Sprint from zero to 100 km/h in as little as 4.5 seconds - 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé Review
0Vehicle overview
Few high-end automobiles do nostalgia as well as the 2015 Porsche 911. Of course, the current 911 is a technological tour-de-force, brimming with multifunction display screens and computer-controlled systems. But when you're charging down your favorite back road, hands at 9 and 3 on the upright steering wheel, with those five round gauges in front of you and the rear-mounted engine at full song, the 911 is pure mechanical harmony. You just don't get the same car-and-driver connection in other premium sports cars, and that's why the 911 continues to justify its lofty price of admission.
Remarkably, Porsche has managed to preserve the 911's unique character while adding new technologies and new configurations that broaden its appeal. If you've ever been in an old air-cooled 911, you know that these cars used to be raw performance machines, with minimal concessions to comfort and convenience. The current model, however, boasts an exquisitely trimmed cabin with all the accoutrements of a luxury car. The ride, too, is pretty civilized these days, ranging from tolerable on gritty surfaces to downright compliant (for a sports car, at least) on well-maintained roads.
Lest you get the idea that the 911 has been dumbed down for mass consumption, we'll be clear -- this is still one of the most capable sports cars in the world, not to mention the quickest 911 ever around Germany's famed Nurburgring circuit. Predictably, there's plenty of firepower to make that happen: The 911 range starts with the base 350-horsepower engine and then peaks at the Turbo S's 560-hp monster. In sum, you're just not going to find a sports car that better combines civility, performance and variety.
Choosing a car in this rarefied class is an enviable challenge. The 2015 Jaguar F-Type is a fresher British face with a scintillating optional V8. If you want something of a more exotic nature, the 2015 Audi R8 or BMW i8 will turn a lot more heads than a 911 Turbo. On the other hand, a value play favors the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 -- or perhaps the 2015 Nissan GT-R as an all-wheel-drive alternative. Expectedly, most of these cars have also made it as recommended choices in our 2015 Buying Guide. But if you crave that old-fashioned feeling of being one with the machine, the Edmunds.com "A" rated Porsche 911 Carrera S coupe, "A" rated 911 Carrera S convertible, and of course the "A" rated 911 Turbo, as ever, satisfy like few others.
2015 Porsche 911 models
The 2015 Porsche 911 is offered as a coupe, retractable-roof coupe (Targa) or soft-top convertible (Cabriolet) in a wide variety of models. Note that all 911s have a "2+2" layout with vestigial rear seats except the GT3, which is strictly a two-seater.
The base-model 911 Carrera starts with 19-inch staggered-width alloy wheels with summer tires, automatic bi-xenon headlights, rear parking sensors (standard on Cabriolet; optional on coupe), heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, four-way adjustable power seats (with manual fore-aft), a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery, a 7-inch touchscreen, a navigation system, Bluetooth and a nine-speaker audio system with a CD player and a USB/iPod interface.
The Carrera S adds a more powerful engine, 20-inch wheels, a slightly lower ride height, adaptive suspension dampers (PASM) and a torque-vectoring rear differential.
The Carrera 4/4S and Targa 4/4S feature all-wheel drive and wider rear fenders, but are otherwise equipped similarly to their rear-wheel-drive counterparts, as are the Cabriolet versions of the Carrera 4/4S. In case you're wondering, a rear-wheel-drive Targa is not offered for 2015.
The new Carrera GTS essentially slots between the S and the hard-core GT3 (see below). The GTS can be had with rear- or all-wheel drive and gets more power than the S along with the "4" variants' widened body. In addition to the S's features, the GTS also comes with 20-inch centerlock wheels, the Sport Chrono package (including dynamic engine mounts, a dash-mounted stopwatch, a Sport Plus driving mode, upgraded displays and launch control), a dual-mode sport exhaust system, tinted head- and taillight lenses, black exterior trim (wheels, exhaust, engine grille), a unique front spoiler and mirrors, Sport Plus seats, Alcantara upholstery and black aluminum cabin accents.