Porsche 911 Turbo
Sports car legend brings years of honing and stacks of performance MODELTESTED: Porsche 911 Turbo PRICE: £129,987 ENGINE: 3.8-litre flat six, 533bhp
THE Porsche 911 Turbo costs slightly less than the AMG GT C, at £129,987, but a difference of £543 is negligible in this market. While our pictures show a Turbo S, the standard Turbo is also a bit down on power, so does this hobble it against the AMG?
Design & engineering
PORSCHE’S 911 Turbo is a constant in the sports car sector. However, the formula has more than 40 years of development as a model line. The latest 991.2-generation car is the pinnacle. It’s powered by a 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine mounted in the rear of the chassis; an engine configuration and platform layout that have defined the 911 since it was launched.
That motor drives Porsche’s seven-speed dualclutch gearbox, but unlike the AMG, it sends power to all four wheels. An updated all-wheel-drive system made its debut when this facelifted Turbo arrived in 2016, while Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and a limited-slip differential at the rear also feature.
The suspension layout differs from its German rival as well. The 911’s front end uses Macpherson struts, while the rear end has a multi-link design. Adaptive dampers are standard, but our car was fitted with the brand’s £2,273 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control active roll stabilisation package.
A lighter body and a shorter wheelbase set the Porsche apart from the AMG, plus it’s narrower, even though it has flared hips. However, in spite of the rear-engined layout, the Porsche offers 2+2 seating, something the two-seat Mercedes can’t match. But there’s very little to separate the two when it comes to kit. The 911 gets sat-nav, climate and cruise control, heated leather seats and LED lights. It also offers more smartphone tech than the AMG.
As with the GT C, there’s myriad scope for personalisation; you can even choose the colour of your air vents on the 911. However, options such as the £6,498 ceramic composite brakes might be more relevant to improve performance, especially if you’ll be taking the car on track.
Driving
THE Turbo’s engine produces 533bhp and a colossal 710Nm of torque. This latter figure is made slightly higher up than in the Mercedes, but thanks to the Porsche’s variable-geometry turbochargers, lag is basically non-existent.
Combined with four-wheel drive and launch control, the Turbo rocketed off the line and on to 60mph in an astonishing 2.8 seconds – eight tenths faster than the AMG. In Sport+ mode the gearshifts are even faster than the GT C’s, yet the PDK box is just as competent as an auto in the standard drive mode.
In gear the Porsche wasn’t quite as quick as the Mercedes, but on the road the 911 delivers devastating performance, because you can use more of it more of the time, thanks to the four-wheel-drive system.
Its steering is weightier and offers more feedback. The 911’s nose feels more consistent, predictable and faithful than the AMG’S set-up, which can seem flighty and nervous at times. By contrast, turn in in the Porsche and it feels glued to a line. There’s huge traction and you can exploit the rear-engined layout to your advantage. But there’s also balance and delicacy. With space you can flick the 911 into slides and it’s far from an anodyne, all-wheel-drive experience. The 911 has a fun side that can be unlocked.
The motor has its own personality, but it’s not as overt or effervescent as the AMG’S V8. It whirrs and whooshes away behind you, yet revs hard like the Mercedes, even if the aural signature lets the Porsche down a little when the two models are back to back.
It puts clear distance into its competitor with the chassis. The damping feels more sophisticated and more controlled, giving a more stable platform to inspire more confidence. In the PDCC’S standard setting it’s mostly comfortable and compliant, but it still thumps over bumps a little; with the active roll engaged it feels flatter through faster bends and more rigidly controlled, but not as compliant.
Practicality
DUE to the Turbo’s rear-engined layout and front differential, there are only 115 litres of load space in the nose, but this is enough for two weekend bags. Still, the 2+2 cabin provides enough room for younger children, or those rear seats can be used as extra luggage space. There’s also a flat area for bags behind them.
The rear-wheel steering helps reduce the Turbo’s turning circle and with the excellent visibility, it means it’s much easier to park and manoeuvre than the AMG. There’s also less tyre roar inside the 911.
Ownership
PORSCHE didn’t feature in Driver Power 2018, but as a premium brand it should at least equal the Mercedes’ experience.
As part of this 991.2 update, more safety kit was made available on the Turbo. While you can add blind spot warning for £488, adaptive cruise with AEB is part of a £1,331 package. Six airbags are standard, as well as Isofix for child seats.
Running costs
IF you’re a cash buyer, residual values will be important. Our experts predict the Porsche will retain 58.3 per cent of its list price, compared with 57 per cent for the AMG.
That means these two models will depreciate by £54,205 and £56,076 respectively, so will be worth £75,782 and £74,454 after three years or 36,000 miles. Again, there’s not too much in it.
This diverges when it comes to insurance costs. Premiums are high given these cars are expensive to purchase, but the 911 is cheaper for our sample driver to insure, at £982 next to the AMG’S £1,485.