2007 Porsche 911 Turbo
Get your boost on!
Anyone who has taken a car well into triple-digit speeds can attest to the mind-blowing, tree-blurring experience. The surrounding landscape gels and turns into an abstract painting. Your peripheral vision narrows and your senses are brought to frenzy. When you finally come to your senses and jump on the binders, slowing to a seeming snail's pace of around 85 mph, everything goes back to normal.
If an exuberant driving experience is what you're looking for, few cars can match Porsche's new 911 Turbo. In fact, for the record, the latest 911 Turbo is the fastest accelerating Porsche ever-even quicker off the line than the Carrera GT.
From behind its thick leather wrapped wheel, I recently had the opportunity to play Picasso with the surrounding landscape of southern Spain. It was an experience I soon won't forget.
The sixth-generation Turbo has a lot to live up to. Past models have routinely set the bar for a higher caliber of performance and often with breakthrough technology. Indeed, Porsche rose to the occasion and once again produced a car of legendary status. "This car gets everything right," says Wolfgang Durheimer, Porsche board member and head of vehicle R&D. "We are confident the new 911 Turbo will meet the greatest demands and expectations of even our most discerning customers." So confident, in fact, Porsche expects the car to sell upwards of a record 6,000 examples annually.
The new Turbo uses the same 3.6-liter engine found in the past model, but max power now reaches a whopping 480 bhp, an increase of 60 horses. Peak torque is also up from 413 lb-ft to a beastly 457. And it's more useable power, providing a torque window that now extends all the way from 1950 to 5000 rpm. One reason for this is VarioCam Plus, which combines variable valve timing with two-stage valve lift on each inlet camshaft, resulting in greater output at all engine speeds. It's also smoother running, provides better fuel economy and fewer exhaust emissions. Yes, this hot rod is a clean runner. Can you say "green" performance?
Moreover, Porsche engineers bolted on a pair of innovative turbochargers using Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), the first system of its kind on a gasoline engine. The variable design allows the turbochargers to automatically adjust the angle of their turbine vanes, utilizing the full flow of exhaust gases at all times and under all operating conditions. The result is more thrust and less lag. To reduce the high temperatures associated with VTG, the 911 Turbo is also now water-cooled, joining the rest of the model line. Additionally, a second oil cooler increases cooling capacity by more than 15 percent. The new Turbo also benefits from a more intelligent four-wheel-drive system called Porsche Traction Management (PTM). The setup uses an electromagnetically controlled multiple-plate clutch for optimum distribution of power front-to-rear. This gain in overall traction helps the Turbo launch with rocket-like force. The even distribution of power also explains why the system's driving dynamics would be particularly apparent in the wet or in snow. As standard, the Turbo is also equipped with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with Normal and Sport modes, in addition to large six-piston brakes (with carbon-ceramic units as optional). The car rests on a set of giant 19-inch, two-tone alloy wheels with Z-rated performance rubber.You have a choice between a manual six-speed transmission or the optional Tiptronic S, which is now actually the faster of the two. Equipped with the manual, the Turbo accelerates to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds (same as the Carrera GT), whereas the Tip will get you there in just 3.7 seconds.