2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S – First Drive Review

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S – First Drive Review «

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S – First Drive Review

With 500 hp, the Porsche 911 Turbo is not exactly anemic. But Porsche has never seemed to like the concept of enough, so the company has rolled out the 530-hp Turbo S. We’re not complaining.

Five years after the last, 996-based 911 Turbo S, Porsche is resurrecting the model as a flagship for the 911 range, at least until an updated GT2 arrives later this year. Unlike that car or the naturally aspirated GT3, the Turbo S is actually quite luxurious. It offers all the comfort features of the regular Turbo, to which it adds its own special leather upholstery. We were more interested, however, in changes to the hardware. All the goodies we recommend you choose on the regular Turbo are standard here: the dynamic engine mounts, Porsche’s brake-based torque-vectoring system, ceramic brakes, and the Sport Chrono package, which also nets you launch control. Porsche has included a beefed-up version of the ultra-quick PDK (dual-clutch transmission) with new, proper shift paddles. The six-speed manual that’s standard on the Turbo is not available here.

Traditionalists undoubtedly will be saddened by the lack of a third pedal, but it’s a logical decision in the quest for maximum performance. The PDK’s extra weight and parasitic losses from its wet clutches are compensated for by its quick shifts. Acceleration figures from PDK-equipped models have proven to be superior to those achieved with a traditional manual gearbox. In Germany, logic usually wins.

(Even) More Power

The Turbo S’s 530 hp are available between 6250 and 6750 rpm. The added power is achieved through different intake-valve timing and increased turbo boost pressure. Maximum torque is rated at 516 lb-ft, which happens between 2100 and 4250 rpm. The Turbo S torque figure can be matched by the regular Turbo, but only when that car is equipped with the Sport Chrono package; it allows for a short overboost for up to 10 seconds, increasing boost from 11.6 psi to 14.5. The latter is the standard pressure on the S.

We can assure you the changes are effective. Throttle response is even quicker, and the engine pulls more strongly at high rpm. It is also louder, which underscores the nature of this beast. The altogether slight but noticeable performance gain translates into hard numbers. Porsche says 60 mph comes in 3.1 seconds for the coupe and 3.2 seconds in the cabriolet, 0.1 second quicker than its estimations for the respective versions of the regular Turbo. We’ve already clocked a Turbo coupe sprinting to 60 mph in a downright blistering 2.9 seconds, so it seems Porsche is being its usual underestimating self. We figure the S will match our 0-to-60 time for the Turbo and improve by about 0.1 second in the quarter-mile, to 10.9 seconds. Top speed of the Turbo S increases from a claimed 194 mph to 195. As far as straight-line acceleration is concerned, the Turbo S provides one of the grand experiences in motoring today, and to say it pulls hard would be an epic understatement. The base model is sometimes eerily quiet, but the S never conceals its nature. Ever.

Beating the Odds against Physics

We were just as impressed by the S’s capabilities during cornering, aided by the new Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) system. The 996 and the 997 displayed a hint of understeer when initiating a turn on slippery surfaces. The torque-vectoring system, which applies the brake on the inside rear wheel, eliminates the minor push entirely. The car gets slightly modified front-suspension geometry, giving it more precise steering feel and making the 911 Turbo S seem almost like a mid-engine car. Porsche says lap times on the Nürburgring have improved from 7:39 for the regular Turbo to 7:37. We have no reason to doubt this claim. Speaking of speed and racetracks, quick pit-stop wheel changes are facilitated by the central-locking “RS Spyder” wheels.