I was a bit anxious, if I鈥檓 honest, but not because of the car. My concern was only that my owllike night vision is slowly becoming more like that of a owl wearing dark sunglasses. I also knew from experience that the stretch of Autobahn south of Stuttgart, through the Schwarzwald, is extra dark, due to strictly enforced light-pollution regulations. I hit the button on the key fob. The wide taillamp is a good place to start since the new 911 only comes in what was previously considered the wide-body variant. 4,900 leap in the base price. 5,460), among whose assets are the Sport Chrono Package; adaptive sport suspension (-0.4-inch lower ride height); and the rear-axle steering. For enthusiasts, some assembly required. The car the factory sent over had all of that as well as a set of blessed Pirelli winter tires. It was pouring when I left the hotel, the streets like black mirrors, headlights blinding me like star shells. To that truck driver whom I cut off because I couldn鈥檛 see the lane markings, entschuldigung. The Wet warning popped up in the instrument panel almost immediately. Thanks, I knew that.
When I switched to Wet mode I heard a servo-like noise that I later realized was the rear wing kicking up into high-downforce position. Another thing about that stretch of Autobahn: I鈥檓 sure authorities would prefer truck drivers slow down for inclement conditions but clearly nobody鈥檚 making them. I quickly found myself in a contest of nerves with delivery trucks riding my bumper at 140 km/h through a sideways sleet. And on I plunged through the night and dawn, eyes bugging out, knuckles blanched. Porsche will say they have simply raised the floor of the product line, and that鈥檚 true. But it鈥檚 also true this generation of 911 is about cashing in on the legend. You can鈥檛 really begrudge management. Porsche, part of VW Group, is under intense pressure to produce profits; demand for the 911 and the strength of the brand both support raising prices. Another dynamic is electrification. Porsche has said by 2025 half its product line will be hybridized or fully electric.
With a seven-year lifespan typical, this 911 finds itself somewhat between regimes, and that accounts for what seems a modest generational evolution. Example: Power and torque are supplied by the largely carry-over engine, the sonorous twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six, bumped to 443 hp and 390 lb-ft with bigger turbochargers and active wastegates. So motivated, the Carrera S can crack off 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.5 seconds, the factory says; that鈥檚 0.4 second quicker than the previous car. With launch control (a function bundled with the SCP), that figure drops to 3.3 seconds. This 911 has been pre-wired, so to speak, for its eventual hybridization. And while the coming hybrid versions are certain to be more powerful, the future-proofing has added weight to the new, non-hybrid product: 163 pounds, compared with the previous car. Much of that mass belongs to the hybrid-ready eight-speed transmission (replacing the 7-speed PDK), as well as upgraded electric harnesses and structural support for batteries yet-to-come. This is the first 911 with an electric brake booster, as opposed to hydraulic. The contest between new and old manifests inside as well. The interior brings back the Bauhaus-inspired dash design of air-cooled 911s as a heritage cue. But sandwiched between the upper and lower dash is a 10.9-inch infotainment touch screen. And what was once unthinkable in a 911 is now unremarkable: a cupholder in the center console. Since there is no more hand shifting, the real estate at the driver鈥檚 right elbow was freed up.
Porsche started its business in India in 2004. The German car manufacturer, named after its founder Ferdinand Porsche, specializes in high performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans. The price of a Porsche in India is on the higher side, owing to the fact that they are not manufactured in the country, only imported. The six major models of cars sold by Porsche in India are the 911, Boxster, Cayman, Macan, Cayenne and Panamera. Each of these has multiple variants. Let鈥檚 look at some of the latest Porsche models launched in India. Earlier in March 2017, we were introduced to the new Porsche Panamera Turbo series. Launched in three variants, the Panamera Turbo, Panamera Turbo Executive and Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo, this line comes with 3996cc, twin-turbo, V8 engines, which produce 550PS of power and 770Nm of torque. Panamera Turbo can go from 0 to100kmph in just 3.8 seconds, while the Executive takes a mere 3.7 seconds. Both have a maximum speed of 306kmph. Inside, the car has a high-resolution 12.3 inch display with touch sensitive surfaces. The vehicles can be personalized to include panoramic tilt roof, massage seats, ambient lighting and a Burmester 3D surround sound system. The brand sold around 400 cars in India in 2016. The German auto major now plans to further expand its retail dealership in the country. Pavan Shetty, Director for Porsche in India, said to the Times of India, earlier in 2017, that the company expects sales in the country to witness gradual growth, as it makes deeper inroads through new dealerships. Porsche has opened retail showrooms across the country, including one in Gurgaon. Officially the first to be launched in India, this showroom has a one-of-its-kind fitting lounge, where customers can actually configure their cars online and also get individual fittings to make each vehicle unique.