Published:
7 June 2019Once all the Turbo and GTS models have arrived, and Porsche’s GT department has subsequently given us several hardcore varieties of the 911 each with a distinct motorsport flavour, the Carrera S will certainly feel like an entry-level offering. And so we can, with reasonable confidence, answer our original question in one word: very.
How fast is the Porsche 911?
On a dry but not particularly warm day, 444bhp and 391lb ft saw the Porsche 911 accelerate to 60mph in 3.4sec and on to 100mph in 7.7sec. These times are quick enough for the 911 to show a clean set of exhaust tips to the more powerful Aston Martin Vantage we recently tested in near-identical conditions. Amazingly, they’re also almost an exact match for the GT3 RS of the previous generation, which goes to show the considerable benefits of turbocharging.
Indeed, arriving in totality at 2300rpm, the torque from this twin-turbo 3.0-litre flat six imbues the new 911 with muscular in-gear performance, though once up and running the V8-engined Vantage does generally put in the stronger showing of the pair. The Porsche’s principal advantage remains almost limitless traction when pulling away from either a standstill or low speeds.
But perhaps, with a car as iconic as this, more important than the scale of the performance is the nature and character of its delivery. In this regard, the new 911 can take a while to warm to. Improved cabin isolation and new exhaust particulate filters have subdued the car’s aural character and give proceedings a mellower quality than with previous 911s. There is some wastegate flutter and burbling on the overrun, but this highly efficient engine isn’t quite one to put your neck hairs on standby.
