When it starts to show up in dealerships this Spring, look for the Porsche 911 Turbo to carry a sticker of $162,516.
That is indeed a breathtaking price (and $8,816 more than the previous version was in 1997), but it looks to be a breathtaking car.
The 3.6-litre engine with its 24 valves, six horizontally-opposed pistons and dual exhaust gas turbochargers delivers 413 horsepower at 6000 and 413 pound-feet of torque from 2700 to 4600 rpm.All that torque for all that time, says Porsche, "means that, when accelerating, you have a feeling of never-ending thrust."
That translates to 0 to 100 kmh in 4.2 seconds when a skilled driver is using the 6-speed manual transmission. Five seconds later, the speedo gets to 160 kmh and it doesn't stop rising until 305 kmh.
Technical additions of interest this year are the 5-speed Tiptronic transmission, which is an automatic that delivers manual-esque shifting, and optional Ceramic Composite Brakes, which weigh less, provide better braking, and last longer.Other features on the 911 Turbo worth noting would include the all-wheel-drive system, gas discharge headlights, and Porsche Stability Management.