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| The boxer six-cylinder engine was excellent with linear power delivery |
The deal is this: There’s a purity to the way a 911
drives that one simply doesn’t find in other cars. It’s the
light-on-its feet feeling. It’s the unique flat-six howl. It’s the
perfect steering … it’s all of those things. The car is just a terrific
drive. No two ways about it.
That steering I just mentioned: It’s
so light at slow speeds but gets much better as speeds increase. A tiny
bit of the old car’s purity of feel is gone, but it’s nigh on
unnoticeable.
The engine’s howl is slightly more muted but, then
again, there’s a button on the dash to make it louder. I personally love
the PDK gearbox, but find I like it best in sport mode. As for
handling, I was just impressed all weekend with how soon I could jump on
the throttle coming out of a corner.
It’s bigger inside and out
now, bordering on spacious. I packed two 5’11” teenagers in it, and,
while nobody was singing the back seat’s praises, it was OK for the
short journey we took. If you can get over the button-laden center
console, you’ll see that quality levels of assembly and materials look
vastly improved.
 |
| The 3.8-liter H-6 in the car produces 400 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque |
So the engine still feels great, the ride is
fine, never harsh and, yeah, it’s a little bigger and softer but mostly
it still feels like a 911 to me. That’s a good thing.
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG:
From the jump, I know people are going to grumble about the $144,350
as-tested price of this 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S. Yes, boys and girls,
there are $47,000 worth of options on this fine automobile. Porsche
offers loads of options on all of its cars, and they do so because
that’s what customers shopping for cars like this want. So I’m not going
to beat this car up for its as-tested price. It’s not like you can’t
get a Carrera S for under $100,000 because you certainly can. How many
Carrera S models roll out of the factory at under $100,000? Not sure,
but I’m willing to guess not that many.
What continues to surprise
me so much about the latest generation 911 is how well it behaves on
road for daily drives. Considering that there are 20-inch, low-profile
tires at all corners, it’s a really smooth and comfortable ride on the
poorly conditioned surface streets around here in Michigan. There’s
hardly any tire noise finding its way into the cabin, which is real nice
with leather-wrapped surfaces and the optional sport seats are
supportive and comfortable. The car was a delight to drive across
Michigan to GingerMan Raceway in South Haven from Detroit.
 |
| The interior was solid and the Burmester audio system is one of the best we've come across in a car |
I
have to give major props to the Burmester audio system. It’s a pricey
option, but this is a stellar-sounding system and is easily one of the
best ones I’ve come across in a car.
I’ve spent plenty of time in
the 991 Carrera on the street, but not on-track until this point and it
didn’t disappoint. On the street, I have complained about the
electric-power-steering system for lacking the feedback and feel of the
previous hydraulic system, but on track it felt fine. I was getting all
the info I needed and knew what the front tires were doing to easily
make corrections.
There’s so much lateral grip in the 911, which
we can thank the super wide Pirelli PZero tires out back and all the
years of development by Porsche to make a rear-engine car behave so
well. The car was so hooked up for about nine or 10 laps where I was
getting to the throttle early and the car was doing everything I asked
it immediately. It was quite an experience that increased my admiration
for the 911.
However, the tires do fall off fast with too much
heat and get greasy, making the car a handful. Some tire’s performance
gradually fall off when they get too warm, but these Pirelli’s just
tanked causing the rear to step out and catching it isn’t easy. When
that happens, it’s definitely time to head into the paddock for a break.
The boxer six-cylinder is magnificent with linear power delivery
all the way up to redline and the sport-exhaust system sounded
downright mean. If given the choice, I’m always going to choose a manual
transmission for a car if it’s offered 98 percent of the time, but the
ZF dual-clutch unit that Porsche uses is a heck of a gearbox. Upshifts
are quick and downshifts are respectable, too. It’s a better box than
the one in the Audi R8 and on par with the Nissan GT-R's.
As
for those $8,500 carbon ceramic brakes, they were worth every penny
when I was lapping GingerMan. They were there the entire day delivering
strong stopping muscle and let me confidently go deeper into braking
zones with firm pedal feel. A pricey option, but if you plan on tracking
a lot with your 911, I highly recommend them.
 |
| The 911 Carrera S has a curb weight of 3,075 lbs |
So I have no
complaints about the latest 911’s on-track chops. Throw in the fact that
it’s real comfortable on road and it’s a true dual-threat car in my
mind. Now I just need to find a reason for some track time a
manual-equipped Carrera S. I’m thinking that will be even more fun.
2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S
Base Price: $97,350
As-Tested Price: $144,350
Drivetrain: 3.8-liter H6; RWD, seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual
Output: 400 hp @ 7,400 rpm, 325 lb-ft @ 5,600 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,120 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 19/27/22 mpg
AW Observed Fuel Economy: 20.1 mpg
Options:
Porsche ceramic composite brakes ($8,520); 18-way power seats ($6,155);
Burmester Audio package ($5,010); dual-clutch seven-speed transmission
($4,080); dynamic chassis control ($4,050); black leather interior
($3,330); sport-exhaust system ($2,950); Sport Chrono package ($2,370);
sport seats ($1,870); painted air vents ($1,710); black painted wheels
($1,635); 20-inch sport techno wheels ($1,355); front and rear park
assist ($990); Painted Interior package ($665); yellow racing seat-belts
($540); sport design steering wheel ($490); rear windshield wiper
($360); painted vehicle key ($335); headlamp cleaner ($295); center
counsel trim painted ($290)
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