First look: Porsche 911 evolves again

IF only we all looked this good at 41! Just months after blowing out the candles on the big four-o, Porsche’s iconic 911 has been rejuvenated and reinvigorated.

The roll-out of the 997 edition of 911 begins in Europe in July and here in October, when the Carrera 2 and the reborn Carrera S go on sale.

Logically enough, 997 succeeds 996, which went on sale in 1997. That was truly a ground-breaking generation of 911 with the boxer engine now water-cooled and endowed with four valves per cylinder.

The 997 does not have the same level of change but there is still plenty to talk about.

The two-door coupe exterior, as always, is an evolution of that famous swept-back roofline, but Porsche has made an attempt to increase differentiation with the popular Boxster roadster by reverting to circular and more upright headlights.

Other exterior features include a wider track, more prominent fenders, dual-arm exterior mirrors and a more aerodynamic rear spoiler. It is also more aerodynamic, with the coefficient of drag figure dropping from 0.32 to 0.28.

Under the skin there’s plenty to talk about, although more of the change centres around the Carrera S than the base model Carrera 2. In fact, we haven’t seen a Carrera S since the 993 generation went off sale in 1997.

If you’re unsure about the positioning or reason for the "S", just think of the Boxster range where the "S" version is the higher performance car.

And so it is in this case too. The new Carrera "S" is powered by a newly developed 3.8-litre engine, which delivers 261kW and 400 Nm, powering the car from zero to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 293km/h.

The Carrera 2 (left)makes do with a refettled version of the current 3.6-litre engine, with power pushed up from 235kW to 239kW. A slight increase in weight means performance figures are fundamentally the same as before, a 0-100km/h dash in 5.0 seconds and a top speed of 285km/h.

Both new 911 models have a newly developed six-speed gearbox, variable ratio steering and a reworked chassis, which includes active suspension as standard in the S model.

For the 911 Carrera, this chassis, called Porsche Active Suspension Management, is optional.

In the "normal" position, Porsche says PASM provides a sporty and comfortable balance, while in sport mode the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension is firmer for more aggressive driving.

In addition to PASM, a further option for both models is sports suspension, which is lower by 20mm, with a mechanical rear inter-wheel differential lock.

The format of the wheels and tyres has also evolved: the 911 Carrera now has 18x8-inch alloy wheels up front fitted with 235/40 ZR18 tyres, while at the rear it has 18x10-inch alloys fitted with 265/40 ZR18 tyres at the rear.

The Carrera S is equipped with 19x9-inch wheels and 235/35 ZR19 tyres up front, and 19x11-inch wheels with 295/30 ZR19 tyres at the rear.

Inside, Porsche is said to have improved the ergonomics and intuitiveness of the cabin and released more luggage space by omitting a spare tyre.

In normal Porsche fashion, the rest of the 911 update range will flow through at regular intervals over the next few years, with the Carrera 4 and Cabriolet models expected in 2005. Then should come the Turbo and Carrera 4S in 2006 and GT3 and GT2s in 2007. International media reports say the Targa is expected to be phased out due to slow sales and production complexity.

Local distributor Porsche Cars Australia is not talking pricing or specification as yet, but it is fair to expect the Carrera 2 will rise marginally from today’s $187,600 price for the six-speed manual, while the S could be around $200,000.

Despite being almost at the end of its life, the 996 911 continues to sell well in Australia. In fact, to the end of April it was ahead of its 2003 sales figure. The Boxster is also continuing to thrive, while the Cayenne SUV is driving the company into record sales territory.