First Impression: Porsche 991 Carrera/Carrera S

The Porsche 911 has been around since 1963 and the 911 principle design has yet to change. The 911 is known for having the engine mounted in the rear, behind the rear wheels. In 2011, Porsche started producing the seventh generation of the 911, called internally by Porsche as the Porsche 991. Porsche debuted the 991 at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 15, 2011.

I first saw the Porsche 991 at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. The design is similar to the other versions of the Porsche 911, only more refined. There has a been a slow evolution in the design of the 911. The 991 version has a more refined styling. It is about 4 inches longer and 100 lbs. lighter than the Porsche 997 generation. The 991 also has wider front air intakes with flaps that open and close to manage air flow and drivetrain cooling. The 991 is better looking than the previous 996 and 997 generations of the 911, but the GT2, GT3, and GT3 RS versions of the 996 and 997 have more aggressive styling than the 991.The 991 Carrera and 991 Carrera S look identical, but they have different engines.

The 991 Carrera is powered by a 3.4L H6 engine that produces 345 hp and 288 lb-ft of torque It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 180 mph. Prices for the 991 Carrera start at $82,100. The 991 Carrera S is powered by a 3.8L H6 engine that produces 400 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 187 mph. Prices or the Carrera S start at $96,400. Both versions are available with either a seven-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed PDK transmission. The new Porsche 991 is expensive for what it is. The Carrera has been the entry level version of the 911 for several generations. The $82,100 for the basic 911 is a bit much. For around the price of the 991, you can get a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ($75,600). The Z06 goes from 0 to 60 mph in under 4.0 seconds.

The 991 has been featured on Two and a Half Men, Auto Esporte, and Fith Gear. The 991 is playable in Sports Car Challenge, Need For Speed: The Run, and Need For Speed: World.

Final Thoughts: The 991 is the most refined version of the Porsche 911. More versions of the 991 will be coming out at much later dates. I am very interested in seeing how the Turbo, Turbo S, GT3, GT3 RS, GT2, and GT2 RS versions of the 991. Still, $82,100 for a car that does not top 190 mph is kind of high. The Carrera is the entry level for the 911. The 997 Carrera is just as fast as the 991 Carrera, yet the 997 Carrera started at a price of $77,800. While the 991 is more refined than the 997, the 991 Carrera is not worth $4,300 more than the 997 Carrera. The 991 Carrera and Carrera S are good cars, but are a bit pricey for what they are.


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