NEW 911 PDK ROAD TESTED Official Pictures Here If You Can Spot The Differences
- Thread starter blaine54
- Start date
Porsche 911 Carrera
Test date 12 June 2008 Price as tested £61,620
Porsche's PDK gearbox uses two wet clutches![[FONT=verdana,geneva"]](/forum/styles/default/pcgb/space.gif ". [FONT=verdana,geneva\"]")
What is it?
You do wonder sometimes whether Porsche isn't a touch too understated for its own good, particularly when it comes to the mid-life revamping of its various models. Take the latest "˜heavily revised' 997 as an example.
Here is a car which, to the untrained eye, looks all but identical to the original 997 of 2004, yet under the skin it has a brand new range of direct injection flat six engines, not to mention the gearbox Porsche has been threatening to put into one of its road cars for the last 25 years "" a road going version of the double clutch (PDK) unit pioneered by Weissach's Le Mans cars in 1982.
On the surface the only items that telegraph just how different this car is compared with its predecessor are, wait for it, a pair of slightly bigger door mirrors (wow), some LED lights front and rear and, oh yes, a mildly new design of 18- and 19in wheel.
Deeply committed 997 anoraks might also spot that there is no longer a big central radiator to be seen behind the front grille, the new engines being so much more efficient at self-cooling that they no longer require the centrally mounted front radiator of old. But while such styling restraint is actually quite refreshing in an era of increasingly garish fast cars from Audi, Mercedes et al, in this instance you can't help thinking that Porsche's designers have undersold the achievements of their colleagues in engineering. Surely a car this new and this significant technically deserves a few more visual cues to prove its point?
No matter, the 2008 model year 997 may well be one of the most unobvious redesigns of the modern era outwardly, but inwardly it's a seriously impressive piece of work. The big news on the engine front is the fitment of a Bosch direct injection system, which, claims Porsche, improves emissions and economy as much as it does pure horsepower.
The base 3.6 now produces just 225g/km, a 15 per cent reduction compared with the previous model, but at the same time it boasts an extra 20bhp, making 345bhp at 6500rpm in total. The 3.8 unit from the 'S' model jumps 30bhp to 385bhp, and in both cases the cylinder blocks are an incredible 22 per cent stiffer thanks to the fact that there are, says Porsche, around 40 per cent fewer moving parts.
Arguably of even more significance is the car's optional new seven-speed PDK (Porsche Double Clutch) gearbox, which, at £2338, could well be the best value option Porsche has ever offered on a 911. Porsche pioneered the idea of the double clutch gearbox with its Le Mans cars a quarter of a century ago, but it hasn't produced one for the road until now because it wanted to "˜entirely perfect' the system before its release.
It works in a similar way to Audi's DSG gearbox, with the odd ratios (1, 3, 5 & 7) being separated from the even gears (2, 4, 6) on separate shafts, each set of gears having its own individual wet clutch. This effectively enables the system to pre-select and deliver full bore up or downshits shifts at less than 200 miliseconds, and without a break in the power.
What's it like?
If the new PDK gearbox sounds complicated on paper, in reality it works beautifully, except for one thing; the buttons themselves aren't especially intuitive to use. Unlike rival systems that feature an upshift paddle on the right and a downshift wand on the left, Porsche has chosen to fit upshift buttons which you nudge with your thumbs on top of the wheel on both sides, with the downshift buttons again on both sides at the back. To begin with you may find yourself flicking the left hand downshift button to change up, and all sorts of other odd combos.
Once acclimatized to the way in which the system is accessed, however, the gearbox itself really is something special. Upshifts are almost seamless, even when changing from second to third at 7400rpm. And on the way down it's arguably better still, blipping the revs perfectly to match the lower ratio, and doing so faster and more precisely than any human ever could.
I tried the entry model with the 3.6-litre flat six engine, yours for £63,070 before items like PCCB at £5439 and PASM at £1030 have been added, as they had been to the test car. The new engine is notably smoother and more refined than It was which is, in the main, a very good thing. It suffers from less vibration across the whole rev range, the throttle response is keener than ever, and the relative lack of noise on the motorway is clearly a step forwards.
What's perhaps not so welcome is the lack of aural character of the new engine, Porsche having done such a good job at improving refinement that it is now hard to tell how many cylinders there are and what sort of formation they lie in. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration but, either way, the flat six soundtrack has definitely been toned down a decibel too far. Mind you, it's nothing a factory fit sports exhaust couldn't sort.
Should I buy one?
At £63,070 before options the latest entry level 911 isn't cheap; the test car I tried cost over £74,000 on the road thanks to the fitment of PCCB, PDK etc. And the more powerful Carrera S will set you back £70,360 before you so much as set eyes upon the options list.
It's also no secret that Porsche is struggling to shift metal in the current economic climate, sales in the UK being over 20 per cent down compared with this time last year. Which means this new, hugely improved model won't arrive a moment too soon when it hits the showrooms on July 5.
Though it may look similar to the old car it's almost a brand new model, and apart from the absence of aural thrills, it's an absolute peach to drive, especially when fitted with the PDK gearbox. It won't, but it deserves to solve Porsche's sales problem all on its own; it really is that good on the road.
Steve Sutcliffe
Edition Price
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Carrera £61,620
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera S £68,750
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Carrera 4 £65,820
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera 4 S £72,950
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Targa 4 £71,290
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Targa 4 S £78,420
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Turbo £99,920
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 GT2 £131,070
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 GT3 £80,660
Porsche 911 3.6 GT3 RS £95,640
[*]
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Porsche-911-the-new-2009-model/
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/223170/new-porsche-911.html
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsGallery.aspx?AR=233123&EL=-1
Porsche 911: the new 2009 model
By Tim Pollard
First official pictures
06 June 2008 08:00
The great survivor of the sports car world "" the Porsche 911 "" has evolved again. Porsche today unveils the latest in a long line of 911s and the new one heralds the arrival of Porsche's new twin-clutch transmission (dubbed PDK) and direct-injection. Amazingly, it makes the coupe nearly as fuel efficient as a family car, nudging 30mpg.
Porsche 911: the 2009 model year
There's no new model designation this time: it remains a 997 at heart and Porsche calls the latest 911 a "˜second-generation 997', despite a raft of technical changes under the same-again skin. It's the same pattern as with the 996, which was revised after four years in production.
Two models are available at UK launch on 5 July 2008, both in coupe and cabriolet guise:
"¢ Carrera: 3.6-litre flat six, 345bhp (up 20bhp), 0-62mph 4.7sec
"¢ Carrera S: 3.8-litre flat six, 385bhp (up 30bhp), 0-62mph 4.5sec, 188mph
The Carrera will cost £63,070 for the coupe (£70,360 for the cabriolet), while the Carrera S starts at £70,360 (£77,650 for sun worshippers).
The manual Carrera averages 27.4mpg (Carrera S, 26.6mpg), while the new twin-clutch PDK versions are even more frugal: the Carrera manages a scarcely credible 28.8mpg (27.7mpg on the S). Who'd have thought we'd ever be focusing on economy figures on a new Porsche 911"¦
It'll save you pennies from the Exchequer, too. The manual Carrera emits an impressively low (for a sports car) 225g/km of CO2, making it a surprisingly tax-friendly device. The Carrera S averages 242g/km of the evil stuff. No other near-supercar manages such emissions.
An impressive seven percent less gas guzzling... How do they do it?
Direct injection allows homogenous combustion, meaning more efficient burning with precise injection and combustion management. All new 911s now meet Euro 5 emissions regs not due in force until September 2009 and can run on a 10:90 ethanol/fuel mix.
As part of the new set-up, there's a new two-piece crankshaft on the flat six (replacing the previous four-piece item), new cylinder geometry, redesigned oil and water pumps "" and it's the world's first boxer engine with direct petrol injection, crows Porsche. The whole shebang is 6kg lighter than before, contributing to the 911's relatively slimline kerb weight. The base Carrera weighs in at 1490kg, ballooning to 1585kg for a Carrera S Cabriolet.
So has Porsche gone all soft then?
Hardly. The 3.6 has swollen in capacity a smidgeon, but 18cc is hardly going to startle anyone. The Carrera S's 3.8 has shrunk by 24cc. But the proof is in the pudding and a wide range of mods has liberated more power and torque across the board.
The end result is six percent more power on the Carrera (345bhp/288lb ft) and nine percent on the Carrera S (385bhp/310lb ft). So the new 911 is faster and more frugal"¦
The new 911 is the first roadgoing Porsche to get the option of PDK transmission, which will cost £2338 in the UK. Porsche has form with double-clutch boxes, having pioneered the breed on the 1980s 962 Group C racer.
Forty percent of Brits pick the current Tiptronic auto box, and Porsche predicts the twin-clutch system will be even more popular. If you don't fancy the standard six-speed manual, PDK is available on both Carrera and S models. The old Tiptronic S auto 'box dies.
PDK: a high-performance seven-speed 'box
The new gearbox offers seven forward ratios, and drivers can slot D or operate manual mode via the gearstick or paddles. PDK shaves two tenths off each car's 0-62mph sprint and makes them more economical, as seventh is an overdrive.
Spec anoraks take note: if you pick the Sports Chrono pack with its launch control wizardry, you can shave a further two tenths off the benchmark sprint. Abrupt, ballsy gearchanges cut the 0-62mph times to 4.5sec (Carrera with PDK) and 4.3sec (Carrera S with PDK).
How do I spot the new Porsche 911?
Ready your microscopes! The latest 911 is marked out by a suite of minuscule changes that will pass by most bystanders. Not that CAR Online readers are your typical amateur car spotters. So look out for:
"¢ Larger air intakes at the front
"¢ New bi-xenon headlights
"¢ LED daytime running lights on all 911s
"¢ New-shape 60-LED rear light clusters
"¢ Redesigned 18- and 19in wheels
"¢ Larger rear-view mirrors
"¢ New rear apron incorporating exhausts (oval on Carrera, twin round pipes on Carrera S)
They've moved the front radiators around and removed the third central rad from the snout "" freeing up more space and allowing the front end to be gently reprofiled. It's easier to spot the new 911 from the back end, thanks to those distinctive, chamfered rear light packs.
And what about inside the new model?
Porsche has tried to cut down the number of buttons and clutter in the 911's cabin, thank goodness.The interior has never been the 911's strong point "" even the last version felt uninspiring, if well built. A new touchscreen system called Porsche Communication Management (or PCM "" how they love their acronyms!) controls most media functions and is compatible with iPods and onboard television options.
You can pick between snazzy Bose sound systems and there's a 40GB hard disc sat-nav system available, too. We've sat in the new 911, and you naturally enjoy the usual compact size and easy-to-place view out.
So the new 911 is even easier to drive?
It should be, yes. Maybe it says something about where the 911 stands in 2008, but you'll enjoy a raft of new creature comforts on the latest 997: a hill-start function holds the car on inclines without rolling back; individual tyre pressure monitors warn of any tyre problems; bendy headlamps peer around corners; and ventilated seats now grill or chill your posterior as required.
Porsche prefers evolution over than revolution. A cliché, perhaps, but true nonetheless. And after 45 years of trying, why not?
The 911 was the company's biggest-selling vehicle in the last 2006-07 financial year, accounting for 37,415 sales out of 97,515 globally. Why mess around with such a winning formula? You certainly can't fault Porsche's business acumen "" its best-selling model range is the 911, followed by the Cayenne followed by the Boxster/Cayman. That price:sales ratio is the inverse of most manufacturers'...
Porsche updates the 911 every eight years and this 2008 mid-life fillip falls precisely halfway through the 997's lifecycle. A modest exterior and detail makeover hides some pretty extensive engineering mods "" and we'll be judging if they've worked next week when we drive the new 911.
What about the 911 Turbo and GT2?
Stuttgart traditionally sells old and new variants alongside each other, and the existing 997 Turbo and GT2 will continue for a while yet (the blown Cabriolet was only launched in 2007, don't forget). However, in time you can expect all the various 911 variants to switch to the second-generation 997 package. The Carrera 4 models, for instance, will be upgraded later in 2008.
Looks like the 911 is adapting to modern life again, as it has many times since its inception in 1963"¦
***********************************************************************************************
These are the first official pics of the new Porsche 911.
Auto Express Car Reviews
By James Disdale
06th June 2008
Evolution rather than revolution - that's always been Porsche's approach with its legendary 911. And the latest facelifted version of the famous rear-engined sportscar is no different.
These are the first official pictures of the new Carrera and Carrera S and, as you can see, you'll need to be looking closely to spot the changes.
At the front both models get a subtly reprofiled front bumper and grille, while revised headlamps, indicators and tail lights get LED bulbs.
But the big news is under the skin. For the first time ever, the German firm is offering a rapid-shifting dual clutch gearbox as an option.
Called PDK (Porsche Doppler Kupplings), the seven-speed unit is a development of a system first used 20 years ago in the brand's Le Mans racers. Using either the gearlever or paddles mounted on the redesigned steering wheel, drivers can now change ratios around 60 percent faster than with the old Tiptronic semi-auto set up.
To make the most of the new transmission, engineers at the company have upped the power on the car's trademark flat-six motor. A range of tweaks, including the addition of direct injection, mean that the output from the Carrera's 3.6-litre motor increases by 20bhp to 345bhp, while the 3.8-litre S is boosted to 385bhp, which is a 30bhp rise.
Performance is blistering, the Carrera and higher-powered S hitting 0-62mph in 4.7 and 4.5 seconds respectively.
Best of all, the revisions also mean fuel consumption is reduced by around 12 percent across the range.
Both the coupe and the convertible versions of the Carrera models benefit from the upgrades, while the faster Turbo, GT3 and GT2 remain in the line-up unchanged.
Expect to see the first examples hit UK showrooms later this year, with prices starting at £63,070 and rising to £77,650.
Test date 12 June 2008 Price as tested £61,620
Porsche's PDK gearbox uses two wet clutches
What is it?You do wonder sometimes whether Porsche isn't a touch too understated for its own good, particularly when it comes to the mid-life revamping of its various models. Take the latest "˜heavily revised' 997 as an example.
Here is a car which, to the untrained eye, looks all but identical to the original 997 of 2004, yet under the skin it has a brand new range of direct injection flat six engines, not to mention the gearbox Porsche has been threatening to put into one of its road cars for the last 25 years "" a road going version of the double clutch (PDK) unit pioneered by Weissach's Le Mans cars in 1982.
On the surface the only items that telegraph just how different this car is compared with its predecessor are, wait for it, a pair of slightly bigger door mirrors (wow), some LED lights front and rear and, oh yes, a mildly new design of 18- and 19in wheel.
Deeply committed 997 anoraks might also spot that there is no longer a big central radiator to be seen behind the front grille, the new engines being so much more efficient at self-cooling that they no longer require the centrally mounted front radiator of old. But while such styling restraint is actually quite refreshing in an era of increasingly garish fast cars from Audi, Mercedes et al, in this instance you can't help thinking that Porsche's designers have undersold the achievements of their colleagues in engineering. Surely a car this new and this significant technically deserves a few more visual cues to prove its point?
No matter, the 2008 model year 997 may well be one of the most unobvious redesigns of the modern era outwardly, but inwardly it's a seriously impressive piece of work. The big news on the engine front is the fitment of a Bosch direct injection system, which, claims Porsche, improves emissions and economy as much as it does pure horsepower.
The base 3.6 now produces just 225g/km, a 15 per cent reduction compared with the previous model, but at the same time it boasts an extra 20bhp, making 345bhp at 6500rpm in total. The 3.8 unit from the 'S' model jumps 30bhp to 385bhp, and in both cases the cylinder blocks are an incredible 22 per cent stiffer thanks to the fact that there are, says Porsche, around 40 per cent fewer moving parts.
Arguably of even more significance is the car's optional new seven-speed PDK (Porsche Double Clutch) gearbox, which, at £2338, could well be the best value option Porsche has ever offered on a 911. Porsche pioneered the idea of the double clutch gearbox with its Le Mans cars a quarter of a century ago, but it hasn't produced one for the road until now because it wanted to "˜entirely perfect' the system before its release.
It works in a similar way to Audi's DSG gearbox, with the odd ratios (1, 3, 5 & 7) being separated from the even gears (2, 4, 6) on separate shafts, each set of gears having its own individual wet clutch. This effectively enables the system to pre-select and deliver full bore up or downshits shifts at less than 200 miliseconds, and without a break in the power.
What's it like?
If the new PDK gearbox sounds complicated on paper, in reality it works beautifully, except for one thing; the buttons themselves aren't especially intuitive to use. Unlike rival systems that feature an upshift paddle on the right and a downshift wand on the left, Porsche has chosen to fit upshift buttons which you nudge with your thumbs on top of the wheel on both sides, with the downshift buttons again on both sides at the back. To begin with you may find yourself flicking the left hand downshift button to change up, and all sorts of other odd combos.
Once acclimatized to the way in which the system is accessed, however, the gearbox itself really is something special. Upshifts are almost seamless, even when changing from second to third at 7400rpm. And on the way down it's arguably better still, blipping the revs perfectly to match the lower ratio, and doing so faster and more precisely than any human ever could.
I tried the entry model with the 3.6-litre flat six engine, yours for £63,070 before items like PCCB at £5439 and PASM at £1030 have been added, as they had been to the test car. The new engine is notably smoother and more refined than It was which is, in the main, a very good thing. It suffers from less vibration across the whole rev range, the throttle response is keener than ever, and the relative lack of noise on the motorway is clearly a step forwards.
What's perhaps not so welcome is the lack of aural character of the new engine, Porsche having done such a good job at improving refinement that it is now hard to tell how many cylinders there are and what sort of formation they lie in. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration but, either way, the flat six soundtrack has definitely been toned down a decibel too far. Mind you, it's nothing a factory fit sports exhaust couldn't sort.
Should I buy one?
At £63,070 before options the latest entry level 911 isn't cheap; the test car I tried cost over £74,000 on the road thanks to the fitment of PCCB, PDK etc. And the more powerful Carrera S will set you back £70,360 before you so much as set eyes upon the options list.
It's also no secret that Porsche is struggling to shift metal in the current economic climate, sales in the UK being over 20 per cent down compared with this time last year. Which means this new, hugely improved model won't arrive a moment too soon when it hits the showrooms on July 5.
Though it may look similar to the old car it's almost a brand new model, and apart from the absence of aural thrills, it's an absolute peach to drive, especially when fitted with the PDK gearbox. It won't, but it deserves to solve Porsche's sales problem all on its own; it really is that good on the road.
Steve Sutcliffe
Edition Price
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Carrera £61,620
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera S £68,750
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Carrera 4 £65,820
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera 4 S £72,950
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Targa 4 £71,290
[*]Porsche 911 3.8 Targa 4 S £78,420
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 Turbo £99,920
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 GT2 £131,070
[*]Porsche 911 3.6 GT3 £80,660
Porsche 911 3.6 GT3 RS £95,640
[*]
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Porsche-911-the-new-2009-model/
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/223170/new-porsche-911.html
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsGallery.aspx?AR=233123&EL=-1
Porsche 911: the new 2009 model
By Tim Pollard
First official pictures
06 June 2008 08:00
The great survivor of the sports car world "" the Porsche 911 "" has evolved again. Porsche today unveils the latest in a long line of 911s and the new one heralds the arrival of Porsche's new twin-clutch transmission (dubbed PDK) and direct-injection. Amazingly, it makes the coupe nearly as fuel efficient as a family car, nudging 30mpg.
Porsche 911: the 2009 model year
There's no new model designation this time: it remains a 997 at heart and Porsche calls the latest 911 a "˜second-generation 997', despite a raft of technical changes under the same-again skin. It's the same pattern as with the 996, which was revised after four years in production.
Two models are available at UK launch on 5 July 2008, both in coupe and cabriolet guise:
"¢ Carrera: 3.6-litre flat six, 345bhp (up 20bhp), 0-62mph 4.7sec
"¢ Carrera S: 3.8-litre flat six, 385bhp (up 30bhp), 0-62mph 4.5sec, 188mph
The Carrera will cost £63,070 for the coupe (£70,360 for the cabriolet), while the Carrera S starts at £70,360 (£77,650 for sun worshippers).
The manual Carrera averages 27.4mpg (Carrera S, 26.6mpg), while the new twin-clutch PDK versions are even more frugal: the Carrera manages a scarcely credible 28.8mpg (27.7mpg on the S). Who'd have thought we'd ever be focusing on economy figures on a new Porsche 911"¦
It'll save you pennies from the Exchequer, too. The manual Carrera emits an impressively low (for a sports car) 225g/km of CO2, making it a surprisingly tax-friendly device. The Carrera S averages 242g/km of the evil stuff. No other near-supercar manages such emissions.
An impressive seven percent less gas guzzling... How do they do it?
Direct injection allows homogenous combustion, meaning more efficient burning with precise injection and combustion management. All new 911s now meet Euro 5 emissions regs not due in force until September 2009 and can run on a 10:90 ethanol/fuel mix.
As part of the new set-up, there's a new two-piece crankshaft on the flat six (replacing the previous four-piece item), new cylinder geometry, redesigned oil and water pumps "" and it's the world's first boxer engine with direct petrol injection, crows Porsche. The whole shebang is 6kg lighter than before, contributing to the 911's relatively slimline kerb weight. The base Carrera weighs in at 1490kg, ballooning to 1585kg for a Carrera S Cabriolet.
So has Porsche gone all soft then?
Hardly. The 3.6 has swollen in capacity a smidgeon, but 18cc is hardly going to startle anyone. The Carrera S's 3.8 has shrunk by 24cc. But the proof is in the pudding and a wide range of mods has liberated more power and torque across the board.
The end result is six percent more power on the Carrera (345bhp/288lb ft) and nine percent on the Carrera S (385bhp/310lb ft). So the new 911 is faster and more frugal"¦
The new 911 is the first roadgoing Porsche to get the option of PDK transmission, which will cost £2338 in the UK. Porsche has form with double-clutch boxes, having pioneered the breed on the 1980s 962 Group C racer.
Forty percent of Brits pick the current Tiptronic auto box, and Porsche predicts the twin-clutch system will be even more popular. If you don't fancy the standard six-speed manual, PDK is available on both Carrera and S models. The old Tiptronic S auto 'box dies.
PDK: a high-performance seven-speed 'box
The new gearbox offers seven forward ratios, and drivers can slot D or operate manual mode via the gearstick or paddles. PDK shaves two tenths off each car's 0-62mph sprint and makes them more economical, as seventh is an overdrive.
Spec anoraks take note: if you pick the Sports Chrono pack with its launch control wizardry, you can shave a further two tenths off the benchmark sprint. Abrupt, ballsy gearchanges cut the 0-62mph times to 4.5sec (Carrera with PDK) and 4.3sec (Carrera S with PDK).
How do I spot the new Porsche 911?
Ready your microscopes! The latest 911 is marked out by a suite of minuscule changes that will pass by most bystanders. Not that CAR Online readers are your typical amateur car spotters. So look out for:
"¢ Larger air intakes at the front
"¢ New bi-xenon headlights
"¢ LED daytime running lights on all 911s
"¢ New-shape 60-LED rear light clusters
"¢ Redesigned 18- and 19in wheels
"¢ Larger rear-view mirrors
"¢ New rear apron incorporating exhausts (oval on Carrera, twin round pipes on Carrera S)
They've moved the front radiators around and removed the third central rad from the snout "" freeing up more space and allowing the front end to be gently reprofiled. It's easier to spot the new 911 from the back end, thanks to those distinctive, chamfered rear light packs.
And what about inside the new model?
Porsche has tried to cut down the number of buttons and clutter in the 911's cabin, thank goodness.The interior has never been the 911's strong point "" even the last version felt uninspiring, if well built. A new touchscreen system called Porsche Communication Management (or PCM "" how they love their acronyms!) controls most media functions and is compatible with iPods and onboard television options.
You can pick between snazzy Bose sound systems and there's a 40GB hard disc sat-nav system available, too. We've sat in the new 911, and you naturally enjoy the usual compact size and easy-to-place view out.
So the new 911 is even easier to drive?
It should be, yes. Maybe it says something about where the 911 stands in 2008, but you'll enjoy a raft of new creature comforts on the latest 997: a hill-start function holds the car on inclines without rolling back; individual tyre pressure monitors warn of any tyre problems; bendy headlamps peer around corners; and ventilated seats now grill or chill your posterior as required.
Porsche prefers evolution over than revolution. A cliché, perhaps, but true nonetheless. And after 45 years of trying, why not?
The 911 was the company's biggest-selling vehicle in the last 2006-07 financial year, accounting for 37,415 sales out of 97,515 globally. Why mess around with such a winning formula? You certainly can't fault Porsche's business acumen "" its best-selling model range is the 911, followed by the Cayenne followed by the Boxster/Cayman. That price:sales ratio is the inverse of most manufacturers'...
Porsche updates the 911 every eight years and this 2008 mid-life fillip falls precisely halfway through the 997's lifecycle. A modest exterior and detail makeover hides some pretty extensive engineering mods "" and we'll be judging if they've worked next week when we drive the new 911.
What about the 911 Turbo and GT2?
Stuttgart traditionally sells old and new variants alongside each other, and the existing 997 Turbo and GT2 will continue for a while yet (the blown Cabriolet was only launched in 2007, don't forget). However, in time you can expect all the various 911 variants to switch to the second-generation 997 package. The Carrera 4 models, for instance, will be upgraded later in 2008.
Looks like the 911 is adapting to modern life again, as it has many times since its inception in 1963"¦
***********************************************************************************************
These are the first official pics of the new Porsche 911.
Auto Express Car ReviewsBy James Disdale06th June 2008
Evolution rather than revolution - that's always been Porsche's approach with its legendary 911. And the latest facelifted version of the famous rear-engined sportscar is no different.
These are the first official pictures of the new Carrera and Carrera S and, as you can see, you'll need to be looking closely to spot the changes.
At the front both models get a subtly reprofiled front bumper and grille, while revised headlamps, indicators and tail lights get LED bulbs.
But the big news is under the skin. For the first time ever, the German firm is offering a rapid-shifting dual clutch gearbox as an option.
Called PDK (Porsche Doppler Kupplings), the seven-speed unit is a development of a system first used 20 years ago in the brand's Le Mans racers. Using either the gearlever or paddles mounted on the redesigned steering wheel, drivers can now change ratios around 60 percent faster than with the old Tiptronic semi-auto set up.
To make the most of the new transmission, engineers at the company have upped the power on the car's trademark flat-six motor. A range of tweaks, including the addition of direct injection, mean that the output from the Carrera's 3.6-litre motor increases by 20bhp to 345bhp, while the 3.8-litre S is boosted to 385bhp, which is a 30bhp rise.
Performance is blistering, the Carrera and higher-powered S hitting 0-62mph in 4.7 and 4.5 seconds respectively.
Best of all, the revisions also mean fuel consumption is reduced by around 12 percent across the range.
Both the coupe and the convertible versions of the Carrera models benefit from the upgrades, while the faster Turbo, GT3 and GT2 remain in the line-up unchanged.
Expect to see the first examples hit UK showrooms later this year, with prices starting at £63,070 and rising to £77,650.
944s2
Active member
Problem with our beloved 911 is the shape defines it and we dont want it changed but it can only evolve so far No doubt new version will be subject to spot difference/lazy designers jokes in media Just wonder what we would/could get if Porsche went radical a built a dare I say it a "proper" mid engine car in R8/Gallardo/F430 style Could the baby croc be developed into one?
Porsche 911 Carrera Test date 12 June 2008 Price as tested £61,620
Porsche's PDK gearbox uses two wet clutchesWhat is it? You do wonder sometimes whether Porsche isn’t a touch too understated for its own good, particularly when it comes to the mid-life revamping of its various models. Take the latest ‘heavily revised’ 997 as an example. Here is a car which, to the untrained eye, looks all but identical to the original 997 of 2004, yet under the skin it has a brand new range of direct injection flat six engines, not to mention the gearbox Porsche has been threatening to put into one of its road cars for the last 25 years – a road going version of the double clutch (PDK) unit pioneered by Weissach’s Le Mans cars in 1982. On the surface the only items that telegraph just how different this car is compared with its predecessor are, wait for it, a pair of slightly bigger door mirrors (wow), some LED lights front and rear and, oh yes, a mildly new design of 18- and 19in wheel. Deeply committed 997 anoraks might also spot that there is no longer a big central radiator to be seen behind the front grille, the new engines being so much more efficient at self-cooling that they no longer require the centrally mounted front radiator of old. But while such styling restraint is actually quite refreshing in an era of increasingly garish fast cars from Audi, Mercedes et al, in this instance you can’t help thinking that Porsche’s designers have undersold the achievements of their colleagues in engineering. Surely a car this new and this significant technically deserves a few more visual cues to prove its point? No matter, the 2008 model year 997 may well be one of the most unobvious redesigns of the modern era outwardly, but inwardly it’s a seriously impressive piece of work. The big news on the engine front is the fitment of a Bosch direct injection system, which, claims Porsche, improves emissions and economy as much as it does pure horsepower. The base 3.6 now produces just 225g/km, a 15 per cent reduction compared with the previous model, but at the same time it boasts an extra 20bhp, making 345bhp at 6500rpm in total. The 3.8 unit from the 'S' model jumps 30bhp to 385bhp, and in both cases the cylinder blocks are an incredible 22 per cent stiffer thanks to the fact that there are, says Porsche, around 40 per cent fewer moving parts. Arguably of even more significance is the car’s optional new seven-speed PDK (Porsche Double Clutch) gearbox, which, at £2338, could well be the best value option Porsche has ever offered on a 911. Porsche pioneered the idea of the double clutch gearbox with its Le Mans cars a quarter of a century ago, but it hasn’t produced one for the road until now because it wanted to ‘entirely perfect’ the system before its release. It works in a similar way to Audi’s DSG gearbox, with the odd ratios (1, 3, 5 & 7) being separated from the even gears (2, 4, 6) on separate shafts, each set of gears having its own individual wet clutch. This effectively enables the system to pre-select and deliver full bore up or downshits shifts at less than 200 miliseconds, and without a break in the power. What’s it like? If the new PDK gearbox sounds complicated on paper, in reality it works beautifully, except for one thing; the buttons themselves aren’t especially intuitive to use. Unlike rival systems that feature an upshift paddle on the right and a downshift wand on the left, Porsche has chosen to fit upshift buttons which you nudge with your thumbs on top of the wheel on both sides, with the downshift buttons again on both sides at the back. To begin with you may find yourself flicking the left hand downshift button to change up, and all sorts of other odd combos. Once acclimatized to the way in which the system is accessed, however, the gearbox itself really is something special. Upshifts are almost seamless, even when changing from second to third at 7400rpm. And on the way down it’s arguably better still, blipping the revs perfectly to match the lower ratio, and doing so faster and more precisely than any human ever could. I tried the entry model with the 3.6-litre flat six engine, yours for £63,070 before items like PCCB at £5439 and PASM at £1030 have been added, as they had been to the test car. The new engine is notably smoother and more refined than It was which is, in the main, a very good thing. It suffers from less vibration across the whole rev range, the throttle response is keener than ever, and the relative lack of noise on the motorway is clearly a step forwards. What’s perhaps not so welcome is the lack of aural character of the new engine, Porsche having done such a good job at improving refinement that it is now hard to tell how many cylinders there are and what sort of formation they lie in. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but, either way, the flat six soundtrack has definitely been toned down a decibel too far. Mind you, it’s nothing a factory fit sports exhaust couldn’t sort. Should I buy one? At £63,070 before options the latest entry level 911 isn’t cheap; the test car I tried cost over £74,000 on the road thanks to the fitment of PCCB, PDK etc. And the more powerful Carrera S will set you back £70,360 before you so much as set eyes upon the options list. It’s also no secret that Porsche is struggling to shift metal in the current economic climate, sales in the UK being over 20 per cent down compared with this time last year. Which means this new, hugely improved model won’t arrive a moment too soon when it hits the showrooms on July 5. Though it may look similar to the old car it’s almost a brand new model, and apart from the absence of aural thrills, it’s an absolute peach to drive, especially when fitted with the PDK gearbox. It won’t, but it deserves to solve Porsche’s sales problem all on its own; it really is that good on the road. Steve Sutcliffe
What is it? You do wonder sometimes whether Porsche isn’t a touch too understated for its own good, particularly when it comes to the mid-life revamping of its various models. Take the latest ‘heavily revised’ 997 as an example. Here is a car which, to the untrained eye, looks all but identical to the original 997 of 2004, yet under the skin it has a brand new range of direct injection flat six engines, not to mention the gearbox Porsche has been threatening to put into one of its road cars for the last 25 years – a road going version of the double clutch (PDK) unit pioneered by Weissach’s Le Mans cars in 1982. On the surface the only items that telegraph just how different this car is compared with its predecessor are, wait for it, a pair of slightly bigger door mirrors (wow), some LED lights front and rear and, oh yes, a mildly new design of 18- and 19in wheel. Deeply committed 997 anoraks might also spot that there is no longer a big central radiator to be seen behind the front grille, the new engines being so much more efficient at self-cooling that they no longer require the centrally mounted front radiator of old. But while such styling restraint is actually quite refreshing in an era of increasingly garish fast cars from Audi, Mercedes et al, in this instance you can’t help thinking that Porsche’s designers have undersold the achievements of their colleagues in engineering. Surely a car this new and this significant technically deserves a few more visual cues to prove its point? No matter, the 2008 model year 997 may well be one of the most unobvious redesigns of the modern era outwardly, but inwardly it’s a seriously impressive piece of work. The big news on the engine front is the fitment of a Bosch direct injection system, which, claims Porsche, improves emissions and economy as much as it does pure horsepower. The base 3.6 now produces just 225g/km, a 15 per cent reduction compared with the previous model, but at the same time it boasts an extra 20bhp, making 345bhp at 6500rpm in total. The 3.8 unit from the 'S' model jumps 30bhp to 385bhp, and in both cases the cylinder blocks are an incredible 22 per cent stiffer thanks to the fact that there are, says Porsche, around 40 per cent fewer moving parts. Arguably of even more significance is the car’s optional new seven-speed PDK (Porsche Double Clutch) gearbox, which, at £2338, could well be the best value option Porsche has ever offered on a 911. Porsche pioneered the idea of the double clutch gearbox with its Le Mans cars a quarter of a century ago, but it hasn’t produced one for the road until now because it wanted to ‘entirely perfect’ the system before its release. It works in a similar way to Audi’s DSG gearbox, with the odd ratios (1, 3, 5 & 7) being separated from the even gears (2, 4, 6) on separate shafts, each set of gears having its own individual wet clutch. This effectively enables the system to pre-select and deliver full bore up or downshits shifts at less than 200 miliseconds, and without a break in the power. What’s it like? If the new PDK gearbox sounds complicated on paper, in reality it works beautifully, except for one thing; the buttons themselves aren’t especially intuitive to use. Unlike rival systems that feature an upshift paddle on the right and a downshift wand on the left, Porsche has chosen to fit upshift buttons which you nudge with your thumbs on top of the wheel on both sides, with the downshift buttons again on both sides at the back. To begin with you may find yourself flicking the left hand downshift button to change up, and all sorts of other odd combos. Once acclimatized to the way in which the system is accessed, however, the gearbox itself really is something special. Upshifts are almost seamless, even when changing from second to third at 7400rpm. And on the way down it’s arguably better still, blipping the revs perfectly to match the lower ratio, and doing so faster and more precisely than any human ever could. I tried the entry model with the 3.6-litre flat six engine, yours for £63,070 before items like PCCB at £5439 and PASM at £1030 have been added, as they had been to the test car. The new engine is notably smoother and more refined than It was which is, in the main, a very good thing. It suffers from less vibration across the whole rev range, the throttle response is keener than ever, and the relative lack of noise on the motorway is clearly a step forwards. What’s perhaps not so welcome is the lack of aural character of the new engine, Porsche having done such a good job at improving refinement that it is now hard to tell how many cylinders there are and what sort of formation they lie in. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but, either way, the flat six soundtrack has definitely been toned down a decibel too far. Mind you, it’s nothing a factory fit sports exhaust couldn’t sort. Should I buy one? At £63,070 before options the latest entry level 911 isn’t cheap; the test car I tried cost over £74,000 on the road thanks to the fitment of PCCB, PDK etc. And the more powerful Carrera S will set you back £70,360 before you so much as set eyes upon the options list. It’s also no secret that Porsche is struggling to shift metal in the current economic climate, sales in the UK being over 20 per cent down compared with this time last year. Which means this new, hugely improved model won’t arrive a moment too soon when it hits the showrooms on July 5. Though it may look similar to the old car it’s almost a brand new model, and apart from the absence of aural thrills, it’s an absolute peach to drive, especially when fitted with the PDK gearbox. It won’t, but it deserves to solve Porsche’s sales problem all on its own; it really is that good on the road. Steve Sutcliffe
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