Porsche 911 Turbo S 2013 Review - International

Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S Coupe

OVERVIEW

New from the ground up and based on the bigger, stiffer yet lighter 991-series 911, the redesigned 911 Turbo and Turbo S Coupe will be joined in production by all-new 911 Turbo Cabriolet twins in a month or so, with all four Turbo models to become available in Australia by December.

With an entry price of $359,800 plus on-road costs, the 911 Turbo Coupe is $10,700 more affordable than its manual-transmission 997-series predecessor, because a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic transmission is now standard across the range.

While that’s in line with the price reductions announced for the 911 range in April, when 13 per cent or up to $36,000 was slashed from some models, the top-shelf 911 Turbo S Coupe is $18,500 more expensive than before at $441,300 plus ORC. The Cabriolet version is up $20,800 to $463,100 plus ORCs.

Apart from a larger footprint, extra-wide rear-end and more performance than before (see below), both new Turbo models bring a host of extra standard specifications, including 20-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate-control, SportDesign steering wheel with shift paddles and electric height/reach adjustment, an electric parking brake and front/rear parking sensors.

Other new equipment includes LED daytime running lights, side repeaters and tail-lights, the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) including speed-dependent driving light control and dynamic cornering lights and Driving Light Assistant. Inside there’s new LED reading lights, Alcantara trim for all three roof pillars (as well as the headlining), front seat cushion depth adjustment, black-faced ‘turbo’ instrument dials, engine power and drive torque distribution displays, and three 12-volt power outlets.

In addition, Turbo S buyers receive new features like full LED headlights (in place of the regular Turbo’s bi-xenon beams), PDLS Plus, four-point LED DRLs, Dynamic High Beam, black-chromed twin exhaust outlets, SportDesign wing mirrors, an aluminium-look fuel filler flap and carbon (instead of Galvano Silver) trim for the dash, centre console and door panels.

All 911 Turbos come with satellite-navigation, a BOSE surround sound system, cruise control, leather seat trim, 14-way power-adjustable front sports seats (18-way Adaptive Sports Seats Plus for the Turbo S), Bluetooth connectivity, trip computer, automatic wipers, three auto-dimming mirrors, power windows and (heated) mirrors, and remote central locking.

Four standard paint colours continue (white, black, red and yellow) alongside eight no-cost metallic hues. The Turbo S is also available with new Black-Carrera Red paint. In addition to a host of interior colour and trim options is an 820-Watt Burmester sound system and, in Europe, a traffic sign recognition system.

With the Sport Chrono Package, which remains optional in the Turbo and a NCO with the Turbo S, those torque figures increase to 710Nm (up 10Nm) at 2100rpm and, in the Turbo S, 750Nm at 2200rpm (up 50Nm) for up to 20 seconds at a time during overboost. In this mode turbo boost pressure is upped by 0.15 bar (on top of 1.0 bar in the Turbo and 1.2 bar in the Turbo S).

The result is 0-100km/h performance that’s reduced by 0.2sec to 3.4 in the Turbo (with the Sport Chrono pack’s launch control function) and to just 3.1sec in the Turbo S. Top speed rises by 3km/h for both models, to 315km/h (Turbo) and 318km/h (Turbo S).

The new Turbo twins are based on the redesigned 991-series 911 body that is bigger yet up to 100kg lighter. In this case, however, there is virtually no change in kerb weight, which remains at 1595kg for the Turbo PDK and 1605kg for the Turbo S PDK (split 39/61 per cent front/rear ), thanks to the extra standard equipment.

Fuel consumption reduces by 15 per cent to 9.7L/100km for both Turbo models (down from 11.4L/100km) and CO2 emissions fall the same degree, from 268 to 227g/km.

The reduction is due largely to a new idle-stop system, which shuts the engine off at speeds below 7km/h (saving 0.7L/100km). Other fuel saving changes include less engine friction (0.2L/100km), electrical system recuperation (0.2L/100km), better thermal management (0.2L/100km), lower rolling resistance tyres (0.1L/100km) and the move from hydraulic to electric power steering (0.1L/100km).

Porsche says a further 0.2L/100km is saved by the larger wheels, optimised drivetrain friction and ‘virtual gears’ technology, in which the clutch is slipped under light loads at road speeds of up to 65km/h and engine speeds between 1200-1500rpm in all but first gear.

Among the big-ticket items is Porsche Active Aerodynamics, including what the manufacturer says is a world-first variable front spoiler that adapts to road speed and delivers more front-end ground clearance when not deployed.

Pneumatic actuators (in effect inflatable hoses) activate the outboard sections above 120kmh and at 300km/h the centre section drops to generate up to 44kg of downforce. Combined with 88kg of rear downforce from the active biplane rear wing, Porsche says the system generates 10 per cent more lateral grip. The overall affect lowers the car’s Nurburgring lap time by a further two seconds.

Meantime from the latest 911 Carrera 4 is a new electronic all-wheel drive Porsche Traction management (PTM) system that can more precisely direct up to 100 per cent of engine torque to the rear or front axle – the latter now featuring water-cooled drive components.

Other fresh mechanical features from the 991-series 911 include rear axle steering, in which electromechanical actuators replace tie rods to steer the back wheels up to 2.8 degrees in the opposite direction below 50km/h and 1.5 degrees in the same direction over 80km/h, providing the same effect as shortening or lengthening the wheelbase to improve low-speed agility and high-speed stability. Turning circle is reduced to 10.6 metres as a result and Porsche says this technology alone reduces the Turbo’s Nurburgring lap time by a further two seconds.

Also new from the 991 911 is Porsche Torque Vectoring (with new PTV Plus adding a rear diff lock with up to 100 per cent electronic locking capability), dynamic engine mounts (as part of the Sport Chrono Pack) and, as standard on the Turbo S, the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control variable anti-roll bar system.

Ceramic brake discs are standard on the Australian-delivered Turbo S and grow to 410mm front/390mm rear, saving 4kg at each corner over the standard Turbo, which is stopped by bigger 380mm front rotors.

Compared to the Turbo, the Turbo S runs on half-inch-wider 9.0-inch front and 11.5-inch rear two-tone 20-inch wheels (fitted with the same 245/35 front and 305.30 Pirelli P Zero tyres). With Dunlop Sportmax semi-slicks from the 911 GT3, the Turbo S can lap the Nurburgring three seconds faster in 7:24 – ranking it among the world’s most track-focussed hyper-cars.

In fact, it’s the first time three 911 body widths have been offered, with the rear wheel-arches on Turbo models being 72mm wider than the regular 911’s and 28mm wider than the all-wheel drive Carrera 4’s. A full hand-span of near-horizontal wheel-arch on either side give both Turbo flagships a width  1880mm at the rear.

The longer (now 2450mm) wheelbase and bigger body (now 4506mm  long) make for marginally more room inside – despite a lower 1296mm roof height. But like all 911s, the Turbo remains strictly a 2+2-seater with two kids-only rear seats that flip down to liberate decent luggage space behind the front seats.

This is augmented by a sizeable front cargo space under the bonnet, while other interior storage solutions include a decent glovebox, deepish door pockets with flip-out compartments and a pair of fiddly cup-holders above the glovebox.

While the centre console rises Panamera-style to meet the centre stack, the sunroof now slides above the roof, liberating a small amount of headroom.

Surprisingly, however, a reversing camera remains on the optional-extras list, as does adaptive cruise control.

Currently, the 911 Turbo and Turbo S face competition from a range of Aston Martins (including the V12-powered $349,500 DB9), $386,391 Vantage) and the near $480K Vanquish) – as well as within the Volkswagen Group, in the form of Audi’s R8 V10 ($366,900) and V10 Plus ($408,200).

While Jaguar’s upcoming F-TYPE coupe and R-S versions of both it and the existing V8 roadster ($201,945-plus) will represent the British brand’s first direct rival, the 911 Turbo may also be cross-shopped by buyers of BMW’s M6 ($292,145) and Maserati’s GranTurismo GT (from $308,000).

There’s also the McLaren MP4-12C Coupe ($398,000), Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe (from $409,500), Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe ($468,320) and Ferrari 458 Italia ($525,417).

Porsche is loath to admit it, but the Nissan GT-R (from $172,000) must also be listed here, since the upstart Japanese supercar is claimed to be quicker (0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds), more powerful (404kW/628Nm) and also packs a twin-turbo 3.8-litre six.

Supercar buyers will soon also have the option of buying a new-generation NSX coupe from Honda, with hybrid-boosted AWD power.

How wrong I was. Take Porsche’s bigger, stiffer yet lighter sixth-generation 911 body and add the most powerful production Turbo engines ever and it’s no surprise the 911 flagship combines neck-snapping acceleration with the kind of flexibility that allows you to surge from 60 to well over 300km/h in the same gear.

That’s nothing new for the 911 Turbo, but what is new is the way the latest Turbo S delivers its ballistic 412kW and 750Nm of performance to the tarmac via a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch auto and the latest Carrera 4’s new electronically controlled all-wheel drive system.And Germany’s brand-new Bilster-Berg ‘drive resort’ outside Dusseldorf – a private test track with 19 corners, 70 metres of elevation changes and 4.2km of pure motorsport heaven -- proved the perfect venue to test it. How fitting it was co-designed by Porsche racing legend Walter Rohrl...

Led by a local driver training hot-shot who didn’t hold back, both Turbo models were simply mind-blowing at this mini-Nurburgring..

To be sure, the first session was sensory overload, forcing me to focus more on the challenging circuit than the car itself. But with the benefit of familiarity, subsequent laps allowed me to explore the seemingly limitless depth of talent possessed by the quickest ever 911, which it turns out is capable of far more than 0-100km/h in just 3.1 seconds.

Dive too deep into the tight uphill switchbacks and a quick step off the gas was all that was required for the front-end to bite hard and turn the car back into line. Load the throttle too early out of the fast downhill left-hander and the Turbo would gather up a 150km/h power slide from a quarter turn of steering lock so seamlessly and effectively that it made me feel invincible.

Not even braking hard from 230km/h at the end of the back straight in fifth gear – lap after lap – could phase the unflinching stability of the Turbo. The standard ceramic brakes in the Turbo S felt even stronger and proved more consistent at the end of each session.

Both Turbo models were just as well suited to tootling around the surrounding German villages, even if the Turbo’s now-standard 20-inch alloys deliver a firmer ride than before, the electric steering no longer dances in your hands at any speed and there’s no longer the option of a traditional manual transmission.

Like the standard 911 upon which it’s based, there’s no doubt this is the most grown-up Turbo ever, offering more stability, more equipment and more luxury than any of its five predecessors dating back almost 40 years.

No, the top-shelf 911’s twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat six isn’t as charismatic as the Ferrari 458’s blood-curdling V8 or even the race-bred 911 GT3’s bellowing atmo six, but what makes it even more of an engineering marvel than those supercars is the new Turbo S’s ruthlessly effective ability to make mere mortals feel super-human behind the wheel.

The previous 911 Turbo S was close to perfection, but the new one is even quicker, grippier and more immensely accomplished overall. Throw in the fact it’s now so effortlessly foolproof and no everyday supercar offers a wider range of devastating capability.