I will admit I didn’t expect to be very impressed with the new Porsche 911 Turbo S. Especially because the Taycan Turbo S every previous Porsche experience I’ve had terribly put into perspective. Suddenly it sounds a bit exaggerated to let a lot of noise come out of an exhaust to blast forward. That is not necessary at all, the Taycan proves.
Of 911 Turbo S that we drove was on paper the exact opposite of the Taycan. Instead of understated, civilized, dark blue and spacious inside, we got a bright yellow sports car with air scoops everywhere and a gigantic spoiler that can be opened and closed. The exhaust already makes a serious noise as standard. But press the button for sports exhaust and the storm really starts.
Performance
In terms of performance, they are terribly close to each other. The Taycan Turbo S goes to 100 km / h in 2.8 seconds thanks to 761 hp. The 911 Turbo S does that in 1/10 of a second faster with 650 hp. The first part is faster on the Taycan, once the petrol engine of the 911 is up to speed, it runs faster again.
The car we drove costs more than 310,000 euros. Not long ago, that was money you paid for a hyper-exclusive car from a brand that assembled cars by hand. Now you don’t see a 911 Turbo S on every street corner, but it is certainly not a car that only people from the oil states drive.
Frustration
My biggest criticism of the 911 for years has been that it’s actually too good. There is no way you can completely wring out the potential of this car on public roads. That often results in frustration for me. Every now and then you try out the launch control, sometimes you pull a little too hard when overtaking, but then I quickly remember how attached I am to my driving license and take my foot off the pedal.
I don’t find the dance between what is allowed and what is possible particularly attractive. Certainly not since you can already lose your driving license at 20% of the capacity of the car. This thing wants to go faster so impossibly easily that it wakes up every driver’s inner maniac.
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Fun in the turns
But those who know how to hold back a little can still enjoy this car. On the road from Winsum to Garnwerd I do not have to brake for a bend, but I corner at 60 kilometers per hour an almost right-angled bend. If those corners alternate quickly enough, you can still have a lot of fun with this car without losing your driver’s license. The smaller brother (the 718 Boxster and Cayman) are actually more fun to drive, but this 911 has that iconic shape that makes it so attractive.
The interior of the 911, like that of all other Porsches, is phenomenal. Beautifully finished, with a beautiful own infotainment system. Only the vertical navigation bar on which you have to scroll is a miss in my opinion.
But the biggest annoyance comes from the voice control. He doesn’t understand my heavy Groningen accent. When I say “Navigate to the Gast, Zuidhorn”, he sends me casually to Giethoorn. Not just once, but with several attempts. You don’t want that kind of digital annoyance with a car that is so mechanically brilliant.
Too good for the public road
The Porsche 911 Turbo S is a brilliant car. Actually too good for the public road. That is why, for most owners, it will be a car that breathes and radiates potential, more than having to show it on a daily basis. Just like most people with a Range Rover never go into the mud, no matter how capable that car is.
The 911 Turbo S thus has a completely different look than the equally fast Taycan Turbo S. Both radiate excessive performance, but where the 911 does so with a nod to the past, the Taycan does so with a clear view of the future. It just depends on what makes you feel better.
Rutger Middendorp tests cars for Bright. Follow the updates.
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