Porsche

911/911 Turbo S/911 GT3

The Porsche 911 is an absolute legend amongst sports car lovers… and with every good reason. Its incredible speed and acceleration make it a real attraction to thrill seekers but the handling is one for the connoisseurs.

The good

Looks, handling, performance and all-round package

The bad

Watch those speed limits

Tech Specs

Price from

£77,891

Combined Fuel up to

34.0mpg

0-62 from

2.7 seconds

max speed up to

205mph

co2 from

190g/km

Test Drive

Porsche 911 Turbo S (2023)

There are very few car geeks who, whilst growing up, didn’t dream of owning a Porsche and in particular a 911.

It has become the cult model for the German performance car manufacturer with a choice of coupe or open-top cabriolet styling. And of course, the further up the range you venture the more you will need to dig deep into those savings.

The entry point to the 911 line-up are the Carrera and Targa models costing from £89,900 and £105,800 respectively.

At the higher end of the scale, you see the Turbo-badged cars and it was the 911 Turbo S GT that we tested. It was priced at £160,610, but a whole host of optional extras saw the final cost climb to £169,494.

Powered by a rear-mounted, naturally-aspirated 3.8-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine, it delivered 650hp with 800Nm of torque resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of just 2.7 seconds and maximum speed of 205mph.

It featured Porsche’s world-renowned seven-speed PDK transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement along with all-wheel drive for confident road holding.

There’s no denying the powerful road presence of the two-door Porsche 911 with dynamic streamlining, along with bold air intakes, LED headlights featuring Matrix beam, a black sports exhaust system, extended spoiler, 20-inch front wheels (21-inch at the rear), plus bright yellow brake calipers and retractable door handles. There are black high gloss mirror bases and window trims, with the PORSCHE name integrated into the taillight strip.

The interior is compact but beautifully thought out with Porsche designers making the best of the limited space available. And there is a wealth of tech to explore with creature comforts including Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity (no Android Auto), a DAB radio, a pitch perfect 12-speaker Bose surround sound system, Porsche Communication Management with online navigation and voice control, two-zone climate control and plenty more besides.

The main nerve centre is a 10.9-inch display screen that is neatly integrated into the dashboard while there are separate controls for all the climate functions. Behind the steering wheel is a central dial showing the revs with two seven-inch TFT displays each side offering all manner of information. These can easily be personalised to taste although the outer edges can be difficult to view as they spread beyond the width of the steering wheel.

The build quality is very high-end with leather seats featuring decorative stitching and our test car boasted striking red upholstery throughout with red seats, door panels, carpeting, dashboard and also the GT sports steering wheel.

When it comes to performance and handling, the Porsche 911 Turbo S GT is a thrill-seeker’s dream car. The acceleration from a standing start will pin you back in the body-hugging sports seats and the power levels are unrelenting as the car reaches any national speed limit in the blink of an eye.

It’s perfectly balanced and sure-footed through tight bends and the roar of the engine is the perfect accompaniment. Press the Enhanced Exhaust button and the volume is increased to deafening levels.

There are drive modes to flick through called Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Wet and Individual and these alter all aspects of the car’s responses from the acceleration through to the gear changes. And if you’re brave enough to press the Drive Mode button on the steering wheel, it activates the Sport Response function that delivers more of everything as it counts back from 20 seconds to zero.

Despite its low-slung design, comfort levels are surprisingly good with the electronic damping system smoothing out most bumps along the way. Obviously, the 911 loves to prove its worth when firing through the country lanes but it can easily cruise on motorways and is deceptively agile in busier city centres. Our test car featured Park Assist with Surround View as a £732 option which is an absolute must.

Additional options on our car included 20- and 21-inch Turbo S Exclusive Design wheels (£1,608), Porsche InnoDrive including Cruise Control (£1,818), specialist paint (£1,725) and a black sports exhaust system (£2,180).

It will come as little surprise to learn the day-to-day running costs are not exactly cheap with a combined WLTP-tested fuel efficiency figure of 23.0-23.5mpg and carbon emissions of 271-278g/km. But this is a supercar with performance to match so few owners will be complaining about petrol prices.

The 911 Turbo S is a 2+2 sports coupe which means it has two rear seats. However, these have minimal legroom and would only be offered to your worst enemy. They are ideal to throw a coat or bag on though.

With its rear engine set-up, there is additional storage space beneath the bonnet with room for 128 litres of kit. And throughout the cabin, there is a locking glovebox, two cup holders, door bins, plus a central cubby box to store a phone with USB-C ports to stay connected on the move.

All in all, the 911 Turbo S GT is a shining example of why the Porsche badge is so respected and desired. It oozes class with powerful looks and has blistering pace and dynamism. And, if that’s still not grabbing your attention, listen out for that engine’s roar.

Test Drive

Porsche 911 GT3 (2022)

Porsche has unleashed a track-inspired 911 sports car that takes the model’s cult-like reputation to a whole new level.

It’s called the 911 GT3 and is based on the 911 922 with a mighty 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated (rather than turbocharged) petrol engine that delivers 510hp and 470Nm of torque.

The power from the flat-six engine is relentless and this is a car that can power its way to 62mph from a standing start in just 3.4 seconds and maxes out at 198mph.

It’s not cheap, but few things this good ever are. Our test model started out costing £127,820, but optional extras such as stunning Shark Blue paintwork (£2,525), full bucket seats (£3,788), Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (£6,498), a lightweight carbon roof (£2,517 and a few other add-ons saw the price climb to £153,717.

As I say, not cheap. And nor will the day-to-day running costs be because this car has a combined fuel efficiency figure of just 21.7mpg with carbon emissions of 294g/km. The fuel bills will be high, as will the road tax, premium car levy tax and insurance.

But this is a sports car in every sense and delivers where rivals would fall woefully short of the mark. Our rear-wheel drive, rear-engined Porsche 911 featured a seven-speed PDK automatic gearbox with paddles for added driver engagement. Buyers can opt for a manual transmission if preferred.

There are drive modes called Normal, Sport and Track which are fairly self-explanatory. Sport is certainly exciting enough for our UK roads, but if you can visit a track and get expert supervision, you will have an opportunity to explore every aspect of this car.

The 911 GT3 can cruise effortlessly on motorways hitting the national speed limit in the blink of an eye. But it’s the quieter B roads where it comes into its own. The, grip, steering, cornering, acceleration and balance cannot fail to impress as the revs climb higher and higher, along with the engine and exhaust notes. It is a car that makes you push yourself but your nerve will give long before the car runs out of pace.

And wherever the model passes, it draws attention, firstly due to the noise and then its powerful styling. Eye-catching design cues include that gorgeous Shark Blue colouring along with powerful curves, a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic bonnet with two air outlets, a rear apron with further air outlets including anthracite coloured grilles, GT3 badging, retractable door handles, Matrix front lights with daytime running lights and four-point LED spotlights, a taillight strip with the PORSCHE logo in satin black, plus 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels with yellow brake calipers.

The interior is very sports focused with bucket seats that are power-operated and a sports steering wheel that can be adjusted too. This makes finding the perfect driving position an easy process.

There is a compact infotainment screen offering access to an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and full navigation. A seven-inch TFT display offers the vital driving stats such as speed and revs, but can also show track-related information including G-Force readings and lap times.

The comfort levels are surprisingly good considering you sit so low to the ground, although getting in and out in anything that resembles dignified can be a challenge.

The driver visibility forwards and sideways is excellent, but it’s not so impressive through the narrow rear screen or over the shoulder. However, a rear park assist system (an £876 option), does make reversing easier.

Clearly, just by its design, the Porsche 911 GT3 is not going to be the most practical if you can’t travel light, but there are storage options scattered throughout the car. These include a lockable glovebox, slim door bins, two cup holders, a charging pad beneath the armrest and a front luggage compartment under the bonnet that can hold 132 litres of kit.

Although the car has not been crash-tested for a Euro NCAP safety rating, it is packed with a wealth of technology and driver assist systems to protect occupants and other road users.

All in all, the Porsche 911 GT3 is a brilliant car for anyone in the market for a premium two-seater sports car that offers outrageous performance capabilities. It’s not cheap, but after a short time, will feel worth every single penny.

Test Drive

Porsche 911 Turbo S (2021)

While the motoring world is looking to a cleaner, greener future with hybrid and plugged in technology, Porsche has just upped the stakes in the sports car sector with its latest 911 Turbo S.

The low-slung, two-door model is steeped in history and famed the world over for delivering one of the most powerful, exhilarating performances of any road car. The 911 first graced our roads back in 1963 and has been offered in Turbo guise since 1974, but now the latest model has got even better.

Powered by a six-cylinder, 3.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine delivering 650hp and 800Nm of torque, the 911 Turbo S blasts its way from 0-62mph in just 2.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of 205mph. With its curvaceous body styling, it turns heads as it fires past – blink and you’ll miss it. Running costs are not cheap though with a combined 23.5mpg and carbon emissions of 254g/km.

Viewed from any approach, this car screams performance at you and for the £155,970 outlay (£167,210 with options) you would expect nothing but the best. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.

Eye-catching design cues include front wings that are, as always, higher than the bonnet, four-point daytime running lights, slanted LED headlights, black air blades, retractable door handles, an active front spoiler, powerful rear wings and a seamless, one-piece light strip including the Porsche logo at the rear that connects the 3D LED taillights. There is a sports exhaust system with silver tailpipes (£2,180 option) and 20-inch Turbo S wheels on the front with 21-inch wheels on the rear. Yellow brake calipers complete the styling.

Move inside and the sporty cockpit is a hint at what’s in store. The 18-way electrically-adjustable sports seats can be heated and have quilted leather seat centres with ‘Turbo S’ embossed into the headrests. There is a GT sports steering wheel in smooth leather with dark silver shift paddles and a separate drive mode button. The Agave Green Club leather interior with Crayon stitching (£590) and the Crayon seat belts (£312) add to the interior ambience.

A 10.9-inch touchscreen display is the control centre to access many systems and the instrument cluster features two 7-inch TFT displays. Our car also featured a light design package costing £354 that enables you to dim the LEDs in the centre console, around the door handles, door storage compartments, footwells and rear seats with a choice of seven colour shades.

A 12-speaker Bose surround sound system, Apple CarPlay and Porsche Communication Management with online navigation are just a few of the on-board creature comforts at your disposal.

The latest rear-engined 911 Turbo S is slightly wider so feels more planted on the road and, of course, your experience is assisted by the likes of carbon-ceramic brakes, adaptive dampers, torque vectoring, all-wheel drive and stability management.

Acceleration is blisteringly fast and almost needs to be experienced to be believed. Take a breath and you’re already at 60mph. The road-holding is totally assured meaning tight bends can be attacked with a real sense of attitude and the speed into the straight is unrelenting. This is a car that will keep delivering until your nerve breaks.

Drive modes called Wet, Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual alter the mannerisms of the Porsche and for added excitement, there is a Sport Response button that preconditions the engine and gearbox for the best response and can produce optimal acceleration for up to 20 seconds – enough time to overtake a convey of cars.

The eight-speed PDK automatic transmission is perfectly timed to fire through the gears but there are steering wheel mounted paddles for added driver engagement and all controls, dials and readouts are perfectly positioned for ease of use.

And despite its low profile, the 911 is actually deceptively comfortable to drive, albeit a tad noisy. There is a 264-litre open luggage compartment behind the front seats plus a front boot (as the engine is at the rear), with 128-litres of space. Additionally, there is a lockable glovebox, a storage compartment in the centre console, two cup holders if you’re crazy enough to attempt to drink coffee on the go and door pockets.

A couple of passengers can sit in the back of the 911, but this would only be realistic for quite a short journey due to the limited space.

Safety specifications for such a powerful car need to be exceptional and, in fairness to Porsche, they are just that. The long list of equipment to keep occupants and other road users protected include warn and brake assist with integrated front cameras, side impact protection, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist with speed limit indicator, night view assist, park assist with surround view, a full suite of airbags and plenty more besides.

There is also Porsche Wet Mode that will warn the driver if it detects a slippery surface and prompts them to move the car to Wet driving mode for improved traction and better safety.

All in all, the latest Porsche 911 Turbo S is the ultimate proof that great things do improve with age. While the new model maintains all its traditional DNA and is instantly recognisable it has just raised the bar in every department.