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2019 Porsche 911 review: all-new version of the world's most famous sports car is a classic vintage

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Right Light Media
2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Right Light Media

Eyes down for the new Porsche 911, Zuffenhausen’s most famous export, now in its eighth generation. Depending on your point of view, this jumped-up VW Beetle/most useable of supercars is larger, more powerful, faster and a bit more efficient. What did you expect?

What company founder Ferry Porsche probably didn’t expect is that his car would one day boast “swarm intelligence”; he’d have assumed a wasp infestation. Mind you, he’d probably be more preoccupied wondering about the extent of the pies eaten by this all-new model, which in Carrera 4S trim weighs, at 1,565kg, almost half a tonne more than the first production 911 of 1963.

Of course this latest generation (which has the internal designation 992-series) is still obviously a 911, with a distinctive roofline and long, overhanging tail. Where the previous 991 had been an exercise in not frightening the horses, the 992 seems to sit more comfortably in its skin.

Although pedestrian impact regulations mean that it’s larger than the 991 (45mm wider at the front, 20mm longer overall and a smidge taller), it looks more compact and neat – perhaps that’s due to the close attention to details, which are so important on this time-worn shape.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
This eight-generation, 992-series is faithful the iconic 911 shape while incorporating Porsche's latest styling such as the full-width lighting strip at the rear Credit: Daniel Wollstein

The “narrow” body of the previous rear-drive Carrera 2 has been dropped so now all 911s have the swollen wheel arches and tough stance of the all-wheel-drive 4S, with unequal wheel sizes (20in at the front, 21in at the rear), which suits the style.

In bright colours it’s a bit of a wide-mouth frog at the front with the eyes represented by the sparkly-facetted LED headlights. I’m not sure about the way the rear lights run right across the bodywork at the back and I hated the motorised door handles, but on the whole this car ticks the visual cues that denote a 911.

Aluminium is used extensively in the bodyshell (it’s strange to think that up to the 997 model two generations ago, the 911 was all galvanised steel), which saves 12kg, but the overall car is 55kg heavier than the outgoing model, which is a bit disappointing even if the power-to-weight ratio is the highest it’s ever been in a standard 911. As ever, more and more powerful variants will follow.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
The horizontally-themed facia is in homage to older 911s. As ever with Porsche, the interior is beautifully made and the seats comfortable - unless you're crammed in the back Credit: Daniel Wollstein

This is August Achleitner’s last 911. The vice-president of 911 and 718 Boxster and Cayman product lines retires in March – he’ll be much missed. He explains that the new car is a full five seconds faster around the Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring (7min 25sec, since you asked).

The heavily oversquare, 3.0-litre flat-six has been given a 30bhp/22lb ft boost thanks to a higher compression ratio, piezo-electric fuel injection, symmetrical turbochargers and larger intercoolers, which now sit behind the engine rather than behind the rear wheels. There’s an extra forward ratio in the PDK twin-clutch gearbox and room in the bellhousing for a hybrid motor to come, although where they will fit the battery heaven only knows as every tiny corner is filled with stuff.

MacPherson-strut front and a multi-link rear suspension is largely unchanged, including the hydraulic rams on the anti-roll bars to minimise body roll. Porsche’s adjustable damping has a soupcon more sophistication as it can now be adjusted in bounce or rebound while the damper is moving, rather than only when static as before. It means the damping can be slackened off on washboard road surfaces, but hardened as soon as more body movement is detected. Oh, and the steering rack has a faster ratio.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
As with the styling, the mechanical changes are evolutionary rather than radical. Naturally, there's more power and more sophisticated suspension with which to exploit it Credit: Daniel Wollstein

There’s also a new Wet Mode setting which listens for the splatter of rain water in the wheel arches and dials in appropriate settings for the engine, gearbox and safety settings, as well as alerting the driver.

On a specially dampened track this system worked so well it was impossible to coax the tail out, which should assuage those worried about the 911’s reputation as a tail-happy monster.

The aforementioned “swarm intelligence” turns out to be the transmission of anonymised data to other Porsches in the area to warn them of potential hazards such as flooding and the subsequent risk of aquaplaning.

Other assistance systems include an Adaptive Cruise option, which now stops and starts the car in traffic. All-round parking sensors are standard along with automatic city braking and the standard LED headlights can be augmented with an optional matrix main-beam vignetting and a thermal-imaging night-vision screen.

The interior features Porsche’s usual mix of tightly disciplined leather covering hard surfaces, beautiful workmanship and brilliantly comfortable and supportive seats. It’s a two-plus-two cabin, but the rear seats are tiny.

The facia has returned to the horizontal design from early F, G and 993 models, though the only analogue instrument is the rev counter, with the rest of the characteristic five-dial binnacle moving to digital technology. Switches (coated with a rubber-like finish) are clearer and easy to find with your fingers and certainly less confusing. You can also specify wood trim just like early 911s.

It's a calm and conservative design, which emphasises driving over frippery. However the media paints it, Porsche is a serious company; serious about driving and run by serious engineers.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
On the road the suspension feels firm rather than hard and the car rides really well, while the traction and stability systems seem less intrusive than in the previous model Credit: Daniel Wollstein

First out on a chilly track in a rear-drive Carrera 2S, with F1 and endurance race ace Mark Webber in front isn't perhaps the best place to be for the faint-hearted.

Actually this rear-drive beasty looks after you pretty well. It seems to talk a bit more than the outgoing model, providing a tiny bit more information through the steering wheel rim and through the seat of your pants.

It's got some heft, though, so you have to turn it in solidly relying on a smooth line plus the suspension and drivetrain systems to keep you on the black stuff. It doesn't dance exactly, but you can adjust the line with the throttle and push the tail out progressively either with the power or by lifting and letting the rear end follow its natural inclination.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
It's more communicative than the previous, 991 version, although the Sport settings are likely to prove harsh on British B-roads Credit: Daniel Wollstein

Sport mode shuffles brakes and power, tightening responses and narrowing the margins, though not always as smoothly as you’d want. I didn’t like it much and it didn’t seem appropriate for the 4.005km, 14-corner Circuit Ricardo Tormo – or British B-roads, for that matter.

Contrarily, the Sport Plus setting seems to calm things down a bit, although you’ll also have taken taken a step nearer the limits of adhesion.

On the road the suspension feels firm rather than hard and overall this eighth-generation 911 rides really well. It feels stiff, fast and up for it and makes you wonder just how fast you’d want your road-going Porsche to be.

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) - Credit: Daniel Wollstein
For those for whom such things matter, the latest 911 is 5sec faster around the Nürburgring Nordschleife than its predecessor Credit: Daniel Wollstein

It’s easy to forget just what an awesome Tarmac-eater the 911 is. What’s nice about this version is that the traction and stability systems seem less intrusive than in the previous model and there’s a chassis balance and (whisper it) a playfulness which makes the 992 a pleasure to drive fast. Or slow, long or short distances.

Like wine vintages, good and not so good, each new Porsche 911 is judged by the cognoscenti. I reckon this one will be seen as a classic vintage, worth laying down – although the temptation to savour it straight away is not only justifiable but highly recommended.

*Lease price from list price shown in the article is correct as of 22/01/2019 and are based on 9months initial payment upfront.  Prices exclude VAT and are subject to change.  Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply.

THE FACTS

2019 Porsche 911 (992 series) Carrera 2S

TESTED 2,981cc twin-turbo, flat-six petrol engine, eight-speed twin-clutch PDK gearbox, rear-wheel drive via an electronically controlled limited-slip differential (4S has four-wheel drive)

PRICE/ON SALE from £93,110 (4S from £98,418)/March

POWER/TORQUE 444bhp @ 6,500rpm, 391lb ft @ 2,300rpm

TOP SPEED 191mph (4S 190mph)

ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 3.5sec (4S 3.4sec)

FUEL ECONOMY 31.74mpg/26.4mpg (EU Combined/Urban), 22mpg on test. (4S 31.4mpg/25.4mpg)

CO2 EMISSIONS 205g/km (4S 206g/km)

VED £1,240 first year, £450 next five years, then £140

VERDICT A classic replacement for a classic supercar. With the wealth of new supercars on sale it’s easy to forget how much fun, how practical – and just how fast – Porsche’s 911 is. And this, the eighth incarnation, is one of the best.

TELEGRAPH RATING Five out of five stars

THE RIVALS

Mercedes-AMG GT, from £100,000

Designed to take on the 911, this big gran turismo is certainly a looker and its 469bhp, 4.0-litre V8 engine gives it enough firepower, but this is a brutal beast and its traction control warning light glimmers in the dash at the least exuberance or sign of rain. Fun, but a bit limited in ability.

Aston Martin Vantage, from £120,900

An alternative use for a hand-built AMG V8 or brilliant new sports coupé in its own right; discuss. Actually the Vantage more than passes muster as a great if expensive GT with its own character and distinctive looks, in spite of the borrowed engine - albeit pumped up to 503bhp.

Audi R8, from £112,520

Recently facelifted and titivated mechanically, this is the mid-engined car to beat in this category. The 532bhp, 5.2-litre V10 is one of the best-sounding engines ever, the dual-clutch gearbox works brilliantly and its handling is great. The 602bhp Plus model gives even the 911 Turbo a run for its money.

Jaguar F-Type, from £51,210

Prices start low for the surprisingly good four-cylinder model, but a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 starts at £92,505, rising to £118,010 for the top spec SVR. Four-wheel drive calms the lairy chassis a bit, but this is still a pretty serious and good looking beast.

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