‘Everyday Supercar:’ Behind the Wheel of a 2018 911 Turbo S
Must Have Option
The one option I have come to appreciate the most is the front axle lift. The car sits fairly low, and the front deployable spoiler is not something I want to risk damaging. I use it all the time in and out of driveways. But sometimes even attending car shows, I have had to drive onto a grass field to get to the display area. Being able to raise the front of the car in these situations is extremely helpful. If you are on the fence about spending the money on this option, I would strongly recommend you go for it.
Problem Areas
No car can be truly perfect, can it? There has been very little to complain about so far, but the engine lid struts are failing. It is a common issue and will be covered by my CPO warranty, but it is an annoying failure. The fact that failing lid struts is my biggest complaint so far should tell you how fantastic this car has been. Sure, I wish I could see the engine and it produced a little more thrilling sound but there is very little to complain about with this car.
Favorite Features
What are my favorite features? There are five hundred and eighty of them. Today 580 horsepower hardly makes headlines, but the power combined with the fantastic traction launches this car hard. Sure, there are a few cars that are quicker, but they are one in a million out in the real world. The fact that this car can be so comfortable, easy to drive, and practical yet is quicker and faster than almost anything else is mind boggling. I also love the way it looks. This may be my 991.2-colored glasses talking but I prefer the looks of my car to the newer 992 Turbo S.
Porsche Turb-O-Matic
It slices, it dices, it’ll even julienne fries! That is what owning the 911 Turbo S has been like so far. It is just so capable of everything. It is a leather-lined missile. The car is a true five-tool player. It is the Willie Mays of the sports car world. Long road trip? No problem. Nice dinner out? Sure, it can take you there. Blasting down the backroads? Of course. A launch so violent that it is borderline assault and battery? Check. Does it have enough room to fit in groceries for a family of four for two weeks? Absolutely.
Future Plans
When I picked up the car it was the tail end of track season here in the northeast. So, I have not been able to push the car around a road course yet. That is on the horizon for the near future. I am anxious to see how it performs in that environment, and how it compares to my track prepped Cayman. Beyond that, I have more road trips coming up, and many more back road drives, chores to run and drives for the sake of drives planned.
Everyday Supercar
So, is the 2018 911 Turbo S an everyday supercar? The supercar term is subjective, and some folks don’t think any 911 reaches supercar status. But in my humble opinion, those people are wrong. I have yet to see another Turbo S (of any generation) in general traffic since I got my car. So, it has some rarity. The car gets attention and requests for pictures quite a bit while I am out doing mundane chores with it. It is quicker and faster than 99 percent of the cars on the road. The car has exotic materials and technology such as carbon fiber trim, carbon ceramic brakes, and rear axle steering. To me, that is enough to consider this a supercar. But honestly whether people call it a sportscar, supercar, GT car or something else really doesn’t matter.
A couple days before I wrote this update my local Porsche dealer called me. They had a Cayman GT4 build slot and wanted to know if I wanted it. I said no so quickly I surprised even myself. Not that the 718 GT4 isn’t a wonderful car. But I already have a car that can do everything every single day. For my needs, I don’t think there is another car in this price range I would rather have than my 2018 911 Turbo S. Stay tuned as I have more adventures planned.
Photos: Joe Kucinski
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