Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its iconic 911 range for the current model’s midlife facelift, but at the same time engineers have introduced a wide range of new technologies to keep the car up to date and competitive as the world's favourite luxury sports car.
Highlights of the update include all-new flat-six power units displacing 3.6 and 3.8-litres featuring direct-injection, and the option of the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission, both of which inprove performance and fuel economy.
At the moment the only models in the 911 range to receive the updates are the Carrera and Carrera S, both available in either coupe or cabriolet body styles. Updates for the other models, including the 911 Turbo, 911 GT3, and 911 GT3 RS , as well as the respective 911 Targa models, will come in the near future.
More power, better fuel economy
With either a six-speed manual gearbox or the PDK transmission, the Carrera coupe offers improved fuel economy of 9.8L/100km and reduced emissions as well.
Maximum output of the 911 Carrera with its 3.6-litre power unit is up by 15kW to 254kW. Output on the 911 Carrera S with its 3.8-litre power unit is equally impressive, up by 23kW to 283kW. With this extra power, the Carrera S coupe now offers a top speed of slightly over 300km/h.
Standard on the Cayenne V8 engine range since 2007, Porsche is now moving over to direct-injection technology for the flat-six engines in the 911 series. Forming exactly the right mixture of fuel and air directly in the combustion chamber, this sophisticated technology serves to develop more horsepower and torque from less fuel as well as better throttle response.
Direct-injection also serves to ensure ‘homogeneous’ operation of the power unit with a consistent balance of the fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber at all times and under all running conditions. This guarantees optimum combustion, maintaining consistently low emissions, without worsening fuel consumption.
Seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox
The optional PDK dual-clutch gearboxes offers seven forward gears and features both fully automatic mode and full manual control via paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. The new PDK replaces the previous Tiptronic S automatic.
PDK works like any other dual-clutch system and is similar to Volkswagen’s DSG or the gearboxes in the new Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evolution X. It consists of a conventional manual gearbox and a hydraulic control system divided into two separate transmission units.
Two wet clutches in radial arrangement, controlled hydraulically, and using oil for both cooling and lubrication, form the heart of the transmission. One clutch is for the first transmission unit with the uneven gear ratios (1,3,5,7) and reverse, and the other is for the second transmission unit with the even gears (2,4,6).
The big advantage is an even faster gearshift than a conventional manual gearbox or torque converter automatic transmission. The gears are already ‘in mesh’ when shifting and the power of the engine isn't interrupted in the process.
Porsche was actually one of the first companies to develop dual-clutch technology, having introduced it in its race cars more than 25 years, but has taken longer than some rivals to bring it to market. Initial dual-clutch gearboxes had problems handling large amounts of torque.
The seven-speed PDK shifts gears up to 60% faster than a conventional automatic transmission, and leads to faster acceleration times. When equipped with PDK, the Carrera S coupe accelerates in 4.5 seconds from 0-100km/h - 0.2 seconds faster than with a manual six-speed gearbox and 0.8 seconds quicker than its predecessor with the Tiptronic S.
Better performance and interior options
Combined with the Sport Chrono Package Plus, now featuring launch control, the Carrera S accelerates in supercar territory, going from 0-100km/h in just 4.3 seconds.
A host of safety features also make the cut including an updated Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system with Brake Pre-Filling and Brake Assistant functions for more powerful braking response when required. The 911 Carrera now also features larger 330mm diameter brake discs front and rear.
On the outside, the facelifted model is differentiated by its larger side mirrors, newly-designed 18-inch and 19-inch wheels and new lights featuring LED technology. Daytime driving lights and bi-xenon headlights are now standard on all new models in the Carrera range. Inside, there’s a simplified control panel with a larger 6.5-inch touchscreen display and inputs for an iPod or a USB stick.
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