Yes, this is the ‘new’ Porsche 911. You’d have to look pretty close to tell the difference, though. It’s still fabulous. Here are 8 things you should know about the ‘new’ Porsche 911. 

 

• The 911 has a new, 3-litre engine. The biggest change? Twin turbochargers across the range, not just in the halo 911 Turbo. The Carrera S makes 420 hp and 50.8 kgm of torque; the turbos and extra torque give it lag-free, linear grunt, and it’s a more satisfying car to drive now (if that were even possible).

 

 

• The new engine’s max engine speed is down only 300 rpm from the older car, which means you can still gleefully rev it to kingdom come. It continues to sound glorious, just… differently glorious.

 

 

• The new rear tyres are 305mm in width, up from 295mm, leading to better grip and stability.

 

 

•  The new Carrera S, with the optional rear-axle steering, is a whole 10 seconds faster around the legendary Nurburgring racetrack than the previous car. This technology gives the 911 much greater precision and manoeuvrability around corners; make no mistake, the 911 is still the handling benchmark.

 

 

• The new engine added 35 kg to the powertrain, so Porsche redesigned the exhaust, crankcase, oil pump and others to cut 15 kg back out.

 

 

• Keep the throttle pinned and you’ll see an indicated 300+ kph in the new 911 Carrera S, with the optional 7-speed, dual clutch automatic PDK gearbox and Sport Chrono. It will hit 100 kph from standstill in 3.7 seconds, which is very quick indeed.

 

 

• The optional Porsche Active Suspension Management system has (an optional) function (this is Porsche — options are where the money is) that allows you to lift the front axle by 1.57 inches, perfect for tackling India’s monstrous speedbreakers.

 

 

• This is a Porsche, so lots of zeroes in the price tag isn’t surprising. The 911 Carrera S costs Rs 1.63 crore, ex-Delhi; the range-topping 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (572 bhp and a drop-top, anyone?) will set you back Rs 2.81 crore, ex-Delhi.