911 carrera s review in today's nyt | FerrariChat

911 carrera s review in today's nyt

Discussion in 'Porsche' started by photonut, Apr 22, 2012.

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  1. photonut

    photonut F1 Rookie
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    the following article was written by JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN and was published in the Sunday automobile section of the New York Times on 22 April 2012:

    THE new Porsche 911 Carrera S is a smart car. It won’t over-rev its engine, it shifts gears better than Dyno Don Nicholson, the steering could play Chopin and the suspension adjusts with the sensitivity of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s right big toe.

    This is a car that never chases inside straights, always has its taxes done by early February and would have bought Apple in 2002 for $7 a share.

    It’s a car that knows it’s a better driver than whoever is behind its leather-wrapped SportDesign steering wheel (a $490 option).

    Though it carries the storied 911 name, now nearly a half-century old, this newly voluptuous 2012 model is its own true thing; a brawny 21st-century sports car whose mechanical substance is inseparable from the electronics that run through it. Yes, the flat 6 engine is in the back, but except for that and a few superficial sops to tradition, it’s a brash leap beyond any previous 911.

    First, it’s larger. At 176.8 inches long, the new 911 (inside Porsche, its code name is 991) is a couple of inches longer than a 2012 Chevrolet Corvette and more than a foot longer than the air-cooled original 911. It’s also an inch longer on a 3.9-inch longer wheelbase, and a bit wider, than the 997-series 911 it is systematically replacing. Other versions — including the Turbo, all-wheel-drive and a hybrid — will follow, all part of Porsche’s strategy to suck every last dime out of Jerry Seinfeld’s bank account.

    The new 911 isn’t a big car, and the perfectly stitched interior is still an intimate space, but it’s nowhere near small.

    Despite those provocatively swollen dimensions, the 2012 Carrera S tops out at a sort-of-svelte 3,075 pounds — about 100 pounds less than the comparable previous-generation model. Credit for the modest weight goes to the new composite body structure, which uses steel and aluminum where each metal’s virtues can be exploited. So the barely stressed door skins, hood, deck lid, roof and floor are made of lightweight aluminum; steel is used in the rear fenders, center tunnel, cross-member and nose.

    To this robust structure is bolted a suspension system consisting of MacPherson struts up front and a multilink system made of aluminum forgings in the back. The suspension’s links are so elegantly sculptured that owners will want to put the car up on jack stands at the end of each day and remove the huge 20-inch wheels just to stare.

    The lesser 911 Carrera coupe ($83,050) gets a 3.4-liter version of Porsche’s now familiar water-cooled flat 6. Now with direct injection and an aggressive 12.5:1 compression ratio, it’s rated by Porsche at 350 horsepower. It comes bolted to either a new 7-speed version of the dual-clutch Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) paddle-shifting automated transmission or the standard 7-speed manual that’s essentially a PDK shorn of one clutch and its auto-shifting functions.

    The Carrera S coupe that I tested (base price: $97,350) comes with a 3.8-liter version of the same engine rated at a full 400 horsepower. With technologies like variable lift and timing acting on its 24 valves, a dry-sump lubrication system and a lightweight reciprocating assembly the engine produces almost instant responsiveness up to the red line of 7,800 r.p.m., the upper limit of where the engine can safely operate. During hard acceleration the motor produces the sort of seamless torque that squeezes the driver into the seat as if the safety belt were a boa constrictor.

    The test car had the optional $4,080 PDK transmission, as will most new 911s, and it feels at home in the car. Left to shift itself during commutes, it performs confidently. If you operate it like a manual — either with the flappy paddles behind the steering wheel or the floor-mounted shifter — it’s dazzling. The shifts aren’t merely quick, they’re immediate, positive and gratifying. The PDK is so good that you can almost forgive Porsche for the half-baked automatics, like Tiptronic, that it once foisted on customers.

    The 911 driver has leeway in gear selection, but there are limits to the car’s patience with incompetents. The drivetrain computer will not allow the engine to operate beyond its red line.

    Along with the PDK comes Porsche’s launch-control system for those occasions when the trip home from the owner’s Midtown law firm coincides with Grudge Night at Raceway Park.

    Once you’ve pushed the Sport Plus button to set the engine for maximum output, turned off the Porsche Stability Management system and put the Porsche Active Suspension Management control in sport mode, the Carrera S is ready to party. With the PDK set in gear and the car held back with the brakes, the driver mashes the throttle to the carpet and the engine begins to violently bounce against its rev limiter. It sounds as if the flat 6 is about to shatter, but Porsche swears that everything is hunky bordering on dory. Release the brakes and the car shoots forward with ballistic ferocity. There’s no tire chirp or smoke, only thrust.

    Thrust enough, according to InsideLine.com, for the same Racing Yellow car that I drove to reach 60 m.p.h. in just 3.9 seconds and devour the quarter-mile in 12 seconds at 116.5 m.p.h. That’s astonishing acceleration from a car with a naturally aspirated engine. And any primate with long enough legs could accomplish the same feat — and do it over and over with absolute consistency.

    Even so, during my time with the car, its fuel consumption averaged just a hair shy of 20 m.p.g. The driving included a bit of freeway cruising, but I spent more time indulging myself on the back roads of Santa Barbara County.

    The test car was equipped with Dynamic Chassis Control, a $3,160 option that combines with the standard suspension management system to continuously plant the tires (245/35R20 in front and 295/30R20 in the rear) into the pavement. The dynamic chassis anticipates cornering forces and compensates for them using hydraulic cylinders. Meanwhile the active suspension is constantly making electronic adjustments to the damping of the shock absorbers. As a result, the Carrera S corners almost utterly flat and sticks to the tarmac with brilliant tenacity.

    On a circular skidpad it will orbit like John Glenn, easily surpassing the 1g force of gravity that denotes sports car superawesomeness.

    While the new 911’s electrically assisted power steering isn’t quite as sweet as Porsche’s previous hydraulic systems, it still sets a new standard for its species in sensitivity and responsiveness.

    Computers mediate nearly all of the new 911’s driving experience. But Porsche has devised algorithms that always keep the driver feeling involved and excited. Maybe it doesn’t matter whether what the driver feels is a genuine mechanical sensation or an electronic simulation. This is a car that delivers unparalleled immediacy in its reflexes while retaining a supple ride for everyday use. The big tires can roar a bit on some surfaces, but there’s never been a better all-round sports car.

    The only stupid thing about this new 911 is the price of the options. The test car was heavily loaded for service in Porsche’s press fleet, but that only slightly mitigates the shock of its $126,750 sticker. Come on, $1,120 for a Sirius/XM and HD radio tuner? And $2,950 for the Sport Exhaust System? They both sound good, but that’s $4,070 that could be applied to the insurance premiums.

    The first Porsche 911 of 1965 was clean and slim-hipped; a delicate, chic, 130-horsepower sports car on narrow 15-inch steel wheels. It was Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy and ballet flats. Timelessness was its greatest virtue. And that may be where this new Porsche fares worst.

    The 2012 911 Carrera S is brazen, an athletic machine on 20-inch alloys. It’s Brooklyn Decker in a Hervé Léger bandage dress and Louboutin heels. That’s impressive, but it may not be so timeless.
     
  2. PCA Hack

    PCA Hack Formula Junior

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    "But Porsche has devised algorithms that always keep the driver feeling involved and excited."

    That line pretty much sums up the world of contemporary sports cars.

    I like being able to diagnose & fix anything that goes wrong on a sports car with nothing more than a set of hand tools a multimeter. Now I need to learn discrete mathematics and algorithmic synthesis to figure out why the steering feels like crap.
     
  3. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    What he said. I don't quite understand why I would want simulated steering feedback and simulated exhaust noise if I'm driving an actual car on an actual road.
     
  4. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Good review, especially the second to last paragraph with its reference to Audrey Hepburn and timelessness. Electronic/computer technology ages poorly. We're living in an era of disposable cars, and I think the 991 joins the 599, DB9, Granturismo and others as toys of the day rather than keepers.

    As an aside: As an editor/publisher/journalist I'd recommend you don't copy/paste copyrighted stuff here -- just link. NYT charges for content access now.
     
  5. Michael B

    Michael B F1 Rookie
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    Well said.
     
  6. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    If I were in the market for a 911, it would be a 1998 993.
     
  7. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    I'd be curious if P now tells auto journalists that they can't claim the 991 doesn't have the visceral feel, blah blah? This guy didn't seem to touch on that one? With the techy cars of today that problem is almost a given, so there really is no need to bring that up anyway. Besides, the cars are almost too good and have eliminated the things that give a more raw driving experience.

    Parts for early 911's are through the roof, so I can't even imagine what it be like with a 991 when the puter is long since obsolete and yours has just fried? Time to dump it once the warranty runs out?
     
  8. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    No, they don't.

    Recently I drove a 991 Carrera S, PDK, PASM, PDCC, sport exhaust, all of that and, yeah, some of that classic 911 steering feel is gone. So what? I don't need to steer the car any better than I did before. I don't need it to make the car go any faster around a race track. If you're relying on tactile feedback to your hands to adjust your line, you're not going fast. I've never needed steering feel - maybe that's why I go fast in Corvettes, too - and it doesn't make a sweet bit of difference to me. And for crying out loud, it's a heck of a lot easier for non-racing drivers to pedal quickly, so what is everyone b****ing about?

    It's really a next-gen 911, carefully improved and refined. Can't wait for the 991 GT3.
     
  9. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    They really are/have. You definitely need to get out on a track before the incremental performance is even relevant.

    It's funny because back in the 1980s the small number of cars that would get you 0-60 in ~5 seconds were also terrifying: Esprit Turbo, 911 Turbo, 944 Turbo S, Countach and Boxer can still kill you if you sneeze. I still wouldn't feel comfortable taking any of those close to their limits.

    I think we've seen the fusion of super car and daily driver, thanks to computers mostly. There's no rational reason to want the older cars, but ... the older ones are still more appealing somehow.
     
  10. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    I find most ultra high performance cars pretty benign, actually. The electronics just protect the incompetent.
     
  11. photonut

    photonut F1 Rookie
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  12. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    interesting, as I've had several racers/driver coaches/etc say that they don't wear gloves because it "adds a layer between driver and wheel feedback" (which I've always thought was a bit of nonsense).
     
  13. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    Sure, it's a nice-to-have, but it's not necessary. I say the same thing. It's great for novices, assuming they're attuned to that kind of feedback.
     
  14. ScuderiaWithStickPlease

    ScuderiaWithStickPlease F1 World Champ

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    That's a pretty rational reason.
     
  15. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I agree with you and me.
     
  16. Carnut

    Carnut F1 Rookie
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    At 127K who are they appealing to? Not a 20 to 30 something that wants a thrill a minute. Nope it is the older man who buys a SL, or a Bentley. They want comfort style and air conditioned seats, and a name plate. They might drive 70mph a couple times, but these cars have grown up (a fact I hate) because their potential owners have. It is all a mindset now just like most other high end cars.
     
  17. photonut

    photonut F1 Rookie
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    you are correct.
    i have an sl63 and i am looking forward to getting my new 911s cab in 3 weeks.
     
  18. JoeZaff

    JoeZaff F1 Veteran
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    +100!

    I had a Porsche Boxster S for less than a year before I kicked her out of the garage. An exceptional driving tool, but a total snooze fest. The car probably was about as fast as my Testarossa, but the experience suffered horribly by comparison.

    Hurling down the roadway in an old supercar without any electronic nannies is a thrilling and somewhat terrifying experience. The testarossa would not think twice about killing you. Push the envelope at your own risk. I don't have the cajones to find out what the limits of my TR are, but I will say, accelerating down the highway is infinitely more exciting and requires far more concentration than the Porsche...

    No matter how hard I try, I simply do not relate to cars made after 1995 and the older the better :(
     
  19. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Good point. In 1970, a Porsche was a serious gearhead car. Less so these days, but same can be said for Jaguar, Ferrari, Merc, etc. They're all luxury cars to a large degree.

    Lotus had the Peter Pan act going for a while, though.
     
  20. ScuderiaWithStickPlease

    ScuderiaWithStickPlease F1 World Champ

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    Some quotes from a Harris piece had in evo, comparing an M3 GTS to a 3.0 CSL:

    http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/276448/bmw_m3_gts_v_30_csl.html
     
  21. VGM911

    VGM911 Formula 3

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    +1
     
  22. Island Time

    Island Time F1 World Champ
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    I agree that the car is suited to the demographics that brought them to the dance. I'm 53 years old. What I wanted 30 years ago sure isn't what I want today in a new car. It's important to remember....as much debate as there is....that, at the end of the day....while not an old beater with issues....it's still a pretty nice ride. :)
     

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