Porsche 911

911 T

2000: Porsche 911 Turbo (996) with 3.6 litre turbo-charged flat-6 (309kW, 420bhp, 6000rpm; 550Nm 2700rpm), and either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed Tiptronic gearbox
- 4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html

A viscous coupling transmits drive to the front wheels, making this a four wheel drive, and taming the rather unforgiving Porsche handling. Between 5% and 40% of the power is diverted to the front wheels.

This one is a left hand drive model.

(Porsche happens to be working on a new sports utility vehicle (SUV 4x4) in cooperation with VW. The SUV will be built in a new plant at Leipzig, in the old East Germany. The new SUV should be launched in 2002.)

Styling is quite subdued with modest wheel arch bulges and a not too aggressive rear wing. Only the wing, the super low-profile tyres (225/40 and 295/30) and the enlarged air intakes for bigger radiators hint that this is a rather quick car.

• 911 (996) T, coupe, 2+2-seats, 2-doors, front and side airbags for front seats, ABS brakes, stability management control
• loa: 4435mm, width: 1830mm, height: 1295mm
• wheelbase: 2350mm (92.5"), track: 1465mm/1522mm
• weight: 1540kg (1585kg Tiptronic) (unladen), GVM: 1885kg (1930kg Tiptronic)
• 3600cc (water-cooled), petrol (98 RON), flat 6-cyls, smpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc, dry-sump, twin turbo-chargers (boost limit 1.65 to 1.85 bar), intercooled
• bore: 100mm, stroke: 76.4mm, c.r.: 9.4:1
• power: 309kW at 5700rpm, torque: 560Nm at 2700rpm-4600rpm
• transmission: 6-spd manual (3.82:1, 2.05:1, 1.41:1, 1.12:1, 0.92:1, 0.75:1, rev 2.86:1) or 5-spd Tiptronic (3.59:1, 2.19:1, 1.41:1, 1.0:1, 0.83:1, rev 1.93:1), 4WD with viscous coupling drive to front axle, diff' ratio 3.44:1 (Tiptronic 2.89:1)
• suspension: McPherson strut / multi-link, brakes: disc/disc ABS
• tyres: 225/40 on 8Jx18 / 295/30R18 on 11Jx18, fuel-tank: 64L
• price: $298,800 manual, +$8K automatic ($au, Dec --> 2000)
• Rivals: Lamborghini Diablo.

911 GT3 and Carrera

The non-turbo-charged Porsche 911's comprise the GT3 with a strong hint at a motor-sport orientation, and the Carrera available in (closed) coupe and (open) cabriolet forms with rear wheel drive and four wheel drive. The standard GT3 comes with leather covered seats and other luxury items but the Clubsport version is fitted with a roll-cage ready for motor-sport with minimum modification.

In the GT3, the 3600cc flat-6 engine produces 265kW at 7200rpm and 370Nm at 5000rpm. Brakes are "monobloc fixed calipers" with 330mm (13") diameter discs, as on the 911 T. In the four Carrera models, engine capacity is 3387cc delivering 221kW at 6800rpm and 350Nm at 4600rpm.

Driver and front passenger are protected by front and side airbags. Carrera Cabriolets also have spring-loaded roll-bars which deploy if sensors detect that a roll-over is imminent. The four wheel drive 911's have "Porsche Stability Management" (PSM), P's brand of electronic traction and braking control.

	Coupe (closed)	Cabriolet (open)
911 Carrera	$184,200m, $192,200t	$199,900m, $207,900t
911 Carrera 4	$205,000m, $213,000t	$222,600m, $230,600t
$...m - manual, $...t - Tiptronic, $au 3/2000

Go to the main Porsche and 911 history pages