German Car Zone

Bruce · 11-14-2006, 06:07 PM

"AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 3:09 pm et
AT A GLANCE:
2007 PORSCHE 911 TURBO

MORRISON: Welcome to Dimension X, where even your 80-year-old grandmother can drive a 480-hp 911 Turbo as easily (I didn’t say as well) as an experienced driver of across-the-board exotica.

Manufacturers are obviously no longer going to dump street-legal race cars on people whose only real ownership qualification is their ability to write a big check. Fine, but this new Turbo leaves me feeling perplexed, if not downright cheated.

Want to make a sub-four-second 0-to-60 run? Left foot on the brake, hold the throttle, wait for the revs to stall at 2400 rpm, release the brake: zero wheel spin, no tail wiggle, nothing. Just the turbos’ whine resonating above the engine note as the car fires toward the horizon. I recorded 3.78 seconds, and on a day hot enough to melt Teflon. Easy enough for a monkey, let alone grandma.

This Tiptronic-equipped car is allegedly faster than one with the six-speed manual. But it puts such a hit on the overall experience that it’s far from worth it. Besides the involvement that comes with clutching and shifting yourself, this transmission’s downshifts are abysmal. And the gearbox does weird things, such as holding fourth gear at a steady 60 mph on the highway, requiring you to manually select fifth when you aren’t racing anyone (or yourself) and want to save some fuel. Please, Porsche, introduce the double-clutch paddle-shifted gearbox now.

Still, this 911 blows your mind, thanks to the aforementioned ungodly acceleration and so much grip it feels like you could drive safely through an oil slick at 100-plus mph. It’s utterly useable no matter the task at hand and an absolute masterpiece in so many ways, but it is missing some of that old soul. Porsche owners used to take pride in learning and mastering their cars’ nuances; now I fear too many are most proud only of being able to afford the sticker price. But at least those types won’t hurt themselves.

GRITZINGER: We can only pray that Porsche gets a move on with its double-clutch manual because equipping this car with a Tiptronic is like a Ferrari with snow tires. Sure, you can do it, and it might allow people to drive it who otherwise wouldn’t, but where’s the appeal to the true enthusiast? Is nothing sacred anymore?

I believe Morrison and Porsche when they say this is faster than a stick, but it’s also less manageable, less directly controllable, and therefore less entertaining and capable overall for people who buy cars like this to enjoy the art of driving.

I found the car unpredictable to drive, with power unavailable under a reasonable foot, and unrestrainable under a heavy boot. It’s either on or off, with no easy and reasonable in-between point. I love this car but not this powertrain combo.

RAYNAL: Fear not, double-clutch lovers: Porsche’s is called PDK and will be on the Turbo “soon,” according to a deep throat at Porsche. That said, the automatic is faster than the manual, along with being easier to drive for an old cuss like me. Thus it’s an easy decision: I’d take this transmission.

The power above 2000 rpm is ungodly. Compared with our long-term 911, this car felt even more communicative and even more stable, thanks mostly to the all-wheel-drive system. So long as I kept the front wheels pointed in exactly the direction I wanted, the awd made even a clumsy ass like me look like I knew what I was doing.

Compared with the competition (Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, etc.), this baby is a bargain. This car deserves and commands admiration and respect. "

DATE IN FLEET: July 26-Aug. 8
AS-TESTED PRICE: $140,310
POWERTRAIN: 3.6-liter turbocharged H6; awd, five-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 480 hp @ 6000 rpm, 460 lb-ft @ 1950-5000 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 3572 lbs
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 20/17.4 mpg

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