Hoffman Porsche

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Walk Around

Even with its 2009 revisions, the latest generation of the Porsche 911 looks conspicuously similar to the original 1964 model, maintaining the classis profile that has landed it in art museums and design school lecture halls. For Porsche, the 911's heritage can be a double-edged sword. Leave the car alone, and it might be perceived as dated. Change the car too drastically, and it might alienate hard-core loyalists, many of whom form the core group of 911 buyers. Porsche has been able to strike that balance and all of the variants are terrific-looking sports cars.

For 2009, the front end gets enlarged air intakes and new LED auxiliary lights. Headlights on all models become bi-xenons. These round, single-pod sit upright in the front fenders, and they help to distinguish the 911 from the Boxster and Cayman. More important, they harken back to the rugged look of 911s built during the 1980s. The side mirrors are also reshaped to provide more rear visibility, and at the back, there are new LED taillights that also feature a different shape.

From the rear, curvy fenders and wheel arches extend from the side of the car, housing extra-wide rear wheels. Carrera 4 models get even wider rear rubber, and their fenders are correspondingly 1.75 inches wider than their rear-drive siblings. This staggered setup helps the 911's rear tires turn its horsepower into quicker acceleration and balances tire grip front and rear for high g-force turning. All 911s have wheels at least 18 inches in diameter, and all are equipped with Z-rated tires, the highest speed rating available for street use.

The current styling sacrifices some of the beauty of the 1999-2004 models in favor of more visual belligerence. Yet very little at Porsche is done strictly for the sake of appearance. The current 911 is slightly longer and taller than the previous-generation, pre-2005 version. The track (the distance between the outside edge of the tires) and overall width have increased, and this wider stance improves the 911's lateral stability during quick, sharp directional changes. Today's 911 makes liberal use of aluminum body parts to offset the weight of active suspension, curtain airbags and other upgrades, and the chassis is more rigid than that of pre-2005 models.

The 997-generation Turbo has a wider rear track and a wider body than the old 996-generation. It features a prominent rear wing that generates lots of downforce to help keep the rear tires glued to the pavement in high-speed sweeping turns, important in the rain. A minimum of drag helps the Turbo achieve its top speed of 193 mph, though we didn't test this claim directly.

Cabriolets feature power soft tops that open in just 20 seconds. They can be operated at up to 30 mph, a feature we love. Safety is enhanced by strong steel tubes in the A-pillars, and supplemental safety bars behind the rear seats that automatically deploy in the event of a rollover. The Cabriolets present a unique appearance. Top up, they exhibit a profile similar to the coupes. Top down, the rear end looks heavy, but you'll forgive that as soon as you get in, stomp on the gas and hear that powerful six-cylinder wailing to redline.

Aerodynamics were an important consideration in the design of all of the 911 models. The side mirrors are designed to direct air along the sides of the car toward the automatically deploying rear spoiler, sweeping the side windows clean in the process. Air is largely kept from going underneath the car and carefully managed over the top and at the rear. Lift is minimized to keep the 911 glued to the road. The wheel arches are flared in a fashion that guides air around the tires (one of the biggest sources of drag on an automobile). Brake spoilers guide more air toward the rotors and brake assemblies, reducing temperatures by nearly 10 percent, according to Porsche, which means more effective braking under extreme conditions. The base Carrera's drag coefficient is 0.29. Less air resistance means improved fuel economy and less wind noise.

Interior

2009 Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 cockpit is a place designed for serious driving. The seating position is perfect for most enthusiast drivers. It offers outstanding visibility in all directions, particularly when compared with other high-performance sports cars. The Carrera is a truly comfortable car for traveling long distances. The ignition key is located on the dash to the left of the steering wheel, as it was on Porsche's LeMans race cars.

The three-spoke steering wheel is wrapped in leather and is thicker and grippier than ever. It adjusts up and down and fore and aft manually. The steering wheel's core structure is an expensive magnesium alloy, which saves weight. Controls on the steering wheel hub operate elements of the Porsche Communication Management system, which incorporates the audio and navigation systems and the optional telephone.

The front seat of the Carrera is fairly roomy, making it comfortable for larger drivers. The seats may be a bit stiff for some tastes, but they have just the right amount of bolstering: enough to keep you in place but not so much that wider drivers are pinched. The seats are mounted low to the floor, creating good headroom and a sporty driving position.

Most of the gauges are large and easy to read, but reading the offset and sparsely marked speedometer can be tough, especially when going fast. The dash vents are large, and the air conditioning worked well during some hot lapping at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah. The climate controls are located in the center stack.

For 2009, the Porsche Communications Management (PCM) system, which incorporates all audio, navigation and communications functions, is reworked. It now has a larger (6.5-inch) touchscreen and the phone pad number buttons are gone. That's probably because Porsche now offers Bluetooth connectivity, along with a SIM card slot. Also new is a Universal Audio Interface, with three audio ports in the center console to operate iPods, MP3 players or memory sticks. iPods and memory sticks can be controlled through PCM. We found the position of the USB port to be hard to reach, but the iPod and USB interface was very easy to use.

The 911's slickest option could be the Sport Chrono Package. It's most obvious component is a jewel-like chronograph sprouting from the center of the dash. Start or stop the chronograph with a one of the steering wheel stalks, and it will display acceleration or lap times. A history of recorded times can be displayed on the navigation system screen for comparison. The Sport Chrono Package also comes with a Sport button that adjusts electronic controls for the throttle and anti-skid system. Throttle mapping switches to a more aggressive mode (meaning more gas for a given amount of pedal application), and the anti-skid electronics give a driver more room to break traction. Cars equipped with the Sport Chrono Package Plus get even more aggressive throttle and transmission settings, and a race-ready mode for the anti-skid system. Is Sport Chrono a gimmick? Maybe, but it would be handy for lapping at a Porsche club event, and the Sport modes make the cars much more suited to track driving. Do you need it? Probably not. Will it add to the fun? Maybe.

Porsche's optional high-power Bose audio package is above average, though most high-end cars offer more modern and more powerful optional systems. Still, we thought it sounded good with the top down at highway speeds.

The 911 provides at least some space to put stuff. The glove box includes storage slots for pens and couple of CDs, while the shallow center console has a change holder and a 12-volt power point. A pair of cupholders sprout from the dash.

The Targa offers a clear roof that slides back inside the rear of the car with the press of a button, giving the driver a superb top-down experience. With the roof closed, the driver has a choice of tinted glass or a mesh lining to deflect the sunlight. We'd prefer a solid cover, however, because the mesh wasn't heavy enough to block out the sun on bright days. The Targa's neat, but we prefer the coupe.

The 911 isn't practical for more than two passengers. The back seats are not really habitable. While we were able to stick one 5-foot, 7-inch adult male back there with a shorter female up front, the complaining would grow weary if this were a regular thing. With the rear seats folded, there's room for a load of groceries and you can lay the dry cleaning back there, so the 911 beats many sports cars in its ability to run daily errands. There's not much luggage space for two people going on a long trip, however, so you have to pack light. Nor will you want to use the Carrera to pick someone up at the airport unless they are traveling very light. The storage area under the hood will hold a couple of duffel bags, but the Corvette coupe hatchback will hold more. Porsche offers a truly useful roof transport system that allows 911 coupes to carry lumber and other bulky items, but luggage on the roof of a 911 screaming past ruins the picture. Besides, who wants to take time to strap suitcases on top of a car? It's preferable to have another car or truck available to perform these duties.

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