Porsche 911 Turbo S: The enhancement of perfection
For die-hard fans, the electrification of the Porsche 911 is tantamount to sacrilege. The new Turbo S proves that these concerns are unfounded: it is the best 911 of all time.
It never ceases to amaze me: with every new generation of the Porsche 911, you think that the world's best sports car can't possibly be improved upon. After all, there's no such thing as better than perfect. And yet, as soon as the Stuttgart-based company rolls out a new model, you have to revise your opinion. This would be less surprising if the improvements were minor and insignificant. But often, though not always, the successor model is so fundamentally better that it leaves you speechless.
This is also the case with the new Porsche 911 Turbo S. The current model generation with the internal series designation 992 was introduced in 2018 and has therefore been on the market for some time. However, the new top model is much more than just a more powerful version of the 911: following in the footsteps of the GTS, the Turbo S now also has a hybrid drive – but saving fuel is only a minor aspect of this. Instead, the system consisting of an electric motor and electric turbos gives the top-of-the-range 911 an enormous additional boost, taking the model to a whole new level. We were able to test the coupe on a race track.
Goodbye turbo lag
This is how the hybrid system in the new 911 Turbo S works: the 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine in the rear is supported by an electric motor in the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Two e-turbos provide additional «power,» completely eliminating turbo lag thanks to electrical support while also functioning as generators and recovering electricity. The result is simply breathtaking: with a system output of 523 kW/711 hp and a system torque of 800 Nm, the top-of-the-range 911 accelerates to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 322 km/h – with a standard fuel consumption of 11.8 liters/100 km.
But it's not just the sheer unbridled power with which the coupe surges forward, the incredibly direct response and the acceleration figures that are impressive – first and foremost, it's the further improvement in traction, handling, steering and braking performance that the engineers have achieved. The Turbo S literally sticks to the asphalt, steering so directly and at the same time so sensitively that it's hard to believe, while still being perfectly suitable for everyday use. This impressive masterpiece is coming to Porsche dealers and truly deserves to be called the top model. The prices are correspondingly high: the coupe starts at 312,200 Swiss francs, while the convertible is available from 329,900 Swiss francs.
