Rationale
Quick. Fast. The operative words in the Porsche dictionary seem to be these two. And helping the new 911 fulfil these brand promises is a lightweight monocoque that ensures that the driver is one with the automobile. The Carrera S features Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) which automatically adapts to changing conditions and individual driving style.
Once this piece of metal sculpture gets going, it becomes lithe and even nimble. Agile and even aggressive. I could not fathom where the 1500 kg of metal and glass disappeared when I was piloting the car. Those 19-inch wheels and rubberband tyres work well with the optional sports suspension (no cost) which includes a mechanically locking rear differential and added stability and traction on twisted roads and bad weather conditions. It feels as if the wheels, the suspension arms and almost everything beneath you is built of exotic materials, which is actually the case. Precision rack and pinion power assisted steering works as if it’s connected to your brain lobes, making turn-ins, however fast they may be, as sharp as in a racing car.
Porsche has packed a lot of technology and safety gear into the new 911 and I will need a whole newspaper to write about it all. But then I do have to give you some critical information – the 911 Carrera S I drove can be yours for Rs 71 lakh – it may not have four doors and may not seat a third passenger comfortably. But guess what, if you want lots of doors and lots of space, Porsche will sell you the Cayenne SUV. Trust me, the new 911 is not a car you would buy to flaunt your wealth. Instead, it would be a reflection of fine automotive taste, sharper than a surgeon’s scalpel in the right hands. This is a supermodel that you can live, take to work and play with. Enough said.
As for me, I consider myself enlightened and that too after exploiting just about 50 per cent of the new 911’s potential. Trust me, you will have a sequel to this story as and when I get behind the wheel of one again.
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