FIRSTDRIVE: PORSCHE 911 (revised 997 version)Porsche's new Carerra gets a green overhaul and still manages to remain the most fun in the class, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor
IT'S HARD to spot the changes in a 911 even when a supposedly new model arrives. Evolution has long been the order of the day for the firm's iconic model since its inception 45 years ago.
That means that when Porsche puts the 911 through a mid-life revision, it's only the most devout Porsche fan who will spot the differences. Yet beneath the traditional facade, there's a triad of big changes to the latest edition. First and foremost, Porsche can now offer a cleaner conscience to Carrera owners.
The great news for car fans is that the new 911 in Carrera format now has 225g/km emissions, which means it will qualify for a 32 per cent tax band and a road tax bill of €1,000. It may not rival the likes of the Toyota Prius, but for the flagship Porsche that's pretty surprising.
The improvements are due to the inclusion of Porsche's new direct fuel injection in both the Carrera's 3.6-litre, flat-six engine and the 3.8-litre power unit in the Carerra S. The direct fuel system was initially included in engines for the Cayenne SUV and it is now making its way into the rest of the model range.
The improvements come not just in fuel consumption. Power from the 3.6-litre engine has increased 20bhp from the previous engine and 30bhp for the 3.8-litre unit. In the 911 Carrera, it means the new car falls into a lower tax bracket than the likes of the Subaru Impreza WRX STi or the Mazda RX-8, and saves owners €1,000 a year in tax.
Next up for the direct fuel treatment is likely to be the Boxster range. A similar reduction in fuel consumption and a lowering of emissions in its 2.7-litre engine could potentially see it fall into the 28 per cent tax bracket and incur a road tax of €600, down nearly €500 from the current rate. Suddenly Porsche is starting to adopt a slightly greener hue.
The second major change is the introduction of a long-awaited dual-clutch system. Available as an option in both engine variants, the tongue-twisting Porsche DoppelKupplungsgetriebe transmission - PDK for short - is based on a system Porsche developed in the 1980s for its racing teams. It features a seven-gear transmission operated by two wet clutches. Similar in operation to the likes of the VW's DSG system, one clutch is set for odd-number gears (1, 3, 5, 7) and reverse, while the other handles even gears (2, 4, 6). Sixth gear is where top speed can be reached, while seventh is an overdrive that maximises fuel consumption over long distances.
It replaces the much-maligned Tiptronic S system that surprisingly made up nearly 40 per cent of 911 sales, and is expected to at least equal, if not top, that in terms of popularity.
Testing the system last week at Silverstone, it was hard to challenge Porsche's assertion that it is 60 per cent faster than a conventional automatic. The end result means lower 0-100km/h times than the manual six-speed gearbox. It's also 10kgs lighter than the outgoing Tiptronic S system.
While most of owners will benefit from smooth, quick changes, those that make it on to the track also get the benefit of PDK's new launch control system. Part of our arduous testing meant pitting the new 911 against the Tiptronic S version from a standing start. Engaging launch control is simple: brake with the left foot, engage the transmission and floor the accelerator. Once you lift off your left foot you'll hurtle to the horizon with the sort of force normally associated with supercars.
One flaw remains, however: Porsche has retained the button changes on the steering wheel, rather than introducing paddle shifts like virtually every other semi-automatic system on the market. In the 911, you press a front plastic button on the wheel to move up and a similar button at the back to move down. No doubt you get used to it over time, but it's not as intuitive as the paddles and one area where Porsche's desire to cut its own furrow seems ill-judged.
The third change in this 911 is its new infotainment system. The system slightly reduces the clutter of buttons and includes a long-awaited touchscreen system. The knobs remain for the odd Luddite Porsche owner, but the 40Gb touchscreen system is so easy to use it should win even them over.
After that, the changes are largely about including one-time optional extras as standard. One of these is Porsche's Active Suspension Management (Pasm), which electronically controls the dampers and lowers the car's ride height by 10mm. It's now standard on all S versions. Both it and the regular stability management system offer a "sport" mode that sharpens the already pin-point steering and increases throttle response.
Overall, the external changes are quite conservative - apart from the rather loud LED lights - but the new underpinnings are quite radical for this iconic car. Porsche fans will delight at the idea of a 911 that's relatively fuel-efficient and easy on the earth. The engineers have managed to achieve the best of both worlds: reducing the 911's footprint while improving its fun. So it's kudos once more to the guys behind one of the greatest motoring legends of all time. Once again, the best just got better.