Motoring in Spain - Porsche Carrera 997
The name’s Carrera....997
Porsche Carrera 997 The name’s Carrera....997
H! motoring correspondent Charlie Flindt explains why he likes German – and why the name that really matters is still Porsche.
When it comes to Continental supercars, people tend to fall into one of two camps. You like either the Italian ones or the German ones. I find myself leaning firmly towards the German machines. I’m not sure why.
Maybe it’s because I’m of German stock - from a long time ago, admittedly, but it takes longer than 225 years to get the blood out of your system. Maybe it’s because I come from a farming background, and Lamborghini, to me, means tractors: Mr Lambo was building tractors long before he built cars.
Perhaps it’s the names. Those Italians with their Quattroportes and their Murcielagos and their Testarossas and their – you get the idea. All very flimsy-fancy, I’m sure. The Germans? For a start, there’s only one name to have: Porsche. And really only one model: the 911.
And just to show how much the Germans like nice, simple numbers, they add another one, to designate which version of the 911 you might be looking at.
For instance, the latest version of the 911 is the 997. In logical fashion, it replaces the 996, which has been around since the late Nineties. The 996 is actually a hard act to follow. It was the first of the 911 series to have a water-cooled engine, ending a third of a century of air-cooled units. After initial howls of protest about the 996’s styling, it went on to sell in huge numbers. Most importantly, the 996, together with the new Boxster, reinvigorated Porsche at a time when things weren’t looking altogether rosy.
Now, with things just looking better and better for Porsche, we greet the 911 Carrera/997. Dedicated 911 fans everywhere greeted the return to a more traditional look with joy. Back came round headlamps – small, but important – and that beautifully shaped classic and unmistakable 911 profile.
Underneath that stunning exterior there have been numerous changes too. The rear-mounted engine is still a flat-six Boxer; still water-cooled (modern exhaust emission legislation sees to that). It still has a capacity of 3.6 litres in the "basic" Carrera, but upped to 3.8 litres in the Carrera S. The smaller engine has an output of 325 bhp, the larger 355 bhp. Not surprisingly, this does spectacular things to some already awesome performance figures: the Carrera S will reach 100 kph in under five seconds, and reach a top speed of 293 kph These are the figures of a true supercar.
There are lots of unseen technological improvements as well. All that extra power and torque meant that a new gearbox was needed for the Carrera. It has larger shafts and wider gears to cope with all the extra oomph but, cleverly, weighs almost exactly the same as the old gearbox. It comes as a standard six-speed manual, or you can specify Tiptronic change.
The suspension has been up-rated, too. The chassis is 30mm wider, and a new feature called PASM comes a standard on the Carrera S, and an option on the non-S. Porsche Active Suspension Management offers two settings: the first is a comfort setting; the second, which is activated by a "dynamic driving style" or by a button on the dashboard, offers a sport setting - the suspension is lowered by 20mm and the dampers are hardened up.
The "comfort" setting is very significant. Can it be that Porsche is beginning to notice just how many of its customers are of a certain age? They are not all that interested in hard’n’fast racing. Many of their customers love owning a Porsche, but actually prefer a leisurely driving style.
Further evidence of this controversial theory can be found scattered around the 911. The steering, for instance, now comes with variable transmission ratio. Perfect for a nice direct feel on those high-speed bends and sweeping mountain roads. Even better, though, for in-town use, where the steering becomes lighter and easier. Perfect for popping down the shops, perhaps.
And then there’s the interior. The new 997 keeps the civilised set of dials designed for sensible use; Porsche purists loved the old random lunar-surface layout. The steering wheel adjusts for height, and the pedals have been repositioned for – and I quote Porsche directly here – "extra comfort"! Whatever next? Don’t tell me: an in-built communications system for those on-the-move business calls. Yup, there it is: the Porsche Communications Management System.
I’m talking nonsense of course. The 911 is still THE sports car. Since it first arrived in the early ‘60s, it has become an icon, instantly recognisable, the one for the other so-called supercars to chase – quite literally. All Porsche have done is make it a bit more civilised, a bit more user friendly.
If the purists don’t like it, they can go and invest in some temperamental Italian beast. They’ll soon come crawling back to a real supercar.
Porsche 911 Carrera S
Engine: 3.8 litre Power: 355 bhp Maximum speed: 293 kph Performance 0 to 100 kph: 4.8 seconds Summary: Still the über supercar!
