VIDEO: Porsche reveals 911 Turbo secrets

Porsche has released a new video to explain the benefits of its new Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTC) that comes standard with the facelifted 911 Turbo and Turbo S.

The new system, said to both enhance stability and agility through corners by being able to actively brake an inside rear wheel while cornering, forces torque across the axle to the other wheel.

This technique helps boost traction and is said to give greater steering precision. At the rear of the car the system works alongside the electronically controlled rear differential that also aids traction and increases cornering speed.

Taking advantage of the new PTC system, both the Turbo and Turbo S now come with larger 20-inch wheels that are half an inch wider.

Launched at the recent Detroit motor show, the refreshed 991 Turbo gains a new revised front bumper and LED daytime running lamps from the rest of the updated 911 range.

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 new cylinder heads that boast 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 the 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 benefiting 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 the 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 sport 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 come with 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 raises the nose by up to 40mm.

The mid-life tweaks to the current 991 Turbo and Turbo S also include 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