By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National October 25, 2010Vehicle Overview
Porsche's rear-engine flagship 911 comes in more than a dozen variants, and more are on the way, including the GT2 RS, which Porsche says is its fastest, most powerful street-legal model ever. At the low end, the car competes with the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and BMW 6 Series; higher-performing trims are in a price range with the Maserati GranTurismo and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
New for 2011
Three new models are on tap, including the 911 GT2 RS, which comes with a 620-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.6-liter six-cylinder that generates a 205-mph top speed, making it Porsche's fastest street model ever. Just 500 units will be built for global sales. Also new are the 911 Turbo S (530 hp) and GT3 RS (450 hp). All 911 models now come with Bluetooth hands-free phone and MP3 audio interfaces.
Two more 911 variants are headed for the U.S.: the 911 Speedster and 911 Carrera GTS; both debuted in October at the Paris Motor Show.
Exterior
The 911 is offered as a soft-top convertible, metal-roofed coupe or glass-roofed Targa. A rear spoiler deploys at 75 mph to enhance high-speed stability; the 911 Turbo has a fixed spoiler.
Exterior features include:
- Bi-xenon headlights
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Available 19-inch alloys
- Available adaptive suspension
- Dual or quad exhaust pipes
- Rear-mounted engine, with small luggage area under the hood
- Glass hatch (Targa)
- Power-operated soft-top (convertible)
Interior
The four-seat interior has a purposeful layout and stiffly bolstered seats, though only the front seats are habitable by adults. The rear seatbacks fold to form a makeshift cargo shelf. Front sport seats with larger bolsters are optional, as are non-adjustable racing buckets.
Interior features include:
- Automatic climate control
- Retractable glass roof with power sunshades (Targa)
- Partial leather seats, with full leather optional
- Optional leather-wrapped dashboard
- Standard Bluetooth and MP3 interfaces
- Optional navigation system
- Optional Bose surround-sound system and full iPod integration
- Optional power-adjustable seats with memory driver's seat
Under the Hood
The 911's horizontally opposed six-cylinder engines measure 3.6 or 3.8 liters, depending on the model. The 911 Turbo's 3.8-liter engine makes 500 hp, and the Turbo S has 530 hp. The GT3 has a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter that produces 435 hp (450 in the GT3 RS) and comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. The 911 Carrera has a 3.6-liter six-cylinder, and Carrera S models use a 3.8-liter six-cylinder. Both are available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK automatic. Mechanical features include:
- 3.6-liter six-cylinder makes 345 hp and 288 pounds-feet of torque (Carrera/Targa)
- 3.8-liter six-cylinder makes 385 hp and 310 pounds-feet of torque (Carrera/Targa S)
- Standard six-speed manual
- Available seven-speed PDK twin-clutch auto-manual with paddle shifters
- Available Sport Chrono Package Plus with performance modes for heightened accelerator sensitivity and swifter PDK shifting
- Rear- or all-wheel drive
- Turbo has 500 hp, all-wheel drive and manual or PDK transmission
- Turbo S has 530 hp, all-wheel drive and PDK transmission
- GT2 RS has 620 hp, twin-turbo 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive and six-speed manual
Safety
Available adaptive headlights swivel up to 15 degrees to illuminate corners better. Standard safety features include:
- Dual front airbags
- Seat-mounted side-impact airbags
- Door-mounted side curtain airbags (included on convertibles, too)
- Pop-up rollover bars behind rear seats (convertibles)
- All-disc antilock brakes with high-performance ceramic brakes optional
- Electronic stability system
- Traction control
Additional Reviews
Cars.com Expert Reviews
| Cars.com Staff | Cars.com National | October 25, 2010 |
Affiliate Reviews
| Steven Cole Smith | Orlando Sentinel | May 27, 2011 |
| Clifford Atiyeh | Boston.com | January 26, 2011 |
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