No one likes to get old, and that's why the Fountain of Youth is a myth that's existed since the beginning of time. And while many people try to maintain their youth, few succeed.
Yet Porsche seems to have found that mythical Fountain of Youth and refuse to tell us where it is. The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S drank it, bathed in it and carries a bottle of the stuff in a jar around its neck. Very few longstanding nameplates remain so close to the original car like the 911 has, physically and spiritually.
Pure drivetrain
The 2012 Porsche 911 has not strayed away from its sports-car roots, even if it could have eventually become a high-powered boulevard cruiser by packing on extra pounds and getting softer. But no; the 991-generation 911 is hardcore, visceral, pure.
Power goes up this year: The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S gets a 3.8L flat-6 that develops 400 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, up 15 ponies versus last year's car. Another novelty is the industry's first production 7-speed manual gearbox, in addition to the optional 7-speed double-clutch automatic.
Equipped with the latter, the 2012 911 Carrera S rips to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and, according to Porsche, exceeds 300 km/h if you're in the mood for visiting the backseat of a police cruiser. Yet performance numbers are only part of the story.
At full-throttle, the flat-6's melodious wail is spine-tingling addictive, more so than any other 6-cylinder engine I've ever heard in a production car. There is so much muscle and badass engine sound in the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S that I seriously wonder who really needs the extra 100 hp the Turbo version provides. In Sport Plus mode, gear changes are violently fast.
Despite the brawn and aural feast, the 2012 911 Carrera S consumes fuel at a very reasonable rate. OK, a $100,000 car buyer may not care all that much about gasoline consumption, but know that when driven normally at street-legal speeds, an average dipping below 10L/100km in the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S is no fantasy.
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| The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S gets a 400-hp, 3.8L flat-6 that sounds like nothing else. (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
Bigger living quarters
The 2012 Porsche 911 gets a new interior design that features a centre console similar to the one in the Panamera without being as massive and riddled with buttons. In addition, the red coloured cockpit is stunningly hot in the grey-painted 991.
The car's wheelbase grew by 100 mm (or 4 inches), while overall length is also up by about 2 inches. It's apparent when you try to squeeze into one of the rear seats, which went from “forget it” to “almost tolerable.”
As usual in Porsches, fit and finish in the 2012 911 Carrera S is impeccable, with thick carpeting covering the footwells, rich looking cowhide covering the seats and dash, and solid feeling switchgears. I still can't get used to the left-side ignition keyhole, but owners eventually will.
Also, as is usually the case in Porsches, you get a near-infinite choice of interior trim combinations and options; you can customize your 2012 911 to your heart's desire and make sure it doesn't look like your neighbour's.
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| The cabin boasts impeccable fit and finish, and looks great in red. (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
Instantly recognizable
No one will mistake this car for anything other than a 911, and that's what's fascinating about it. This car has been around since 1963, and it still looks sublime. More than ever, the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S boasts a svelte, muscular body that won't quit.
Over the years, the car has become wider, flatter and racier, yet hasn't changed to the point where it strays away from the original sketch. Like I said, Porsche has a Fountain of Youth, and is using it wisely.
And thanks to electronic stability control, Porsche can carry on the 911's tradition of hanging its engine behind the rear wheels. What used to be a challenging car to drive (especially in the winter) has become an easier beast to tame without risking a wipeout.
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| The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S starts at $110,000 before adding countless available options. (Photo: Olivier Delorme) |
Hope you like options
Competition includes the
BMW 650i, the
Audi R8 and, to a certain extent, the
Nissan GT-R. Since Porsches are
à la carte cars, some features you'd think should be standard aren't. At $110,000, the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S is short of some comfort and convenience items you likely couldn't live without; heated seats are but just one example. Fully dressed, our tester checks in at a nosebleeding $147,000.
But hey, what's a few extra thousand dollars for such an exhilarating machine that's dressed to your personal taste? The 911 is a timeless classic, and keeps getting better every time Porsche redesigns it. From its engine sounds and unbridled performance to its sumptuous and smart cabin, the 991-series 911 is highly addictive. It might even make you feel younger.
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