Model tested: Porsche 911 Carrera S
Date tested: September 2009
Road tester: Keith Collantine

Forty-six years of evolution have formed the modern 911. The rear-wheel-drive Carrera S may sit at the lower end of the range, but it lacks none of that 911 magic.


Porsche 911 enthusiasts wax lyrical about the distinctive note of its flat-six engine, the classic shape and the sweet handling. But what stood out to me is the appealing view framed by its wing mirror.

It captures where the roof curves elegantly into the flanks of the car. For someone who usually drives a slab-sided saloon, here was a reminder that I was at the wheel of something special.

Pull away and the 911 impresses with its urban civility. Of course you sit very low and the suspension is rather firm at low speeds, but the road manners around town are far better than elsewhere.

The 911 belongs on the open road though, with corners and cambers and ecstatic traffic-free moments when you can jab the throttle and hear the boxer wail.

The 3.8-litre rear-mounted six-cylinder boxer engine offers 385bhp and 310lb ft of torque to give 188mph and 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds. CO2 emissions are 242g/km while average fuel consumption is 274mpg.

Crucially, Porsche has cut CO2 emissions by 17% compared with the previous 911. The optional PDK transmission cuts 0.2 seconds from the 0-62mph time, reduces CO2 emissions by 2g/km and increases fuel economy by 0.3mpg. However it also reduces the top speed by 2mph.

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PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) is a transmission that shifts between gears in hundredths of a second, using a combination of two clutches. It works brilliantly in automatic or paddle-shift mode, although the paddles are frustrating and unintuitive; Porsche is going to revise the layout.

On the motorway the 911 behaves altogether differently. The variable steering rate reduces how rapidly the car responds to your inputs, and with the gearbox slotted into the long seventh ratio fuel economy edges towards 40mpg.

The firm brake pedal gives a surprising amount of feel, but jab it hard enough and electronics take over, delivering 100 per cent braking force to slow the car down as quickly as possible.

The Porsche Communication Management entertainment system is standard with a clear 6.5-inch touch screen and a CD/DVD drive, plus an MP3 connection; sat-nav is optional.

There's a small storage space between the front wheels for your bags while rear passenger room is limited and best suited to small children.

In recent years Porsche has expanded its product range but it hasn't compromised the excellence of the 911. After 46 years it remains a deeply impressive and refined sports car.