By Khulekani Dumisa

The new 911 has landed in South Africa and it will be officially launched in two flavours, namely the Carrera S and Carrera 4S. Before we get there, the 911 boasts a heritage spanning over 7 generations, is it possible to make things better? Porsche thinks they have done this with the new 8^th generation and we tend to agree.

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The new @porsche_southafrica 911 has officially landed in South Africa. The car is wider with noticeable changes to the front with new LED lights and new bumper design. The back gets a new design with a third brake light on the rear window and brake light strip running from side to side making the car appear wider. The interior has key design and technology updates with Porsche’s PCM taking center stage. On the drive, the 8-speed PDK works with the a 2981cc turbocharged flat-six engine with 331kW/530Nm (up from 309kW/500Nm) to deliver unparalleled performance under R2million. A new wet mode enhances driving performance and safety in wet conditions. #porsche #porsche911 #porsche992 #911 #porsche911carrera #porsche911carreras #porsche911carrera4s #wednesday #newcar #sportscar #speed #performance #durban #capetown #johannesburg

A post shared by The Car People (@khulekani_on_wheels) on Jun 5, 2019 at 3:14am PDT

Exterior

Like the finest things in life. The best trait of the 911 is maintaining the basic formula that was pioneered many years ago and perfected over generations. Porsche adopts this approach with the new 911. The new 991 looks are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

Approached from the front, you’ll notice a new headlight design and stretched grille design signaling the wider new body. Along the side, you’ll notice the ‘lack’ of door handles with the new flush door handle system that has been adopted for more efficient performance. At the back, a new central brake light makes an appearance on the rear window. That is not all, another light stretching from side to side punctuates the car that has been widened by 45 mm. Prominent in this are the wide wheel archers at the back which house 22-inch wheels whilst the car runs on 21-inch wheels upfront.

Interior

The interior gets classier with the 10-inch infotainment screen Porsche Communication Management taking a prominent role in the middle of the dashboard. The minimalistic dashboard inspired by the 911s of the 1970 also sees two thin, frameless freeform displays positioned alongside the centrally positioned rev counter which delivers useful information to the driver at a convenient angle.

Overall interior remains of great quality, fairly roomy for two occupants, and cements the 911’s cabin as being one of the best sports car cabins under R2million.

Ngishayela iPorsche 911 entsha ekapa. Lemoto enamandla awu331kW/530Nm (anyuke ku309kW/500Nm) iyaziyela. Amandla asheshe afike kanti ibambelela emakhoneni ngendlela engakholakali. Ungafaka uWater Mode emvuleni uphephe futhi ushayele njengompetha. #porschesouthafrica pic.twitter.com/3mAYd32PKD

— Citizen_Khulekani (@khulekaniOW) June 5, 2019

The engine, transmission and drive

The range is powered by a 2,9 straight line six cylinder engine that kicks out 331 kW of power and 530 Nm of torque. This is an increase of 22 kW and 30 Nm from the previous generation 911. The Carrera S is able to blast from 0-100 km/h in just 3,5 seconds (shaving off 0,2 seconds with the optional Sports Chrono Package). The AWD Carrera 4S will do the 0-100 sprint in 3,2 seconds. The capable engine is paired with Porsche’s PDK 8-speed transmission compared to the previous 7-speed transmission. All gears have new ratios: first gear is now shorter and eighth gear longer than before. This has made it possible to implement a longer final-drive ratio, thereby further reducing engine speeds in the upper gears. The result is harmonious ratio stepping and further potential for reducing fuel consumption. Maximum speed can still be achieved in sixth gear.

We drove the 911 in rather wet conditions in the Western Cape but that was a blessing in disguise as we were able to put the new Wet Mode to test. The system is operated by button on the steering wheel which prompts you to engage it when it senses wet conditions. The presence of the system enhances road safety whilst ensuring performance remains exceptional even in challenging weather conditions. The 911 endears itself with sublime power deliver coupled with a sweet engine note and great handling in corners. This is true for both the S and 4S. Ride quality is also fairly comfortable if cruising and makes the case for the car as a daily runner and the ideal choice for the occasional weekend away with your significant other.

Price

The new 911 is priced as follows:

Porsche 911 Carrera S –                                R1,708,000

Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet –              R1,874,000

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S –                              R1,797,000

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet –             R1,964,000

Prices include Porsche’s 3 year / 100,000 kilometer Driveway Plan.