Porsche 911 review - is the 992 still the ultimate everyday performance car?

There’s nothing quite like a Porsche 911 – and for many, that’s part of the evergreen sports car’s appeal. The latest 992-generation 911 is familiar in many respects and differs from its predecessors in others, but get the 992 on a twisting road or a race track and there’s no doubting its provenance.

While larger and heavier than the 991 it replaces, the latest 911 is also more advanced. The architecture is more aluminium-intensive, it sports a wider track, and the carried-over turbocharged engines have been fettled for even more power and torque.

And while the exterior styling is a gentle evolution of the previous car’s – bulkier in some areas, but sleeker in others – the cabin has undergone a more comprehensive transformation, and the result is a car that’s as much a grand tourer as it is a thoroughbred sports car.

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Dynamically, the new 911 is excellent in most areas, though continuing a tradition started with the 991, it’s not quite perfect. That extra mass can be felt at times, while so refined and polished is the 911 now that you need to work harder than ever to uncover the steering feel, rear-engined balance and response of its predecessors. Still, as a sports car that you can use every day, few do it better.

Porsche 911 in detail

• Engine, gearbox and technical details – Engine range comprises a pair of turbocharged 3-litre flat-sixes, with just the one gearbox, an eight-speed PDK, for now. Structure is aluminium-intensive.
• Performance and 0-60 time – 911s are properly quick these days: four seconds to 62mph for the regular Carrera. Keep an eye on that licence, and keep away from the sports exhaust option.
• Ride and handling – Still feels like a proper 911, but only delivers those familiar sensations when you’re driving quite quickly. GT vibes are welcome though; it’s the most mature 911 yet.
• MPG and running costs – Expect MPG in the low 30s on a cruise, and a tank range of 350-400 miles.
• Interior and tech – Comfortable, classy and just the right amount of technology, the new 911’s cabin takes quite a step on from the 991.
• Design – Can look bulky from some angles, but overall the new 911 perfectly pairs the model’s classic proportions with some slick surfacing and modern details.

Prices, specs and rivals

911s have been around so long you could use them to measure inflation, and a starting price of £82,793 probably looks quite good value once you’ve traced entry-level 911 prices through the ages. The skill is in any customer who can drive out of their local Porsche dealership having paid no more, as Stuttgart’s options list is vast, and adding five figures to that number is easily done.

The Carrera 4 coupe starts a little above this, at £88,101, and the Cabriolet at £92,438. Just a little more – £93,110 – is where the Carrera S price lists begin, with the 4S at £98,418 and the S Cabriolet breaking the hundred grand barrier at £102,755.

For some context on options pricing, the last Carrera S we drove came in at £109,187, including £1844 of sports exhaust, £1646 for Sport Chrono, £2054 for Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus LED headlights and £1599 for 14-way electric sports seats, among many other options. The beauty, of course, is that you can really make a 911 your own. That’s before you even start adding Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur options such as, for amusement’s sake, leather air vent fins...

Even a standard Carrera is not light on equipment, with features such as four-way adjustable sports seats, LED headlights, climate control, keyless go and cruise control as standard, as well as leather seats and that large 10.9-inch central display.

Finding a true rival for the 911 is difficult. If it hadn’t escaped your attention, there are no other rear-engined 2+2 sports cars on the market, and very few in fact that are 2+2 full stop. In a recent test we compared the Carrera S against four other cars – the Aston Martin Vantage, Lotus Evora 410, Audi R8 and McLaren 570GT – but one of the greatest takeaways from that was the impressive variety at this level in the market. That, and as a vehicle to live with every day, the 911 is still very difficult to beat, even if others are faster or more exciting.