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Ever since its debut in 1974, the Porsche 911 Turbo has symbolized extreme performance (beaten only by the completely bonkers GT2). While the original 930 was an absolute handful to drive because of its massive turbo lag and propensity for oversteer, force-fed 911 Turbos have grown quite compliant over the years while producing increasingly mind-blowing performance numbers.
At first glance, the 991 2014 911 Turbo doesn't appear to be that big of
an improvement over the 997. Output from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo
flat-six goes up by 20 hp and 7 lb-ft to 520 and 487, respectively. The
Turbo S gets a 30-hp bump to 560 from the 997's 530, but torque is
unchanged at 516 lb-ft. Curb weight of both remains at slightly over
3500 pounds, with the Turbo S closer to 3550 pounds. One big powertrain
change is the departure of the manual transmission, with all 2014 911
Turbos offered exclusively with Porsche's seven-speed PDK twin-clutch
automatic. Purists may balk, but even the most skilled drivers will be
hard-pressed to hit the claimed 0-60 marks of 3.2 seconds (Turbo) and
2.7 seconds (Turbo S) without the PDK's lightning-quick shifts.
Speaking of those performance numbers, the last
997 911 Turbo we tested needed 3 seconds flat, and the last Turbo S went
into Veyron territory by hitting 60 in just 2.7 seconds, beating
Porsche's estimates. We wouldn't be surprised if we saw 2.5 seconds out
of the 2014 Turbo S -- aside from being astounded by just how quick that
is. Quarter-mile times should be similarly jaw-dropping -- we saw 10.9
seconds from the 2012 Turbo S and 11.2 seconds for the 2010 Turbo, which
was equipped with a manual rather than a PDK. Claimed top speeds are
196 mph for the Turbo and 198 mph for the Turbo S.
Handling performance should increase as well,
with the 2014s fitted with active aerodynamics (a three-stage front
spoiler and deployable rear wing with three positions), rear-wheel
steering, and the new Porsche Traction Management all-wheel-drive
system, which can send more power to the front wheels than before. The
991s also get
bigger brakes, with 15-inch disks at all four corners standard on both, while the optional ceramic brakes replace those with 16.1-inch rotors up front and 15.4-inch rotors in the back. Calipers are four-piston monoblock units on the Turbo and six-piston on the Turbo S. To make the wheels fit over these massive stopping platters, Porsche upped the wheel size from 19 to 20 inches. These two-town forged aluminum units come with a center hub wheel lock design on the Turbo S. Front tires now measure 245/35ZR20 in the front and 305/30ZR20 at the rear.
The rear-wheel steering system consists of two electro-mechanical
actuators on both rear axles. The angle of the rear wheels can be
changed by up to 2.8 degrees, depending on speed. They turn in the
opposite direction of the steering wheel at speeds below 31 mph, which
Porsche says effectively shortens the car's wheelbase by 9.8 inches,
increasing performance in tight corners with the side benefit of making
parking easier. Above 31 mph, the rear wheels steer parallel with the
front wheels to produce the effect of increasing the wheelbase by 19.6
inches.
Inside, the 2014 911 Turbo and Turbo S are
packed with the usual high-end goodies found in modern Porsches. New to
the extensive option list, however, are a Burmester audio system, active
cruise control, road sign recognition, speed limit recognition, and
others. The Turbo S also comes standard with 18-way power adjustable
Sport Seats Plus as well as an exclusive red/black interior color
scheme.
The 2014 911 Turbo will run at least $149,250,
while the 2014 Turbo S will ring in at no less than $182,050. Both go on
sale in the U.S. at the end of 2013, so those interested have some time
to liquidate assets and get their Porsche dealer on the horn.
We recently talked to Dr. Erhard Mössle head
engineer on the 911 turbo about not only how fast the new 991 based
Turbo will be, but also about how it’s the most efficient and most
usable 911 Turbo ever. - Mike Febbo
MT: What are the design goals of a 911 Turbo, what defines it?
Dr. Mössle: To define the
Turbo, our target was to move it away from the normal 911. We wanted it
more differentiated. We had to have the special aerodynamic package and
the wider rear end as well. But for goals, we had two directives to
develop one was bigger performance and the other was to make it more
efficient and usable in daily driving. We developed a 16% improvement
over the previous car and that comes mainly from the powertrain.
MT: When you say bigger performance, it seems like the emphasis is no longer peak power but usable power.
Dr. M: Yes, we have a maximum
of 7000 rpm on the regular Turbo and 7200 on the Turbo S. Everyone from
customers to journalists expected 600 hp, but we decided torque was more
important for drivability and exhilaration. So we developed an engine
with 487 lb-ft in the basic car and 516 lb-ft in the S. Boost pressure
has increased slightly over the previous cars, but we have changed the
turbos to make them more efficient. The standard Turbo is running 1 bar,
and the Turbo S is 1.2 bar, achieving 520 hp and 560 hp.
MT: What makes a customer pick a Turbo over a GT3?
Dr. M: The two cars are
completely different in what and how they do things on the track and the
road. The GT3 comes directly from the racecar or cup car and drives
like it on the track. The turbo is more usable for daily driving and
everyday situations. The GT3 is very focused on performance where as the
Turbo cars do everything well.
MT: Will the Turbo be available in with a manual transmission?
Dr.M: No, the 997 turbo had
roughly 94% PDK installation rate, and for this car with the big amount
of torque, it is the right decision to develop a further improved PDK
that is faster and more efficient for everyday driving.
MT: Is this the same AWD system we’ve seen in the Carrera 4?
Dr. M: This is the newest
system derived from the Haldex 5 it has water-cooling which allows
greater power to the front axle, especially on low friction surfaces and
greatly improves lower speed acceleration.
MT: Does the new system use torque vectoring?
Dr. M: It uses torque vectoring
in the way we define it. It uses the brakes on a specific wheel
therefore giving the car a turning effect into a curve.
MT: Have we seen any technology transfer from the 918 Supercar down to the 911 turbo yet?
Dr. M: Well yes, but actually
we are seeing things going both directions, the two cars are linked very
closely. For instance both cars use a rear-wheel steering system that
was developed for the Turbo. In the other direction, we have active
aerodynamics that were developed for 918 but are also used on the Turbo.
MT: How does all this technology translate into performance, do you have a Nordschliefe lap time yet?
Dr. M: The times will be 7:29
for the basic turbo and 7:26 for the turbo S, we will also have special
semi-racing tires from the GT3 which will take off 2 seconds.
MT: What cars were benchmarked during turbo development?
Dr. M: We looked at Ferrari,
audi and Lamborghini, as well as the Mercedes Benz SLS, but I think the
Turbo is a very special car in that it does deliver real racecar numbers
while still being able to do regular everyday driving.
DR.M: We created a new
benchmark with this car. A lot of customers compare the GT-R to the
Turbo, eventhough they are in a different a price category, but everyone
in this league is waiting on and looking at the new Turbo. It will
definitely be the new benchmark in not only performance but in
efficiency and drivability as well. It is still a 911 and looks and
operates like a 911, but delivers supercar performance.
Ever since its debut in 1974, the Porsche 911 Turbo has symbolized extreme performance (beaten only by the completely bonkers GT2). While the original 930 was an absolute handful to drive because of its massive turbo lag and propensity for oversteer, force-fed 911 Turbos have grown quite compliant over the years while producing increasingly mind-blowing performance numbers.
At first glance, the 991 2014 911 Turbo doesn't appear to be that big of
an improvement over the 997. Output from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo
flat-six goes up by 20 hp and 7 lb-ft to 520 and 487, respectively. The
Turbo S gets a 30-hp bump to 560 from the 997's 530, but torque is
unchanged at 516 lb-ft. Curb weight of both remains at slightly over
3500 pounds, with the Turbo S closer to 3550 pounds. One big powertrain
change is the departure of the manual transmission, with all 2014 911
Turbos offered exclusively with Porsche's seven-speed PDK twin-clutch
automatic. Purists may balk, but even the most skilled drivers will be
hard-pressed to hit the claimed 0-60 marks of 3.2 seconds (Turbo) and
2.7 seconds (Turbo S) without the PDK's lightning-quick shifts.
bigger brakes, with 15-inch disks at all four corners standard on both, while the optional ceramic brakes replace those with 16.1-inch rotors up front and 15.4-inch rotors in the back. Calipers are four-piston monoblock units on the Turbo and six-piston on the Turbo S. To make the wheels fit over these massive stopping platters, Porsche upped the wheel size from 19 to 20 inches. These two-town forged aluminum units come with a center hub wheel lock design on the Turbo S. Front tires now measure 245/35ZR20 in the front and 305/30ZR20 at the rear.
The rear-wheel steering system consists of two electro-mechanical
actuators on both rear axles. The angle of the rear wheels can be
changed by up to 2.8 degrees, depending on speed. They turn in the
opposite direction of the steering wheel at speeds below 31 mph, which
Porsche says effectively shortens the car's wheelbase by 9.8 inches,
increasing performance in tight corners with the side benefit of making
parking easier. Above 31 mph, the rear wheels steer parallel with the
front wheels to produce the effect of increasing the wheelbase by 19.6
inches.
Inside, the 2014 911 Turbo and Turbo S are
packed with the usual high-end goodies found in modern Porsches. New to
the extensive option list, however, are a Burmester audio system, active
cruise control, road sign recognition, speed limit recognition, and
others. The Turbo S also comes standard with 18-way power adjustable
Sport Seats Plus as well as an exclusive red/black interior color
scheme.
The 2014 911 Turbo will run at least $149,250,
while the 2014 Turbo S will ring in at no less than $182,050. Both go on
sale in the U.S. at the end of 2013, so those interested have some time
to liquidate assets and get their Porsche dealer on the horn.
| 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo | 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S | |
| BASE PRICE | $149,250 | $182,050 |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Rear-engine, AWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe | |
| ENGINES | 3.8L/520-hp/487-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve H-6 | 3.8L/560-hp/516-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve H-6 |
| TRANSMISSION | 7-speed twin-clutch auto | |
| CURB WEIGHT | 3500 lb (mfr) | 3550 lb (mfr) |
| WHEELBASE | 96.5 in | |
| LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT | 177.4 x 74.0 x 51.0 in | |
| 0-60 MPH | 3.2 sec (mfr est) | 2.9 sec (mfr est) |
| EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON | N/A | N/A |
| ON SALE IN U.S. | Late 2013 | |
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