There are currently more than 20 variants of the iconic Porsche 911, all of them brilliant in their own way but, for me, the most desirable of them all is, and always has been, the Turbo and the S version of this incredible car.
The GT3 RS may look more extreme, but it is actually slower than the new Turbo which has all the power you will ever need and more. It is comfortable to drive as an everyday car and this new model is sensational, from the way it looks to the performance it delivers.
With all manufacturers of performance cars now turning away from naturally aspirated engines in favour of smaller, turbo-charged powerplants Porsche have the advantage of having a history steeped in turbo technology, so it is no surprise that this latest Turbo has been nicknamed the ‘Uber 911’.
The changes to the exterior are only really noticeable from the front and rear views.
There are also four new DRLs (day running lights) on each headlight which add a little bit more distinctive style.
The back has new 3D rear lights and the air vents have vertical instead of horizontal blades plus an additional cover to maximise air intake for the engine. The rear spoiler gives the car a spectacularly aggressive, hunkered down look and the dual tailpipes have been slightly modified.
The sleek side profile of the car is dominated by the signature air intake on those muscular rear haunches and gorgeous 20-inch Turbo S wheels.
The interior hasn’t changed that much although there is now a more sophisticated and much improved Porsche Communications System, an impressive infotainment set-up which is accessed via a much smarter looking touchscreen on the centre dash.
The other major change is the GT sport steering wheel which is inspired by the one in the Porsche 918 hybrid supercar. Rather than have the drive mode buttons on the centre console as in previous models, these have now been moved to a rotary switch on the steering wheel where you can select from Normal, Sport, Sport Plus (yes, please!) and Individual where you set up the car to your own liking.
There is also a button in the middle of this dial which when pushed gives you a 20-second power boost which his useful for overtaking.
Frankly, you don’t really need this with all the power available under your right foot, but it is fun to use. Apart from these new toys it remains a very intimate two-plus-two with rear seats that are really only useful for small kids and luggage.
This Turbo is all about pushing the boundaries of performance and auto technology to the maximum, which is something it has sort of always done but this one moves into entirely new territory.
Apart from the sharper, more aerodynamic design the car is faster and more efficient than its predecessor, which is an accomplishment in itself. It is powered by a 3.8-litre, twin turbo flat six which has plenty of muscle to flex with 540bhp, which is 20bhp more power than the last 911 Turbo.
The torque hits the 710nm marque and the whole thing adds up to a 0-100kmh time of just three seconds. The Turbo S whittles that down to 2.9 seconds and is the first 911 to break the three seconds barrier.
And if you think that’s impressive it will, if given the opportunity, blast you a quarter of a mile down the road in 11 seconds.
All this power is delivered to the all wheel drive system via the iconic seven-speed PDK gearbox which is awesome in full auto mode, but you can switch to manual mode with the gear-shifter which has been changed so it is identical to that used in the GT3, GT3 RS and in racing cars.
When you push the lever forward you change down and when you pull it back you upshift. There are also paddle-shifts which I preferred using if I wanted a bit more involvement. Mind-blowing performance needs equally impressive handling and this Turbo ticks all those boxes, and some.
This car is brimming over with the very best in traction control, stability, suspension management, and dynamic chassis control which, without going into the technicalities of all this kit, ensure that this car sticks to the road as if it is on rails, and does so with breaking sweat. Its agility really is astonishing, particularly with rear-axle steering which comes as standard.
It really is one of life’s great pleasures to drive this car quickly with everything from handling, comfort and performance guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
When I drove the last generation of the 911 Turbo S it immediately became my dream car. It has just been usurped and that’s after driving the basic Turbo. I can only imagine how good the S version is.
