Intake
FIRST RIDE
NEWSI OPINIONI GOSSIPThe hyperspeed Porsche gets even more hyper
A
s is typical with Porsche rollouts,
the 911 lineup is staying true to
form with base and Carrera S
models soon to make way for the ever-
more gobsmacking Turbo S.
How gobsmacking is it? Porsche has
not confirmed final numbers, but its
engineers reworked the 3.8-liter flat-six
engine, including new turbos, piezoeletric
direct fuel injectors (as found on the
new Carreras), and revised intercoolers.
Expect peak horsepower to jump from 580
in the last Turbo S to about 640 hp, with
torque increasing from 553 lb-ft to 580.
Porsche estimates the new Turbo S will
officially knock 0.2 second off the previous
car’s 0–60 time, which, given the results
from our 2017 Turbo S test, puts it at 2.3
seconds. Likewise, expect the top speed
to rise from 205 mph to a 991 GT2 RS–
equaling 211 mph.
The engine is connected to an eight-
speed dual-clutch automated manual
gearbox similar to the unit found in the
Panamera and 911 Carreras but featuring
different gear ratios and reinforcements
to handle more torque. It’s 53 pounds
heavier than the old Turbo S transmission,
but it’s also shorter to afford better pack-
aging within the chassis.
Additionally, the new car—which will be
officially unveiled in early 2020 and go on
sale later in the year—will come to the U.S.
market with a particulate exhaust system,now required in Europe. The new hard-
ware adds 20 pounds; overall, the Turbo
S should weigh about 110 pounds more
than the old model, which registered
3,557 pounds on our scales.
Porsche recently gave me a quick
opportunity to experience a few of its
Turbo S preproduction development
cars, near Monaco. From a standstill or
low speed, it feels measurably quicker
than the previous S’ hyperspeed acceler-
ation chops.
For the first time on any 911 Turbo
S, the factory will offer a sport exhaust
option. It produces a nice burble,
including the seemingly mandatory
off-throttle exhaust popping, but don’t
expect GT2 RS levels of antisocial volume.
The first car I hopped aboard was a
coupe boasting the new Sport Perfor-
mance package. It lowers the Turbo S by
0.8 inch and includes additional helper
springs and recalibrated dampers. I
detected no issues with ride comfort.
The setup was taut, well controlled, and
more than acceptable for daily driving;
the electronic-damper tuning within the
Porsche Active Suspension Management
system does a superb job of taking the
shock out of road imperfections.2020 Porsche 911 Turbo S
In fact, I felt very little difference
between cars with and without the Sport
Performance option; the main differen-
tiator was a small increase in suspension
compliance, which I expect will yield
an ever so slightly slower response to
steering inputs. Both versions demon-
strated excellent roll control, with no
chassis yaw or pitch issues; the all-wheel
drive dug deep for every ounce of grip.
If the 992 Carrera S is anything to go by,
the Turbo S’ steering feel and front-end
controllability should improve over the
previous model. I like the Michelin PS4S
tires for their all-around wet/dry perfor-
mance. Also like the Carrera S, the Turbo
S employs staggered wheel sizes (20-inch
front, 21-inch rear), and the rubber is
now 10mm wider all around, measuring
255/35 in front and 315/30 in back.
With so much velocity on tap, Porsche
stepped up the size of the front brake
rotors to 16.5 inches, an increase of 0.4
inch, while retaining the 15.4-inch discs
in back. The 10-piston front calipers
are new on the 911 Turbo S; this caliper
setup is also found on the latest Porsche
Panamera E-Hybrid Turbo S and Taycan
Turbo S EV—vehicles that carry more
than 1,300 pounds of additional massA widely respected sports car, NASCAR,
ALMS, and Cadillac factory racing driver,
Andy Pilgrim accesses the new 911 Turbo.Jörg Bergmeister, a longtime
factory racer at Porsche, provides
22 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2020 input on sports car development.