Porsche 911 992 Review – We Drive the latest 911!

Porsche 911 992 Review

 The new Porsche 911 992 review in South Africa.

Mary Poppins; practically perfect in every way. That is the EXCACT way I would explain what it is like to drive the new iteration from Porsche, the 992 Generation Porsche 911. I could also end this article here as there is no way I could best describe the new 992, but in my limited vocabulary, will endeavour to lay out a just case as to why you need one in your life.

What is it? It’s the perfect blend of sports car, track car, and milestone car all rolled into one shape that has stood the test of time. Since the birth of the first 911 in 1963, it’s a vehicle that has improved with each generation. When I last drove its predecessor, I struggled to see how they could make the 911.2 better as it was just right. There was no hint of turbo lag, the steering was communicative and it was like driving a “normal” car on a daily basis. But, of course, they have made the Porsche 911 992 better in all respects. 

The first thing you notice is the front. So subtle but all so new, from its pronounced intakes and “oh wow” LED lights to striking daytime running lights layed out around the LED light element, it’s a subtle difference but one that is massive when you are used to the vehicle that come from Zuffenhausen. You carry on around and you notice the door handles that when closed, sit flush into the bodywork and pop out when triggered by the key, which just so happens to be in the shape of a 911. Not new, but another, “oh wow” moment that you take in. Walking past that, you take in the rear stance, the flared arches and hips and you get the rear, Tron-like rear light tail over the rear. The speed dependent wing/spoiler will raise and fall at certain speeds but fortunately, there is a button to keep that all the way up and just add that visual flair that the Porsche 911 992 deserves to have all the time. Signed off in the same font from yesterday, it’s striking to say the least.

The interior is where the most dramatic changes have taken place. Like its Porsche siblings, the 992 gets two, full screens that look so slick and modern that you would think you have walked into the flagship Apple store in San Francisco. Modern with a hint of the past, the clocks are a mixture of analogue and digital with the tachometer harking back to the G series in terms of look and feel but with the adjacent dial telling you what you are listening to on your phone while its neighbour has the maps for you, it’s an environment that you would be hard pressed to find better in this category of sports car. The only ‘hmmm’ moment you have in the cabin is the tiny, and I mean tiny gearshift selector. It looks like a Remington razor and I have hands that an NBA player would be proud of so that is literally the only item that I could without. That, however, quickly fades into pale existence when you depress that brake and hit that key and the flat six, turbocharged motor comes to life. 

Porsche 911 922 review – how does it drive?

Being Cape Town, we had the perfect roads for our Porsche 911 992 review. We had two variants to choose from, the Carrera 2S and the Carrera 4S, both with 331 kW and 550 Nm of torque, my driving partner and I decided on the latter and headed for some lonely, damp roads. Gone are the massive scares where you hear of 911’s misbehaving. Nowhere in your mind is there a hint that this is a Sports Car that has its motor hanging over its rear wheels. Its precise and poised, not once threatening to have the rear overtake the front. The chassis has some understeer built into it for the driver who pushes a bit harder than what the road would allow, but it’s confidence inspiring without being dangerous. Being a 911, it will steer via the rear but this wasn’t the time and place for that and even though I may or may not have tried, the sure planted-ness of the 4’s system rewrites some rules and test your brave reading in your skillset. We spent the afternoon with slightly slower to 100 km/h (3.6 seconds as opposed to 3.4 seconds) but rear-wheel-drive 2S and were presented with some some really quick bits of road to explore the limits of the chassis. I can comfortably conclude that even though we drove harder than the average human might, we were not even close to what there two vehicles are capable of. The 2S is lighter by 50 kilograms but you would need to be a top DTM driver to feel that sort of weight difference. What I did feel that the rear drive only car was slightly more eager to turn into corners, even if the angle was slightly wider that you were planning, you could tighten that with some throttle and drive it out of those tight apex’s using a combination of throttle and steering. Magical. 

Driving a 911 is always a special occasion and while conducting our Porsche 911 992 review, the vehicle did not disappoint. From the engine note that doesn’t suffer from being force fed in terms of noise, to the steering, to the looks, the 911 has the appeal of being an aspirational vehicle that marks a significant milestone that you may have reached in your company. It’s a vehicle that you plan around and with the current vehicle, our company plans need to come to fruition soon as I don’t think I can carry on longer without one of these in my garage!

How much does the Porsche 911 992 cost?

Now the bit we all want to avoid. The Porsche 911 is pricey. Starting at 1.5 million of the economy battered Rands, it’s not a whim purchase. For that amount of money, you are a bit spoilt for choice but after you have explored all the brands and what they offer, I could bet my hard earned but barred Rands, that you would be in a Porsche Centre specifying your colour and options on your Carrera. It’s the best in class and stands head and shoulders above anything in its price bracket. Well done to Porsche. Where to from here? We don’t know but then again, we haven’t been disappointed by any of the 911’s so there is just no reason to see why they would disappoint us in the future. 

Spec yours here!