We approach the 2011 911 Turbo S with hesitation. Is it angry with us? It appears to be. Its styling is so aggressive that even standing still it seems ready to bite. We’re wrong though. It’s not anger; it’s rage, rage against the gravity holding it fast to the pavement. This Porsche wants to fly. Open the door, ensconce yourself into the sport seats, turn the key, find a clear runway, press the gas and that rage is unleashed. All 530 horses of it!!!
Let’s be serious for a minute. No one, outside of a Porsche factory driver, NEEDS 530 HP in a road going Porsche, you’ll just WANT it. The simple fact is, here in the U.S., there’s no place to use even a fraction of that power. Should you feel bold and push hard on the gas pedal you’re more apt to end up in jail vs. regaling your friend with your daring exploits. The Turbo S is so damn fast you’ll be above ticket speed (zero to sixty in 3.1 according to Porsche, but it feels quicker) and at “don’t I get a phone call?” speed before you can spell PDK.
Hit the gas and there’s just the tiniest hint of lag before the turbos kick in. Once they do, it’s a game of chicken between you and the space-time continuum. Stay on the gas and the acceleration isn’t just linear, it’s exponential. Imagine being strapped to the front of a rocket with a nitrous button. Once you think it’s simply not possible to go faster, PDK grabs another gear and you’re pushed closer and closer to a top speed of 195 mph.
As for the PDK, the Turbo S comes standard with proper paddle shifters, not the much-maligned backward buttons of Gen 1 PDK. Ironically, you don’t need them. While they are fun to play with in sport mode and sports plus, you’ll go slower by using them. The fact is, unless you have the reflexes and experience of Patrick Long, the PDK will shift faster than you can each and every time. Not only is it faster, it’s more precise.
Inevitably you’ll want to play with the shifters. The problem is it takes your attention away from the road. At the speeds this Porsche is capable of, that’s not a good thing.
The Turbo S is so good it makes bad drivers good and good drivers dangerous
When you do get going fast in the 911 Turbo S (and you will) you might just find a little religion. I know we did. At some point I found myself thanking God for Porsche’s Ceramic Composite Brakes. More to the point, I was thanking him for giving Porsche’s engineers the good sense to make PCCB standard on each and every 911 Turbo S (along with Sport Chrono, Dynamic Engine Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring). As a result, you dive deeper and deeper into corners. However, if you’re not careful it’s quite easy to end up way over your head and in need of rescue. Fortunately, PSM (otherwise known as Please Save Me), acts as an ever-present lifeguard for those that understand 530HP not only deserves respect, it demands it.
Our Conclusion
After re-reading this post it might seem like we’re trying to warn you off this Porsche. We are, but not because we don’t like it. As a Porsche fan we think it’s imperative you find a way to buy one of these Turbos. If you can’t afford one, beg, borrow and steal for a chance to drive one. But here’s the rub and our warning: Drive the 2011 911 Turbo S and be prepared to forsake all others (purist or not). After a just a few short minutes in this 530 horse monster all other cars (Porsches or otherwise) will feel like they are straining uphill through a morass of cold molasses.
Context free notes scribbled down in between drooling and waiting for our heart rate to return to normal. They didn’t make there way into our condensed review, but you get the idea
“You mean to tell me they just gave you this car??” – quote from a very jealous friend.
Drive the 2011 911 Turbo S at your own risk. And we mean that in every sense of the word.
You don’t need the power of a 2011 911 Turbo S, but you sure will want it.
“Slow the F#@k down!!” – heard from the passenger seat somewhere on 95 North in central Maine.
“Respect for 530 HP is healthy – and helps keep you that way.” – Quote from a good friend at PCNA
Think you can’t feel the difference an extra 30 HP makes, think again.
“Do you think you can break Launch-Control?”
If this is 530 HP, what in the hell must the GT2 RS feel like?????? Holy S#%t, it’s only rear wheel drive too…
Wow, this thing actually gets better mileage than our Cayenne
Along with the introduction of the new 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S, Porsche has released a series of videos (four to be exact) that showcase what they are calling the Athleticism (performance capabilities), Personality (exterior and interior features), Responsibility (safety equipment) and History of the Turbo S model. We showed you the film on the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S performance capabilities in yesterday’s post. Today, for your viewing pleasure is a brief but informative look at the history of the 911 Turbo S.
1993 – Porsche 911 Turbo S (Type 964)
It was 1993 when the Porsche engineers first decided to give the 911 Turbo something more. The 911 Turbo S was launched on the market in a limited special edition of 86 units. The power of the 3.3-liter flat engine was increased to 381 hp. Even back then the developers’ focus was on efficiency. The vehicle was significantly reduce compared to the 911 Turbo.
1997 – Porsche 911 Turbo S (type 993)
The engineers’ drive to get something more out of the 911 Turbo was re-awoken in 1997. The drive to contrast the top model 911 Turbo with an even more powerful counterpart. The last air-cooled 911 Turbo thus became the 450 hp 911 Turbo S thanks to an optimized engine management system. The increased pwoer was also taken into consideration visually. Carbon elements in the interior and optimized aerodynamic vehicle parts outside fave the 911 Turbo S an unmistakable appearance.
2004 – Porsche 911 Turbo S (type 996)
As a new Turbo model took to the stage in 2004 with the 996, a new 911 Turbo S was also presented. The power of the Coupe and Cabriolet was increased to 450 hp by optimizing the charge air coolers and engine electronics. The special role of the S model was taken into consideration not only through the increased power, but also better equipment.
Porsche, at times, presents impressive amounts of information when sending out press releases. The announcement introducing the 2011 530-HP PORSCHE 911 Turbo S is no different. For those of you who want to read all the technical details for yourself, feel free to jump past the video below (I added lots of pictures as well. If you’re viewing via email you may have to click through to the site to see the viewer). If, however, you’re more like me and would prefer to watch and listen then feast your eyes and ears on the video footage below. The 2011 911 Turbo S Coupe and Cabriolet will be available in May, 2010 with a MSRP of $159,100 and $170,200 respectively.
February 8, 2010 — The engineers at Porsche AG have developed a new top-of-the-range sports car for customers who will only settle for the very best in terms of power, performance, technology and driving dynamics: the new 911 Turbo S. Befitting its position at the top of the 911 range, the new model not only is more powerful and even more dynamic, but it also comes as standard with a number of high-tech components that are only available as options on the “regular” 911 Turbo.
The heart of the new Turbo S is a six-cylinder boxer engine boosted by two exhaust gas turbochargers with variable turbine geometry. With higher boost pressure than the 911 Turbo, power increases by 30 to 530 bhp, while maximum torque is increased to 516 lb-ft. Despite its significant increase in power, the new Turbo S, at 11.4 litres/ 100 kilometres on the European cycle, does not consume any more fuel than the regular 911 Turbo, making it by far the most efficient sports car in its performance class.
The 911 Turbo S comes exclusively with seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox, which conveys its power to all four wheels via Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive. Further enhancing driving performance and safety are standard Dynamic Engine Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), including a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle.
Using launch control from the standard Sport Chrono Package Turbo, the 911 Turbo S accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in just 10.8 seconds; top track speed is 315 km/h. Light and fade-resistant Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) provide outstanding stopping power and control.
The 911 Turbo S features a supreme level of standard equipment. Dynamic cornering lights, 19-inch RS Spyder wheels with race-inspired centre locks, a three-spoke sport steering wheel with paddles, adaptive sports seats and a CD/DVD changer are standard. Among the interior trim choices are two exclusive combinations – Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue.
Porsche Cars North America announced today that the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo will arrive at its U.S. dealers this week and go on sale on January 30. This is only three months after the debut of the highly acclaimed Panamera, Porsche’s first Gran Turismo and sports car for four.
Porsche traditionally has emphasized efficiency, but the new flagship 911 gives a new meaning to its high-performance label. While its acceleration, braking and handling capabilities make it a true super sports car, it goes about its business with a thriftiness that is equally remarkable and by no means the norm in its class. With 20 more horsepower, and a 13 percent increase in fuel economy, the new 911 Turbo is indeed more powerful and more efficient (see the video below for more).
“We are very excited to welcome the all-new 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo into the family,” said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “More than ever, this supercar is a technological tour de force, and the seemingly unanimous accolades from the media support what we already believe; this is the best 911 Turbo ever.”
The 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo features the first entirely new engine in its storied 35-year history. The new flat-six boxer engine now delivers 500 horsepower, 20 more than the previous power plant. Maximum torque is up by 15 to 516 lb. ft. when equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package Turbo.
All of this means that the new 911 Turbo can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds when combined with the new, highly acclaimed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Top track speed is 194 mph for both the Coupe and the Cabriolet models and its EPA estimates are a best-in-class 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway for the new Coupe when equipped with the PDK transmission.
“The Porsche 911 Turbo has always represented the pinnacle of the 911 model line since it was first introduced in 1974,” said von Platen. “Now, 35 years later, the Turbo is still considered the standard when looking for the perfect combination of supercar performance with everyday drivability.”
The 2010 Turbo Coupe and Turbo Cabriolet prices are $132,800 and $143,800, respectively.
By now, most of you are aware that the recently unveiled Porsche 2010 Turbo not only received a much anticipated facelift, but is also available with their optional double clutch gearbox (PDK). Porsche, however, has a habit of announcing new cars and products that focus on a certain subject while hiding sliding other important information into the body of the press release (as an example, they released pictures of the Panamera’s interior shots and in that release had the much awaited pricing information). The announcement about the 2010 Porsche Turbo with PDK was no different. Yes, it’s fantastic news that the Turbo will now have PDK as an option (and as a result Sports Chrono and Launch Control). What’s of even more interest to me is the following:
Models equipped with PDK are also available with a new, optional three-spoke steering wheel with gearshift paddles as an alternative to the standard steering wheel with its proven shift buttons. Fitted firmly on the steering wheel, the right paddle is for shifting up, the left paddle for shifting down.
That’s right, paddle shifters. It seems like Porsche has been listening to its customers and product reviewers. While I really enjoy the PDK and am amazed at how well it works, the standard PDK steering wheel buttons just aren’t intuitive and with my large hands I’m repeatedly making unintended shifts.
While I’m sure this new option will makes its way down the food chain to the rest of the 911 family, you never can tell. At this point, I can’t wait for the opportunity to try these new shifters both on and off the track. For now, I’ll have to be content with an edited version of Porsche’s promotional video.
While a proven racing provenance will usually help to lift a car’s value, can the same be said for celebrity ownership? Case in point, Jerry Seinfeld’s ’97 Porsche 911 Turbo S; currently listed for sale at TruSpeed Motorcars, in Costa Mesa CA, for $225,000. That’s a pretty pricey premium for a model that would otherwise sell in the $135k to $150k range.
Is the price justified?
Scott McCloud (sales manager at TruSpeed) doesn’t think that previous celebrity ownership should play a big role in the pricing and sale of the car. In fact, he believes the car’s other, more unique features are what set it apart from the very few Porsche Turbo S’s on the market.
1997 Porsche Turbo S Features
1st Turbo S built and imported to the US
The only one produced in Turquoise Blue (the color is slowly growing on me)
Factory cell phone with special console
Low miles (only 8,000)
The first of only 175 built in 1997 and one of only 345 total between ’97 and ‘98 (production numbers vary by a few cars depending on source. My numbers are courtesy of (Adrian Streather’s “Porsche 993 The Essential Companion”)
As it happens, past sales may prove that celebrity ownership can provide a premium. One of Seinfeld’s beloved 356’s sold at a Barrett Jackson auction in 1997 for $82,950 or, almost twice the then going market price. The new owner didn’t mind the additional expense as they too thought the celebrity provenance would help to increase attendance at the museum where the car would be shown. See the full article here.
On-line rumor mill
There has been a lot of discussion regarding this car on various web forums – such as Rennlist and 6Speedonline. I have read significant speculation on provenance, pricing, and length of time it has been for sale (in fact, some think it has been for sale continuously for the past two years). In order to put some of this to rest, I decided to make a few phone calls and find out directly for myself. Here’s what I learned:
The car was originally ordered for Jerry Seinfeld through Circle Porsche of Long Beach California
Seinfeld had the car as part of his collection until sometime in late 2005 early 2006
It was then offered for sale by Seinfeld’s fleet manager (Sam Cabiglio) through Richard Sloan of Sloan Cars in CT (Richard has sold other Seinfeld cars in the past)
Richard sold the car to a private collector
The car then returned to Sloan (via the unnamed private collector) and was subsequently sold to TruSpeed about six (6) months ago
The car is fully documented as to provenance, ownership and service history
Bottom line, this is a unique car and unique cars require unique buyers. As the first in a production series, along with the only one of its kind color, low miles, and factory options this will make a very nice addition to someone’s collection. My only hope, as a true Porsche enthusiast, is that it gets driven and enjoyed the way a car of this caliber should be. Please click on any of the additional thumbnails below for full-size images.
First and last air-cooled Porsches
As an interesting factoid, among the other Porsches owned by Seinfeld are the first air-cooled 911 and the last air-cooled 911 (both pictured here).
Quick update: As you can see from the comments below, the information I was given may not have been 100% accurate. Check out this post for the most up to date information on Seinfeld’s 993 Turbo S.
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