Stuttgart, Germany - Porsche has just lifted the lid on the latest version of the Porsche 911 Turbo, which is not to be confused with the Turbo S that was revealed earlier this year.
We’d imagine that most people shopping at this end of the sports car market would just go for the Porsche 911 Turbo S, but Porsche loves giving its customers infinite choice, which is why it builds a ‘non-S’ Turbo model, with less power and a lower price to compensate.
Porsche has already opened the South African order books for the new 911 Turbo and Turbo Cabriolet models, which respectively start at R3 339 000 and R3 539 000, when purchased with the three-year Driveplan. This represents a R510 000 saving over the Turbo S.
You’re certainly not losing out on much in the way of performance, with Porsche claiming a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 2.8 seconds for the Turbo, when fitted with the Sport Chrono package. This means it’s just one tenth of a second slower than the Turbo S. For the record, the new Turbo is also 0.2 seconds faster off the mark than its predecessor. The new Turbo Cabriolet takes 2.9 seconds to sprint to 100.
The actual output differences are more substantial, with the Turbo pushing 427kW and 750Nm, versus the Turbo S model’s 478kW and 800Nm.
As per the Turbo S, the Turbo is powered by a 3745cc flat-six engine featuring VTG turbochargers with electrically controlled bypass valves. The motor is paired with an eight-speed PDK transmission. In conjunction with the redesigned charge air cooling system and the use of piezo fuel injectors, this is said to improve throttle response as well as torque delivery, while also making the engine feel more revvy.
The Turbo shares its Turbo-specific chassis mods with its bigger ‘S’ brother, as well as its Porsche Traction Management active all-wheel drive system. Buyers can, however, opt for a 10mm-lower electronically controlled PASM sport suspension system.
The vehicle rolls on 21-inch wheels, which is an inch bigger than before.
But whereas the S comes with Porsche’s Ceramic Composite Brakes as standard, those buying the Turbo will have to pay extra for this set-up. Also available on the options list is a sports exhaust system, first introduced on the Turbo S.
The first South African deliveries are expected to take place in the fourth quarter of this year.