The new Porsche 911 Carrera, the seventh generation of the venerable luxury sports car, has actually been around for almost 50 years. It is redesigned for 2012.
The 2012s will make their world debut at the Frankfurt show in Germany September and will arrive at U.S. dealerships in February.
The new 911 Carrera Coupe will cost $82,100; the 911 Carrera S Coupe, $96,400. This excludes destination charges. Both luxury machines will have substantial upgrades over 2011 models.
Now for the good stuff. The 911 Carrera S goes from 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds. Using the Launch Control function of the optional Sport Chrono Package cuts that to 3.9 seconds. The 911 Carrera needs 4.4 seconds to sprint from a standing start to 60 mph (4.2 seconds with Launch Control).
Top speed for the S is 188 mph; for the standard Carrera, 179 mph.
Its body is sleek and stretched, with exciting contours and precisely designed features. It remains true to the 911 Carrera "evolution, not revolution" mantra at Porsche.
The Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control active roll stabilization system is available for the first time on the Carrera S. The system helps reduce lateral roll when cornering.
The 3.9 inch-longer wheelbase and reduced overall height underpin the fresh, athletic yet elegant appearance.
The 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S raise the performance and efficiency bar a notch. The 911 Carrera is equipped with a 350 horsepower 3.4-liter engine. The 911 Carrera S has a 400 horsepower 3.8-liter boxer engine. That's 15 more horsepower than before.
Porsche describes the improvements this way: When viewed from the front, the eye is drawn to the 911’s trademark wide-arched fenders, emphasizing the wider front track. The side mirrors are now mounted on the upper edge of the door, which also helps highlight the new design line and gives the visual impression of width.
The new lightweight body is an aluminum-steel composite construction and contributes greatly to the weight reduction of 100 pounds when compared with the previous 911 body. When combined with the greater structural rigidity and optimized aerodynamics – including a wider, variably extending rear spoiler – the new 911 Carrera’s front and rear lift has been reduced to near zero while retaining the coefficient of drag value of 0.29.
To complement the modern exterior design, Porsche designers created an interior reminiscent of the Carrera GT. The driver is now even more closely integrated within the cockpit thanks to the rising center console and high-mounted shift lever or gear selector located close to the steering wheel. As with the exterior, classic Porsche elements abound inside. Present is the instrument cluster with five round gauges – one of them a high resolution multifunction screen, and of course the central tachometer and the ignition lock to the left of the steering wheel.
In addition to the longer wheelbase, the greater agility, precision and driving stability are based, among other things, on the wider front track, the new rear axle and new electro-mechanical power steering.
You can reach TN's Hawke Fracassa at hawkefracassa@aol.com and on Twitter @HawkeFracassa.
Image source: Porsche
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