Porsche Takes All-Wheel Drive to New Heights
Ahead was an intimidating stepped climb up the side of a mountain, with thick snow and ice under foot (and under wheel) as well as strong cross winds causing drifts to gather around the edges of the run. The only concession to these special conditions were specific, Porsche-approved winter tyres; otherwise, the 911 Turbo S was entirely standard.
At the heart of the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) is an electromagnetic clutch, the friction plates of which are able to distribute a share of engine drive torque from the rear axle to the front within 100 milliseconds. As the 911 Turbo S made its way up the slope, the PTM fed the optimum share of engine power to the wheels under the toughest possible driving conditions.
The all-wheel drive management system was able to ‘look ahead’ to maintain optimum dynamic behavior. The dynamic and fully variable distribution of drive torque between the two axles delays the onset of wheel slip, and thereby intervention by the Porsche Stability Management (PSM), which reads accelerator pedal and steering wheel inputs.
After a thrilling run, the 911 Turbo S reached its goal, at 2,460 feet above sea level. And the same vital traction and driver reassurance robustly demonstrated on the skope, also means superior agility, outstanding grip, and faithful responses to driver inputs every day.
The concept of Porsche Traction Management (PTM) has similarly evolved to keep up with the outright pace of the coupe. The system’s robust design ensures that the distribution of forces between the front and rear axles remains fast and precise. This results in more agile handling as well as higher traction, enabling the Porsche to perform come rain or shine, on road, track or, indeed, ski-slope.