Last week I attended the official New Zealand launch of the latest Porsche 911 Carerra, the 991. Giltrap Prestige put on a wonderful evening of entertainment, with music, drinks and nibbles and most of all a glamorous showcase for the car that is known to every small child. Before the covers were drawn I took the time to ponder the traditional brilliance of the styling that has been unique to Porsche over the decades. Yes, I knew that it was going to look exactly like the old one and the Clarkson’s of the world would be very quick to point this out. But, what kept me from agreeing with this criticism is that the 911 wouldn’t be a 911 with its unique, GT styling. If we think about Porsche releasing the Panamera, then we immediately think about how uncomfortable it made us feel when we looked at it because it didn’t evoke any Porsche features at all, apart from the badges. Only now are people a little more comfortable with it.
The covers were drawn on the cars in the showroom upon the completion of one of the Giltrap brothers doing a burnout in the outside carpark. I was amazed as to how the car evoked more Porsche tradition than its predecessor. It looked wider at the front and they tell me that the wheelbase has been extended by 100 millimetres. The newly designed LED taillights are razor thin and complete the rear end in an accentuated manner. Overall, in terms of styling at each angle the new modern design elements combined with the Porsche trademark characteristics create a fresh and, new yet familiar, impression.
In further detail, Porsche tell me that 90 per cent of the components have been redesigned or redeveloped on this car. With its new lightweight body, further drivetrain developments and new suspension systems give the Porsche further enhanced driving dynamics. They also tell me due to the aluminium rear lid, front lid and side doors along with the unique Porsche Stop-Start system, that fuel consumption has been reduced by 16 per cent. The two engine options are a 3.4 – liter and 3.8 liter boxer that distinguishes the ‘S’ model, that produce 350 and 400 horsepower’s respectively. Along with the 7-speed manual or Porsche PDK automatic transmission, the car will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in under 4.5 seconds. The burning question for everybody is how fast does it lap the Nurburgring? 7 minutes and four seconds, 14 seconds faster than the previous model.
The only thing that stands out is the price. With supply to New Zealand coming through Australia and not direct from the factory the cost of the strong Australian dollar is passed on to the consumer willing to purchase this car. Prices for the Carrera base model start at NZD$226,000. This excludes any extras which could amount the cost in excess of $230k. I will be keeping an eye on the roads over the next 6 months to see how sales have taken here and will also try and get the inside word on the sales figures. I am, however, impressed with what the Professors at Porsche have done here. They have respectively stuck with the unique design features of Dr. Wolfgang and the outcome has given them a kick start to making a solid impression on the 2012 car market.
Words by Andrew G. Beacham
No comments:
Post a Comment