A 997 C2 S or a C4 S would have been the obvious
choice here, but to hell with it, we’ve gone all in with the mighty 911 Turbo
A 997 Turbo? Well, why not. We could have presented the
predictable 997 C2, or C4 in either narrow or wide body S form, but hell if
you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly bear. The Turbo is here because it
illustrates just what a formidable bargain it is - a sub $80,000 supercar
that’s useable and won’t throw a strop like its Italian counterparts.
Porsche 911 Turbo
(997) rear view
The 997 Turbo arrived in 2006 to carry on the great
tradition of range topping forced induction for the 911. It followed on from
the 996 Turbo as the de facto real world supercar, something that has become a
bit of a well-worn cliche, but hard to get away from. It’s what makes the Turbo
such an enduring icon. Drive to the shops, or drive at 200mph, it will happily
do both.
First gen 997 Turbos packed a 480bhp punch and would near as
dammit hit 200mph and crack 0-60mph in under 4 secs. They all come with
four-wheel drive and an electronic centre diff that measures out the power
depending on traction demands. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is a
standard feature too. Most came pretty well loaded with standard as well as
optional kit. This was a range topper after all, and most buyers didn’t spare
the options. Early cars came with Tiptronic or a six-speed manual gearbox.
Tiptronic was quite well suited to the Turbo, its huge power and torque filling
any gaps in the five ratios.
Porsche 911 Turbo
(997) engine
The engine is what’s known as a Mezger unit. That is to say
that it’s based around the engine that saw race service in the GT1 endurance
racer. That’s a good thing because it’s super-tough and not prone to any of the
horror stories that surround the 996/997 cars. Certainly we’ve heard of no
particular issue and it seems that it will run up big miles with no effort.
In full widebody mode, with 19in wheels at the very minimum,
the Turbo doesn’t feel nearly as nimble as a base 997, but that is to miss the
point. The Turbo is a different sort of driving experience defined by its
power, huge grip and cornering prowess. The Turbo is designed to devour
distance and entire countries in one lunge.
Porsche 911 Turbo
(997) interior
The gen2 997 Turbo arrived in 2009 with 500+bhp and a
3.8-litre engine based on that of the 997 C2 and C4S. Gone, then, was the
Mezger based unit but in its place, as well as the extra capacity, was direct
fuel injection, which improved economy. The Turbo also received the PDK
seven-speed gearbox, which vastly improved the appeal of the automated option.
Switching from the Mezger based unit has yet to throw up any reliability issues
that we know of.
Porsche 911 Turbo
(997) roof
The featured car here is a gen1 model and is rather special
because of its low mileage. However, gen2 versions are now available now at
under $80,000, albeit with rather more miles on the clock, but don’t fear
because the Turbo shrugs off mileage.
Issues? Well running costs are steepish. Servicing is not so
much of an issue, but consumables, like tyres and brakes are pricey for obvious
reasons. Also look out for the usual 997 foibles like decomposing radiators
mounted deep in the front apron. Oh, and general neglect. Turbos can be used as
everyday cars and people often do, but without really caring for them.
Ultimately, though, this is a bargain and with a bit of tweaking 200+mph is
very easy to achieve.
Porsche 911 Turbo
(997) side view
|
Technical Specification
·
Model: Porsche 997 Turbo ·
Engine: 3.6-litre flat-six ·
Power: 480bhp @ 6000rpm ·
Torque: 457lb ft @ 1950rpm ·
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 5-speed tiptronic ·
Brakes: 330mm ventilated discs front; 299mm rear ·
Tyres front: 235/40 zr19 rear: 265/40 zr19 ·
Economy: 22.1mpg (combined) ·
Top speed: 192mph ·
0-62mph: 3.9 secs
|
