First drive: 2012 porsche 911 carrera s [review]
By Drew JohnsonWednesday, Nov 30th, 2011
It’s a running joke in the automotive world that the person in charge of styling the next Porsche 911 has the easiest job in the industry. But, in reality, that task is one of the most difficult. Unlike most cars, Porsche has to walk a fine line with the 911, keeping faithful to the car’s decades-olds shape while still moving the overall design forward.
And, as if that charge wasn’t difficult enough, Porsche engineers have to ensure the 911 can live up to its modern rivals, despite the limitations of a six-cylinder engine and a rear-engine layout.
So, has Porsche kept true to the 911′s winning formula, or has age finally caught up with the timeless wonder? Let’s find out.
Deja vu all over again
At first glance, it doesn’t appear much has changed for the latest 911, internally known as the 991. The 2012 911 greets you with a familiar face and the same overall shape that has been a 911 staple since its introduction at the 1963 Fankfurt Motor Show. But looks can be deceiving as the 991 is actually a clean-slate redesign, retaining just 5 percent of the parts from the previous-generation 997.
The 991 is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, but it still takes a discerning eye to differentiate the two at a distance. Up front a closer inspection will reveal that the 2012 911′s headlights are actually mounted farther towards the corners – a direct result of the car’s wider stance. The 991′s lower bumper has also been reworked to fit larger air inlets and LED running lights.
Out back the changes are more obvious, thanks to thinner taillights that Porsche says harken back to the car’s original design. The rear glass section of the 991 is also more tapered than before, combining with accentuated haunches to give the car an overall planted look.
The 991′s roofline has also been lowered by 10mm.
Our 911 Carrera S test car was fitted with 20-inch wheels, although 19s are standard on the base Carrera.
Keeping it in the family
Anyone that has spent any time in a Cayenne or Panamera will feel right at home in the cockpit of the 2012 911. The car’s familial ties are quite evident, especially when it comes to the center stack. Although we’d like to see a little more individuality when it comes to the 911, we found the car’s interior to work well overall.
As is appropriate for a 911, the driver is greeted by a five-gauge dash cluster, with the tachometer located front and center. Just to the right of the tach resides a TFT screen, which can display helpful information like how many Gs you pulled in that last corner. For those a little more concerned with the destination rather than the journey, the screen can also display turn-by-turn directions from the vehicle’s navigation system.
Our test car came fitted with a sports steering wheel, which we think is as a must-have for PDK-equipped cars. Although you lose the multi-function of the standard wheel, the sports wheel not only looks better, but also includes true paddle shifters. We also like that Porsche incorporated “Sport,” “Sport Plus” and “Launch Control” indicator lights on the spindles of the wheel.
The 991′s center stacked is topped with a navigation screen, followed by controls for the car’s audio system. While we found it a bit tricky to use the car’s iPod integration, the overall audio system is fairly intuitive, and we love any car that still uses a good ol’ fashioned volume knob.
Move farther down the center stack and you’ll find the car’s HVAC controls. Thanks to the 911′s German engineering, the controls are straightforward and easy to use, with toggle switches giving just the hint of a jet-fighter. Our only confusion was mentally converting Celsius to Fahrenheit as our test car was German-spec.
The 911′s gear lever is just about a perfect arm’s reach away, but that will likely only come into play for those that opt for the car’s new seven-speed gearbox. We were unable to sample the seven-speed unit during this first drive, but we look forward to testing it in the coming weeks.
Just behind the gear level are controls for the car’s suspension, traction control and exhaust, but we found it odd that Porsche would leave three button blanks. Those empty spots will probably be occupied in at least one of the 911′s 23 planned variants, but it just comes across as cheap in a car that isn’t.
We found our tester’s optional sports seats to be quite comfortable, thanks in large to adjustable bolsters and thigh support. The same can’t be said for the 911′s rear seats, but at least anyone back there will have a good view of the car’s leather-trimmed interior and suede headliner.
The oily bits
Although the engine is no longer visible in the 2012 911 Carrera S, Porsche assures us that a revised 3.8-liter flat-six resides behind the car’s rear axle. Power now stands at an even 400 horsepower – up 15 from last year – with torque growing 15 lb-ft to 325. In a world where Cadillac produces a 556 horsepower station wagon, 400 horsepower might not seem like a lot, but the 911 Carrera S makes good use of what it has.
Porsche added about 128 lbs. of content to the 991, but also managed to take out 216 lbs., resulting in a net reduction of 88 lbs. That weight loss can not only be felt in the corners, but also in a straight line.
Mash the throttle from a standstill and PDK-equipped versions of the 911 Carrera S can reach 60 mph in as little as 4.1 seconds (add 0.2 for manual cars). Give it enough room and the Carrera S will eventually hit 189 mph.
But perhaps the Carrera S’ most impressive performance stat is that it lapped the Nurburgring in 7 minutes, 40 seconds – matching the time of the outgoing 997 Turbo.
And, although we didn’t quite reach those kind of upper limits, we can report that the 991 is (thankfully) still a 911. The 991 feels perfectly balanced and the switch from conventional power steering to a new electric unit hasn’t affected the car’s steering feel. In fact, we couldn’t tell a difference at all.
The 991 is fantastic to drive on-track – especially with the Sport Plus mode engaged, allowing for some tail-out fun – but we found the car to be equally at home on the winding backroads of Southern California. The Carrera S’ suspension is surprisingly supple over most road imperfections and Porsche’s PDK transmission is near-perfect. Shifts are lightning fast, but we were most impressed with its low-speed operation. While most dual-clutch units are clunky and awkward during the transition from idle to load, the seven-speed PDK felt much like a conventional slush box. Other automakers should definitely take note.
And speaking of notes, the 991 belts out one of the best soundtracks we have ever heard. Throaty and growly at low speeds, the 3.8 turns into a screamer above 4,000 rpm – think Formula 1 car. Porsche has even fitted the newest 911 with an exhaust button to funnel more of that sound into the car’s cabin.
And you’ll likely need that button on a long road trip as the 991′s massive tires – 245/20 up front and 295/20 out back – generate quite a lot of road noise. We found the noise to be an equal trade off for road grip, but some might not agree.
Leftlane’s bottom line
Porsche has done it again, creating yet another 911 for the history books. Although the formula remains the same, Porsche has managed to vastly improve the 991 through a series of incremental changes, resulting in what could be the best 911 since the much-loved 993.
The 911 is no longer Porsche’s best-selling model, but the 991 present a strong argument for why it should be.
2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S base price $96,400
Words and photos by Drew Johnson.
