The 911 has great power in any form. While it’s naturally athletic on the street, Porsche offers versions to handle the track or high-speed off-roading, and all are very poised. It rides well, too. It’s a perfect 10.
Is the Porsche 911 4WD?
The 911 comes standard with rear-wheel drive, and offers all-wheel drive for most models. How fast is the Porsche 911? It starts out quick, progresses to incredibly quick, and tops out at ludicrously quick. Most models are motivated by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6. It makes 379 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque in the Carrera, Carrera 4, and T models, and turns in a 0-60 mph time as low as 3.8 seconds. Choose an S model and the power rises to 443 and 390 lb-ft while the 0-60 mph run drops to 3.3 seconds. The GTS models go a step further with 473 hp, 420 lb-ft, and 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The top speeds are 182 for the Carrera, 191 for the S, and 193 for the GTS. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter sounds a subdued version of the metallic rasp Porsches are known for. The power arrives quickly and pulls hard throughout the rev range, and all but the base model have a limited-slip differential that helps deliver the power even more efficiently than the wide rear tires already do. The 911 is quicker with the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which deals out quick shifts either automatically or via the steering wheel shift paddles. The automatic always makes power readily available, especially in the Sport modes that hold gears longer. Enthusiasts may prefer the more connected feel of the slick-shifting 7-speed manual that has short gear throws and natural clutch takeup. The power starts to go bonkers in the 911 Turbo and goes completely crazy in the 911 Turbo S, which make 572 hp and 553 lb-ft and 640 hp and 590 lb-ft, respectively. They come with all-wheel drive, and the Turbo S can blast to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds and reach 205 mph. Porsche 911 ride and handling The 911 handles incredibly well, and Porsche adds hardware to improve the handling both optionally and as you go up the lineup. Adaptive dampers come standard on every model, and the wheels and tires are staggered in size and diameter. The base tires are 19s up front and 20s at the rear, while higher line models get 20s and 21s. The front struts and rear multi-link suspension are well tuned to also deliver a forgiving ride, at least in the base and S models. The GTS, Turbo, and GT3 are firmer, but are still forgiving enough to drive every day. Many people come to the 911 for the handling, though, and they’re well rewarded. The car grips tenaciously through corners, and does so with a stability and poise few cars can match. It’s hard to get the car out of sorts, and easy to catch it when you do. The steering is quick, weighty, and communicative. An available sport suspension lowers the car 0.4 inch for even sharper handling; available active anti-roll bars reduce what little body lean there is; and available rear-wheel steering and torque vectoring help the car cut corners even more sharply. The brakes are strong and progressive, no matter the model. They start out with 13.0-inch rotors and 4-piston calipers front and rear, move up to 13.8-inch front brakes with 6-piston calipers, and top out as 16.1-inch front and 14.2-inch rear carbon-ceramic brakes. We recommend moving up to the larger brakes for track duty, and to consider the carbon-ceramic brakes that will last longer on the track without fading but cost a lot more when it’s time to replace them (or buy them). 911 GT3 The GT3 and GT3 RS are precision instruments best used to slay a racetrack. They use a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-6 that spins out 502 hp and 346 lb-ft in the GT3 and 518 hp and 342 lb-ft in the GT3 RS. They employ several weight-saving measures, feature unique body panels for better cooling and aerodynamics, and even add a four-way adjustable rear wing. 911 Dakar The 911 Dakar is just as specialized as the GT3 but for a different purpose. It sits 2.0 inches higher and a hydraulic lift system can add another 1.2 inches for an SUV-like ground clearance of 7.5 inches. It also features all-terrain tires, and adjustable all-wheel drive with an off-road mode. It won’t compete with a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco for handling rocky terrain, but it will be a lot more fun to drive at speed up dunes or across the desert. It gets the 911 GTS’s tune with 473 hp from its twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-6; with its 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, it’s good for a 3.2-second 0-60 mph time. Special traction control tuning also helps it take off efficiently on slippery surfaces.
