PRAISE-WORTHY: The Porsche 911 really does live up to its hype.
Sometimes when a car's reputation precedes it, you can be disappointed when you get behind the wheel.
It's a bit like when a friend recommends a "hilarious" new movie and it barely provokes a giggle when you finally watch it.
That was the biggest fear at the local launch of the new Porsche 911 in Tasmania.
So much praise has been heaped on the car - and in particular its new PDK double-clutch automated manual transmission - you begin to wonder if it can be that good.
The doubt begins to fade at the first inner-city gear change and by the time you find a stretch of open country road, it has disappeared almost entirely.
The changes are as precise and lightning-fast at high speeds as they are relaxed and comfortable around town.
And the really endearing quality of the new seven-speed gearbox is that it seems to read your mind.
Come into a corner and the gearbox shifts up from sixth to second quicker than you could do it yourself; plant the accelerator on a straight stretch of road and the car bangs through the gears as if Michael Schumacher was the man with the hand on the lever.
The secret to the PDK, which stands for Porsche doppelkupplungsgetriebe - or double clutch - is that each of the two clutches selects a different gear as you accelerate, which means when you're in one gear, the next one has already been selected. That means it can be engaged with lightning speed when called upon.
It's a similar principle to Volkswagen's DSG system and a new application of technology Porsche used in its race cars in the 1980s.
At first, Porsche's factory race drivers hated the new clutch, but they warmed to it when they were shown their lap times in PDK-equipped cars, so the story goes.
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Porsche says it's a similar story with their customers and the Tiptronic automatic that preceded the new system: although 50 per cent of previous Porsche owners preferred the manual transmission, 80 per cent of them were actually quicker in the superseded auto.
The carmaker now says even the Porsche factory driver who sets their official 0-100kmh times is quicker in the PDK auto.
For the record, the 911 Carrera S manual takes 4.7 seconds to reach 100kmh, while the auto takes 4.5secs (4.3secs if you option the A$2980 Sports Chrono Plus pack which comes with launch control).
And according to Porsche, the launch control is so easy to operate, that even your grandmother can bang out a 4.3secs split.
To engage launch control, you simply put the car into "Sports Plus" mode, hold one foot on the brake and push the accelerator until you reach 6500rpm and a sign flashes up on the instrument panel telling you you've activated the system.
Then you take your foot off the brake and let the technology do the rest.
The new transmission has another trick up its sleeve for downshifting on tight corners. As you arrive at the corner, you can stab the accelerator hard and fast - which requires a bit of a leap of faith - and the car shifts from sixth to second.
It makes the new auto almost as much fun to play with as the excellent six-speed manual gearbox, which combines a short, accurate gear-lever action with a lightly weighted, user-friendly clutch pedal.
The one criticism with the PDK is the placement of the shift buttons on the steering wheel.
More than once, I accidentally dropped down a gear because my hand brushed the buttons. It's a small gripe, but paddles would be a better option. While we're on the negatives, being stung A$7000 for an auto when you've paid more than A$200,000 (NZ$242,000) for the car is a bit rude as well. There are more "optional extra" shocks for the uninitiated, too.
The new transmissions aren't the only reason behind the latest Porsche's impressive acceleration times.
The new 3.6-litre and 3.8-litre six-cylinder horizontally-opposed engines may have the same capacity as their predecessors - and put out that familiar clatter at idle - but they are all-new, with more power and better fuel consumption thanks to the latest direct injection technology.
We sampled both the 254kW 3.6-litre and the 283kW 3.8-litre and were impressed not only by the sheer power, but the useability of the engines.
The power delivery is flat and predictable and the surge goes almost all the way to the 7500rpm redline. The last 1000rpm may not give you any more power, but it's worth pushing on just for the incredible roar of the engine.
The engines both sound equally impressive at low revs, while at the same time giving a relaxed, lazy feel at low speeds.
The rest of the driving experience is more familiar, with the suspension and steering receiving minor tweaks only. A major change will come with the all-new model.
The car still feels incredibly composed on even the most uneven of surfaces. On back roads in Tasmania - including some challenging Targa Tasmania stages - the Porsche held its line despite mid corner bumps and loose gravel.
The ride was firm but not uncomfortable, although we'll reserve final judgement until we've tested the car on Sydney's potholed back streets.
Inside, the new car is much like the one that preceded it - understated but comfortable and well-finished.
Perhaps Porsche believes the badge on the steering wheel is enough to tell buyers they're in for something pretty special.
And with the new 911, it's no empty promise.
source:stuff
