Porsche Carrerra 911

There are some fine cars which roll out of the small German town of Stuttgart and at the epitome of those amazing machines is a brand called Porsche. The name Porsche has been instilling immense excitement in the minds of car enthusiasts all across the globe for nearly 85 years. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to drive one of the finest sports car that this century has seen, the 911 Carrera. My tester came as a convertible, in a color called Agate Grey Metallic (Would have preferred a more cheerful color though) and with the PDK transmission, which is Porsches version of dual clutch transmission. This is one of the best transmissions that mankind has ever produced and the speed at which it shifts is absolutely mind boggling. The other options that I had were the sports chrono package, the navigation system and the $2100 Bose premium sound system.

So without getting distracted with the bells and whistles this car comes with, let’s just discuss how it drives and let me get the shortcomings out first because there aren’t too many. I felt that there was a lack of low speed torque which was rather shocking for a Porsche. The steering is perfectly weighted with plenty of feedback, though it could use a better feel. An alcantera flat bottomed steering wheel can do wonders to the overall feel of the car. The seating position is good with plenty of side bolstering though after a couple of hours of driving, I did feel a slight strain in my lower back. It must be because I’m getting old and I just don’t believe that it’s the car. But then I think, I’m only 31 and want to just ignore anything negative with this car. The ride quality is firm but not jittery. It’s the way a sports car should ride and I just loved it. The exhaust note on this car is simply intoxicating and all I wanted to do was the put the top down and listen to that amazing straight six engine located just a few feet behind me. One can enhance the acoustics from the exhaust by opting for the sports exhaust which I highly recommend.

My initial impressions were that it’s a good sports car, but it could have better. I have no shame in accepting the fact that I was a little silly to think that way. The moment I took it to a winding road, I realized why the world has labelled this as one of the best sports cars of all times. It’s as if the car was an extension of me and it gave me a feeling of complete control, even though I was driving like a maniac. I wouldn’t have pulled off those driving maneuverers in any other car. The 911 makes an average driver look like a complete hero. The car is perfectly balanced with loads of grip on turns. The 350 HP from that straight six, even though doesn’t seem like a whole lot in today’s world and age, is just perfect for most real world driving. You might want to graduate to 911 Carrera S if you need more power, but in my world, 350 HP is plenty. The way it drives will make you forget that it comes with a pretty ordinary interior. It will possess you and all you’ll want to do is to look for excuses to drive it. Your boring commute will convert into a race track & you’ll find alternate routes which are longer and twister. Regular trips to the grocery store will become a joy and hey there is plenty of space to fit those grocery bags.

As far as competition is concerned, I would pit the 911 against the Alpha Romeo 4C and the lotus Evora as all of these a small rear engine mounted cars. I must confess that I haven’t driver the 4C or the Evora yet and my impressions on these two cars are solely based on what I have read about them. The 4C is lower on power but is hundreds of pounds lighter than the 911, thus having a decent power to weight ratio and similar therefore achieving a similar acceleration. I have never been a fan of Lotus and I’l any day pick the 911 over the Lotus for its sheer refinement and driving dynamics.

With a base price of $96,200 for the cabriolet and $84,000 for the non-convertible model this is not a cheap car. With some options and taxes this will easily breach the $100 grand mark. I would say that at that price, this is a bargain and you should sell your kids and kidneys if you have to, to call one of these your own. Cars in my world are good, brilliant, extraordinary and then there is the Porsche Carrera 911!!!!