DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Porsche powers up 911 Turbo
Flagship 911 Turbo now gets 397kW; Turbo S gets 427kW -- both cleaner, more efficient, fasterPorsche has used the Detroit motor show to launch upgraded versions of its flagship 911 Turbo and Turbo S.
Adopting a revised front bumper and LED daytime running lamps from the rest of the refreshed 991 range, both the Turbo and Turbo S now come with larger 20-inch wheels that are half an inch wider.
At the rear of the car there's also new dual tailpipes, a new boot lid and a pair of redesigned tail-lights, but it's under the skin you'll find the significant changes over the current car.
The twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat six carries over but benefits from a new cylinder-head that has a modified inlets ports, new injection nozzles and higher fuel pressure.
This sees power for the Turbo increase by 15kW to 397kW. The Turbo S, meanwhile, thanks to two larger variable-geometry turbos, sees power peak swell to a mightier 427kW.
Further changes have been made to the electronic management of the engine and PDK dual-clutch auto's gearshift, the latter benefitting from revised gear-change mapping.
Also new is a dynamic boost function that maintains charge pressure during load changes to deliver virtually delay-free responses when the accelerator pedal is released then depressed, particularly when Sport and Sport Plus models are activated.
Against the clock this means Turbo can now sprint to 100km/h in just three seconds. The Turbo S, is even quicker -- taking just 2.9 seconds to hit 100km/h. Top speed for the Turbo is now 320km/h, while the S can reach 330km/h.
Despite the power bump both cars use 0.6L/100km less fuel, with the Turbo now averaging 9.1L/100km while the Turbo S returns 9.3L/100km.
CO2 emissions range from 212g/km for coupe versions to 216g/km for cabriolets.
Inside, both Turbo and Turbo S models now benefit from a smaller steering wheel from the 918 Spyder and offer a rotary dial to switch between Normal, Sport, Sport + or Individual driving modes.
Both Turbo and Turbo S now have an ESC sport mode that allows a higher threshold of slip before the electronics kick-in and catch the slide.
Porsche, which sold a record 225,000 vehicles last year, says that as well as the extra power, its engineers have tuned the PASM adaptive dampers to offer a "greater spread of performance and comfort." New options for the Turbo models are a radar-based lane change assist and a front axle lift system that raise the nose by up to 40mm.
The mid-life tweaks to the current 991 Turbo and Turbo S also includes adopting the rest of the range's new infotainment system that features satellite images and real-time traffic updates.
The new models will come with significant $10,000-plus price jumps, reaching as high as $18,800 for the Turbo coupe, offset to a degree by technical upgrades and the addition of new equipment.
The revised 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S will go on sale in Australia in May 2016.
Porsche 911 Turbo pricing (pre ORCs):
911 Turbo – $384,900
911 Turbo Cabriolet – $406,400
911 Turbo S – $456,500
911 Turbo S Cabriolet – $478,000
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