor has a maximum engine speed of 7,500rpm yet is still able to serve up peak torque – 450Nm in the Carrera, 500Nm in the Carrera S – from 1,700rpm to 5,000rpm.
The 911’s trademark has always been praised for its blend of sporting performance and everyday usability. With the introduction of the new flat six engine, Zuffenhausen claims to have “further extended the span of these apparent contradictions”.
Until we get our hands on the new Porsche 911 later in the year we will reserve final judgement. However, 0-62mph (0-100kph) sprints of 4.2 and 3.9 seconds for a Sport Chrono-equipped, PDK’d Carrera and Carrera S respectively are certainly impressive.
Of course, along with improved performance, the 3.0-litre twin turbocharged flat six has also been introduced with efficiency in mind. The new engine is claimed to return up to 38.2mpg in 370hp Carrera guise.
In terms of CO2 emissions, the Porsche 911 Carrera sees its output reduce to 169g/km, while the Carrera S improves to 174g/km, moving both cars to Vehicle Excise Duty Band H in the UK (two and three bands lower than the Porsche 991.1 respectively).
Away from the engine, one of the most interesting changes is to the options list where the rear-wheel steering system first seen on the 991 Turbo and GT3 is now available on the new 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera S.
Porsche Active Suspension Management is now standard equipment on all Porsche 911 Carrera models too. Lowering the chassis by 10mm, PASM provides two different damper settings enhancing both comfort and chassis dynamics depending on the selected mode.
Along with the increased power from the turbocharged engine, this change has helped to lower the entry-level Porsche 911’s time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife to 7m30s, some ten seconds faster than the 991 Carrera S.
Despite the large mechanical changes, aesthetically the new Porsche 911 Carrera is very much a facelift of the outgoing first generation 991. The headlights now come with the PDLS-style four-point running lights while the door handles have been recessed into the door skin.
At the front end, as we have seen from various pre-production test cars, the front bumper has changed to a more aggressive design that takes its styling cues firmly from the GT3 and Carrera GTS models in the 991 line-up.
The rear end sees a revised decklid grill (inspired by classic 911s of the Sixties and Seventies) that helps to feed air towards the twin intercoolers, while the rear bumper gains new exit vents to aid cooling of the turbocharged setup.
Like the Macan SUV, the new 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera’s rear lights now feature a 3D design and a mildly revised outline shape compared to the slim line units currently seen on the 991.
Inside, a 918-style steering wheel makes an appearance with a standard diameter of 375mm (although a 360mm ‘GT Sport’ rim is available as an optional extra). When combined with the Sport Chrono Package, the new steering wheel gains a ‘mode switch’, derived again from the 918 hypercar.
This allows the driver to switch between ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport Plus’ modes as well as a new ‘Individual’ setting that allows users to create their own customised setups using the various PASM, PDK and Sports Exhaust settings.
A new PCM system also makes an appearance featuring the instant traffic update feature announced a few weeks ago. With an enlarged and improved seven-inch touchscreen, the 2016 Porsche 911’s PCM system uses Google maps and offers iPhone users the option of connecting via Apple CarPlay.
On sale now, the new Porsche 911 Carrera starts at £76,412 with the Carrera S’s list price increasing to £85,857. The first deliveries are expected at UK Porsche Centres in December.
What do you make of the new Porsche 911 Carrera? Are you excited about turbocharging? Join the debate in the comments below or head to our Facebook and Twitter pages now. And, to watch the new neunelfer in action, check out this video.
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