The Car Tech blog

Can you spot the changes in the new Porsche 911? Me neither.

(Credit: Porsche AG)

The new Porsche flagship, the 911 Turbo, has been revealed, and it looks...well, just like the old one. So what's so new about the new 911 Turbo?

Well, for starters, the Turbo has a new engine under its familiar decklid. The new flat-six boxer engine has been bumped up to 3.8 liters and uses a combination of a variable-turbine geometry (VTG) turbocharger system, direct fuel injection (DFI), and the GT2's expansion intake manifold to create 500 horsepower. Maximum torque is up by 15, to 516 pound-feet when equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package Turbo.

When equipped with the Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) seven-speed transmission and the Sport Chrono Package Turbo, the 2010 911 Turbo hits 60 mph from stopped in 3.2 seconds. Top track speed is 194 mph for both the Coupe and the Cabriolet models. Official EPA fuel economy figures are not yet available, but Porsche claims the new 911 Turbo spews 18 percent less CO2 and sips less fuel than the outgoing model.

2010 Porsche 911 Turbo revealed, spec'd--photos

Keeping the new 911 Turbo on the asphalt is Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), which enhances the standard Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive and Porsche Stability Management (PSM) by actively distributing to the outside rear wheel while cornering to help scoot the tail around--not that the rear-engined 911 really needs the help--for more agile handling.

The new 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo will debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September and will go on sale in the U.S. in January 2010. Pricing for the Turbo Coupe and Turbo Cabriolet is $132,800 and $143,800, respectively.

Which car is faster: the Porsche 911 GT2 or the Corvette ZR1? These two cars go head-to-head in a performance race to see which is quicker in a mile.

Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher aren't the only female drivers attracting attention to the IndyCar circuit. There just happens to be another beautiful lady rockin' the car racing world, and her name is Milka Duno.

Milka Duno's rise to prominence in the racing world (besides being a woman) was far from typical. Duno was born in Caracas and her past endeavors have included modeling and Master's Degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Biology. Around the mid-1990s Milka turned her attention to car racing, and she hasn't looked back since. She moved to the United States in 1999 to pursue a full time career in racing, and now she stands as a potentially hot contender in more ways than one.

For today's web video I could have taken the easy way out and shown the fight Milka had with IndyCar rival Danica Patrick at a Mid-Ohio race practice, but I decided to take the high road and I dug up a rare video of Duno's first televised race for Club Copa in Venezuela circa 1996. Milka's pushing a fire-engine red Porsche 911 (#18 on the track), and she wins the race in style - sporting a dress at the very end of the video. While this footage is historic and noteworthy, the car enthusiast in me also enjoyed checking out the other cars on the track. Enjoy.

An all-electric Porche 997? Impossible!

(Credit: Road and Track)

RUF, tuner of Porsche cars, is working on a new concept based on the Porsche 997, but it seems they've forgotten to put in the fantastic Porsche engine. In its place, they dropped a 150kW electric motor and about 1,200 pounds of batteries. Yes, the new E-RUF concept is an electric vehicle. It's green, but is it any good?

The electric power train outputs 200 horsepower (meh) and 479 pound-feet of torque (wow!). Gobs of torque available instantly make for a decent 0-60 time of about seven seconds, despite the fact that the E-RUF weights close to 4,200 pounds, more than 1000 pounds heavier than a standard Porsche 997. The concept makes due with a standard Porsche-sourced six-speed transmission, though the final version will take advantage of the electric motor's massive torque with a single speed unit.

The 997's air intakes are not necessary with an electric powerplant and have been smoothed over.

(Credit: Road and Track)

The E-RUF's 96 lithium-ion batteries take up the entire front trunk, back seat, and a good part of the engine compartment. Reaching a full charge takes about 10 hours. Once full, the batteries will take you a maximum range of between 155 to 200 miles, depending on driving conditions.

Road and Track had an opportunity to test drive the E-RUF. It reports that the balance isn't the same as the standard 997, but the torque is amazing.

2009 Porsche 911 front quarter view

(Credit: Carey Russ)

As a car-maker, Porsche is unusual in that it usually seems to be driven more by engineering than by marketing. But, especially in the 911 line, that means a focus on traditional sports car core values--power balanced with handling, and driving characteristics that can be best utilized by skilled drivers.

The recently introduced 2009 911 Carrera and Carrera S models continue in that vein. They are still known by internal code 997, but it's Version 2.0. New engines boast more power, better fuel efficiency, and lower emissions. As with all 911s since the 1963 prototype, they are horizontally opposed sixes, and like all since the 996 version of 1998, they are liquid cooled. The engines have the same displacement as last year--3.6 liters for the Carrera and 3.8 for the Carrera S--but are almost completely different otherwise. Direct fuel injection allows a higher compression ratio--12.5:1--for increased horsepower, torque, and fuel efficiency. To take maximum advantage of this, the combustion chambers and pistons have been redesigned. The VarioCam Plus valve lift and timing control system has also been revised to that end. The Carrera now has 345 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 288 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. The Carrera S beats that with 385 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 310 foot-pounds at 4,400. Both engines are 6 kg--13.2 pounds--lighter in weight than the previous engines.

2009 Porsche 911 rear quarter view

(Credit: Carey Russ)

They're coupled to either a six-speed manual or the seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch automated transmission, which replaces the previous torque converter-based Tiptronic S automatic. Brakes are larger and stronger, and the standard Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system now incorporates brake fluid prefill and brake assist in addition to stability control, traction control, and automatic brake differential functions. A limited-slip differential is available, as are lightweight ceramic composite brake discs.

Suspension is by modified MacPherson struts in front, with Porsche's five-arm spring-strut design in the rear. The Carrera S Coupe and Cabriolet have Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard equipment. It's optional in the regular Carrera models. PASM combines multimode electronically-controlled shock dampers that can adapt to the driver's driving style and compensate for dive during braking and squat under acceleration. There is also a sport version.

Sport Chrono Plus is a high-performance electronic option package that modifies control maps for the engine management and PSM systems, and PASM and PDK if the car is so-equipped, to quicken throttle response and increase the threshold at which the ABS and PSM systems intervene. It also includes a dash-mounted digital/analog stopwatch with lap-counting ability. Sport Chrono Plus works best with the PDK gearbox, where it incorporates a full-throttle start launch control function.

2009 Porsche 911 front view

(Credit: Carey Russ)

Outside, a new front bumper with larger air intakes and LED daytime running lights is readily apparent. New aerodynamic mirrors improve rear vision, and LED taillights and standard bi-xenon headlights improve night vision and visibility. Dynamic cornering lights are optional.

Inside, Porsche joins the 21st century in cabin electronics with the newest version of the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system. Not only is the interface screen larger, it's a simple-to-use touch screen, very unlike offerings from other German luxury manufacturers. The available navigation system has a 40GB hard drive and optional voice control. Bluetooth phone and iPod connectivity are also available, in addition to inputs for a mini-jack and USB memory stick.

2009 Porsche 911 audio inputs

(Credit: Carey Russ)

So, the 997.2 combines freshened styling and improved interior amenities with seriously upgraded power and state-of-the-art chassis and safety aids. Underneath, it still has all of the virtues that have made the 911 an automotive icon. It can be driven hard on the track during a track day or autocross, and then driven home in traffic without a complaint from the car. It's seriously quick and fast, as 0-60 times vary from 4.9 seconds for a manual Carrera Cabrio to 4.3 seconds for a PDK Carrera S Coupe and top speeds are 178 for the Carrera and 186 for the Carrera S. But the 2009 Porsche 911 is also seriously comfortable, and capable of covering long distances. Quickly.

The 911 Coupe and Cabriolet are available now. Carrera prices start at $75,600 for the Coupe and $86,200 for the Cabrio. Carrera S prices start at $86,200 for the Coupe and $96,800 for the Cabrio.

(Credit: Carey Russ)

The usual procedure for the driving part of an automotive press introduction is four to six hours in the car, on the road. "Road" meaning a mix of entertaining and hopefully uncrowded back roads, some freeway, and as little city traffic as possible, all with the intention of highlighting the featured vehicle's capabilities and comfort.

That is adequate, and appropriate, for most cars, even relatively high-performance cars. Most cars get used mainly around town and on the freeway, with maybe a lucky clear shot at an empty canyon road early on a weekend morning.

The Porsche 911 can do all of that, easily. Like most German cars, it's seriously underemployed on American roads. So, rather than tempt fate and the Highway Patrol by exploring its limits on the street, said limits are best approached on the track. Speed is legal, and even expected, on a racetrack. Just don't try to break the laws of physics. Porsche 911s and derivatives thereof have an enviable record in competition, at all levels from autocrosses, time trials, and club racing to top-level professional motorsports. I suspect the 911 and its close relatives have more victories than anything else that has ever raced--and not only class wins, but overall wins in major endurance races.

The 2009 911 introduction was based in Park City, Utah, but the real activity was at Miller Motorsports Park (MMP), near Tooele, Utah. The first ride and drive session was from Park City to the track, after the morning commute in intervening Salt Lake City. Modus operandi: get in Carrera S Coupe with all the trimmings including PDK, put it in D, take the highway, switching drivers halfway. Verdict: The car is civilized and comfortable enough to drive all day, probably for days. No surprise there. The PDK shifted as gently as a good torque-converter automatic, and the engine was remarkably civilized--even though it produces more than 100 horsepower per liter of displacement, making it one of the most highly tuned street-legal cars available. No fuss, no drama, no rough idle, no fouled plugs.

On the track, we had the opportunity to try different varieties of 911 for two laps each. If that doesn't sound like much track time, wrong. The full course at MMP is more than four miles long and very technical. Five cars times two laps times 4 miles equals 40 miles, not counting extras. Each journalist was accompanied by a driving instructor, who offered driving tips and acted as a navigator--much appreciated due to the length and complexity of the course. "Driving instructor" with Porsche does not mean your high school gym teacher. The title of Chief Driving Instructor for the Porsche Driving Experience is held by Hurley Haywood, who has had a pro racing career since the 1970s, with five wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, three at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and two at the 12 Hours of Sebring being just some of the highlights. My instructor was Kees Nierop, winner of the 1983 12 Hours of Sebring in a 911-derived Porsche 934.

The 911 differs from every other car in production today because of its engine/chassis layout. It is truly rear-engined, with that engine hung out behind the rear axle as in the 356 before it, and its distant relative the original VW Beetle. That can give some rather unique handling characteristics, and early 911s, not to mention high-powered derivatives like the 930 Turbo, were well-known for that. With more than the usual amount of weight to the rear, traction for acceleration is excellent, and aided by further weight transfer to the rear. But under deceleration, things are a little different.

Weight transfers to the front, decreasing the grip of the rear wheels. Turn while this is happening and the pendulum effect of the engine behind the rear wheels adds to the fun. The technical term is "trailing throttle oversteer," and it can be utilized for faster cornering by a very good driver. Kees or Hurley or any of the other instructors, yes. You or me, not likely. 911s have been tamed over the years, with chassis and suspension revisions and even engine design helping. Stability control systems like PSM help even more, activating individual brakes to compensate for oversteer or understeer. But there is still more of a propensity for trailing throttle oversteer in a new 911 than in most other cars, and 911 aficionados demand that.

I only got into trailing throttle oversteer once, and then only a little. Getting the wrong line into one corner, I came in too hot and braked heavily. The rear end gave just enough of a twitch to let me know, no major problem although I suspect that PSM had more to do with that than my skills. Pushed to a degree that, on public roads, would get you a PhD in traffic school if not free accommodations at a government hotel, the 911 was in its element.

2009 Porsche 911 at the track

(Credit: Carey Russ)

Some cars had the manual gearbox, others had PDK. The stick shifted quickly and smoothly, and the engine's wide torque band meant that third gear was used for 80 percent of the time, with shifts down to second for tight corners and up to fourth for the straights. I used PDK in both manual and automatic modes. Surprise--automatic was quicker. The transmission computer learns what the driver wants, and quickly, as in within the first half mile. There were no inappropriate shifts, like in the middle of a corner, which can seriously upset control of the car at speed. Only once was the car in too high a gear for a corner, and that was largely my fault, as I got in too hot and jammed on the brakes. Even then it was no big deal, given the wide torque band.

There is something satisfying about using a good manual gearbox, but the PDK shifts more quickly, and also works wonderfully as an automatic when that's desired, as in heavy traffic. Its twin clutches are of the motorcycle-type multidisk wet variety, and so are designed to tolerate slippage. They should last the life of the car.

There is another advantage to the PDK, and that is launch control, part of the Sport Chrono Plus package. That was demonstrated by the pro drivers, with journalists as passengers. Technique: floor the gas pedal while holding the brake, then let up on the brake. Electronic and mechanical wizardry keeps transmission damage at bay, and traction control and the limited-slip differential (optional and highly recommended) keep rubber damage to a minimum. Still, it probably could be used for chiropractic treatment.

Sport Chrono Plus plus PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) plus PDK equals high-tech real-time chassis and transmission tuning. In regular mode it's fine for street comfort. In Sport mode, firmer damping, quicker shifts, and increased limits before the antilock brake and stability systems intervene allow quicker driving. In Sport-plus mode, you very nearly have your own race car. The transmission and shocks no longer learn your driving style, they're preprogrammed to go into maximum-performance mode only. It's wonderful on the track, ymmv (your mileage may vary) on the evening commute.

At the end of the day it was time for a demonstration of the 911's true abilities. That meant hot laps, with the pros driving. With a good driver, a 911 is happy to make tires sing for miles, with no fuss from the car. Lap times were probably 30 seconds or more less than the best by any journalist. No overheating, no misplaced fluids, no problem except for happy Michelin people, who were supplying the tires. This was wave one of five. By the end of the week, Michelin is going to be very happy.

Porsche claims that Nissan cheated its way to the GT-R's lap time.

(Credit: Nissan Motors)

Known as the Green Hell or more simply the Ring, the Nurburgring Nordschleife is considered the longest and most challenging racetrack in the world. Automotive manufacturers and speed demons place a high premium on Nurburgring lap times. So when the Nissan GT-R shattered the Porsche 911's record with a blistering 7:29:03 lap time earlier this year, a few feathers were ruffled in Stuttgart, Germany.

So what did Porsche's engineers do about it? Well, they went out, purchased a brand new GT-R, and drove it back to back with a 911 Turbo and a 911 GT2 in an attempt to duplicate Nissan's results. After testing, Porsche is claiming that Nissan somehow cheated and that the GT-R's true lap time is some 25 seconds slower. What gives?

Is the 911 GT2 still King of the Ring?

(Credit: Porsche Cars North America)

According to Porsche, Nissan's lap vehicle was no mere production vehicle, but rather a "wonder car." More specifically, Porsche is claiming that the GT-R in question was equipped with semislick racing tires, instead of stock tires as Nissan claims. Official video of the GT-R's lap was filmed in vehicle and, of course, the tires can't be seen.

Nissan hasn't released a comment.

Update 10/03: Says Nissan, "The final word from us is that it was done on absolutely standard tires which are available to customers in the showroom. They're not trick tires - absolutely standard tires, normal road tires."

The 911 body style remains the same, although exterior lights are updated.

(Credit: Porsche)

Porsche offered details on its four 2009 911 models, which go on sale in September, which include a new navigation system and a double-clutch transmission. The 911 Carrera Coupe, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Coupe, and 911 Carrera S Cabriolet also get their flat six engines fitted with direct injection, resulting in increased efficiency and performance. The cars don't look substantially different on the outside, although they do get LED tail and parking lights, along with an adaptive headlight system.

The PDK shifter works with the new double-clutch transmission.

(Credit: Porsche)

The 3.6-liter flat six-cylinder engine in the 911 Carrera gets a 20-horsepower increase to 345, while the 3.8-liter engine in the 911 Carrera S goes up by 30 horsepower to 385. These engines also show a 13 percent gain in fuel economy in the European test cycle, although the EPA test results aren't in yet. More exciting than the addition of direct injection is the seven-speed double-clutch transmission. Porsche claims this transmission has undergone 25 years of development in its racing efforts, making it well-refined for street use. Porsche calls its new transmission the Porsche-Doppelkupplung, or PDK for short. We used BMW's seven speed double clutch transmission in its M3 recently, and found that it not only shifted smoothly, quickly, and precisely, but that it saved fuel, as well. Unlike the BMW's shifter, it appears that you push the PDK shifter up to upshift, and pull down to downshift.

Here you can see the LEDs in the tail light.

(Credit: Porsche)

Porsche also announced a much-needed update to its Porsche Communication Manager, or PCM. We've complained about this system in the past, most recently in our review of the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet. But Porsche says that PCM 3.0 will use hard-drive-based navigation, which means quicker route calculation and map refresh, and possibly higher-resolution maps. This system will also incorporate live traffic and have a touchscreen interface. Most hard drive systems also allow some space for music storage, so we wouldn't be surprised to see that feature. PCM 3.0 also includes iPod and USB ports. The system also supports Bluetooth cell phones, another welcome update.

Laura's car, lucky number 7

(Credit: Laura Burstein)

The Porsche Camp4 racetrack is perched more than 9,000 feet above sea level. So if the sight of the new Porsche 911 Carrera S to which I was assigned didn't take my breath away, the elevation certainly did. But armed with water, aspirin, and special acupressure wristbands to prevent motion sickness, I was ready to start my engine.

The one-day program was divided into four specific exercises: The skid pad, an obstacle-avoidance course, a slalom course, and the full track. The skid pad was a large circle cut into the snow. The goal wasn't to just drive around it, but rather, to drift around it sideways.

Laura and instructor Claude

(Credit: Jonathan Elfalan, courtesy of Road & Track)

My instructor, Claude, did a couple of example laps before it was my turn. He made it look so easy. The trick is to turn the wheel and accelerate quickly to make the back of the car come out, then to counter-steer to make the car correct. To keep the car moving around the circle, it's a delicate dance of acceleration, lift, and slight but precise steering input. At first it felt unusual to try to drift the car, because many of the techniques go against what we learn in driver's ed. But after a while, the concept clicked, and I really got a feel for how the car responded in the snow.

An instructor gets sideways in the snow

(Credit: Reagan Morgan)

The obstacle-avoidance course consisted of a straight, followed by a sharp swerve to the left (as if going around a car or other object at the last second). This one was slightly easier to master, although none of us went very fast. By the end of our runs, most of us were drifting out of the way, rather than steering around.

The slalom course put together the techniques we'd learned in the previous two exercises. It was fun to drift the car from side-to-side around the cones.

Laura on the track

(Credit: Jonathan Elfalan, courtesy of Road & Track)

The grand finale was driving the full track. It was an exhilarating combination of uphill straights, sharp turns, and lots of elevation changes. Admittedly, some of us lost control a time or two and plowed into the high snow banks (I crashed twice, including once going into the pit lane. I claim the latter was my homage to Lewis Hamilton, a la his pit stop in Shanghai last season). Fortunately, snow is forgiving, unlike concrete.

If I were able, I'd have taken the five-day course. During the one-day program, I felt like I never fully grasped the concepts of what we were trying to learn until the exercise was over. More driving time would have definitely helped. But at the end of the day, all of us felt like we'd learned something new - and we had a lot of fun in the process.

Click here for some basic winter driving tips, straight from the Porsche Camp4 Colorado curriculum.