UK Drive: Porsche’s 911 Turbo S brings finesse and firepower

Porsche’s Turbo has always acted as the flagship model in the 911 road car range. Delivering the highest level of performance is something which comes naturally to the Turbo, but it’s also able to do this while being as easy-going as some of Porsche’s less powerful models.

For the latest 992.2-generation car, Porsche has introduced all manner of changes to make the Turbo even more potent than before – and it was hardly lacking in this area to begin with.

While the exterior of the latest Turbo S may not have changed all that much compared with the previous generation car, there are plenty of innovations hiding underneath. The whole car is wider than before and there are active aerodynamic systems incorporated throughout the vehicle. Those slats at the front of the car, for instance, can actively open and close depending on air flow requirements, and can shut up tight when it’s raining, too.

There’s a new nose lift system, too, which works more quickly than before, so you can raise the front of the car in seconds. It’ll help if you drive the Turbo S around a speedbump-riddled city, that’s for sure.

For this latest car, Porsche has introduced its learnings from the new GTS to bring hybrid technology to the Turbo S for the first time. In fact, you now get a trio of e-motors accompanying the 3.6-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six to help boost performance. Two help the turbochargers to spool up more quickly – eliminating lag – while a third is housed within the gearbox.

As you might expect from a car with 710bhp and 900Nm of torque, the Turbo S is no slouch. Zero to 60mph comes in under 2.5 seconds and flat-out, this 911 will manage an incredible 200mph.

The easy-going nature of the 911 Turbo S belies the firepower which it is capable of delivering at a moment’s notice. During ‘normal’ driving, it feels like pretty much any other 911, with decent visibility despite the low height of the vehicle. Of course, it’s relatively firm, but it does a good job overall of smoothing out the road ahead, particularly at speed.

Of course, give the 911 Turbo S a little space and it gathers momentum at a fearsome pace. In fact, the way this car accelerates leads you to believe that it would never run out of steam and, on the public roads, this does mean that you’re never lacking in overtaking power. At times, however, it feels like the Turbo S is throttle back, simply because it is so much quicker than the roads allow.

Porsche is well known for its rather evolutionary take on styling and the same goes for the 911 Turbo S. It isn’t groundbreakingly different to the car which came before it, but with its new aerodynamic touches and slightly wider track, you can still tell it apart from previous generations.

Porsche has also released a new ‘Turbonite’ paint colour, which can be applied to different elements both inside and out. Our test car came in a rather striking ‘Lugano Blue’ shade, too.

The cabin of the 911 Turbo S is a very pleasant place to be. You’ve got high-quality materials used throughout and it’s all brought together with that solid feel you expect to get from a Porsche. Storage is as expected for a two-door sports car; small bins in the doors are only large enough for a wallet or purse, but fortunately, there are well-sized cupholders in the middle and hidden away ahead of the passenger.

There’s also a well-sized ‘frunk’ which provides 128 litres of space. Plus, given that the rear seats are only large enough for very small children, it’s likely that most people will use the back for storage as well – you get 261 litres there as well.

Our test car came in at just under £200,000, making the 911 Turbo S an expensive proposition. Of course, what that money is going towards is the technical and mechanical innovation going on underneath, with years of testing and honing to help make the Turbo S the impressive bit of machinery that it is.

But on a more everyday scale, the 911 Turbo S comes well equipped. The central screen may not be the largest of any car on sale today, but it’s got all of the features you need and it’s easy to pair your phone to. A row of physical controls for certain elements brings a big boost in overall usability, too.

Verdict

The Turbo S has always been the everyday supercar and that reputation remains intact. This latest-generation car is both mind-bogglingly quick and deceptively easy-going, with road manners that make it a breeze to drive both quickly and slowly.

It’s expensive, but that’s to be expected of a flagship Porsche. Get the keys to one, and you’ll have one of the most rounded performance cars on the market today.

• Model as tested: Porsche 911 Turbo S
• Price: £199,100
• Engine: Twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre flat-six
• Power: 710bhp
• Torque: 900Nm
• Max speed: 200mph
• 0-60mph: 2.5 seconds
• MPG: 19.9
• Emissions: 262-266g/km