Driven! 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe

Posted by Harvinder

January 20, 2009

After giving you a taste of the Mini John Cooper Works last month, now allow us to tantalize you with the Porsche which has revolutionized an iconic sports car, while staying true to its heritage; the new 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera facelift! After a remarkable achievement in 2007 whereby the Porsche Type 997 sold 100,000 units in record time since in was first introduced in 2004, the German sports car maker has released a refreshed version of the 997.

Continue reading for the rest of the test review and to view a high-res image gallery.

Design

porsche-911-carrera-facelift

From a far distance, you would not be able to differentiate between the pre face lift 911 and the face lift model. Its only when you come closer, you will first notice the restyled air intakes in the middle and sides of the front fascia which are slightly larger and feature two horizontal strakes as opposed to just one on the pre face lift. Just above these intakes, are day time LED running lights which are clustered together with the positioning lights as well as with the indicator lights.

These LED running lights which are now considered as “must-haves” definitely add character to the front of the car, which helps the new 997 to be recognized from a distance. The typical 911 front is highlighted with its oval head lights, this time with Bi-Xenon lighting. Both the LED day time running lights as well as the Bi-Xenon head lamps are offered as standard for all models in the 911 family.

Moving on to the side profile of the new 911, you will also notice slightly larger rear view mirrors with reworked 18 inch wheels which are treated to a five, double spoke design. The rear end has also received a slight redesign, this time with LED tail lights which highlight a high tech yet classy feel. These LED tail lights also uses less power and offers a quicker response time for motorists at the back.

The tail lights really help define the rear end of the new 911, especially at night, when it becomes more attractive to the eye. These tail lights comprise 60 LED’s on each tail light, some of which are activated several times for several different functions. Available as an option is the dynamic bending lights integrated with the headlights which follows the movement of the steering wheel by the driver, adjusting consistently to the speed of the car.

Twin oval exhaust tail pipes on both sides of the bumper make up the rest of the rear end, giving a high-performance, sporty feel to the new 911. Overall, the base 994 was already a handsome looking car and adding slight improvements especially with the day time LED running lights up front and LED tail lights at the back really help make in making it look better. The refresh work on the outside is spot on, giving it a more modern touch. You would not want to do too much rework on a successful design.

Interior

The interior pretty much looks the same, with upgrades done on the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) control system which acts as a gateway between the driver (or passenger) and the audio and communications features of the 911. The new system is for the first time displayed on a touch screen interface which has grown from 5.8 inches to 6.5 inches, and with fewer buttons.

The PCM can also receive a USB stick as well as an iPod via an optional upgrade. Porsche has also made available an optional TV tuner as well as a hard disc navigation system. The navigation is stored on a 40GB hard drive which also features a voice control function which can correspond to full, complete words. This voice control function enables the user to select nearly all PCM functions.

The 2+2 coupe which can be purchased with either standard seats or comfort seats with driver memory, can also be optionally fitted with a seat ventilation system. This new three level ventilation system features one fan in the seat bottom and a second fan in the backrest which help provide seat cooling and it can also be fitted with seat heating.

Other features on the inside include a radio with up to 48 memory points, an FM dual tuner with RDS, an integrated player which is able to play back music either from a CD or from an audio and video DVD with BOSE Surround Sound System featured as standard also in 5.1 Discreet Surround Format, otherwise in stereo. The formats offered and supported by the system are MP3, AAC, WMA, Dolby Digital, MLP, and DTS.

Optional features include; A six-CD/DVD changer integrated in the PCM, BOSE Surround Sound System with 13 loud speakers, active sub-woofers and centre speakers as well as a seven-channel digital amplifier and an internal GSM telephone module with two operating modes which allows the user to; make telephone calls with the SIM card placed in the phone and to automatically connect with a Bluetooth enabled phone. An array of interior colour combinations are offered by Porsche Singapore.

The interior evokes a feeling of classiness while being true to its sports car like nature. Seating position feels just about right with just about enough leg room and head clearance although I can’t say the same for the rear seats. You will end using the rear seats to carry extra luggage, which can’t fit in the small trunk up front. There is not enough leg room and head clearance so seating at the back is almost an impossible task.

Back the to front, everything is where it should be. Getting into the car may take some getting used at the beginning since the car sits very close to the ground but once you are there, you will find your self in a very nice place. All controls are within reach, the way the three spoke steering wheel which fits ahead of the five spoke instrument cluster greets you is perfect. Talking about the steering wheel, I feel that Porsche could have put in just a little extra effort to increase its quality feel.

Driving

Now to the part where I am very much interested to share with you, the driving experience! The new 911 Carrera is powered by 3.6 liter flat six engine with direct injection which enables homogeneous combustion, a new intake manifold with two separate round filters which help optimize output and torque and larger air filters. All of that enables the new 911 Carrera to kick out 345HP of output and 390Nm of torque.

Other technologies included in the new engine are; High-pressure stratified start-up which minimizes both fuel consumption and emissions directly after starting the engine in the very first load cycles, multiple injection in higher load range at engine speeds, new exhaust system which balances between smooth and harmonious combustion process, a lighter valve drive, VarioCam Plus camshaft adjustment technology and so on, all packaged in a dry-sump, lighter by 6 kg power plant.

The engine is mated to a 6 speed manual or to the highly talked about, dual-clutch or PDK 7 speed transmission which replaces the Tiptronic S gearbox. With 20 years of on track experience with the dual-clutch system it is now made available for all 911 models (optional) which not only help improve 0 – 100 km/h sprint to 4.7 seconds (0.2 seconds faster than manual, and 4.5 seconds with Launch Control), but also help reduce CO2 emissions by 14.7% and offer 9.8 litres per 100 kilometers of fuel consumption, which really isn’t bad for a Porsche!.

Top speed is slightly slower at 287 km/h instead of 289 km/h with the 6 speed manual. Gear changes can made on the steering wheels via shift paddles or via the standard lever on the centre console. Both the manual and PDK transmission come with the Start-Off Assistant which support the driver on an uphill gradient and allowing him/her to set off smoothly with ease.

An optional Sports Chrono Package Plus for the PDK allows the driver to choose a desired transmission ratio via the Sport or Sport Plus mode. In Sport Plus mode, gear shift patterns are optimized for track use. The package also comes with an analogue and digital stopwatch on the instrument panel, Sports mode for the engine and suspension (PASM), performance display in the PCM and Launch Control.

Suspension wise, you can opt for the PASM Porsche Active Suspension Management which feature improved springs, dampers and anti-roll bars and allows the driver to choose between PASM Normal mode or PASM Sport mode. The Normal mode is tailored for comfort whereas the Sport mode provides a firmer ride with a harder damper control map. The PASM system also help lowers the entire car by 10 mm versus the regular suspension. Another optional feature is the new generation Tyre Pressure Control or TPC which basically monitors tyre pressures on all tires.

The new 911 Carrera gets its stopping power from cross-drilled and inner-vented brake discs which measure 330 mm (from 318 mm) with 34 mm in disc thickness on the front axle while the rear also feature cross-drilled, inner-vented brake discs measuring 330 mm (from 299 mm) but with 28 mm in disc thickness. Improvements made to improve braking performance upfront include; larger brake air spoilers to improve cooling, new four piston monobloc aluminium fixed calipers and two piston-bearing side units with additional crossbars.

The rear also comes fitted with aluminium monobloc four-piston fixed calipers, reworked brake air spoiler and active brake venting with additional openings in the underfloor. If you demand more stopping power, there is an optional PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes package which offers ceramic brake discs with six-piston monobloc fixed calipers on the front axle and four-piston monobloc fixed calipers at the rear with larger and lighter discs.

All 911 models also feature PSM Porsche Stability Management as standard with functions such as ABS, ASC (anti-spin control), EDC (engine drag control), ABD (automatic brake differential) and as a new addition, Brake System Pre-Filling and Brake Assistant. This system recognizes if the driver is applying the brakes in an emergency situation and the hydraulic unit cuts in actively to provide extra brake pressure required for maximum deceleration.

Overall, the new 911 gives a far better drive compared to its pre face lift version, especially with the more powerful power plant and of course the PDK system. Power delivery is very smooth and instantaneous while the gear change of the PDK transmission is just fantastic. The difference between the two transmission modes is evident with the Sport Plus giving you more kick on your backside.

Driving the 911 Carrera around tight and twisty roads at Bukit Tinggi, Malaysia was a real joy. The handling especially with the PASM system felt accurate, with the Sport mode turned on that is. As I was driving down the winding roads, my throttle-happy feet kept on giving more pressure and the car was able to take it even when I was going faster and faster. On the limits, it gave very little and very controllable understeer. Braking performance was up to par.

We all know that Porsche’s drive well when the driver puts on racing gloves and a safety helmet, but what about driving it everyday to work? Well, I got to tell you, with a 911 Carrera you definitely can. I covered quite a lot of distance during the test drive and after the long drive, my back was still fine. With the Normal mode turned on, it was pretty much a comfortable ride. Wind noise was only evident at higher speeds and engine noise wasn’t intrusive. Driving it at high as well as at low speeds was a breeze, although I always felt that the 911 ‘feels’ more at home at higher speeds. Going over speed bumps wasn’t a problem as well.

So do I like the new 911? You bet I do! Although driving a long distance trip may prove troublesome since there is not much room for your luggage, but who cares? Its a Porsche which makes it fine. If I had the money, I’ll definitely get one. Gorgeous looks, fantastic performance car, comfortable daily driver and a Porsche badge, nice. You can pick one up at S$ 379,888, inclusive of COE.