First Drive: Porsche 911 Carrera S 992

The Porsche 911 is a very healthy seller when viewed in isolation or in the context of similar sportscars. However, consider its volume in comparison to that of the SUVs in the marque's line-up and you see just what little part it plays in the raw year-on-year profitability of Porsche these days. In spite of this, the 911 remains the marque's most important model.

Why? It is the talent of the 911 and the history that it continues to fortify, that gives the big-selling high-riders the kudos that badge affords. Whatever percentage it makes up of sales, the 911 has to be as good as it can possibly be. Does the new-generation 992 confidently carry the torch?

Its body is all new, in spite of the now de rigour evolutionary styling movement. Its outer skin made entirely from aluminium for the very first time. Beneath is a new aluminium-intensive platform, hung off which are new suspension units bearing fresh wheels and tyres, those at the back having a one-inch greater diameter than those at the front, another first for the 911.

Everything is a little sharper, a little crisper, a little less rounded. A blade-like light bar spans the rear end and is now a feature of all 911s, not just the Carrera 4. There are elements calling back to the G Series, like the new bonnet and engine cover slats. Overall, it's as you'd expect: refreshed but pleasantly familiar, if you get the 911 thing.

It would be an interesting exercise to see how far back in time you’d have to go before you found a red-hot Porsche 911 GT3 RS that, upon further examination, proved no faster than this brand new but very standard 911 Carrera S. Not far at all, I’d bet. This new ‘992’ series of 911 has the same 450PS (331kW) as had a GT3 RS from the beginning of this decade, and while it is heavier, so too does it have a lot more torque. If you care about Nürburgring lap times, it appears there might be as little as a second in it.

Which, when you think about it, is incredible. The GT3 RS is the second fastest of Porsche’s track day cars, behind only the insane GT2 RS. It was built to be fast around a track. That is its purpose, which is why it has huge wings, sticky tyres, a roll cage and no rear seats. By contrast, when the range has filled out, the Carrera S will be the second slowest of the ‘normal’ 911 range, with a Carrera GTS, Turbo and Turbo S quicker still. It is not built to be fast around a track: it is built to be quiet and civilised on the road.

I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen that ever since Porsche gifted the 993 proper rear suspension in 1994, all the historical handling issues that built its once tricky reputation are exactly that: history. And yet to this day whenever I get in one, there’s a little frisson of nervous excitement in anticipation of how the car will respond to being hoofed around a track, and what will happen when the tail starts swinging.

But, before that, a few gentler laps. My goodness, it’s fast: the engine is actually just about the only part that’s not substantially changed, but bigger turbos still raise its power by 30PS, backed by a solid slug of torque. When it came out in 1986 the 959 was the world’s first hypercar, quicker than anything else by a mile yet its power and performance match the Carrera S eerily closely. Of course, the 959 was manual and the Carrera has an eight-speed double-clutch ‘box, but thankfully a third pedal is now available.

The car feels predictably poised and precise but even in Sport Plus mode on this oh-so slippery track, I’m aware of electronics working overtime to keep it precise. I want to find out what it’s like au naturel. The answer is that in Carrera S form it feels sublime. It’s totally secure and confidence-inspiring, much more easy and eager to guide into the corner, and so easy to select your desired means of exit: conventional, mild oversteer, or full-blooded drift.

While the redesigned cabin may be jarring the purists, this comprehensive update to the 911's tech parity in the marketplace is much-needed. Truthfully, this is an area where 911s have fallen down in the past but the 992 really has hit the ground running.

The seven-inch TFT screens flanking the in-your-face retro rev counter are configurable and useful while retaining some semblance of the signature 911 binnacles in their graphics. The 10.9-inch dash screen, meanwhile, is crisp and responsive and comes loaded as standard with Apple CarPlay. There's still no sign of Android Auto, however. Also standard are keyless go, LED headlights, cruise control, ParkAssist and more. As such, you could feasibly configure a Carrera S without any extra tech options at all and not feel short-changed.

My strong sense is that it is at least as quiet and comfortable as its predecessor on the road, in addition to its strong performance on the track.

If so the first job of any new 911 – to be both more fun to drive and easier to live with than the last – has been delivered in full.