By: Jesse Adams
Johannesburg - Call it Round Two. Porsche’s flagship 911, the Turbo S, has gone under the knife and received a facelift to give styling cues visual parity with the rest of the recently updated 911 range. But besides a revised door handle here and massaged taillight there, Porsche has taken the opportunity to give its Audi R8 and McLaren 570S rivalling sportscar a bigger bulge in its britches.
The pre-facelifted version was already equipped with some stupendous numbers – output was set at 412kW, torque at 750Nm, 0-100km/h came in 3.1 seconds, and max speed was a giddy 312km/h. The new one retains its twin-turbo 3.8-litre boxer six, but some internal fettling has upped power to 427kW (torque is the same), dropped sprint times to 2.9 seconds (Porsche says maybe even lower in ideal conditions), and pushed top speed to 330km/h. Take note Audi and McLaren.
New engines, new name for ‘baby’ Porsche
Porsche chose the recently upgraded Kyalami circuit right here in South Africa to stage the international media launch of the new model, and we were among the first to not only drive the new car, but also test out the new track.
The match was made in heaven, and I’m not just saying that because Porsche South Africa now owns the Midrand facility. It genuinely was something special.
KEEPING THINGS TIDY
A typical Highveld thunderstorm the previous night left us with a damp surface to play on last week, so the Turbo S’s recalibrated all-wheel-drive system came in especially handy when transmitting such obscene power down to the freshly laid asphalt. Drive is to the rear wheels mostly, but can apportion some via new electro-hydraulic centre-diff clutches to the front as needed, such as when exiting a corner with a trickling stream running across its apex.
The clever all-wheel-drive traction was most welcome in the tricky conditions, and while it’s true you won’t have as much fun pitching and sliding this particular Porsche as you might in, say... a rear-wheel-drive AMG GT, the added grip is almost a necessity when both new, and bigger, air pumps start whistling. Turbo boost comes in with a surge so relentless it could turn the moping Mona Lisa into a beaming belle.
CAN BE CIVILISED
It’s a very civilised beast when it needs to be, and it’s definitely the most refined daily driver in this supercar tier. Everyday work commutes would be very pleasurable compared to other more compromised sports coupés (and convertibles) capable of doing the 100km/h dash in under three; but tickle the throttle past its Bruce Banner point and things turn Hulk quite quickly. The current 911’s cabin is a high quality, precision-built place and well insulated from outside noise but once the turbos spool, the violent sound of sucked, compressed, and expelled air takes centre stage. Probably what the inside of a Hoover sounds like.
Kyalami, as before, has two straight sections but both are slightly longer now. Full throttle spells of longer than just a couple of seconds are a rarity in the Turbo S, especially on public roads, but the track’s main and back straights offered a chance to really stretch the car’s legs. Boot the gas out of the new Ingwe and Barbecue corners, and this Porsche hunkers down, lays on some G-force and thrusts itself in the direction of the next bend with mind-scrambling pace.
SNAPPY GEARSHIFT
Part of its ability to warp the laws of time and distance comes from its ability to change gears with synapse quickness. The Turbo S’s seven-speed twin-clutcher is a derivation of the PDK gearbox we’ve raved about since its debut in 2009, and here too its up-and-down changes happen with zero time loss in the process.
For this new version of the Turbo S, Porsche made some minor tweaks to its internals so it’s less harsh at low revs (such as when cruising highways), but has also reversed the shift direction of the sequential gear lever to (finally) match that of a proper racing car. Nudge it forward for down-shifts, and tug it back for up-shifts. Most drivers will, however, opt for manual intervention via the unchanged steering paddles.
CABIN UPGRADE
The cabin’s largely untouched, and though the touchscreen infotainment system has been upgraded with new features like Google Earth and Street View, most of it’s not applicable for the South African market. Apple Car Play has also been added (Porsche says around 80% of its customers use iPhones), though it too won’t work here unless your phone’s registered in the US appstore.
One major change inside is a new steering wheel inspired by that in the 918 hybrid supercar. It’s smaller now (360mm down from 380), and it features a new rotary mode switch positioned on a lower right prong, where four performance settings (Normal, Sport, Sport+ and Individual) can be easily selected. A Sport Response button in its centre now pre-conditions the drivetrain for 20 second all-out power bursts, much like a NOS button in a video game. I’d say it’s a nifty feature for overtaking, but the Turbo S can blast past a truck or two in a flash, even without it.
TURBO OR TURBO S?
All of the above also applies to the less powerful non-S, the normal 911 Turbo, as well. This version gets a power increase from 383kW and 660Nm to 397 and 710 respectively. Zero to 100km/h drops from 3.2 seconds to 3 flat, and top speed is up to 320km/h from 315. The new 911 Turbo and Turbo S will be available locally this April. -Star Motoring
911 Turbo Cabriolet - R2 671 000
911 Turbo S Coupé - R2 967 000
911 Turbo S Cabriolet - R3 103 000
Want a guided tour of the new Kyalami racetrack? You're welcome.
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