Porsche’s legend, the 911 Carrera, has a new engine – one that’s been downsized for greater efficiency. A turbocharged flat six-cylinder engine takes the place of the 911’s traditional naturally aspirated flat-six...
This is far from a simple mid-cycle refresh. The changes to Porsche’s flagship – the 911 – could well be considered a generational leap. Not because of the aesthetic changes, which are limited to daytime running lights and a revised rear spoiler design. “If the upgrade was limited to these features,” says August Achleitner, the engineer in charge of the Carrera’s development, “there wouldn’t have been the need to undertake so much testing.”
The tests – almost 10,000 kilometres during each session, which has included everything from the heat of South Africa to the extreme cold of North Canada – have been particularly challenging. The goal was to develop the 3.0-litre turbocharged engines of the revised 911 to replace the naturally aspirated 3.4 and 3.8-litre power-plants that do duty at the moment.
TURNING POINT
According to Achleitner, who takes the driver’s chair while I take the passenger seat during a test drive, the evolution is comparable to the quantum shift at the end of the 1990s from the air-cooling to water-cooling.
This is an opinion shared by many. The engineer steps on the gas, and the sound of the engine becomes pretty intense. “The turbo is still too noisy,” he admits. There are two turbines, and they could be enough to create a historic breakthrough – along with an equally historic reduction of volume. The goal is to extend the car’s range up to 800 kilometres between fuel stops, and to bring down the fuel consumption to 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres. All this means 1.2 litres of fuel less per 100 kilometres than the current model, without sacrificing anything in terms of driving dynamics.
The basic version, the S and GTS (which currently generate 350, 400 and 430bhp), manage to gain up to 20bhp between 6,500 and 6,600rpm, while at 1,700rpm we can expect a torque figure of between 450 to 500Nm. After some fettling, the most powerful Carrera should reach 450bhp. This fact alone sums up what I came to experience on some South African back roads – that the latest generation 911 develops more power than before, and perhaps more than the majority of its competition.
The greater flexibility provided by the twin-turbos means that you don’t have to downshift quite as much as before. But what about the noise that made our hearts flutter?
Instead of giving me an answer, Achleitner starts to play once more with the complex technology of the 911. As soon as he steps on the gas now, the slight hum from the back becomes a guttural growl. The thrust is strong, and keeps increasing – along with my enthusiasm! The tachometer needle sweeps from 1,800 to 3,000, while the sound engineering amplifies the engine noise in the cockpit.
Till almost 5,000rpm, the 911 surges forward as if driven by a vortex. It then tapers off slightly, before hitting the limiter at 7,500rpm. Achleitner then pulls another ace from his pack. He shifts to Sport Plus, and then pushes what his team calls the “magic button” (see the box below). And this seems to enter a realm that combines the surge of forced induction with the most urgent throttle response you can imagine. The Sport Chrono pack in the Carrera S will also come with active engine mounts that reduce vibrations and better manage weight transfer within the engine bay.
The steering is precise, and along with the transmission and the rear suspension geometry inherited from the Turbo, it guarantees that the upcoming Carrera will have even better road-holding than before. The Carrera S aims to lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 34 seconds. “We’re almost there,” reveals Achleitner. Manfred Harrer, the driving dynamics expert, underlines the fact that there’s better stability at high speed thanks to the larger rear tyres (305/30 ZR20, while at the front they’re still 295/35Z R19) – to better manage the additional 30kgs of the turbocharged engine.
Overall, the Carrera S weighs 1,475kgs. In terms of equipment, the new 911 features several driver assistance and security systems. For instance, a hydraulic mechanism provides a 5-centimetre increase in clearance at the front to prevent the bottom from scrapping on inclines.
The Carrera S also features a contemporary multimedia unit. But it never loses sight of its main goal – to be the perfect companion for those who love to travel at light speed.
PORSCHE’S MANETTINO
The Porsche stability management button, which was previously located on the centre console, is replaced by a drive mode selector on the bottom right of the steering wheel – something that’s quite similar to Ferrari’s Manettino dial. With Sport and Sport Plus programs, both engine and PDK settings are refined, adaptive dampers harden and drop a couple of centimetres in ride height. At the centre of the selector ring, there’s a button (which has otherwise been renamed the ‘Magic’ button by the engineers working on the upcoming 911). Pressing it when Sport Plus is engaged, optimises the gear ratios and makes the stability and traction control more lenient. For 120 seconds, the turbos give it their all – with turbines that are electrically activated and which vary their geometry in the blink of an eye. The result is 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds, and only four in the Carrera S.
Exterior changes are minimal (daytime running lights and a rear spoiler). The major changes are under the hood – hence the need for a full cycle of road tests. In these photos, the newest generation of the 911 tackles some rough South African tracks.
Thanks to a smaller engine than the current Turbo, the quantity of air needed for combustion decreases – and so the new 911 renounces the side air intakes of the current generation Turbo.
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