Since its debut in 1963, the Porsche 911 has been the benchmark of performance and desirability. While its DNA has evolved over the years, the sports car’s soap-bar shape has helped it remain instantly recognizable throughout the past five decades. The classic and iconic shape has truly come to define Porsche.
The all-new 2012 Porsche 911 is no exception. Although the exterior of the car only appears to have changed ever so slightly—as with a scalpel and tweezers—the car is completely new. Aside from Porsche’s PDK transmission and a few interior components like the steering wheel, the new 911 is not just a model refresh, it’s a game changer. It’s bigger inside and out, as Porsche added four inches to its wheelbase and two inches to its width. It’s more powerful, with the Carrera boasting a 3.4-liter, 350 hp 6-cylinder engine and the Carrera S model having a 3.8-liter, 400 hp 6-cylinder. Most important, it’s faster, as the base model now hits 60 mph in a mere 4.5 seconds.
Oddly enough, Porsche is also positioning this new 911 as an “everyday” vehicle. In years past there has never been anything everyday about the 911 model line, which is part of what has made it special and elite—a brand to aspire to as a car enthusiast. Or, for that matter, a brand which other automakers aspire to or attempt to surpass. At the end of the day, the 911 will always remain a true performance icon—one that can be desired by all, but owned only by those able to pay the $82,100 entry fee for the base model. (www.porsche.com/usa)
