2017 Porsche 911 v2
by John Straton
Title
2017 Porsche 911 v2
Artist
John Straton
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The Porsche 911 (pronounced Nine Eleven or German: Neunelf) is a two-door, 2+2 high performance sports car made since 1963[1] by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a rear-mounted six cylinder boxer engine and all round independent suspension. It has undergone continuous development, though the basic concept has remained little changed.[2] The engines were air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998, with Porsche's "993" series, produced in model years 1995-1998, being the last of the air-cooled Porsches.[3]
The 911 has been modified by private teams and by the factory itself for racing, rallying, and other forms of automotive competition. It is among the most successful competition cars. In the mid-1970s, naturally aspirated 911 Carrera RSRs won major world championship sports car races such as Targa Florio, Daytona, Sebring, and N�rburgring, even against prototypes. The 911-derived 935 turbo also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979.
In the 1999 international poll for the award of Car of the Century, the 911 came fifth.[4] It is one of two in the top five that had remained continuously in production (the original Beetle remained in production until 2003),[5] and was until 1998 a successful surviving application of the air- (now water-) cooled opposed rear-engine layout pioneered by its ancestor, the Volkswagen Beetle. It is one of the oldest sports coup� nameplates still in production, and 820,000 had been sold by the car's 50th anniversary in 2013.[6] "Around 150,000 911 cars from the model years 1964 to 1989 are still on the road today.
Porsche revealed basic information on the 991 Carrera and Carrera S on 23 August 2011.[40] The Carrera is powered by a 350 hp (257 kW) 3.4-litre engine. The Carrera S features a 3.8-litre engine producing 400 hp (294 kW). A Power Kit (option X51) is available for the Carrera S, increasing power to 430 hp. The new 991's overall length grows by 2.2 inches and wheelbase grows by 3.9 inches (now 96.5 in.) Overhangs are trimmed and the rear axle moves rearward roughly 3 in. toward the engine (made possible by new 3-shaft transmissions whose output flanges are moved closer to the engine). There is a wider front track (2.0 inches wider for the Carrera S). The design team was headed by Michael Mauer.
At the front, the new 991 has wide-set headlights that are more three-dimensional. Front fender peaks are a bit more prominent, and wedgy directionals now appear to float above the intakes for the twin coolant radiators. The stretched rear 3/4 view has changed the most, with a slightly more voluminous form and thin taillight slivers capped with the protruding lip of the bodywork. The biggest and main change in the interior is the center console, inspired by the Carrera GT and adopted by the Panamera.
The 991 is the first 911 to use predominantly aluminum construction. This means that even though the car is larger than the outgoing model, it is still up to 50 kilograms (110 lb) lighter. The reduced weight and increased power means that both the Carrera and Carrera S are appreciably faster than the outgoing models. The 0�60 mph (97 km/h) time for the manual transmission cars are 4.6 seconds for the Carrera and 4.3 seconds for the Carrera S. When equipped with PDK the 991 models can accelerate from 0�60 mph in 4.4 seconds and 4.1 seconds for the Carrera and Carrera S respectively. With the optional sports chrono package, available in cars with the PDK transmission, the 991 Carrera can accelerate from 0�60 mph in as little as 4.2 seconds [41] and the Carrera S can do the same in 3.9 seconds.[42]
Apart from the reworked PDK transmission, the new 991 is also equipped with an industry-first 7-speed manual transmission with rev-matching. A new feature with the manual transmission is that it blips the throttle during downshifts (if in Sport Plus mode). Also, the 7th gear cannot be engaged unless the car is already in 5th or 6th gear.
One of Porsche's primary objectives with the new model was to improve fuel economy as well as increase performance. In order to meet these objectives, Porsche introduced a number of new technologies in the 911. One of the most controversial of these is the introduction of electromechanical power steering instead of the previous hydraulic steering. This steering helps reduce fuel consumption, but some enthusiasts feel that the precise steering feedback for which the 911 is famous is reduced with the new system. The cars also feature an engine stop/start system which turns the engine off at red lights, as well as a coasting system which allows the engine to idle while maintaining speed on downhill gradients on highways. This allows for up to 16% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions over the outgoing models.
The new cars also have a number of technologies aimed at improving handling. The cars include a torque vectoring system (standard on the Carrera S and optional on the Carrera) which brakes the inner wheel of the car when going into turns. This helps the car to turn in quicker and with more precision. The cars also feature hydraulic engine mounts (which help reduce the inertia of the engine when going into turns) as part of the optional sports chrono package. Active suspension management is standard on the Carrera S and optional on the Carrera. This helps improve ride quality on straights, while stiffening the suspension during aggressive driving. The new 991 is also equipped with a new feature called Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC). Porsche claims that this new feature alone has shaved 4 seconds off the standard car's lap time around the N�rburgring. PDCC helps the car corner flat and is said to improve high-speed directional stability and outright lateral body control, but according to several reviews, the car is more prone to understeer when equipped with this new technology.
In January 2013, Porsche introduced the all-wheel-drive variants of the Carrera models. The '4' and '4S' models are distinguishable by wider tires, marginally wider rear body-work and a red-reflector strip that sits in between the tail-lights. In terms of technology, the new 4 and 4S models are equipped with an all-new all-wheel-drive system that sends power to the front wheels only when needed, giving the driver a sense of being in a rear-wheel-drive 911.
In May 2013, Porsche announced changes to the model year 2014 911 Turbo and Turbo S models, increasing their power to 520 hp on the 'Turbo', and 560 hp on the 'Turbo S', giving them a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 and 2.9 seconds, respectively. A rear-wheel steering system has also been incorporated on the Turbo models that will steer the rear wheels in the opposite direction at low speeds or the same direction at high speeds to improve handling.[43] During low-speed maneuvers, this has the virtual effect of shortening the wheelbase, while at high speeds, it is virtually extending the wheelbase for higher driving stability and agility.
In January 2014, Porsche introduced the new model year 2015 Targa 4 and Targa 4S models. These new models come equipped with an all-new roof technology with the original Targa design, now with an all electric cabriolet roof along with the B-pillar and the glass 'dome' at the rear.
In September 2015, Porsche revealed the second generation of 991 Carrera models at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Both Carrera and Carrera S models break with previous tradition by featuring a 3.0 turbo-charged 6 cylinder boxer engine, marking the first time that a forced induction engine has been fitted to the base models within the 911 range
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April 16th, 2016
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