Porsche’s decision to turbocharge every engine in the 911 range has resulted in the updated Turbo S doing something no other standard production 911 has managed – cracking three seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint.
The new-look Turbo and Turbo S coupe and convertible will land in New Zealand next May. Prices are likely to be upwards of the $336,000 Porsche NZ asked for the Turbo before the updated models were revealed.
Both facelifted models get extra features here and there, but the main changes are to the bi-turbo 3.8-litre flat-six engine.
The 911 Turbo’s powerplant has been modified to deliver 397kW courtesy of new injection nozzles and higher fuel pressure. The result is a top speed of 322km/h, among other things.
The Turbo S gets all of the above but adds new turbos with larger variable compressors for a power output of 427kW, a top speed of 332km/h – and bragging rights among the Porsche cognescenti.
There’s not much between the two in terms of get-up-and-go but it is ground-breaking. The Turbo S, says Porsche, can sprint from 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds, a milestone time. The Turbo runs it in 3.0 seconds, one-tenth of a second, or less time than the blink of an eye.
The extra oomph gives the updated models a sprint advantage of 0.2 seconds over the current Turbo and Turbo S, again a mere formality.
But there is nothing insignificant about the engine’s new boost function that works with the PDK dual-clutch transmission. There is no manual gearbox available.
In a nutshell, the boost allows the driver to get back on the power more quickly after lifting off by interrupting the flow of fuel while keeping the throttle valve open. “As a result” says Porsche, “the engine reacts with practically no delay to another press of the accelerator pedal.”
As with the engine updates, there are a handful of styling changes to freshen the inside and outside. Up front are LED headlights and reshaped vents; the rear gets reworked tail-lights, new exhaust pipes and new engine cover. Both Turbo and Turbo S ride on new 20-inch wheels.
There are tweaks inside as well, the most obvious being the steering wheel. It is similar to the one in the 918 Spyder hypercar and comes with a Mode Switch, which lets the driver select from Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual, each one changing suspension, gearbox and exhaust settings.