Porsche 911
Porsche is introducing the next generation 911 this summer
Say hello to the new Porsche 911. The second generation of the 997, it’s undergone some modest external tweaks (new LED lights, bigger mirrors, new wheel designs) but the real work has gone on under the familiar bodywork.
DFI and PDK are the acronyms you’ll be hearing a lot more about, standing for Direct Fuel Injection and Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe – double clutch gearbox to you and me.
The flat six engine retains the 3.6 and 3.8-litre displacements for the Carrera and Carrera S, but the new engines develop more power, and perhaps more importantly, are much cleaner and more efficient. As in 28.8mpg and 225g/km of CO2 in the case of the 345bhp 3.6 (see table below for full details). That places it in VED Band F, with similar emissions to a Ford Focus ST.
The PDK gearbox, which replaces the Tiptronic S transmission, contributes to this improvement (emissions are reduced by up to 15 per cent). First developed by Porsche’s motorsport department 25 years ago, it boasts seven gears operated via controls on the wheel and shift times 60 per cent quicker than the automatic’s. It’ll be a £2,338 option.
Customers can also specify a £729 Sport Chrono Package Plus which now features launch control. This is claimed to take 0.2 seconds off the 911’s 0-62mph time, which normally stands at 4.7 seconds for the Carrera and 4.5 seconds for the S.
Inside there’s a new touchscreen display system which can have iPod and Bluetooth connectivity.
Prices start £63,070 for the 3.6 Carrera, a rise of £1,450, and we’ll have a full drive on the car for the next issue of the magazine – out on the 25th June.
Specs - price bhp/lb ft mpg co2 0-623.6 Carrera manual £63,070 345/287 29.4 225 4.93.6 Carrera PDK £65,408 345/287 29.4 225 4.73.8 Carrera S manual £70,360 385/310 27.4 242 4.73.8 Carrera S PDK £72,698 385/310 27.7 240 4.5
