Porsche 911 Turbo S

What is it?

For almost two decades, Porsche has successfully raised the appeal of the 911 Turbo during the latter part of its lifecycle with a heavily optioned S model. It’s that time again.

See test pics of the Porsche 911 Turbo S

What's it like?

The twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre engine of the regular Turbo model has been subtly tweaked to boost performance. Not by much, mind you, but enough to provide the Turbo S with a small advantage in standing-start acceleration and added punch at the business end of the rev range.

The engine receives a nominal 1.0bar of boost (against 0.8bar on the standard version) along with lightly modified turbocharger vanes and a carbonfibre air manifold to endow the S with 530bhp and a continuous (not overboosted) 516lb ft of torque. That’s 30bhp and 37lb ft more than the Turbo.

The S also gains Porsche’s excellent seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox, with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and SportChrono package for more aggressive throttle, damper and stability control settings at the press of a button. Other developments include the latest 911 Turbo’s four-wheel drive hardware and PTV, or Porsche Torque Vectoring, which varies the drive to each individual rear wheel for more neutral cornering and spectacular traction.

Subjectively, there’s little to separate the S from the already hugely appealing 911 Turbo. Apart from some added exhaust blare in the mid-range and a slightly stronger feel to the engine from around 5000rpm upwards, it feels much like its standard sibling: rapid, planted and eager to destroy whichever road you throw at it. However, the acceleration figures tell an interesting story.

Porsche quotes a 0-60mph time of 3.1sec, which makes it the fastest-accelerating 911. It will also pull to 100mph in 7.1sec – a gain of 0.3sec over a similarly equipped Turbo. At 196mph, it’s 2mph faster overall.

The great thing about the new S is that, despite its phenomenal performance, it is also an easy car to drive in all conditions. As an everyday, all-season proposition, it has few peers.

Should I buy one?

The 911 Turbo S is a very special car, no doubt. But is it worth £16,876 more than the standard 911 Turbo? Tot up the cost of its extra features and £123,263 begins to look like a bargain – a high-priced but enticing bargain.

Greg Kable

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