Porsche has refined its up to date 911 with refined adjustments that make a powerful impression. The Carrera S now boasts extra energy and added consideration to element, preserving it extra fascinating than ever — although as a convertible, it now approaches the €170,000 mark.
Lack of energy was by no means a difficulty for the Carrera S. However with the brand new GTS mannequin now benefiting from a T-hybrid and an electrical turbocharger, Porsche needed to give the volume-selling Carrera S a efficiency bump as effectively. As an alternative of the 290 kW / 394 PS and 450 Nm of the Carrera T, the S now provides 353 kW / 480 PS and 530 Nm of torque — the identical because the earlier GTS. Whether or not drivers will ever discover these enhancements in measurable on-road efficiency is debatable. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.7 seconds — marginally faster than earlier than — and 200 km/h arrives in 11.6 seconds. Spectacular figures, maybe, however unlikely to matter to anybody however stopwatch fans.
The Carrera S stays the benchmark of all sports activities vehicles. With high speeds of 308 km/h, it now performs at a stage as soon as reserved for Turbo fashions. But it’s the on a regular basis usability and easy drivability that proceed to make the newest Carrera S so fascinating. Ideally, this could be enhanced with Porsche’s variable all-wheel drive, particularly for placing all that energy to the bottom on moist or uneven roads. Nevertheless, the 4S all-wheel-drive variants are being launched in usually strategic Stuttgart vogue — later. For now, fans of this sharpened S model should make do with rear-wheel drive and the superb eight-speed PDK transmission. The AWD possibility is predicted later this 12 months.
Nonetheless, even with out 4 pushed wheels, the Carrera S lays down its 480 PS in commanding vogue, with robust pull throughout the rev vary and elegant steering really feel that continues to be unmatched within the phase. The 4.54-metre-long Cabriolet is pure pleasure — particularly when, at speeds as much as 50 km/h, the material roof folds away behind the small rear seats on the press of a button, filling the leather-trimmed cabin with gentle and air. These rear seats are extra for baggage than passengers, and crucial too, because the entrance boot provides simply 135 litres of cupboard space — even on this rear-drive model. However cargo quantity was by no means the attraction right here. It’s the very good seats, the retro-flavoured digital gauges, the tactile steering wheel, and options like the electrical wind deflector and the non-obligatory sound system that lets the flat-six turbo sing, tailor-made to the motive force’s temper.
There are solely minor gripes. The centre console feels underutilised, and it’s excessive time Porsche launched a correct head-up show — one thing lengthy overdue. Sure, the devices are clear and trendy, however projecting important data into the motive force’s line of sight could be a major step ahead. At the least the chassis updates make up for it. There’s now a 20/21-inch staggered wheel setup, GTS-spec brakes, a torque vectoring system that adjusts energy throughout the rear axle, and the favored sports activities exhaust — all commonplace. The result’s a dynamic package deal that hides the automobile’s 1.7-tonne weight exceptionally effectively, with pinpoint steering, spectacular turn-in, and exiting energy that thrills in each bend.
The forthcoming all-wheel-drive model will little question improve this additional, particularly in transferring front-end grip beneath strain. For convertible consumers, there’s little have to go for the 10-millimetre-lowered sport suspension, as the usual setup strikes a superb steadiness between agility and luxury — good for open-top drives within the solar. On this worth vary, ticking the prolonged leather-based inside possibility is beneficial, because it upgrades key surfaces just like the glovebox, door trims, and seat bases, including a way of richness all through the cabin.
The summer time can come — ideally tomorrow.
