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By
EWAN KENNEDY
16 June 2008
Though there are other models in the Porsche range, the 911
remains the iconic flagship of the prestigious German marque. So
well known is the silhouette of this sportscar that the designers
haven’t dared to tamper with the shape.
Yet
lovers of the 997 series 911 will note the changes in the shape of
the front of the car, with headlights, and newly introduced
daytime running lights giving an interesting new look. The rear
lights benefit from the extra speed and style of LED.
But
the big news is under the tail of the Porsche 911, where the
latest versions of the flat-six engines are again offered with
3.6- and 3.8-litre capacity. They now have the added efficiency of
direct petrol injection to give them not only more performance,
but also to create fewer emissions and use less fuel.
Power
outputs of the new engines have been increased to 254 and 283 kW
respectively, up 15 and 22 kW on the about-to-be superseded 911
outputs.
Best
of all is the introduction of double-clutch gearboxes, called PDK
(Porsche-Doppelkupplung) by Porsche. Volkswagen and Audi have been
running hot with their ‘DSG’ double-clutch systems for several
years now, but motoring enthusiasts will be well aware that
Porsche engineers first came up with the clever concept for their
racing cars back in the early 1970s.
However,
it seems that everyone lost sight of this excellent double-clutch
until the early years of the 21st century. Now transmission
engineers all over the globe are working frantically at their
designs.
Porsche's
seven-speed PDK gearbox gives all the advantages of a manual
transmission and can be used fully automatically or manually
according to the driver’s wishes. It is actually faster in its
changes than a pure manual gearbox. And has none of the
disadvantages of a full automatic, such as reduced performance and
higher fuel consumption.
Allied
with the optional launch control, the 911 3.8-litre with PDK can
be accelerated from rest to 100 km/h in a mere 4.3 seconds.
Without launch control it takes 4.5 seconds so the advantage of
the race-inspired electronic system are instantly obvious.
In
the correct circumstances the Carrera S coupe can exceed 300 km/h.
Yet
this latest Porsche 911 uses 15 per cent less fuel than the old
model when measured to government standards. That’s a huge
improvement and highlights the engineering expertise of this
German giant amongst sportscars.
The
new-generation Porsche 911 997 generation-two will go on sale in
Australia on Saturday September 20th this year, with the coupe and
cabriolet being scheduled for introduction at the same time.
Porsche enthusiasts may care to note the date in their diaries and
arrange to meet at their local dealerships to drool over the new
sports machines. Prices and exact specification levels will be
announced closer to the day.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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