2019 Porsche 911 Test Drive Review – Best Sportscar?

Performance – The Porsche 911 Carrera S is powered by a 3.0-litre, flat-six engine that belts out 450 HP of power and 530 Nm, an increase of 30 HP and 30 Nm over its predecessor. You will be surprised by the refinement of the engine but what’s more shocking is that in spite of the twin-turbos, there is no lag or flat spot in the power delivery whatsoever. Right from the get-go, there is thrust and the more you rev it, the more it rewards you with a constant surge of exciting revs, redlining past 7500 RPM! So while the motor is calm when you drive it with less throttle inputs, it goes ballistic when you go hard on the accelerator, taking just 3.7 seconds to go from 0-100 km/hr while top speed is well past 300 km/hr!

The flat-six motor is extremely refined and offers linear power delivery as soon as you accelerate without any turbo-lag

There are multiple drive modes on offer – Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual with the Sport Chrono package bringing the rotary mode selector on the steering wheel. Slotted in Sport Plus and left foot on the brake, right foot on the accelerator, enables launch control, making the car take off on full pelt. The sound from the exhaust is intoxicating and the 8-speed PDK gearbox is super quick with shifts, there is a manual mode too which lets you hold on to a gear, which can be changed via the steering mounted paddles, no tiptronic function here. The modes really alter the character of the car, making changes to the engine, gearbox, steering and dampers. Fuel economy is a respectable 5-7 km/l, depending on your driving style.

Driving Dynamics – The Porsche 911 has a very different layout compared to other sports cars, it’s a rear engine with the powerplant sitting behind the rear axle, channelling power to the rear wheels, leaving the front tyres free to do what they are best at – STEER! Weight balance is fab, the electric steering is now 11% quicker but a whole lot more responsive too, offering sensational levels of feel and feedback. Body roll is an alien concept to the 911 because there is no roll whatsoever, such is the level of body control, truly phenomenal handling and driver engagement.

The 911 has always been known for the way it handles and with the 992, Porsche has refined & improved it even more

However, the suspension is naturally on the stiffer side with decent enough compliance for our roads. Although the low profile tyres mean you really have to be careful over bad roads while speed bumps can be cleared effortlessly by raising the nose by pressing a button on the centre console (the nose reclines as you speed past around 40 km/hr). Grip levels are terrific and so is the high-speed stability, the 911 simply remains glued at all speeds with the level of composure you would only expect from a track car. Just imagine what the track focussed GT3 and GT2s would be! Brakes are super impressive too with the right feel, bite and astonishing stopping power.