Porsche has slowly but surely filled out its facelifted 911 range – hot on the heels of the 992.2 GT3 is the midrange Carrera S, neatly slotting into the gap between the base Carrera and the Carrera GTS T-Hybrid.
Now that the latter has become an altogether more serious 541 PS proposition, the Carrera S has been allowed to distance itself from the standard Carrera. It’s still petrol-only, but the 3.0 litre twin-turbocharged flat-six has been uprated with new turbos and intercooler and now makes 480 PS and 530 Nm of torque – an increase of 30 PS over the previous model and exactly the same power as the previous GTS.
Contrast this with the Carrera, which has only gone up 9 PS to 394 PS and 450 Nm. So equipped, the S is able to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 308 km/h.
Now for the bad news – the Carrera S has been shorn of its seven-speed manual gearbox, which means your only option is the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission. The upshot is that if you want a “regular” manual 911 your only course of action would be to buy the more focused Carrera T, which pairs the base Carrera’s engine with a six-speed ‘box. Not that it matters in Malaysia, where the Carrera models has been PDK-only for some time and the latest Carrera T is not offered here at all.
Available from launch in Coupé and Convertible forms (no Targa as yet), the Carrera receives the same exterior upgrades as the other facelifted models, including new front and rear bumpers and redesigned matrix LED headlights that integrate all the car’s front lighting functions, eliminating the indicators from the front bumper.
Inside, Porsche has ditched a lot of its trademark features – the engine start twist knob has been replaced by a conventional push button, while the analogue rev counter has made way for a fully-digital 12.6-inch curved instrument display.
The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system and its 10.9-inch central touchscreen also gets deeper integration of Apple CarPlay and a dash cam function when parked. There’s also a new centre console with a cooled Qi wireless charger, while the rear seats are now a no-cost option rather than being standard fitment (although the Cabriolet still gets it from the factory).
Standard equipment has been increased significantly and includes staggered 20- and 21-inch wheels (hiding larger brakes from the GTS), a sports exhaust with silver tips, and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+) that is not offered on the Carrera. Inside, you get a black leather package free of charge.
Of course, you can still fully bankrupt yourself with the sheer number of options on offer, such as carbon ceramic brakes and PASM adaptive dampers in 10 mm lower sports form. These have optimised hydraulics for improved drivability, precision and responsiveness; they also come bundled with rear-wheel steering, which also brings with it more direct front steering and revised front axle kinematics.
Other options include HD-Matrix LED headlights, the Sport Chrono package with the Porsche Track Precision app, an extended leather package and Crayon contrast stitching.
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