EDITOR'S CHOICE LOCAL NEWS Search for £481,500 savings Driven away by parking issues OTHER SPORT Crabb shows fighting spirit GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Thieves could be using a lorry to steal 4x4s 2 Driven away by parking issues 3 Aussies call on Nicholson 4 Search for £481,500 savings 5 Mitchell: Time is running out 6 Be more clinical 7 Students deny Magpies Jewson joy 8 Adder advice given by trust 9 Saddle up and cycle the Dorset Bikeathon 10 Putting his heart into fundraising Today | 7 Days 1 Relief road delay shock 2 A heroes’ welcome 3 Police call for alcohol ban at town's Tesco store 4 Students deny Magpies Jewson joy 5 Search for £481,500 savings 6 Mitchell: Time is running out 7 Four are rescued in yacht drama 8 Bid for hi-tech borough boost 9 New life for old Legion building 10 Tributes to brave student Will

Comment

The new 911 has subtle design changes

The next generation of the legendary Porsche 911 goes on sale this month and marks a major change for the car in its 997 format, first launched in 2004.

Wheels was privileged to be the only small newspaper invited by Porsche to the launch of the new 911 at Silverstone, ahead of going on sale to the public on July 5.

Although visual differences are few and subtle, under the skin major changes have taken place; in Porsche's words, "a quantum leap in the car's development".

For a start, the flat-six engines are totally new, with direct fuel injection and more power, then there's a remarkable new double-clutch gearbox, some very clever electronics and a state-of-the-art communication and sat-nav system.

Porsche pioneered this twin-clutch gearbox in racing some 25 years ago but says it hasn't made that technology available to the general public until now because it wanted "to get it just right".

The PDK box (don't ask) has seven forward gears and aims at combining the ease of a conventional torque converter with the functionality of a sequential racing box.

In simple terms, there are two separate transmission units with two wet clutches. One looks after gears 1, 3, 5 and 7 and the other, gears 2, 4 and 6.

When you change gear, the next gear in sequence is already meshed with the other clutch and as the first clutch is disengaging, the second is engaging simultaneously and, importantly, the engine power is not interrupted in the process.

Acceleration and braking evaluation for the new 911

This produces very fast gear changes - the whole process takes 0.3 seconds. The time taken to change is said to be up to 60 per cent less than a conventional auto and helps the Carrera S blast to 62mph in just 4.5 seconds - 0.2 seconds quicker than the manual version and a whopping 0.8 seconds quicker than the new 911's predecessor with Tiptronic gearshift.

The result is startling, the gear changes are available so quickly and smoothly that you often don't feel them at all and all without taking your hands off the steering wheel.

You can call for them manually either by using new buttons on the steering wheel - thumb-push to change up, finger-pull to go down - or by pushing or pulling the gear lever.

When braking hard from speed into a corner you can keep your finger on the down button and the gears will automatically drop down sequentially for you.

The PDK gearbox is an option at £2,338 and is probably the best value Porsche option on the market.

It's also lighter, more efficient (and more economical) than the Tiptronic S transmission on the current 911. You must specify it unless you're a manual box zealot, in which case the six-speed manual is still a wonderfully slick operator.

Engine-wise, the higher compression ratio and direct fuel injection have bumped up power, by 20bhp to 345bhp on the Carrera and by 30bhp to 385bhp on the Carrera S, whose top speed is now nearly 190mph.

Gratifyingly, it has also improved fuel consumption considerably. Porsche says the all-new engine has not a nut or bolt the same as the previous unit'. The reduction in emissions of up to 17 per cent has remarkably managed to drop the car into Band F for tax purposes, in both manual and PDK form.

The Sport modes of the current 911 have been tweaked and carried over to the new car and the PDK gearbox is available with the Sports Chrono Package Plus upgrade (£729) which, as well as providing more driver dynamic options, includes Launch Control. To instigate Launch Control you put your LEFT foot on the brake pedal, press the throttle flat to the floor and then sharply lift off the brake. This enables the car to perform standing starts more efficiently, without wheelspin, and reduces the 0-62mph time to a hair-raising 4.3 seconds.

In normal driving mode the PDK gearbox changes as economically as possible and will get the car into seventh gear at around 45mph and a frugal 1,100rpm. In Sport mode it will utilise seventh less often and in Sport Plus, not at all.

Porsche's clever stability management system (PSM) is very effective in correcting mistakes or loss of control. To demonstrate, we were invited to the brand-new Porsche Driving Experience Centre at Silverstone Circuit. Claimed to be a globally-unique test facility, this state-of-the-art training centre includes a handling circuit, a low friction handling circuit, an ice hill with water jets, a skid pan (which is much more slippery than ice) and a "kick plate" which lurks sneakily in the ground until you drive over it and then kicks the car violently out of control to demonstrate the stability and braking systems.

In normal mode the PSM will intervene as soon as it detects unusual G-forces, such as when skidding, to keep the car on the straight and narrow. In Sport mode, the PSM takes more of a back seat and will allow a certain amount of leeway or fun before intervening. This was demonstrated on the handling circuit when, after enjoying a bit of exuberant power sliding, I realised I might not stay on the Tarmac. The car took over and made sure I did. Previously, in Normal mode, I could hardly slide the car at all.

The high-tech slippery surfaces amply demonstrated the car's ability to control itself better than the driver can, keeping the car straight when it was impossible to stop a spin yourself. There are bigger brake discs all round and brake pre-filling and brake assist is now available on all models, not just Carrera 4 and Turbo models as previously. These are major safety benefits which make the cars very usable on a day-to-day basis.

Porsche's active suspension management is standard on S models and an option on others. It lowers the ride height by 10mm and continuously adjusts individual damping forces according to road conditions and driving style. In Sport mode it firms things up considerably, for when the driver feels like getting a bit frisky.

Porsches have always fared well in terms of fuel economy compared with similar cars, but the new Carreras return between 27.4mpg and 29.4mpg overall, which is excellent for what are extremely powerful sports cars. By comparison, the slower Aston Martin Vantage will give 20.4mpg combined. This is thanks in part to the DPK's long-legged seventh gear which gives gentle cruising on top of the sports ratios of the first six gears.

The interior has also evolved, principally the Porsche Communication Management system. The control panel is simpler, and there's a larger display with touch-screen technology. Options include an improved sat-nav and, for those who consider these things important, a TV tuner and compatability with all the latest gizmos like i-Tooth and blue-Pod or whatever.

The new 911 is a big step in the right direction, easy to live with and even more entertaining to drive, with improved safety systems, decent fuel economy and lower emissions. It has to be the sports car of choice.

The Carrera Coupe costs from £63,070 with the S starting at £70,360. Cabrios will cost another £7,000. These prices include a vehicle tracking system and, of course, a Porsche Driving Experience course at the new Silverstone facility.

4:34pm Friday 4th July 2008

Print

Email this

Comment