Drum roll please: It the new Porsche 911 Turbo S. The top of the line, supremo-supremo of what many like to think are the best cars in the world. I’m not going to argue the point with you. If you’re a Porsche fan, no amount of cajoling or erudite argumentation will get you to consider any other kind of car. And in a lot of ways, why should you. The Porsche 911 Turbo S has a lot going for it.
As with everything from Stuttgart, it’s all about what’s hanging way out back in that engine bay. In the case of the Porsche 911 Turbo S, it a whomper of a plant. Naturally, it’s a six-cylinder boxer. They’ve bolted two variable turbine geometry turbochargers and the mill puts out, a-hem, 530 bop and a maximum torque of 516 lb-ft.
Here, let me say it for you: “Sonofabitch!”
The engine in the 911 Turbo S is exclusively mated to a seven-speed Porsche PDK Double-Clutch Gearbox. As it turns out, PDK stands for Doppelkupplungsgetriebe. I can understand why they went with the alphabet soup moniker. Doppelkupplungsgetriebe sounds like a crewman’s designation on a U-Boat.
After the PDK Double-Clutch Gearbox, the power gets routed via the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive. On top of that, managerial-wise are other nifty goodies like Dynamic Engine Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) that includes a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle. You also get a Launch Control on the Sport Chrono Package Turbo as standard.
All of this translates to zero to 100 km/h runs in 3.3 seconds, hitting the double ton (200 km/h) in 10.8 seconds and topping out at 315 km/h or 195 mph. Wanna stop? No worries. Extra-light and fading-resistant Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) provides the same outstanding performance in terms of stopping power and controlled application of the brakes.
Other standard details include Dynamic Bending Lights (I have no idea either), RS Spyder design 19-inch wheels with central locking, a three-spoke sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles, adaptive sports seats, cruise control, a CD/DVD changer and exclusive twin-tone leather upholstery in Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue.
And how much will all this set you back? A lot. I mean a TON of cash.
The German market price of the Turbo S Coupé is Euro 173,241 including 19 per cent value-added tax and local equipment in the market (the Euro base price is Euro 145,400). The Cabriolet retails in the German market at Euro 184.546, again including 19 per cent VAT and local equipment/specifications (base price Euro 154,900).
Der presser from the Stuttgart boys:
Porsche 911 Turbo S: Even More Dynamic, Top Equipment all Standard
Stuttgart. The engineers at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, have developed a new top-of-the-range sports car for the customer who will only settle for the very best in terms of power, performance and driving dynamics: the 911 Turbo S. The heart of this most exclusive high-performance athlete is of course a six-cylinder boxer boosted by two exhaust gas turbochargers with variable turbine geometry, with an increase in power over the 911 Turbo by 30 to 530 bop (390 kW). Maximum torque is a most impressive 700 Newton-metres (516 lb-ft). At the same time this new top model comes as standard with all high-tech components available only as options on the “regular” 911 Turbo.Despite its significant increase in power and dynamic performance, the new 911 Turbo S, at 11.4 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 24.8 mpg imp), does not consume any more fuel than the Porsche 911 Turbo, making it by far the most efficient sports car in its performance class.
The 911 Turbo S comes exclusively with seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) (Porsche’s Double-Clutch Gearbox) conveying drive power to Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive. Driving safety optimised to an even higher standard is ensured by Dynamic Engine Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) including a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle. In conjunction with Launch Control on the Sport Chrono Package Turbo likewise featured as standard, 911 Turbo S accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in 10.8 seconds Top speed is 315 km/h or 195 mph. Extra-light and fading-resistant Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) provide the same outstanding performance in terms of stopping power and controlled application of the brakes.
The supreme level of standard equipment including Dynamic Bending Lights, 19-inch wheels in RS Spyder design with central locking, a three-spoke sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles, adaptive sports seats, cruise control, a CD/DVD changer and exclusive twin-tone leather upholstery in Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue additionally underlines the outstanding class and calibre of this first Turbo S in five years.
The new Porsche 911 Turbo S will be at the dealership as both a Coupé and Cabriolet as of May 2010. The German market price of the Turbo S Coupé is Euro 173,241 including 19 per cent value-added tax and local equipment in the market (the Euro base price is Euro 145,400). The Cabriolet retails in the German market at Euro 184.546, again including 19 per cent VAT and local equipment/specifications (base price Euro 154,900).
Photos: Porsche