With
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Tiptronic automatic version is faster. What happened!? (Photo: Porsche Canada) |
this impressive new drivetrain package, the 911 Turbo once again delivers supercar-shaming performance. With the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the car rockets to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and hits 200 km/h in 12.8 seconds. It's also fast under real world conditions, taking just 3.8 seconds to blast to 120 from 80 km/h in top gear. And while this performance is certainly impressive, the real surprise is that the Tiptronic automatic version is even faster! 100 km/h is blitzed in just 3.7 seconds, and the gap widens as the target speed increases. 200 km/h from a stand still takes 12.2 seconds, a whole 0.6 seconds quicker, while the flexibility dash (80-120 km/h) is dispatched in 3.5 seconds. Both the manual and automatic cars have a top speed of 310 km/h (192.6 mph).
Like most new Porsches, the 911 Turbo gets the dash-top
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Porsche Turbo. At home everywhere, including what appears to be Mars. (Photo: Porsche Canada) |
mounted stopwatch and a button that when pressed firms up the dampers, sharpens the throttle and other performance-honing alterations. Push the same sports button, and the Sport Chrono Package Turbo is activated, which puts the Turbo in berserk mode: the turbocharger's boost gets bumped up by 0.2 bar (2.9 psi) for a ten second window, which increases torque by 45 lb-ft to 502 lb-ft, allowing a manual 911 Turbo to leap from 80 to 120 km/h in a lightning quick 3.5 seconds, making it as fast as... a 911 Turbo automatic. But the Turbo isn't all about time-warping acceleration forces; it's excellent at shedding speed thanks to an upgraded brake system that features six-piston calipers up front and four-piston ones in back. If you're really serious about stopping in a hurry, Porsche's very light but very expensive fade-free 380 mm diameter ceramic brakes can be had.
The
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$122,900 USD 911 Turbo is almost a bargen when you consider what kind of technology and performance it has. (Photo: Porsche Canada) |
2007 911 Turbo is slated to arrive in dealerships this July, however, obtaining one won't be as simple as walking in, dumping a bag of money on a sales associate's desk and walking out with a set of keys; it's going to be a scramble of deposits and agonizingly long waiting lists, even though the car carries a pricetag of $122,900 USD (equivalent to $141,250 CAD, but Porsche will 'adjust' it accordingly, no doubt - the 996-based 911 Turbo last sold for more than $170K in Canada). And while every car enthusiast young or old would have been elated with the Turbo's introduction, Porsche has been working overtime and will debut a second, and perhaps even more important car at Geneva, the 'race car for the road' 911 GT3. All we can say is stay tuned for more info.