A new classic: “the world’s most famous sports car”
Depending on your point of view, the Porsche 911 is either a “jumped-up VW Beetle” or the “most useable of supercars”, said Andrew English in The Daily Telegraph. Either way, it is “the world’s most famous sports car”. In its eighth incarnation, it is faster, more efficient and more powerful – and a pleasure to drive fast or slow, over distances long or short. It’s often hard to predict the mark each new 911 will make on motoring history. They age like wine – some well, some less so – but this one is set to be a “classic”.
The interior looks familiar, but only “at a glance”, said John Barker in Auto Express. There’s now only one analogue dial, the rev counter; the rest are presented via digital screens, supplemented by a large touchscreen in the middle. It’s a “beautiful” place to sit, and the centre console “gleams with button-less lustre”. Outside, there are a few slightly jarring details, like the door handles that pop out when you unlock the car, and the 3D “sushi-like” “Porsche” letters on the tail. But overall, it remains a fine-looking car.
The engine has been given a worthwhile 30bhp boost up to 444bhp, said Chris Harris in Top Gear. The twinturbo three-litre flat-six emits a “howl” that will make the driver smile – but to comply with new rules, it’s been made quieter from the outside. The steering is “nearperfect” and the eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly (a seven-speed manual is on the way). “Anyone who thinks this isn’t a great power-train package for a contemporary sports car needs their head examined.” What Porsche has produced is the “logical evolution” of the 911, which may sound like faint praise, but is actually “quite a compliment”.