Porsche 911 (991) - First Drives/Test Thread

Bigger, Lighter, Faster, Better

Don't worry. Porsche still splits hairs.

Sure, the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S has sacrificed its traditional hydraulic steering, it's longer than the car it replaces and it rides on 20-inch wheels. But this is still a 911 and it's still capable of being both a blindingly fast track car and an everyday driver. Perhaps more so than ever before.

When it comes to track use, look no further than the new 911's 7-minute, 40-second lap of the Nurburgring, which is on par with the times posted by the 997 GT3 and Turbo models and 14 seconds quicker than the car it's replacing. It turns, sticks and responds better than that car, too, but manages to also have more stability — traits which are — on the surface anyway — at odds with one another. That the new 911 is a massively capable driver's car is not in question.

And when it comes to real-world usability, well, there's still ample ride comfort, more interior space, wildly adjustable seats and enhanced convenience technologies. It's a better place to spend time than ever before.

So How's It Drive?
Porsche gathered journalists in Santa Barbara, California, to offer its latest 911 — the seventh generation of the physics-ignoring sports car — on roads that best suit the car. And by roads that best suit the car, we mean real driving roads. Perhaps you know the kind: There's actual elevation change, blind corners, off-camber corners, on-camber corners, bumps, holes and straights as long and flat as a Euclidian plane. This is the kind of place to drive a 911. And that's just what we did.

Several points stand out.

This is the first 911 to optionally offer Porsche's Dynamic Chassis Control technology which both limits body roll while cornering and allows truly independent movement of the car's wheels when traveling straight to enhance ride comfort. It's the first time we've driven such a technology in a dedicated sports car, and its effect is dramatic. There is — almost literally — no body roll, which can at first be a bit unsettling. It produces in the 911 a yaw response matched by few cars. In other words, this thing changes direction pronto.

Still, it manages to remain composed when you throw it around. Take it from Porsche factory driver Patrick Long. "It's got the turn-in response of the previous GT3, but doesn't produce that car's tail-out attitude afterwards." Coming from a guy with fast-enough hands to dismiss a tail-out 911, we'd guess that's a compliment.

Full Story: 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S First Drive


M

The new 991 Carrera just cannot cease to absolutely amaze me.

So at last the "first drives" have started. I guess this is the good bit -

and this is the not so good bit -

I hope next GT3 has better steering. But to be frank, when I test drove 997S, the steering didn't stick out or anything. The GT3 on the other hand, was telepathic.

Another early review - Excellence :: Of Note : First Drive in The New 911



Love the grey...





New manual in action -

We hear this from every car that switches to electromechanical steering....Just look at BMW.

As expected I suppose and the only dent in the armor.

What a car!

Car & Driver: Bigger, Cushier, Less Thrilling

Less a 911 and more just a really nice sports car with an engine in the trunk.

November 2011
BY AARON ROBINSON

Longer, lower, wider, faster, more fuel efficient, and—amazingly—slightly lighter, according to the company, the new Porsche 911 Carrera is a better car in every way. Which means it’s less like a Porsche 911 than ever, because let’s face it, much of what made the model an icon have been its eccentricities.

Up until the late 1990s, mastering a 911 was lion tamer’s work. The 996 and 997 generations greatly improved drivability, and the lion has been thoroughly tamed with the 2012 redesign. Anybody who draws breath and has the dough (China is rapidly filling up with candidates) can safely cuddle up with this cushy kitty. The wheelbase is stretched, the front track is wider, and the rear-biased weight split is claimed to be closer to equalization—all of which promotes on-road stability and reduces the midcorner bounding and corner-exit steering washout that make older 911s so, er, thrilling. The electronic suspension devices and the traction-control systems are more capable, making the steering response even snappier and the car more eager to go where you point it.



Carrer-amera?

Granted, the only version provided for our drive was a 3.8-liter Carrera S with the optional Sport Chrono package. So equipped, it includes Porsche’s dynamic engine mounts, which we’ve often praised for helping settle the car down over pitching pavement. All comments should thus be so flagged. But whatever version you drive, the car feels big. When did the 911 get to be the same length as an Audi A6? It’s not actually that large, but it seems it. Dare we call it the Carrer-amera?

Yes, we dare. The influence of the Panamera is obvious once you crack open the doors and see that long ski slope of a center console studded with buttons. Porsches used to have nothing but a shifter and air between the seats, which emphasized the fact that the oily bits were out back. Porsche design director Michael Mauer says the 911 is the source for all Porsche brand styling, but in this case, it looks as though the company’s big, front-engined limo—and strategic cost-saving component sharing—had a say.

Porsche had no base Carreras on hand with the direct-injection 3.4-liter flat-six—a de-stroked version of the current 3.6-liter. The S’s 3.8-liter is changed only in details mainly having to do with the injectors, intake manifold, and exhaust. All the fancy sand-cast cylinder heads and the intake manifolds with individual throttle butterflies for each cylinder—features of the outgoing GTS—are left off at the 991’s launch, perhaps to be reintroduced later as optional Power Pack upgrades.

Although the point at which peak torque becomes available rises in both the 3.4 and 3.8 by 1200 rpm, to 5600, the 3.8 we sampled behaves about the same as before in both performance and sound. The latter, incidentally, is augmented by a new “Sound Symposer” somewhat similar to the sound tube used in the current BMW Z4. It does indeed wake up the engine’s voice, while the new Carrera’s improved sound insulation more effectively dampens road noise.

The pair of seven-speed transmissions, manual and dual-clutch PDK, share internal components and basic dimensions but have different cases and different ratios on third (lower on PDK) and seventh (taller on PDK). The seven-speed manual shift pattern is that of a six-speed but with the seventh forward gear up and to the right; it is of no use beyond its function as a tall, fuel-saving ratio for highway cruising. The gates are very tightly spaced way over there, so Porsche blocks out seventh electronically unless you first select fifth or sixth. People will reflexively complain about electro-nanny tyranny, and some forum poster somewhere will surely tell you how to disable the lockout, but that would be silly.



Say “Hello” to Electric Steering

Notable chassis changes include Porsche’s first use of electric power steering, plus an electro-hydraulic anti-roll system that varies the front and rear anti-roll-bar rates by using small, expandable cylinders as linkages between the roll bars and the hubs. Go through a right bend, and the left cylinders expand to increase the roll stiffness. The goal is to make the steering quicker by cutting the amount of slump to the outside before the car changes direction. The Carrera still does roll a bit, which preserves a natural feel.

There’s also a “torque-vectoring” system—optional on Carrera models, standard on the S—that activates the inside rear brake to help yaw the car into corners for more reactive turn-in. It works in concert with a locking differential, which is mechanical on manual models and electronic with PDK. The S we drove around the autocross course has a new, pronounced lift-throttle turn-in to the chassis that gets it pointed into the apex better.

The electric steering, adopted because it saves fuel over an engine-driven hydraulic pump, is more controversial. Usually such systems deaden the feel compared to hydraulic units. Porsche says its system is carefully designed to filter out everything except “useful” information, which it defines as cornering forces and pitching surfaces, but not bump-shocks and jiggling from rough surfaces. The 911 purists will complain, of course, because some of the life has been squeezed out. This includes the weird on-center slackness and the sudden wheel spasms that occur when older Carreras tromp over rough patches, especially while the front axle is lightly loaded under acceleration and the front tires buck at will.
Porsche’s attitude is that it is merely cleaning up flaws with the new car, but a lot of people like the character imparted by the old flaws. The 991’s wheel drives a smooth, precise rack that delivers instant helm response and a solid connection to the road, if not every single whisper of information that could possibly be transmitted. With this quick experience, it seems good, especially if you’re getting older. We’ll need to wait and see if we feel the same after longer exposure.

The new Carrera is more comfortable and transits quickly, more securely, and with less of the white-knuckle body heaving and tail twitching that has long defined the 911’s unique character. Porschephiles may have been wondering at what point their beloved 911 ceases to be a 911 and becomes just a good sports car with an engine in the trunk. That day may have arrived

Full review:
2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S - First Drive Review - Car Reviews - Car and Driver

Road and Track - 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe - First Drive










Faster, lighter and a bit larger, the 911 evolves yet again.


Santa Barbara, California—Normally, a car painted in a stealthy dark brown metallic wouldn’t be the center of attention. But this isn’t just any car.

We’re at the world introduction of the seventh-generation Porsche 911, whose iconic silhouette, rear-mounted flat-6 engine and round headlights are touchstones to more than 700,000 enthusiasts who’ve put a 911 in their garage since the first one rolled off the Zuffenhausen production line in September of 1964. And as we roll through Santa Barbara’s sleepy tree-lined streets, we have the undivided attention of a BMW 328i driver directly ahead, recording this moment for posterity with his iPhone—arm thrust straight up, Statue of Liberty style, through an open sunroof.

So the new car is instantaneously, innately identifiable as a 911. Only it’s a little different. And therein lies a tale.

The New Look

The new 911 is larger, but incrementally so. Overall length grows by 2.2 in. and wheelbase grow by 3.9 in. (now 96.5). Yet overhangs are trimmed, and most important, the rear axle moves aft roughly 3 in. relative to the engine (made possible by new 3-shaft transmissions whose output flanges are moved closer to the engine), resulting in a significant tweaking of the proportions, and a slightly less rear-heavy weight distribution. Add a wider front track—a full 2.0 in. wider for the Carrera S models we drove—and you end up with a significant challenge for the design team headed by Michael Mauer. Traditionally, the 911 has had a narrow front, wide rear look, so with the new car’s extra girth up front, some deft manipulation of rear flare radii took place to retain the iconic Coke-bottle contours. Do you miss the more exaggerated (and less aero-friendly) fender forms of earlier 911s? “Just wait for the 911 Turbo,” says Mauer. “You will not be disappointed.”

Head on, the new 911 (internally dubbed the 991) has very wide-set headlights that are now a bit more 3-dimensional, in the way of a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, for instance. Front fender peaks are a bit less prominent, and wedgy directionals now appear to float above the intakes for the twin coolant radiators. It’s that stretched rear three-quarter view that’s changed the most, with a more voluminous form, wedgy taillight slivers capped with the protruding lip of a much wider retractable spoiler, and “engine cover” slats to stick proud of the bodywork. The quote marks are needed, because opening this flap reveals fillers for coolant and oil and a couple of heat-extraction fans, but no engine.

Inside the Beast

The biggest change inside is the high center console, inspired by the Carrera GT, adopted by the Panamera and now seen here in slimmed-down form. Purists may miss the more open feel of the 997’s lower console (and having the base of the windshield much closer to the dash), but there’s no arguing about ease of access to the nicely straightforward controls for chassis settings, ventilation, etc. Seats are great, with secure lateral hold without the 997’s upper-torso “pinch point,” and there’s more head room, despite a lower roofline. Magic? No; it’s made possible by a tilt-and-slide sunroof panel that articulates outside the roof, instead of sliding back within the sheet metal. Of course, the mandatory 5-circle gauge cluster remains (the second one from the right is a multi-configurable TFT display) as does the ignition socket to the left of the steering column. That last item, incidentally, now electrically tilts and telescopes.

More Power, Lighter Weight

The new 3.8-liter direct injected flat-6 of the Carrera S, however, can be clearly felt and heard in finest 911 tradition. Horsepower is now 400 at 7400 rpm—a 15-bhp bump over its predecessor—and torque is also up 15 lb.-ft., to 325 at 5600 rpm, the gains enabled by a lofty 7800-rpm redline and freer breathing through lower-restriction intake and exhaust systems. The hot-wire airflow sensor gives way to a manifold pressure sensor, cleaning up the intake pathway; and multi-hole direct injectors optimize combustion efficiency. On S models, an exhaust flap opens at higher rpm, putting all four exhaust tips into play. Two transmissions are offered: The 7-speed paddle-shift twin-clutch PDK, or in an industry first, a 7-speed manual. On the latter, a solenoid blocks an inadvertent 4-7 upshift, as 5th or 6th gear must be selected first. The linkage has a light and precise action, and the tall overdrive 7th ratio (0.71:1) allows for relaxed cruising; 80 mph equates to just 2200 rpm.

Although the load-bearing unibody of the new 991 is primarily high-strength steel, the trunklid, door skins, roof panel, and fenders are of aluminum. The result is a body-in-white that’s 176 lb. lighter than the 997’s. And total weight of the 991 Carrera S with PDK (versus a comparably equipped 997) is about 88 lb. lighter, at 3120 lb.

The Driving Experience

On fast, flowing canyon roads around Santa Barbara, and on a test track at the Santa Maria airport (graded and paved specifically for this event!), we were able to thoroughly evaluate Zuffenhausen’s latest. The Carrera S’ flat-6 is fabulously torquey, strong at 3000 rpm and absolutely ferocious from 5500 rpm to the lofty redline. And every trip around the tach is an aural treat—a sliding scale of tone and pitch, that classic 911 combination of resonance, tick and howl with the horn section of a manic orchestra thrown in at the upper reaches.

The PDK’s launch mode makes repeatable, violent standing-start passes as easy as microwaving a TV dinner: Select the Sport Plus mode of the Sport Chrono Package, stand on the gas and brake simultaneously (while the engine winds up to a preset launch rpm), and abruptly lift off the brake. Bam! Perfect wheelspin, and you’re punted forward as if rear-ended by an 18-wheeler. Porsche reckons the S so equipped will reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.1 seconds, and historically their numbers have been conservative. Claimed top speed is 189 mph.

Over the road, the wider front track, a new multilink rear suspension with redone kinematics and 20-in. wheels and tires (245/35ZR-20 front, 295/30ZR-20 rear) provide tautly suspended, precise control, and with the PASM you can choose the level of ride comfort and suspension aggression, along with different mapping for the PDK’s lightning-fast shifts. New for the 991 is PDCC active roll stabilization, much lighter and more compact than the split anti-roll bar setup in the Panamera and Cayenne. Instead, each conventional anti-roll bar drop link is replaced by a small 2-way hydraulic actuator with a 70-mm stroke. Depending on your level of driving aggression and the mode selected, the system can effectively add spring rate to any wheel to mitigate roll. On Porsche’s test track, it was especially effective through a tight slalom section.

The new 991 is hard to fault dynamically. You really have to make a gross driving error to get the chassis to break a sweat, and even then the stability nannies intervene in the gentlest, least intrusive way. Forget any past wicked tendencies toward lift-throttle oversteer; the 991 exhibits easily catchable, controlled breakaway. The new electric-assist steering (another 911 first) is nicely direct and communicative, filtering out the most obnoxious bumps and nibbles but still letting you feel every crack and surface nuance. If there’s any doubt of the 991’s handling prowess and controllability, consider that its Nordschleife lap time of 7:40 is a full 14 seconds quicker than its predecessor.

Reinventing the 911 for a new generation is a difficult and often thankless task, especially for those in love with the previous iteration. But the engineers from Weissach never cease to amaze by improving on the seemingly unimprovable.

The 991 will arrive at Porsche dealers on February 4, 2012. Prices start at $82,100 for the 350-bhp Carrera, and $96,400 for the Carrera S.



2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe First Drive - Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe on RoadandTrack.com


M

Wow that 7 speed manual Porsche Carrera S video is SICK!!!!

Though it does not rev as high, I cannot believe even a Carrera S now sounds as good as a GT3!

I believed in the 7 speed manual being a revolution in the transmision as early as 3 years ago when I found out Porsche was going to develop it. This video today for the first time watching the tranny only confirms my belief that struck me back 3 years ago. BRAVO PORSCHE!!!! BRAVO!!!:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

Porsche 911 Carrera S - Road Test First Drive - Autocar.co.uk



The new Porsche 911 Carrera S operates on a much higher performance plane than the seven-year-old model it replaces. With a 0-62mph time of 4.3sec and a top speed of 188mph, the new model storms up the strip 0.2sec faster and extends 2mph beyond the old Carrera S when running an updated version of the seven-speed PDK gearbox.

So, the new 911 is faster than any of its illustrious forebears by some margin. But the question is, can it achieve such feats with the same intensely involving character as the previous six generations of the car?

Make no mistake, the 991 represents the most significant shift in emphasis for the rear-engined coupé ever – more significant than the progression from the air cooled 993 to the water cooled 996 back in 1996.

Seeing the new car reinforces the impression of Porsche’s revolutionary approach. Haunches widened to accommodate all new underpinnings make the styling significantly more curvaceous and terrific attention to detail endows it with greater precision of build. Its stance is more aggressive, too.

It is 56mm longer, 65mm wider and, owing to a flatter roof, 11mm lower than the outgoing 997. The really telling measurement, though, is its wheelbase, which for only the second time in the history of the 911 has been extended, by a considerable 100mm. This serves to shorten up the overhangs, providing an increase in interior accommodation.

The Carrera S as driven here is claimed to come in at 1415kg with its optional PDK gearbox – some 40kg under the kerb weight of its predecessor.
What’s it like

Inside, there’s a new dashboard, a high-set centre and contemporary looking switchgear. It’s a classy, modern driving environment but it’s not devoid of classic touches.

The first thing that hits you as you set off is the all round improvement in refinement. Never lacking in this area, it is now considerably quieter than before, with less buffeting around the door mirrors, lower levels of mechanical noise from the rear and, despite those 20-inch tyres, less tyre roar.

Cruising at a steady 80mph in the tall seventh gear, the 911 feels remarkably relaxed. The reworked suspension absorbs transverse joints in the road surface and copes with potholes with greater aplomb than before. With the Porsche Active Stability Management PASM in Normal mode the chassis takes on a new-found calmness. Switching the PASM into Sport instantly heightens the responses – not only in terms of damping firmness but the directness of the steering and sensitivity of the throttle, too.

But there is still less initial impact harshness than with the previous 911, something that makes Sport mode more suitable over a wider range of road surfaces, and body movements are wonderfully controlled.

Despite holding on to what is essentially the same engine as the old model, Porsche has held true to 911 tradition by raising the output. Power climbs by 14bhp to a new peak of 394bhp at 7400rpm, in the process taking its specific output beyond 100bhp per litre. Torque also improves by 13lb ft to 234lb ft at 5600rpm. With the drop in weight figured in, the bump in reserves provides for a 16bhp per tonne increase in the vital power-to-weight ratio at 282bhp per tonne.

Unlike the engine, the gearbox the new 911 Carrera S uses is all new – and rather special, too. Replacing the old six-speed manual is the first ever seven-speed manual to make its way into a series production road car. Based around the seven-speed PDK gearbox, the ground-breaking manual uses a mechanical lock-out to stop you from inadvertently shifting into seventh. The new top gear can only be selected via fifth or sixth.

Another interesting development is a so-called sailing function, which sees the engine disconnected from the gearbox via the clutch on periods of trailing throttle, allowing it roll freely at idle on slight downhill grades.

The detail changes Porsche has made to the engine give the new Carrera S a gutsier feel across a wider range of revs; it might lack the sheer intensity of some of the engines used by its supercar rivals, but the evergreen flat six remains as stirring as ever.

Rushing up to a tightening right hander, the 911 squats ever so slightly over the rear wheels, its engine howling with an intoxicating combination of induction and exhaust clamor. The front end is uncharacteristically calm with no unruly bobbing across the heavily patchworked surface; the changes to the suspension provide the new 911 with a much more settled feel even in the most aggressive Sport Plus mode.
Should I buy one?

The 991 is not only more capable than the 997, but its handling also hints at greatness. In Carrera S form it is faster, more neutral at the limit, considerably more stable, incredibly comfortable, a lot quieter at motorway speeds and amazingly frugal. At the end of the day, I’d even come to terms with the new steering, accepting that it lacks the ultimate precision and sensitivity of the old hydraulic arrangement.

The question I’m asking myself now is: how can Porsche possibly top it? For the moment, the original supercar has reached a new zenith – both in ability and desirability.

Greg Kable

Porsche 911 Carrera S PDK

Price: £NA; 0-62mph: 4.1sec; Top speed: 188mph; Economy: 32mpg; CO2 emissions: 224g/km; Length: Weight: 1415kg; Engine layout: 6cyls, horizontally opposed, 3800cc, petrol; Installation: rear, longitudinal; Power: 394bhp at 7400rpm; Torque: 234lb ft at 5600rpm; Specific output: 104bhp/litre; Power to weight: 282bhp/tonne; Gearbox: seven speed double clutch

Look hot in yellow..can't wait for the Turboooo!

Porsche abandon hydraulic steering. Not even Porsche seem to satisfy these carjournalists...

In spite of my usual very conservative preferences, I love yellow on this car! Maybe it's becasue the 991 looks more "exotic"?

^ nice as it might be, nobody in his right mind is going to buy this car in yellow. A GT3 or GT2 sure, but a Carrera?!?
Also, the brown looks hideous imo.

Btw, what struck me....in that last review they say that for this 991, it is only the second time ever they increase the wheelbase for the 911 in all of it's history. That's something I never realised!

2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S First Drive - Motor Trend



Since its debut in 1963, the Porsche 911 has epitomized singularity in the sports-car world. From the ill-advised rear engine placement -- which still makes Newton roll over -- and the smooth, high-revving boxer motors, to the provocative Bauhaus styling with its roundish headlamps, humped front fenders, and horizontal taillamps, the 911 is an automotive freak. But it's a striking one that has sold 700,000 units worldwide, spawned more race victories than any other sports car, and served as the lustful fantasy of many a car enthusiast.

Perhaps what makes the 911 most unique is its comparative breadth. At this magazine, for instance, we've compared the 911 to Mustangs and Corvettes, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, BMWs and Benzes, Jags and Astons, Audis and Acuras, Nissans and Toyotas, and even Evos and STIs. I don't mean to suggest that we've actually pitted the 911 in head-to-head battles with each and every one of the aforementioned (although with most we have), but when we want to say just how quick a car is, or how well it handles, or how amazing its steering is, well, there's one reference we turn to. "The new Evo corners as well as a 911!" "This 'Vette is even quicker than a 911!" "The GT-R is so fast it can hang with a 911 Turbo!" You get the point. Whenever a sporty car, whether a coupe, hatchback, sedan, or convertible, requires heroic validation, there is but one benchmark: the 911.
Porsche has earned and embraced this bull's-eye status, and there is no 911 better suited to defend that position than the all-new, seventh-generation 991. Longer, lighter, quicker, roomier, and more fuel-efficient than its 997 predecessor, the 991 is an evolutionary masterpiece of speed, style, and technology.
" When we want to say just how quick a car is, or how well it handles, or how amazing its steering is, well, there's one reference we turn to. "
Let's start with the body. Now constructed of almost 50 percent aluminum, including the doors, wings, lids, and roof, the body is about 100 pounds lighter and around 20-percent stiffer, the latter due in part to key uses of ultra-high-strength steel. Further, the body managed to successfully diet while growing more than 2 inches in length (compared to the 997 GTS) and having a wheelbase stretched 4 inches. Next to the GTS, height for the Carrera S dips 0.2 inch and width shrinks 1.7 inches. The general appearance is still unmistakably 911, except sometimes from the rear, which can resemble the tail of an Aston Vantage or a BMW Z8. Unlike 911s of yesterday, the 991's tail doesn't slope sharply down towards the road; rather, it juts up a bit, as if imitating a duck.

As fundamental a shift as switching from air- to water-cooled engines in the 996, the lengthening of the wheelbase represents a new era for 911, one in which the dynamic proportions have been further enhanced. (Newton's still shaking his head, but his interest is surely piqued.) Overlap a profile drawing of the 991 over the 997, and the engines' placements reside in essentially the same spots; the major differences being the 991's rear axle has shifted 2.8 inches rearward from the driver's H-point and the front axle 1.2 inches forward. The result? Less weight over the rear, which equals better balance. We weighed a Carrera S and found its 3309 pounds were distributed 39 percent up front and 61 percent out back -- superior to the 997 GTS's 3396 pounds at 38/62.

In addition to the improved proportions (did I mention the overhangs have been clipped by 1.3 inches up front and 0.5 inch out back compared to the previous S?), the 991 Carrera S benefits from myriad other enhancements. The front track has been expanded almost an inch, part of a package using 20-inch wheels with 245/45s up front and 295/30s in back. Now standard on the S is rear limited-slip differential with torque vectoring that applies brake pressure to the inside rear wheel and engine power to the outside rear wheel when cornering, thus upping yaw movement around a turn. Porsche's $3160 dynamic chassis control -- an active roll-stabilization system that helps the car stay flat through corners -- and $890 active suspension management, or continuous damping control, are optional.

For the utmost in control and speed, the $1850 Sport Chrono Package is a must, as it includes launch control with the PDK, a Sport Plus button for more aggressive throttle, exhaust, and dampening, and, most important, dynamic engine mounts that keep a leash on the boxer's centrifugal effect -- the engine's desire to move away from the direction of a turn. Put it all on a car that is better balanced, with a wider front track, bigger tires, and longer wheelbase, and what you get is a four-seater that not only rides smoother and more controlled, but will outgrip and out-maneuver the 997 GTS, which laid down 1.00 g of lateral acceleration and a 24.4-second (at 0.79 g) figure-eight time. If you don't believe me, Porsche says the 991 S circles the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:40, or 14 seconds quicker than the 997 S and as swift as the 997 Turbo and GT3. The 991 is the easiest and most forgiving and predictable 911 in which to test maximum levels of adhesion, which amateurs can explore and pros can exploit.

To be that quick around the 'Ring you need power and torque, and the new S has more of both. Not a lot -- 15 horses and 15 pound-feet -- but total output of 400 horsepower and 325 pound-feet are enough to launch an S with the PDK dual-clutch auto from 0 to 60 mph in around 4.0 seconds. Porsche claims a time of 4.1 (4.3 with the seven-speed manual -- more on that world's first later), which is the same time we got for the heavier, 408-horsepower 997 GTS with PDK. So expect around 3.9 in the S with SportChrono and launch control. The S's 3.8-liter flat-six shares about 30 percent of its parts with the GTS' engine, but the other 70 percent is new, including a reworked intake manifold and multi-hole fuel injectors. Even the exhaust is freshly designed. The updated 3.8 pulls stronger, sounds racier (thanks in part to a "Sound Symposer" that directs engine noise into the cabin via an acoustic channel), revs higher (7800 rpm vs. 7300), and consumes less gas (Porsche claims a noteworthy 16-percent fuel-economy hike on the European cycle).

Routing all that go to the road is your choice of a seven-speed PDK auto or the first-ever seven-speed manual. The shift-it-yourself box, produced by ZF, delivers a nice, firm action with short throws and an oh-so-easy clutch, but rowing through that many gears isn't as intriguing as it may sound. It can be tedious. Seventh is for highway use only, but since a lot of drivers are frequent highway travelers, it won't exactly be an unused gear. Engage seventh -- it sits to the right of fifth -- and the engine goes docile, spinning at a hushed 2100 rpm at 70 mph. The engine is relaxed; you're relaxed. Then a truck right in front of you blows a tire and loses control, and you think, "I'm in seventh gear...where do I go from here? Six? Skip directly to fifth? Wait, am I already in fifth?" Getting used to a six-speed manual took long enough. Getting used to a seven-speed, created so 911 stick fans wouldn't have to pay any highway fuel-econ penalty, will take longer. Which leads me to the PDK.
" Quicker and smoother shifting -- yes, a great dual-clutch got even better -- the enhanced seven-speed PDK offers the best of both worlds. "

Quicker and smoother shifting -- yes, a great dual-clutch got even better -- the enhanced seven-speed PDK offers the best of both worlds. It provides the briskest acceleration, what with mind-dizzying launch control and race-quick shifts, and, thanks to a new "coasting" feature that disengages the trans from the engine during various off-throttle situations, improved fuel economy. There's also a selectable auto start/stop function, standard with both transmissions, that helps save gas.

Not as monumental as the wheelbase stretch, the 991's shift from hydraulic to electric power steering is an easy second place. The newer-to-market EPS systems are more painstaking to calibrate to the organic, linear levels of the 911's previous hydraulic units, but the 991's electric rack is nothing short of, well, electric. Linearity is first-rate, and if there were any loss in feel, it's as negligible as a penny. Better still, turn-in feels GT3 quick and precise. Not surprising, Porsche says it utilized the expertise of its factory race drivers when tuning the 991's EPS. Those drivers undoubtedly gave their approval of the brakes, too. Stiffer six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers squeeze larger and lighter steel discs, the fronts growing by 0.4 inch. (Porsche's carbon-ceramic brakes are an $8520 option but seem superfluous.) Brake performance and feel are equally excellent.

Inside, the 991 is a handsome blend of 911 heritage and Panamera innovation. The trademark five-dial gauge cluster with a big, center-mounted tachometer still greets the driver, but one dial is now devoted to a multi-menu TFT display that relays everything from a g meter to tire pressures. A la the Panamera, the 991 sports a center console that is fully integrated into the dash, creating a richer, more modern cockpit. But dissimilar to its four-door sibling's, the 991's houses far fewer buttons, meaning the look is less intimidating and the driver interaction more efficient. With the wheelbase bump comes an extra inch of front legroom and about a quarter-inch more rear legroom. Opt for the $1490 power sunroof -- a painted piece of aluminum that spans almost the width of the roof -- and headroom is up a max of 0.6 inch. The two-person backseat remains a space for kids or luggage, while the $5010 821-watt Burmester sound system continues as the choice for audiophiles. One notable, welcome addition to the list of standard equipment: Porsche Communication Management, which includes navigation with touchscreen control and 3D mapping.

In 2012, Porsche expects the 991 to account for about 30 percent of all sales. Of course, the "base" $83,050 Carrera, with its 3.4-liter 350-horse flat-six and 19-inch wheels, will represent a big bite of that slice. To think it's any less impressive in its own right than the S would be foolish. Nevertheless, the S gets to carry the mantle as the one -- the greatest all-around 911 ever. At least until the Turbo, GTS, and GT3 arrive in the coming years. In the meantime, let the new 911 comparisons begin.

My horrible chop with GT3 wing.

That's going to be soooo badass!

If on the Panamera looked this good........sigh.

This car is clean, classic design evolutionary perfection.


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