Living in the Future with the Porsche 992 Carrera

Blog Jun 12nd, 2020
The Porsche 911 – eighth generation, dubbed 992 to those that speak Porsche – is bigger, beefier, heavier, and techier, and after a few days behind the wheel, your worst fears will be confirmed: despite all of that, you will fall absolutely head-over-heels in love with it. The 992 is one of those cars whose numbers pose as many questions as they impress you, and one whose styling subtleties don’t accurately translate to photos. But, to drive it is to desire it almost to distraction.
This will surprise you. Even if you're addicted to the tiny air-cooled pre-1998 models, or love the compact dimensions of the 996 and 997 models, or have always felt the 991, the 992’s immediate predecessor, felt a little big from behind the wheel, the 992 actually feels nimbler, easier to wheel around town and toss around bends.
 
This is doubly remarkable in light of the fact that the 992 is marginally heavier than the 991 it replaces, reversing the trend of generational weight loss of many new cars. Blame additional active- and passive safety equipment, more powerful turbocharged engine, as well as an even larger 20/21-inch wheel/tire package on S and 4S models.
Compensating for all that is even more power from the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six, which now pumps out almost 450 hp in S models, a 30-hp bump from before, as well as an eight-speed PDK transmission, replacing the seven-speed of the previous generation (a manual is available, too). Better traction from those even larger 305/30/21 rear tires – mean the dash to 100 km/h is now completed in just 3.5 seconds, faster than even a 911 Turbo of a couple of generations past.
 
The new engine sounds great even when you haven’t flipped on the optional sports exhaust, and the best part is how the power delivery is tuned to feel naturally aspirated: despite the turbos and flexible torque curve, the 992 still rewards high revs, with the power really coming on strong past 3,000 rpm as the exhausts wail their distinctive note.

But from behind the wheel all of these systems, together with the steamroller tires, adaptive suspension, and torque vectoring, all blend into a seamless, mechanical-feeling whole – one that still deeply rewards being driven with concentration, dedication, and skill. The more you drive it, the more you want to drive it – sunroof open, sport plus in manual mode, and it's a heavenly sports car, but one you can calm down with the twist of a dial to deal with winter weather or a long trip. The differences in the drive modes are more evident than in previous generations, the tech inside is very impressive and very easy to use, and it just does everything well.

Perhaps what’s best about the 992 is something that unites all 911s: it's kind of a Swiss Army Knife of a sports car – despite all the tech, and the extreme performance figures, it’s still “just” a car, and one that can be used for so many purposes. It’s subtle enough, in the right colour, to fly or drive largely under the radar; it’s practical enough, thanks to the spacious cabin, kid-friendly rear seats, and surprisingly spacious front trunk, to drive to work every day; and, fitted with the right wheels and tires, it’s an all-seasons sports car, one of the best winter machines you’ll ever experience.

Combine all of these attributes and there’s no wonder the 911 has been so successful over such a long period of time. Other competitors may, at either end of the sports-car spectrum, offer higher highs, and bigger personalities, but few if any can cover so many bases so well as the latest Porsche. Driving the 992, experiencing just how capable it is in every situation, makes you wonder what the more extreme models will bring; we've seen the mind-blowing statistics of the 992 Turbo S and can't wait to drive and sell it; and what will the next GT3, or GT3 RS feel like? Or the next GT2 RS?
 
None of us can wait to find out.