Porsche 911 review - performance and 0-60 time
911s are properly quick these days: four seconds to 62mph for the regular Carrera. Keep an eye on that licence, and keep away from the sports exhaust option
A couple of decades ago a 0-62mph time of four seconds flat would have been among the quickest cars on sale. Today, it’s possible in the entry-level 911 Carrera – along with a top speed of 182mph.
The Carrera S is not unexpectedly quicker still: 3.7sec to 62mph, with a top speed of 191mph. The 4S sheds a tenth from the sprint but goes 1mph slower, while the weightier, less aerodynamic convertibles are two tenths slower to 62mph but only 1-2mph down at the top end.
Turbos are typically even more beserk given the big jumps in power and torque. Turbo models will hit 62mph in 2.8sec, and the Turbo S 0.1sec faster still at 2.7sec. Top speeds are 199mph and 205mph respectively.
So the new 911 is very quick, and feels it on the road too. Truth be told, even the regular Carrera is so quick these days that it’s difficult to imagine wanting any more performance from a road car. The PDK shifts so quickly and seamlessly that going fast is little more than the process of pushing the right-hand pedal down as hard and as long as you dare.
With long gearing you might be inclined to take control of the gears yourself though, just to enjoy some kind of interaction with the drivetrain, and these turbocharged 911s are so potent in the mid-range that you don’t miss too much by not venturing higher up the rev counter. There are some familiar flat-six sounds if you do though, and so quiet is the engine at lower revs it’s worth exploiting now and then just to remind you what you’re driving.
We’re not so keen on Porsche’s sports exhaust this time around though. Perhaps it’s the acoustics of a powertrain that now includes petrol particulate filters, but there’s a loud resonance from the system through the mid-range that skips sporty and goes straight to unpleasant.
