This car is hugely fast, but the real surprise is the performance you get for the pound, particularly with the Sport Chrono pack, which provides launch control.
This allows a 0-60mph rip in 4.4sec, 100mph in 10.4sec and a claimed 178mph – enough performance to outsprint the more powerful Aston Vantage V8 and Audi R8.
It’s a shame, though, that the engine’s distinctive sound has almost disappeared below 4000rpm. Quite often its music will be swamped by road noise, which was a real issue in the test car fitted with stiffer PASM sports suspension.
The PDK transmission, however, is mostly superb. Its gearchanges are often best detected by glancing at the gear indicator, its subtle throttle blips serving seamless downchanges.
But you can catch it out. Launching from a junction at which you have just stopped can induce a pause, and re-applying the throttle when the transmission’s brain must choose a ratio can do the same. But the PDK’s intuition is generally excellent.
Porsche has made few changes to the 911’s chassis beyond upgrading the brakes and further refining the optional PASM for a smoother ride.
The further uprated PASM sports suspension is an option to be avoided, the 20mm reduction in ride height and bigger wheels stiffening the car to the extent that it skittered across the top of a tight, badly surfaced corner. The standard set-up is vastly better.
But the steering certainly scores for not being over-sensitive at high speeds; the larger, more measured inputs you must make produce deeply entertaining interaction when the pace is hard and the road demanding.
The PDK transmission’s user-friendliness makes it easier to concentrate on the niceties of 911 handling, besides making the 911 a quicker car.
Whether you’ll miss a clutch pedal only you can decide, but this is a far better transmission than Tiptronic ever was, and the best dual-clutch ’box to date.
