Zooming into happiness: the Porsche 911 Carrera experience

First revealed to the world in 1963, the Porsche 911 has become an icon of everything that is good and pure about drivability.

Even people who have little or no interest in anything with an engine would recognise it in a heartbeat.

From the insanely quick GT3 RS to the so-called entry level updated 911 Carrera we had on test, it has become the quintessential Porsche.

Despite all the various iterations over the years, the one thing that has remained unchanged is the rear engine. 

Engine

In the case of the 911 Carrera, it retains Porsche’s legendary 3.0-litre flat-six boxer engine that’s been tweaked with upgrades to the inter-cooler system and a bigger turbochargers that provide it with 290kW and 450Nm, driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed PDK gearbox.

It will get from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.1 seconds with a top speed limited to 294km/h. And that’s plenty fast.

Porsche says that the exterior changes to the Carrera make it more aerodynamic with a new front and rear bumper, a revised rear diffuser, Matrix LED headlights with integrated indicators and the back light strip and tail lights are now the same width.

In true Porsche fashion, the 911 Carrera just looks right with everything in its place providing an aesthetic appeal that’s never jarring to the eye.

Interior

The interior has also received some minor upgrades including the rear seats as a no cost option. They’re strictly for toddlers as we found out when we collected my niece from university for a family lunch and she had to squeeze herself behind the fully forward passenger seat.

Furthermore, a 12.6-inch curved instrument cluster replaces the analogue rev counter with two smaller screens which I suppose is a nod to the digital age but personally, I always liked to have a view of an old fashioned rev-counter bouncing around in front of me. There’s a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment screen and a wireless charger. 

The steering wheel includes the drive mode selector switch as well as the red overboost function providing 20 seconds of increased power.

The traditional turn-switch starter has also been replaced with a stop/start button. 

Like every Porsche, the interior is a classy mixture of sophistication and ergonomics with incredible attention to detail. 

As can be expected, there's not a whole lot  of space inside for your odds and ends so you may have to consider one of those waist bags to store them in the car. 

As long as you’re two people, there’s enough space on the back seat and the 135-litre “frunk” under the bonnet that was big enough to store two overnight bags.

Driving the 911 Carrera

To say that the Porsche 911 Carrera is a pleasure to drive is an understatement but there is one caveat.

To enjoy the full experience, you need smooth sweeping open roads that aren’t littered with potholes and fellow road users that are not a danger to themselves and others.

Unfortunately, both of those are in short supply, especially in Gauteng and its surrounds.

But when the stars do align for short stints, you get the full experience of a manufacturer that has honed a car over decades to provide the perfect drive.

In an age where electrification and hybrids seem to take preference over anything that is internal combustion, it’s refreshing to know that it wasn’t even a footnote in the design brief.

It may be the “entry-level” 911 but that takes nothing away from its driveability or dynamics.

From the moment you push the start button and it purrs into life, it’s one of those cars that cocoons itself around you and makes you look forward  to the drive.

They have managed to combine everything that’s needed to make it a 911 that uses all of its power in such a way that it’s quick, exceptionally well balanced and won’t kill you if you push it hard.

The PDK gearbox is sublime, whether you’re pottering around town or flooring it on open roads.

It’s the same for the steering, suspension and chassis. For a rear-mounted engine driving the back wheels you would expect some compromise, but not in this case.

It’s all well calibrated and in Sport Plus. It leaps forward with no protest from the wide 295/35 R20 rubber with a pleasant burble from the optional Sports exhaust, while pushing you back into your seat until there’s a smile from ear to ear.

As you would expect the handling is superb, changing direction and braking (it now has six piston brakes) with minimum fuss, so much so that on one stretch my partner told me to stop because she was struggling to contain her nausea. 

And we weren’t even close to what it’s capable of. 

It’s light at 1 520kg which adds to the manoeuvreable dynamics.

Thanks to EU-regulations, the exhaust notes are rather muted even in Sport Plus and in this case I have no objection to blips and bangs being piped into the cabin.

Despite its size, I found it to be an easy daily drive, sure, with my tall frame it’s not always a graceful exit manoeuvre, but it’s eminently suitable for the job.

Fuel consumption is claimed to be 10.6l/100km but because it’s a 911 and so much fun to drive, I managed 13.3l/100km. However, on a highway drive to return the car it provided a more respectable 10.8l/100km.

Summary

The Porsche 911 Carrera is probably all the sportscar and indeed the only 911 you'll ever need. At R2 477 000 before options, it’s a significant investment and while there may be other dynamic sportscars, the Porsche 911 will always be special.

The 911 Carrera comes with a three-year/100 000km maintenance plan.