Toro Turbo. Driving. By Felix Krohmer. Photos by Uli Heckmann. Lightning start: The Turbo displays its self-confidence, even on a strange track

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1 Page 16 Page 17 Toro Turbo Driving Never has it been so powerful. On the prowl, searching for a place to run the new 911 Turbo, Porsche found it in Andalusia: in the town of Benalup, near Jerez, the international media gained an impression of the healthy self-confidence of the Toro Turbo. By Felix Krohmer Photos by Uli Heckmann Lightning start: The Turbo displays its self-confidence, even on a strange track

2 Page 18 Page 19 Inspiration: The enchantment of a beautiful rear If automobiles carry self-esteem, this sports car must know it s something special. It s not arrogance that flashes from its lights. What the newest member of the Turbo dynasty from Zuffenhausen is showing to the world is some very healthy self-confidence. It looks good in slate-gray metallic, which makes the curves behind the large air intakes stand out in the morning sunlight. And the brake discs seem to enjoy the freshness of these early hours, before they go on the job. The new 911 Turbo flaunts its body right to its wing tips. The cobblestones tickle the tires awake. The children of the little village of Benalup, fifty kilometers (30 miles) south of Jerez de la Frontera, are on their way to school, and they wave at us. Es el nuevo Porsche Turbo? Sí. The little boy repeats it, beaming: Tuurrrbo! Once we pass the sign marking the village boundary, the Turbo returns that greeting in kind the higher engine speed makes the difference. The output precisely follows the movement of the right foot. Should we drive to the sea? Who cares whether there s a sea or not? Or how about the picturesque downs of the Los Alcornocales national park? What we re after is the nature of the Turbo. We long for country roads, arrow-like straightaways, and challenging curves. Or, in other words, asphalt in its most beautiful form. And there it is, right ahead: a long, left curve at the end of a straightaway, with good visibility. In the mind, a A

3 Page 20 Page 21 Porsche Arena, Andalusian style: One hp (plus picador) meets 480 hp

4 Page 22 rocket launch countdown starts culminating not in lift-off but in a full braking. The Turbo stays in the orbit the driver has given it. And even in the rpm range of around 2000, its power is ready to go, to be distributed optimally between the axles and to squeeze the 911 Turbo into curves so tight that they tempt other cars off the straight and narrow. Pit stop in a finca del toro in Jerez de la Frontera. The proud picador on his steed is named Manuel Carrera. No lie. Built like a wild bull, the 911 Turbo stands on its turf, a match for any matador in the world. This real-life picture is stronger than any cliché like if it s too strong, you re too weak. That evening at the hotel, a day trip passes through your mind. A cameraman complains, How can I visualize this torque, how your eyeballs are pressed into their sockets when it accelerates? The sound technician is raving about an almost violent sound, and the engine editors are talking shop about the new variable turbine geometry, the performance boost to 480 hp, and the effect of Porsche Traction Management, which provides optimum power distribution to the front and rear axles through an electromagnetically controlled multiple-disc clutch. They re raving about the special overboost feature, which generates another 60 Nm (44 lb.-ft.) of torque; again and again, a number crops up: three-point-seven. That s the number of seconds this Turbo with Tiptronic needs to get from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph). The next morning, Porsche representative Walter Röhrl shows what he means by a Sunday drive: 2200 meters (7200 ft.) of country road, with slight dips, fast curves, and a nice straightaway A Pure envy: In real life, power packs rarely come in such nice packaging

5 Page 24 to warm up. It takes fifty-seven seconds up and fifty-six back enough to clear up one very subjective issue: it seems you can do just about everything behind this wheel, but the Turbo can apparently do everything right. This is hardly a frustrating thought knowing you ve always got a backup. Even the development engineers, project manager Dr. Erhard Mössle, chassis chief Ulrich Morbitzer, and Andreas Sterner, who runs engine development for whom all this should be routine by now still can t get enough of their baby. Sterner describes the experience: First, relaxed coasting along, then suddenly, a power surge like a hurricane. That s the kind of mix I like. And Mössle adds, with a glance at Röhrl and the car: The total Turbo package is what provides the edge. Performance, security, driving fun, and everyday driving merge together. In a word: uncompromising. It isn t a feeling. It s a fact. B If automobiles carry self-esteem, this sports car must know it s something special. It s not arrogance flashing from its lights it s very healthy self-confidence that the newest member of the Turbo dynasty is showing the world.