Report from the Field: 991.2 Carrera S test driven
#1
04-17-2016, 09:19 PM
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeast
Age: 48
Posts: 93
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Report from the Field: 991.2 Carrera S test driven
Had a cigar and a few drinks and a lot of laughs with a friend last night who just happens to be the GM of our local Mercedes/Porsche store. We were discussing the new 911 and he let me know that their 'launch car' is not spoken for and has been busy doing demo rides for a couple of weeks now. He mentioned that he'd be happy to meet up with me this morning despite the dealer being closed if I wanted to take it for a rip. No problem...
Sunday morning dawned cool and sunny, not a cloud in the sky or even a hint of humidity. Properly fueled up on caffeine and pastries, I arrived at the dealership in my 2015 Carrera and he on his Ducati Multistrada. Dealership door unlocked and lights on, I took in the black beast in the showroom. She wasn't spotless as she gets used quite a bit and it didn't matter because we were about to roll her out and get her covered in pollen and brake dust anyway. I took a moment to breathe her in and it looked pretty much exactly like a 991.1, which is no surprise. I think the changes are largely hidden on a black car, most notably the black engine cover and the added vents in the rear apron. On a brighter color these changes would certainly 'pop' a bit more.
While he pulled it out of the showroom, I looked over the specification. The car was the standard dealer 'launch package' car which are all identical. Black paint over bordeaux red/black leather, RS Spyder wheels, 14-way seats, premium pack, PDK, multifunction wheel, and Bose audio. $119,300 is the total damage this example would inflict on your wallet if you were so inclined. I thought it curious that the launch cars were delivered without any of the performance-enhancing options like sport chrono, rear wheel steering or the sport exhaust. Considering all the furor over the sound of the turbo 3.0L and all the hand wringing regarding the loss of the trademark 911 sound, I found the lack of sport exhaust to be interesting. Perhaps Porsche is using every sport exhaust they can turn out to fill customer orders and could not afford to equip every dealer's demo car with one. No matter as I was actually pleased with this turn of events as I wanted to hear the 3.0L in its normal state to better compare with my 3.4L Carrera without PSE.
On startup inside the glass walled showroom, it was suitably grumbly and burbly but then again, this was a cold start and they all sort of start off like that. Catalytic converters suitably heated, the car settled into its quiet idle outside. Still very much a boxer engine noise and plenty throaty to my ears. Some automotive journalists would have you believe that the new 911 sounds like a Camry. Much ado about nothing, at least at idle.
Once in, I found a comfortable driving position nearly instanty as I drive essentially the same car. Of note was the new steering wheel which is simply fabulous. This was the standard item, not the GT sport wheel, and it was just great. Having moved from a Macan to a 911, I was constantly bemused at how a $50,000 CUV could have a better steering wheel than a $100,000 sports car. This wheel addresses all that with a thicker rim, real metal inlays and proper paddle shifters in metal rather than the absurd thumb button things in my Carrera. The other big change is of course the PCM. The new screen looks the business with a sleeker design, larger screen and improved graphics. I didn't mess with it too much as I had driving to do but I did take a look at the navigation and sampled the new smartphone style "pinch to zoom" interface. Slick. So far, two of the biggest gripes with my 911 addressed in superb fashion. I let my copilot link up his iTunes while I focused on the feel of the car as it came up to temperature.
Right away you can feel the extra urgency at part throttle. The car now feels fast all the time in every gear. Coming out of a 3.4, a recalibration of my right foot was called for. The same throttle application I might use in my car would have me 20mph over the limit in 2.5 seconds in this car. This is of course an extreme comparison as the 3.4 is perceptibly weaker than the outgoing 3.8 in the Carrera S, but even a current Carrera S owner would immediatley be taken with this newfound shove at low revs. As we threaded our way through town looking for open roads, the new 911 revealed itself to be quite a cut and thrust weapon. It is now a point and squirt speedster in the vein of any number of force fed German machinery. All of those reports of turbo lag being present? Utter bull****. Just something pretentious journos say because they have to say something about the power delivery to make themselves seem smart. You'll get in it and wonder what they are on about but assume that they have some supernatural sensory abilities that mere mortals just cannot understand. This Carrera S runs a larger turbo at a lower boost pressure than the base car. As far as I know, it does not employ the variable vane trickery of the big brother Turbo to mitigate lag so if this is the "laggy" 911, I can't wait to try the standard car. The jury was still out on how it pulls to redline as we were still looking for a clear road, the spectacular weather having brought out seemingly endless Sunday drivers.
Finally the roads opened up and it was time to see what the new car could really do. Sport Mode engaged and PASM set to Sport, it was hammer down from a slow roll. I'm happy to report that the 3.0 pulls through its entire rev range with ferocity. All of the early instrumented numbers suggest these cars are making well in excess of the claimed 420bhp and it made me a believer today. This thing was legitimately 997 Turbo quick, no exaggeration. So she's fast then.
Handling is completely a carbon copy of the 991.1, which is to say excellent. Again, any self-appointed expert that tells you he can perceive some step change in turn-in from the few millimeter increase in front track is a ****. And you can tell them I said so. I am not going to play a game of one upmanship in which I pretend that I have such little regard for my fellow man or driving license that I was out exploring the handling limits of a new, fortified 911 Carrera S on this day. Even coming close to the limits of such a car would be irresponsible on public roads. The one nugget of useful information I did glean was that this car was equipped with the newest generation of Pirelli P Zero tires and they are a noticeable improvement over the old in terms of ride comfort and noise. How are they at the limit, you ask? Please see the rest of this paragraph for the answer.
Having had my fun, it was time to return to the dealership to collect my less then amused wife. Eager to test the highway manners, I sought out an onramp for the short jaunt back to the dealer. At risk of sounding like so many pretentious car testers, I can tell you it was a decreasing radius on ramp with a smooth surface just perfect to determine what it might take to get stability control to intervene. I took it fast, probably triple the posted limit and nailed it just before the road straightened in an attempt to see if all that torque could unseat those huge Pirellis. Not a chance.
We put the windows up, all settings back to "Normal" from Sport and settled into a quiet cruise. The new motor is definitely quieter on a motorway than either the 3.4 or 3.8. Want more noise? Pop it in Sport and it seems to make a similar amount of sound as the old 911 without Sport engaged. So the new 911 is perhaps a better motorway companion then if you value the GT car thing. If it is outright sportiness you crave, the upcoming GTS might be more your cup o' tea. I drive my 911 daily so I can't say I would place no premium on the ability to cruise quietly. Right lane dawdlers impeding your progress? You are still behind the wheel of a 911 so flick the turn signal, mat your right foot and the PDK obliges, drops 3 gears and you rocket past the obstacle like no Carrara S has ever before. By the time you complete a pass done in anger, you will be going 95 mph. Best let it come back down to a sane speed and move back over right. This car could get me into trouble. A lot of trouble. My 911 requires a bit more premeditation to display complete disregard for traffic laws. It makes you work for it just a bit harder so consequently it feels a bit more special doing so.
On the drive back I gave him my assessment and he gave me his. We were both in agreement on almost all counts. The real question that I asked him and that sort of stumped us both was "What now of the Turbo?". The Turbo with a capital T that sits atop the range? Does this new turbocharged S with all of its low down grunt make that car almost irrelevant for most buyers that will never probe the AWD handling limits or near as makes no difference to 200mph top speed? I know I would not spend the extra $60,000 or so it would take to have bragging rights at the country club. Then again, I'm sure that once I drive the base Carrera I will similarly conclude that the additional scratch for the S is not worth it either. Remember, this is coming from someone who opted for the 3.4 over the 3.8 because I found it more characterful and rewarding to drive, even if slower by the stopwatch.
So then, the new 911 Carrera S is a stonkingly fast car that looks just like the old car, handles just like the old car, sounds fine if a little quieter, and costs quite a lot of money. That is what I learned today. Thanks for reading...
Sunday morning dawned cool and sunny, not a cloud in the sky or even a hint of humidity. Properly fueled up on caffeine and pastries, I arrived at the dealership in my 2015 Carrera and he on his Ducati Multistrada. Dealership door unlocked and lights on, I took in the black beast in the showroom. She wasn't spotless as she gets used quite a bit and it didn't matter because we were about to roll her out and get her covered in pollen and brake dust anyway. I took a moment to breathe her in and it looked pretty much exactly like a 991.1, which is no surprise. I think the changes are largely hidden on a black car, most notably the black engine cover and the added vents in the rear apron. On a brighter color these changes would certainly 'pop' a bit more.
While he pulled it out of the showroom, I looked over the specification. The car was the standard dealer 'launch package' car which are all identical. Black paint over bordeaux red/black leather, RS Spyder wheels, 14-way seats, premium pack, PDK, multifunction wheel, and Bose audio. $119,300 is the total damage this example would inflict on your wallet if you were so inclined. I thought it curious that the launch cars were delivered without any of the performance-enhancing options like sport chrono, rear wheel steering or the sport exhaust. Considering all the furor over the sound of the turbo 3.0L and all the hand wringing regarding the loss of the trademark 911 sound, I found the lack of sport exhaust to be interesting. Perhaps Porsche is using every sport exhaust they can turn out to fill customer orders and could not afford to equip every dealer's demo car with one. No matter as I was actually pleased with this turn of events as I wanted to hear the 3.0L in its normal state to better compare with my 3.4L Carrera without PSE.
On startup inside the glass walled showroom, it was suitably grumbly and burbly but then again, this was a cold start and they all sort of start off like that. Catalytic converters suitably heated, the car settled into its quiet idle outside. Still very much a boxer engine noise and plenty throaty to my ears. Some automotive journalists would have you believe that the new 911 sounds like a Camry. Much ado about nothing, at least at idle.
Once in, I found a comfortable driving position nearly instanty as I drive essentially the same car. Of note was the new steering wheel which is simply fabulous. This was the standard item, not the GT sport wheel, and it was just great. Having moved from a Macan to a 911, I was constantly bemused at how a $50,000 CUV could have a better steering wheel than a $100,000 sports car. This wheel addresses all that with a thicker rim, real metal inlays and proper paddle shifters in metal rather than the absurd thumb button things in my Carrera. The other big change is of course the PCM. The new screen looks the business with a sleeker design, larger screen and improved graphics. I didn't mess with it too much as I had driving to do but I did take a look at the navigation and sampled the new smartphone style "pinch to zoom" interface. Slick. So far, two of the biggest gripes with my 911 addressed in superb fashion. I let my copilot link up his iTunes while I focused on the feel of the car as it came up to temperature.
Right away you can feel the extra urgency at part throttle. The car now feels fast all the time in every gear. Coming out of a 3.4, a recalibration of my right foot was called for. The same throttle application I might use in my car would have me 20mph over the limit in 2.5 seconds in this car. This is of course an extreme comparison as the 3.4 is perceptibly weaker than the outgoing 3.8 in the Carrera S, but even a current Carrera S owner would immediatley be taken with this newfound shove at low revs. As we threaded our way through town looking for open roads, the new 911 revealed itself to be quite a cut and thrust weapon. It is now a point and squirt speedster in the vein of any number of force fed German machinery. All of those reports of turbo lag being present? Utter bull****. Just something pretentious journos say because they have to say something about the power delivery to make themselves seem smart. You'll get in it and wonder what they are on about but assume that they have some supernatural sensory abilities that mere mortals just cannot understand. This Carrera S runs a larger turbo at a lower boost pressure than the base car. As far as I know, it does not employ the variable vane trickery of the big brother Turbo to mitigate lag so if this is the "laggy" 911, I can't wait to try the standard car. The jury was still out on how it pulls to redline as we were still looking for a clear road, the spectacular weather having brought out seemingly endless Sunday drivers.
Finally the roads opened up and it was time to see what the new car could really do. Sport Mode engaged and PASM set to Sport, it was hammer down from a slow roll. I'm happy to report that the 3.0 pulls through its entire rev range with ferocity. All of the early instrumented numbers suggest these cars are making well in excess of the claimed 420bhp and it made me a believer today. This thing was legitimately 997 Turbo quick, no exaggeration. So she's fast then.
Handling is completely a carbon copy of the 991.1, which is to say excellent. Again, any self-appointed expert that tells you he can perceive some step change in turn-in from the few millimeter increase in front track is a ****. And you can tell them I said so. I am not going to play a game of one upmanship in which I pretend that I have such little regard for my fellow man or driving license that I was out exploring the handling limits of a new, fortified 911 Carrera S on this day. Even coming close to the limits of such a car would be irresponsible on public roads. The one nugget of useful information I did glean was that this car was equipped with the newest generation of Pirelli P Zero tires and they are a noticeable improvement over the old in terms of ride comfort and noise. How are they at the limit, you ask? Please see the rest of this paragraph for the answer.
Having had my fun, it was time to return to the dealership to collect my less then amused wife. Eager to test the highway manners, I sought out an onramp for the short jaunt back to the dealer. At risk of sounding like so many pretentious car testers, I can tell you it was a decreasing radius on ramp with a smooth surface just perfect to determine what it might take to get stability control to intervene. I took it fast, probably triple the posted limit and nailed it just before the road straightened in an attempt to see if all that torque could unseat those huge Pirellis. Not a chance.
We put the windows up, all settings back to "Normal" from Sport and settled into a quiet cruise. The new motor is definitely quieter on a motorway than either the 3.4 or 3.8. Want more noise? Pop it in Sport and it seems to make a similar amount of sound as the old 911 without Sport engaged. So the new 911 is perhaps a better motorway companion then if you value the GT car thing. If it is outright sportiness you crave, the upcoming GTS might be more your cup o' tea. I drive my 911 daily so I can't say I would place no premium on the ability to cruise quietly. Right lane dawdlers impeding your progress? You are still behind the wheel of a 911 so flick the turn signal, mat your right foot and the PDK obliges, drops 3 gears and you rocket past the obstacle like no Carrara S has ever before. By the time you complete a pass done in anger, you will be going 95 mph. Best let it come back down to a sane speed and move back over right. This car could get me into trouble. A lot of trouble. My 911 requires a bit more premeditation to display complete disregard for traffic laws. It makes you work for it just a bit harder so consequently it feels a bit more special doing so.
On the drive back I gave him my assessment and he gave me his. We were both in agreement on almost all counts. The real question that I asked him and that sort of stumped us both was "What now of the Turbo?". The Turbo with a capital T that sits atop the range? Does this new turbocharged S with all of its low down grunt make that car almost irrelevant for most buyers that will never probe the AWD handling limits or near as makes no difference to 200mph top speed? I know I would not spend the extra $60,000 or so it would take to have bragging rights at the country club. Then again, I'm sure that once I drive the base Carrera I will similarly conclude that the additional scratch for the S is not worth it either. Remember, this is coming from someone who opted for the 3.4 over the 3.8 because I found it more characterful and rewarding to drive, even if slower by the stopwatch.
So then, the new 911 Carrera S is a stonkingly fast car that looks just like the old car, handles just like the old car, sounds fine if a little quieter, and costs quite a lot of money. That is what I learned today. Thanks for reading...
Last edited by combatninja; 04-18-2016 at 03:49 AM.
#2
04-17-2016, 10:06 PM
Nice write up. Sounds like the perfect Sunday to me. I just got the invite from my local dealer to check out their launch car at an event but I've got to go out of town. I've got to bring mine in for the service so I'll check it out then. Don't think I'll ever part with my current one but wouldn't mind adding to the stable in the future.
#3
04-18-2016, 07:26 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Ramon Valley, CA
Posts: 554
Rep Power: 38 
Yea, nice write up. I have a '10 4S coupe 6 speed and I know I am biased. I have looked at the 991's and at this point prefer the 997 body. Regardless, these are all terrific cars and we are fortunate to own one.