Before you read this article, you should have a look at the video about the design of this new Porsche at the bottom of the page. It seems to somewhat lift itself above the usual standard. After that we can deal with the most important technical details.

Basically, the 911 uses technology, which comes from the VW Group and e.g., has a somewhat longer tradition in Audi. Otherwise, how else could the wheelbase be lengthened by 10 cm and the rear overhang only by 1,2 cm? The engine has certainly not become any shorter. The reason is, that the engine has been shifted closer to the gearbox, which produces less leverage caused by the overhang. They have not placed the final drive between the clutch and the gearbox, but next to it, thus achieving a longer wheelbase with the engine in the same position as before (see above video). This way, the new 911 appears to have been stretched a little.

It sounds crazy, when the consumption and thus the CO-emission value of a sports car like this, with a top-speed of 300 km/h, has to be reduced. Do you think this would interest even merely one customer? The version with an automatic gearbox already achieves a value of under 200 g/km, at least Porsche says it does. Indeed, this has meant a lot of work. E.g., The weight has been reduced by 45 kg and the car is fitted with start-stop, brake-recuperation a 'sailing-function'. The (smaller) engine has lost 200 cm³ of capacity, so that it's performance could only be slightly increased by raising the revs by about 1000 RPM. Thereby, it seems that the sound-design, still with flap-control instead of active loudspeakers, is becoming more and more important. Porsche stresses the fact that they have added nothing to the sound. Should an emotional desire arise, the customer can have the sound transferred into the interior.

Indeed, Porsche would not be Porsche, if a lot of additional precision work were not done. If the rear-engine has really very few advantages, at least the exhaust begins very far to the rear. Thus, the complete car-underside can be favourably closed in. Even the air-oil heat exchanger for the gearbox is now missing. It's cooling is now pooled together with that of the engine and the interior heating. This results in four partial circulations, all supplied by a mechanical pump driven by the car engine and regulated either by valves or an electric thermostat.

The manual seven-speed gearbox is a real surprise. One would have thought that with the number 'six', the end of the line had been reached. Indeed, far more important than the number of speeds, are the gear-ratios. At first however, the increased RPM-level doesn't point toward petrol saving and thus, a very long gear-ratio. After all, the top-speed is reached in sixth gear. It's quite possible, that there are drivers who will never use the seventh gear, but rather stay in sixth and dedicate themselves to the sound-design. By the way, if the standard gearbox is the same, and also has the electronic intervention possibilities, the extra cost of €3.500 for the automatic transmission seems pretty steep.

As always, a second, closer look behind the scenes, is worthwhile. Have a look at the two diagrams above. They don't explain why the car with the twin-clutch gearbox has a slightly lower top-speed, indeed, it does show how come it has a lower fuel consumption or CO2-emission. The much higher gear-ratio in seventh gear does the trick. 90 km/h at 1500 RPM, a ratio that was actually thought out for trucks. This is where the seven-speed gearbox makes sense, even if it's ratio is a bit too long to reach the exact top-speed. Even in this gear, there is protection up to 320 km/h against over revving. We're probably going to have to think again, with some of the high-torque cars.

The chassis is a special highlight for the technicians. The active sway-compensation is one topic with the Carrera S. Once again crazy, it means that the outside curve wheels, e.g., through having stabilizers which, in themselves can be twisted, are having to do a lot more work. This means that the respective axle should actually break-out earlier. However, with this type of super-sports car and on dry roads, these fine differences are hardly comprehensible for the normal car driver. The advantage of the sway- compensation, is of course, a more stable camber, point of gravity and thus, the wheel-load distribution.

It really is worthwhile, to take a closer look. E.g., at the final drive at the rear. The first picture shows a normal locking differential. Actually, the second one does as well, indeed, in this case, the cross-locking can be made stronger or weaker. Here ESP takes on a completely different meaning. It doesn't take away the fun, but rather redistributes the torque precisely when the yawing movement of the car takes place. 01/12