Carfection’s 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S Review Is a Thing of Beauty
What if the best is actually too much? Case in point, the 992-gen Porsche 911 Turbo.
For more than 50 years, the Porsche 911 has been the definition of “usable sports car.” Spacious, comfortable, and an utter joy to drive. Since the introduction of the 911 Turbo in the 70s, Porsche has been pushing that “sports car” label will into supercar territory while still maintaining the daily-driveable manners the car is known for.
With the launch of the new 992-generation cars, Porsche is gracing us with another 911 Turbo S, and the reviews are rolling in. Does this newest iteration of the formula feel just as magical, or did Porsche get the recipe wrong? Carfection’s Henry Catchpole shares his opinion on the matter in this artfully shot 14-minute review, and his conclusion might surprise you.
The review starts with the 911 Turbo S in what is ostensibly its most natural territory, driving around town. For all the speed and performance on offer, a true daily driver will spend most of its time being driven like a normal car. With this version of the Turbo being the most subtly designed car in the car’s long history, it blends in to the background more than ever before.
You can argue that any car with an MSRP over $200k needs to command attention, but then you’re missing the point. There is a reason Porsche offers a badge-delete option for every car they sell. You don’t buy a 911 to show off to someone else, you buy a 911 because it satiates a need in your soul.
On the road, Catchpole praises the cars manners. The interior is just as direct and focused as before, but a few NVH changes have made the cabin a little quieter on the motorway. He also praises the car for its surefootedness. The skittish nature of the 911 Turbo was dialed out many generations ago, but Catchpole takes it a step further, saying this car’s capabilities are so high that it feels safer and more planted on the road than ever before.
And then finally, we get to the fun part. Nothing like a good track day to really stretch out the legs of a machine like the 911 Turbo. The last several minutes of the video are spent at full throttle and half sideways, and the conclusions are just as you might expect. The new 911 Turbo S is one of the fastest and most capable Porsches ever built. But should you actually buy one? Catchpole ends his video on a rather interesting point.
With the superb performance on offer from the higher trims levels of the standard 911, is the Turbo really even necessary anymore? Porsche says the 992 Carrera 4S will hit 190 mph, and clear the 0-60 sprint in just 3.4 seconds. That’s acceleration that matches the 997 GT2 RS. Add to that, our own forum members are seeing much quicker times out of their own 992 C4S cars.
The whole video is a fascinating watch, and being a modern Carfection production, it is beautifully shot. If you miss the old Top Gear-style reviews, or you just want to hear that new engine wail at redline, hit play and enjoy 14-minutes of automotive bliss.
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