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Porsche 911 Carrera review: entry-level 911 tested in the UK

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Porsche 911 Carrera review: entry-level 911 tested in the UK | Top Gear

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Do you lose more than a letter 'S' when you go for the boggo Carrera? We find out

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Porsche 911 Carrera review: entry-level 911 tested in the UK

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Ooo! I know this one. That’s a Porsche, right?!Well done, you. Yes, it is – the new 992 in boggo Carrera spec. But you knew that already.No I didn't. I said I knew what it was, not that I knew anything about it. What is this Porsche thing?

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Do you lose more than a letter 'S' when you go for the boggo Carrera? We find out

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Porsche 911 Carrera review: entry-level 911 tested in the UK

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Porsche 911 Carrera review: entry-level 911 tested in the UK

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content
Do you lose more than a letter 'S' when you go for the boggo Carrera? We find out

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.description
Do you lose more than a letter 'S' when you go for the boggo Carrera? We find out

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it is – the new 992 in boggo Carrera spec. But you knew that already.No I didn't. I said I knew what it was

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
not that I knew anything about it. What is this Porsche thing?The first rung of the ladder for the latest

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
eighth-generation of Porsche's iconic sports car

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
there have only been two flavours in the UK: a 450bhp Carrera S and 4S

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
respectively with rear- and four-wheel drive. Both with the possibility to chop off their roofs. But now there’s a lesser-powered

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the 992 is an evolution of the old one – the 991 – a delicately feathered crank of the design knob that keeps things classy yet still causes an online war for not being different enough. Newsflash

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
haters: all 911s look the same. The new body’s wider and shapelier but still in that blissfully subtle 911 manner. So even if you’ve locked yourself in the wardrobe for the last 30 years

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
you’ll still be able to tell what it is. That’s called good design.And even though this is the cheapest new 911 you can get

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it’s still as girthy as its more expensive brothers. The shell has been widened by 40mm

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
so it doesn’t matter if it’s two or four-wheel drive

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it’s one-size-fits-all bodyshells for everybody. One that’s made of more aluminium than ever.As it’s less powerful

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
right?Nope. The Carrera uses almost exactly the same turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engine as the S. Sure

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
Porsche is at pains to point out changes in turbo size and boost pressure

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the lesser but still healthy 385bhp and 331lb ft (a 62bhp / 59lb ft defecit) is down to an ECU tweak

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it’s a meagre half a second slower from 0-62mph than the ‘S’

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but that means there’s just that bit longer to savour the engine’s finest noises as it zips past 7

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
this car is still fast enough to outrun small arms fire – it’ll do 182mph flat out. Which is more than fast enough.So what do you lose by having the Carrera?Not much at all. Actually

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
you can get all that you can on the ‘S’ save the optional four-wheel-steer. But as standard

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the list is still properly good and includes adaptive damping (‘PASM’

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
 standard) and an electronically controlled diff (standard)

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
though it can be specced to have adaptive anti-roll (‘PDCC’

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
 optional) and adaptive engine mounts (comes with the Sport Chrono pack). You can even go for the same staggered (20in front and 21in rear) wheels from the ‘S’ and the ‘I-Can’t-Afford-A-GT3’ aero pack if you so choose. So our advice would be to get the Carrera and spec it like an S. And if you really miss the power

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
send it to Litchfield who can get 582bhp from the Carrera thanks to a cheeky little ECU remap. That’s a boost of 200bhp from the turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six without having to go near a set of spanners. Better than that

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it makes this new entry-level 992 as powerful as the previous generation’s most halo product

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
thanks. But what does it drive like?Brilliantly. Actually

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
911. The beauty of Stuttgart’s arse-engined icon is that it’s always been able to seamlessly bind the worlds of performance and usability. And a non-shouty spec Carrera personifies this. And this new engine has enhanced both the worlds of usability and performance. There are globs of low-down torque that work in collaboration with the new eight-speed PDK 'box (a manual is coming later this year) that makes cruising and city driving effortless. It’s comfortable too

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but the ride is sometimes unsettled by lumpen surfaces that make it occasionally jarring

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
but that could be blamed on the larger wheels and iron brakes we had. Overall

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
you could eat miles in it and never stop smiling through the power of being purely content.It's the little things. Take the seats

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the beauty of the 911 is that it still has a proper seating position where you can submerge yourself into the seat and then electronically wind yourself down into the chassis so your nose is level with the dashboard and your balloon knot is skimming the tarmac. This adds to the experience when you want to drive with a bit more verve as you feel connected to the car

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
even though the direct electric steering limits your feedback. But that engine takes on another life when you clog it. In the mid-range it feels properly quick. Like

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the definition of how fast modern sports cars should be and that’s it. It’s useable and addictive. Largely because the gearbox now has eight cogs so you get to wind it out a lot more than you’d think and play with the first three gears. Plus it sounds great. Revving to a healthy 7

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
500rpm – which is punchy for a modern turbo engine – the flat-six goes from poppy hisses and sucks of forced induction to angry wails and motorsport edge. All in all

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
it sounds pretty beguiling.Its flexibility is a triumph that doesn’t overpower the rear wheels to make it unusable. And even if Mother Nature and cold weather does its best to make that happen

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
there’s the new ‘Wet’ mode to give you confidence. But with that engine out back

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
there’s the trademark traction you’ve read acres of column inches about.What’s it like on the inside?Shock! Like the Carrera S – which is no bad thing. The 992 does all the car stuff you need (a biggish boot up front

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the glassy view out) but now with an added veneer of glassy tech.Behind the wheel is the dominating central rev-counter. That’s analogue (thank the lord) but it’s flanked by two sets of apparent dials that are actually screens

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
they’re not that useable. The ones on the extremities are hidden by the wheel rim. And the one that’s the speedo is pretty much useless

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
so you just rely on the readout on the rev counter

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
which is no bad thing. But it looks great.There are some niggles though

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
the supremely well-engineered pop-out cup holders of old have gone

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and some of the plastics below the belt are a bit cheap. But the overall fit and finish is incredibly luxurious and when compared to an Aston Martin Vantage looks like it’ll stand up to the test of time a lot better.Should I get one over a Carrera S then?If you can forget the stigma associated with having the ‘cheapest 911’ (which at £82k is far from cheap) you can make your money go a lot further thanks to the Carrera and have a near-identical experience. Remember

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
you can unlock more performance cheaply and use the money you’ve saved on bits from the Carrera S. But 911s are meant to be understated assassins of the sports car world

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and the boggo car plays this role perfectly. Leave the shouty colour schemes and specs for the GT cars

# data.attributes.metatag[].attributes.content.reviewBody[]
and be happy you’ve got one of the best all-rounders on the planet.

# data.attributes.body.value
Ooo! I know this one. That’s a Porsche, right?!

Well done, you. Yes, it is – the new 992 in boggo Carrera spec. But you knew that already.

No I didn't. I said I knew what it was, not that I knew anything about it. What is this Porsche thing?

The first rung of the ladder for the latest, eighth-generation of Porsche's iconic sports car, the 911. Up until now, there have only been two flavours in the UK: a 450bhp Carrera S and 4S, respectively with rear- and four-wheel drive. Both with the possibility to chop off their roofs. But now there’s a lesser-powered, cheaper option.

For you tl;dr folk, the 992 is an evolution of the old one – the 991 – a delicately feathered crank of the design knob that keeps things classy yet still causes an online war for not being different enough. Newsflash, haters: all 911s look the same. The new body’s wider and shapelier but still in that blissfully subtle 911 manner. So even if you’ve locked yourself in the wardrobe for the last 30 years, you’ll still be able to tell what it is. That’s called good design.

And even though this is the cheapest new 911 you can get, it’s still as girthy as its more expensive brothers. The shell has been widened by 40mm, so it doesn’t matter if it’s two or four-wheel drive, it’s one-size-fits-all bodyshells for everybody. One that’s made of more aluminium than ever.

As it’s less powerful, it’s got a smaller engine, right?

Nope. The Carrera uses almost exactly the same turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engine as the S. Sure, Porsche is at pains to point out changes in turbo size and boost pressure, but really, the lesser but still healthy 385bhp and 331lb ft (a 62bhp / 59lb ft defecit) is down to an ECU tweak, rather than mechanical throttling. And, at 4.2 seconds, it’s a meagre half a second slower from 0-62mph than the ‘S’, but that means there’s just that bit longer to savour the engine’s finest noises as it zips past 7,000rpm to the 7,500rpm redline. Meanwhile, this car is still fast enough to outrun small arms fire – it’ll do 182mph flat out. Which is more than fast enough.

So what do you lose by having the Carrera?

Not much at all. Actually, you can get all that you can on the ‘S’ save the optional four-wheel-steer. But as standard, the list is still properly good and includes adaptive damping (‘PASM’, standard) and an electronically controlled diff (standard), though it can be specced to have adaptive anti-roll (‘PDCC’, optional) and adaptive engine mounts (comes with the Sport Chrono pack). You can even go for the same staggered (20in front and 21in rear) wheels from the ‘S’ and the ‘I-Can’t-Afford-A-GT3’ aero pack if you so choose. So our advice would be to get the Carrera and spec it like an S. And if you really miss the power, send it to Litchfield who can get 582bhp from the Carrera thanks to a cheeky little ECU remap. That’s a boost of 200bhp from the turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six without having to go near a set of spanners. Better than that, it makes this new entry-level 992 as powerful as the previous generation’s most halo product, the Turbo S.

385bhp is good for me, thanks. But what does it drive like?

Brilliantly. Actually, the Carrera is the most 911, 911. The beauty of Stuttgart’s arse-engined icon is that it’s always been able to seamlessly bind the worlds of performance and usability. And a non-shouty spec Carrera personifies this. And this new engine has enhanced both the worlds of usability and performance. There are globs of low-down torque that work in collaboration with the new eight-speed PDK 'box (a manual is coming later this year) that makes cruising and city driving effortless. It’s comfortable too, but the ride is sometimes unsettled by lumpen surfaces that make it occasionally jarring, but that could be blamed on the larger wheels and iron brakes we had. Overall, you could eat miles in it and never stop smiling through the power of being purely content.

It's the little things. Take the seats, the beauty of the 911 is that it still has a proper seating position where you can submerge yourself into the seat and then electronically wind yourself down into the chassis so your nose is level with the dashboard and your balloon knot is skimming the tarmac. This adds to the experience when you want to drive with a bit more verve as you feel connected to the car, even though the direct electric steering limits your feedback. But that engine takes on another life when you clog it. In the mid-range it feels properly quick. Like, the definition of how fast modern sports cars should be and that’s it. It’s useable and addictive. Largely because the gearbox now has eight cogs so you get to wind it out a lot more than you’d think and play with the first three gears. Plus it sounds great. Revving to a healthy 7,500rpm – which is punchy for a modern turbo engine – the flat-six goes from poppy hisses and sucks of forced induction to angry wails and motorsport edge. All in all, it sounds pretty beguiling.

Its flexibility is a triumph that doesn’t overpower the rear wheels to make it unusable. And even if Mother Nature and cold weather does its best to make that happen, there’s the new ‘Wet’ mode to give you confidence. But with that engine out back, there’s the trademark traction you’ve read acres of column inches about.

What’s it like on the inside?

Shock! Like the Carrera S – which is no bad thing. The 992 does all the car stuff you need (a biggish boot up front, the kid-carrying back seats, the practical upright cabin, the glassy view out) but now with an added veneer of glassy tech.

Behind the wheel is the dominating central rev-counter. That’s analogue (thank the lord) but it’s flanked by two sets of apparent dials that are actually screens, available to show a multitude of stats, facts and navs. But, day to day, they’re not that useable. The ones on the extremities are hidden by the wheel rim. And the one that’s the speedo is pretty much useless, so you just rely on the readout on the rev counter, which is no bad thing. But it looks great.

There are some niggles though, the supremely well-engineered pop-out cup holders of old have gone, as have the hinged door pockets, and some of the plastics below the belt are a bit cheap. But the overall fit and finish is incredibly luxurious and when compared to an Aston Martin Vantage looks like it’ll stand up to the test of time a lot better.

Should I get one over a Carrera S then?

If you can forget the stigma associated with having the ‘cheapest 911’ (which at £82k is far from cheap) you can make your money go a lot further thanks to the Carrera and have a near-identical experience. Remember, you can unlock more performance cheaply and use the money you’ve saved on bits from the Carrera S. But 911s are meant to be understated assassins of the sports car world, and the boggo car plays this role perfectly. Leave the shouty colour schemes and specs for the GT cars, and be happy you’ve got one of the best all-rounders on the planet.

# data.attributes.body.processed
Ooo! I know this one. That’s a Porsche, right?!

Well done, you. Yes, it is – the new 992 in boggo Carrera spec. But you knew that already.

No I didn't. I said I knew what it was, not that I knew anything about it. What is this Porsche thing?

The first rung of the ladder for the latest, eighth-generation of Porsche's iconic sports car, the 911. Up until now, there have only been two flavours in the UK: a 450bhp Carrera S and 4S, respectively with rear- and four-wheel drive. Both with the possibility to chop off their roofs. But now there’s a lesser-powered, cheaper option.

For you tl;dr folk, the 992 is an evolution of the old one – the 991 – a delicately feathered crank of the design knob that keeps things classy yet still causes an online war for not being different enough. Newsflash, haters: all 911s look the same. The new body’s wider and shapelier but still in that blissfully subtle 911 manner. So even if you’ve locked yourself in the wardrobe for the last 30 years, you’ll still be able to tell what it is. That’s called good design.

And even though this is the cheapest new 911 you can get, it’s still as girthy as its more expensive brothers. The shell has been widened by 40mm, so it doesn’t matter if it’s two or four-wheel drive, it’s one-size-fits-all bodyshells for everybody. One that’s made of more aluminium than ever.

As it’s less powerful, it’s got a smaller engine, right?

Nope. The Carrera uses almost exactly the same turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engine as the S. Sure, Porsche is at pains to point out changes in turbo size and boost pressure, but really, the lesser but still healthy 385bhp and 331lb ft (a 62bhp / 59lb ft defecit) is down to an ECU tweak, rather than mechanical throttling. And, at 4.2 seconds, it’s a meagre half a second slower from 0-62mph than the ‘S’, but that means there’s just that bit longer to savour the engine’s finest noises as it zips past 7,000rpm to the 7,500rpm redline. Meanwhile, this car is still fast enough to outrun small arms fire – it’ll do 182mph flat out. Which is more than fast enough.

So what do you lose by having the Carrera?

Not much at all. Actually, you can get all that you can on the ‘S’ save the optional four-wheel-steer. But as standard, the list is still properly good and includes adaptive damping (‘PASM’, standard) and an electronically controlled diff (standard), though it can be specced to have adaptive anti-roll (‘PDCC’, optional) and adaptive engine mounts (comes with the Sport Chrono pack). You can even go for the same staggered (20in front and 21in rear) wheels from the ‘S’ and the ‘I-Can’t-Afford-A-GT3’ aero pack if you so choose. So our advice would be to get the Carrera and spec it like an S. And if you really miss the power, send it to Litchfield who can get 582bhp from the Carrera thanks to a cheeky little ECU remap. That’s a boost of 200bhp from the turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six without having to go near a set of spanners. Better than that, it makes this new entry-level 992 as powerful as the previous generation’s most halo product, the Turbo S.

385bhp is good for me, thanks. But what does it drive like?

Brilliantly. Actually, the Carrera is the most 911, 911. The beauty of Stuttgart’s arse-engined icon is that it’s always been able to seamlessly bind the worlds of performance and usability. And a non-shouty spec Carrera personifies this. And this new engine has enhanced both the worlds of usability and performance. There are globs of low-down torque that work in collaboration with the new eight-speed PDK 'box (a manual is coming later this year) that makes cruising and city driving effortless. It’s comfortable too, but the ride is sometimes unsettled by lumpen surfaces that make it occasionally jarring, but that could be blamed on the larger wheels and iron brakes we had. Overall, you could eat miles in it and never stop smiling through the power of being purely content.

It's the little things. Take the seats, the beauty of the 911 is that it still has a proper seating position where you can submerge yourself into the seat and then electronically wind yourself down into the chassis so your nose is level with the dashboard and your balloon knot is skimming the tarmac. This adds to the experience when you want to drive with a bit more verve as you feel connected to the car, even though the direct electric steering limits your feedback. But that engine takes on another life when you clog it. In the mid-range it feels properly quick. Like, the definition of how fast modern sports cars should be and that’s it. It’s useable and addictive. Largely because the gearbox now has eight cogs so you get to wind it out a lot more than you’d think and play with the first three gears. Plus it sounds great. Revving to a healthy 7,500rpm – which is punchy for a modern turbo engine – the flat-six goes from poppy hisses and sucks of forced induction to angry wails and motorsport edge. All in all, it sounds pretty beguiling.

Its flexibility is a triumph that doesn’t overpower the rear wheels to make it unusable. And even if Mother Nature and cold weather does its best to make that happen, there’s the new ‘Wet’ mode to give you confidence. But with that engine out back, there’s the trademark traction you’ve read acres of column inches about.

What’s it like on the inside?

Shock! Like the Carrera S – which is no bad thing. The 992 does all the car stuff you need (a biggish boot up front, the kid-carrying back seats, the practical upright cabin, the glassy view out) but now with an added veneer of glassy tech.

Behind the wheel is the dominating central rev-counter. That’s analogue (thank the lord) but it’s flanked by two sets of apparent dials that are actually screens, available to show a multitude of stats, facts and navs. But, day to day, they’re not that useable. The ones on the extremities are hidden by the wheel rim. And the one that’s the speedo is pretty much useless, so you just rely on the readout on the rev counter, which is no bad thing. But it looks great.

There are some niggles though, the supremely well-engineered pop-out cup holders of old have gone, as have the hinged door pockets, and some of the plastics below the belt are a bit cheap. But the overall fit and finish is incredibly luxurious and when compared to an Aston Martin Vantage looks like it’ll stand up to the test of time a lot better.

Should I get one over a Carrera S then?

If you can forget the stigma associated with having the ‘cheapest 911’ (which at £82k is far from cheap) you can make your money go a lot further thanks to the Carrera and have a near-identical experience. Remember, you can unlock more performance cheaply and use the money you’ve saved on bits from the Carrera S. But 911s are meant to be understated assassins of the sports car world, and the boggo car plays this role perfectly. Leave the shouty colour schemes and specs for the GT cars, and be happy you’ve got one of the best all-rounders on the planet.

# data.attributes.field_standfirst
Do you lose more than a letter 'S' when you go for the boggo Carrera? We find out