TURBO’D TERRORS
Sports cars have always been a staple in Frankfurt — and major auto shows worldwide. For the love of sleek, muscular automotive eye candy, check out the new Porsche and Ferrari.
What is it? It’s been four years since the current Porsche 911 Carrera — code-named 991 — went on sale. So for 2016, the iconic sports car gets a mid-life upgrade, highlighted by turbos.
We’ll leave it to Porsche as to how it will distinguish the next 911 Turbo when it, too, gets an update, but for now, all 911 Carreras sport turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engines. The entry-level 911 Carrera delivers 370 horsepower and 332 poundfeet of torque, while the Carrera S sports 420 hp and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Gearboxes remain either a manual or a dual-clutch automatic, both with seven gears.
Porsche says the 911 Carrera now goes from rest to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds, when employing the optional Sport Chrono package. The quicker Carrera S gets to the same speed in just 3.9 seconds, an improvement of two-tenths of a second across the board.
Apparently turbocharging the smaller six helps improve the 911 Carrera’s fuel economy ratings. The improved acceleration times now look better compared to the upstart Mercedes-AMG GT, which gets from zero-to-100 km/h in four seconds flat.
In addition to the new turbos, all 911 Carreras get redesigned front and rear fascias, active air ducts and a redesigned rear air vent that channels cool air to the engine, intercoolers and turbocharger. As well, Porsche Active Suspension Management is now standard. Rear-wheel steering, from the 911 Turbo and GT3, will also be an option.
Why does it matter? Just like when fanatics went bananas after Porsche moved from cooling the 911’s engine with water instead of air in the late-1990s, expect the usual hue and cry from the 911 faithful about the change to an all-turbo engine lineup.
When is it coming? The refreshed 911 goes on sale this December.
Should you buy it? Well, do you like turbos?