2024 (24) Porsche 911 2dr PDK

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Porsche's 911 reached its eighth generation in '992'-series form and was bigger, faster, more luxurious and a tad more efficient. Just as you'd want. Most importantly, it was still the most usable super sports car of its kind. Yet somehow also still the most exciting - the most dialled-in 911 we'd seen to date. Only Porsche knows how. Were its enhancements delivered though, without dilution of the magical experience that's served this model line so well for so long? And which 911 will suit you best? Coupe or Cabriolet? Rear or four wheel drive. Business express. Or race refugee? Here's where we look at earlier 2019-2024-era versions of this 992 model from a used buyer's perspective and try to find out.

History

For more than half a century, there have been sportscars. And then there's been Porsche's 911. Today, you simply wouldn't design a high performance model of any kind like this, engine pitched right back, hung over the rear wheels. Which is exactly why, since it first appeared in 1963, there really has been nothing quite like this car. And probably never will be. Here we look at the 8th generation 992-series version. For this MK8 design, Porsche didn't need to fundamentally change the formula, for in its Cayman model, it already offered a more conventional performance coupe. But it did need to finesse it in the face of growing competition from increasingly desirable high performance alternatives from Jaguar, Mercedes, Maserati and Aston Martin. In short, it did need this rejuvenated 992-series 911, available as ever primarily in Coupe and Cabriolet forms, with most sales based on Carrera-series variants offering a choice of two or four-wheel drive derivatives. Despite what the exterior looks might suggest, this was a lot more than simply an evolved 991-series car. We'd already had that back in 2014, when that previous MK7 model got an update package and an all-turbo engine line-up. So yes, what we got with the 992 was pretty much completely new, though it didn't feel like the kind of completely fresh direction in 911 model development that had characterised some previous models - its 2012-era predecessor for instance or, say, the 996-series model of 1998. The mainstream engines were basically carried over from the revised version of the 991, albeit with more power. And the wheelbase length was the same as the car this one replaces too. To be fair though, not much else was replicated. The subtle exterior re-design clothed a body that was lighter and stiffer thanks to a doubling of its aluminium content. Plus there was a new 8-speed PDK auto gearbox, a higher-class cabin, re-designed suspension, even better brakes and (for the first time) different-sized wheels front-to-rear on mainstream models. Plus, buyers got a lot more technology, including a clever new 'Wet Mode' designed to adapt the drive dynamics to suit slippery conditions. As usual with 911 development, more variants were added to the 992 line-up as time went along; a Targa body style (only with 4WD) and the introduction of the Turbo and Turbo S in 2020; a mid-level GTS model, a sporting GT3 and an entry-level Carrera T in 2021. In 2022, there was a GT3 RS, the Sport Classic and the 911 Dakar; and in 2023 there was the 911 S/T to celebrate the 60th 911 anniversary. The second phase 992.2 models arrived for the 2025 model year, but it's the earlier 992 models that we focus on here.

What You Get

It's easy to assume the styling team for the 911 has the easiest job in the world. After all, essentially the same shape has been used ever since the car was originally launched back in 1963 and that continuity is a big part of its appeal. Actually, the 911 has changed hugely over the decades. This 992-series version was a huge 229mm longer than the Sixties original, while also being 20mm longer and 45mm wider at the front than its 991-series predecessor. You'd know the classic silhouette at a glance of course, but if you weren't a 911 brand loyalist, you might not necessarily notice the changes that designate this eighth generation model. For admirers of this car though, they'll be uber-significant. The door mirrors were re-designed and aerodynamically enhanced to reduce wind noise. The lower section of the nose became more horizontally-orientated, emphasising the 46mm of extra front track width that sharpened up the handling, but there was added a rather an expanse of black plastic across the larger intakes, which was arguably less elegant than before. The rear changes were the most controversial ones. The biggest difference actually wasn't the full-width lighting strip, which by 2019 it had become fashionable amongst the so-called experts to dislike. It actually lay in the fact that with this 992 design, it was no longer possible to have the old classic 'narrow' rear bodywork on rear-driven Carrera models, which some of the cognesenti thought was rather a pity. Arguably more important than any of this was what lay beneath the voluptuous panel work. It seems strange to remember that as recently as the 997-series model, just two generations before this 992, 911s were completely crafted from old fashioned galvanised steel. With the 992, apart from the front and rear aprons, the outer skin is entirely made of aluminium. With this 8th generation 911, the interior entered the digital age. Just as it did in the very first 911, the dashboard flows in an unbroken span across the entire width of the interior and feels luxurious, contemporary and extremely stylish. Through the grippy three-spoke wheel lay a defiantly analogue central rev counter, without which a Porsche simply wouldn't be a Porsche. But the two 7-inch read-outs that sat either side of it were actually configurable freeform displays. Just about everything else you needed to know was covered off by the generously-sized 10.9-inch flush-mounted 'Porsche Communication Management' touchscreen display in the centre of the dash. This monitor was of course also multi-configurable, its homescreen based around personalisable 'tiles' you can move about rather like files on a 'desktop' screen of a PC. We could go on and on about infotainment and connectivity here by talking about things like the added 'Track Precision' and 'Road Trip' Porsche apps; and the fact that this car could be permanently online thanks to its integrated LTE-compatible SIM card, which made possible features like 'Radio Plus', an online radio system that seamlessly cuts in if when listening to a station, you leave the range for terrestrial FM or DAB reception. But we won't do any of that because there's lots else of even greater importance to brief you on. The seats for example, which were completely revamped with lightweight construction. In this 992, they place you 5mm closer to terra firma than before and are even more supportive, with a wider base cushion and a backrest that's 20mm higher. With most rival super sportscars from this period - Audi's R8, Aston Martin's Vantage, the Mercedes-AMG GT and McLaren's 540C for instance - this is where we'd be finishing our discussion on the cabin, but the 911 has its reputation as the most practical model in its class to uphold. Hence with this 992 the continued inclusion of the two small rear seats that you had to do without in the brand's 718 Cayman and Boxster models. It's predictably very cramped when you're sat in them, but you'd put up with it in preference to a rainy walk back from the pub - and two small children would be fine over relatively short distances. Porsche redesigned these rear pews with a wider seat cushion and a backrest that's 20mm higher, but they still leave you in an uncomfortably upright position and of course there's next-to-no legroom. The mid-engined configuration of Porsche's 718 Boxster and Cayman models frees up space for a rear boot compartment but of course with the twin turbo 3.0-litre six slung out the back, you don't get that with a 911. Just a little flap that rises to reveal an engine plaque and access to various service reservoirs. That means anything you can't fit inside therefore has to go in the compartment beneath the sculpted bonnet. This is 132-litres in size regardless of your chosen 911's rear-driven or 4WD status.

What to Look For

992 model servicing is every two years or 20,000 and the cost of a two year Porsche Centre service is typically between £750-£850. A four year service can be anything between £1,350-£2,000. If you're a member of Porsche Club GB, you'll get discounts on these figures. And obviously independent specialists are cheaper (think around £500 and £1,100 respectively). Rear tyres (usually Pirelli P Zeros) will wear at roughly twice the rate of the fronts (think 11-12,000 miles, but it could be sooner if you drive enthusiastically). There was a product recall in March 2021 to address suspension lock nuts that didn't allow sufficient tightening of the main fasteners. Some rear spoilers have got stuck in an intermediate position. And the optional sunroof sometimes rattles. Look out for squeaks and rattles, especially from the seats and storage bins. The optional Innodrive system can sometimes forget its speed settings and check out all the functionality of the Porsche Communications Management centre screen. We've heard of blowing speakers with the optional Bose sound system and there was a recall on early cars to increase finger clearance between the electronic handbrake button and the central cubby unit. Plus there was a software update to sort out bugs in the SOS eCall system.

Replacement Parts

(Based on a 2019 911 Carrera ex VAT - prices quoted for guidance purposes only - Porsche Genuine Parts - design911.co.uk) A set of front brake pads is around £243; for rear pad set, it's around £216. For a radiator, you're looking at around £484. A fuel pump is around £27. A clutch master cylinder is around £210. A track rod is around £129. A rear shock absorber (with the PASM system) is around £864.

On the Road

The engine has always dominated the 911 driving experience and that's just as true with this 992-series Carrera-series model. The twin turbo 3.0-litre flat six may have a very different sound and feel to the bigger-capacity units served up by rivals, but you still get a delightful howl from the 'boxer' motor - and with the 992, significantly more power too to compensate for a 55kg increase in weight. In this pre-facelift model there was 385PS in the base Carrera and 450PS in the Carrera S, with rear wheel drive or 4WD options in each case. With so much low and mid-rev torque from this powerplant, you can drive it as lazily as you like. Press harder though, and this Porsche's brilliant handling is matched by almost staggering speed. Pick the right combination of engine, gearbox and options - the Carrera 4S Coupe for instance - and the car will rocket past 62mph from a standstill in just 3.4s, yet the same car is also significantly more efficient than obvious rivals, managing up to 27.2mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and 206g/km of NEDC-rated CO2. It's quite a combination. As before, there was a manual gearbox available (latterly limited to the Carrera T model), but most buyers will want the PDK paddleshift auto, which now offers eight speeds. The optional 'Sport Chrono' pack that all 911s tend always to be fitted with gives you Launch Control and a 'Sport Response Button' that preconditions the drivetrain for maximum acceleration over 20 seconds for swift overtaking. Dynamic changes to this 992-series car included sharper steering, a wider front track width and wheels (unequally-sized - bigger at the back) which were a size larger than before, with a mix of 20 and 21-inch rims on the 'S'-series version. 'PASM' adaptive damping was standard, as were Dynamic engine mounts and 'PTV' torque vectoring. Plus the usual selection of drive modes was added to with a 'Wet mode' that senses excess road surface spray and can adapt the handling for slippery conditions. For extra cornering stability on Carrera S models, you can add in the 'Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control' active roll compensation system and 'Active Rear-Axle Steering'. Even in standard form though, a 911 Carrera delivers a more driver-centric feel than its competitors. Right at the edge of adhesion, you feel a greater sense of confidence and control as part of an experience that's even more complete and satisfying.

Overall

The 911. Whether you've a classic model or this eighth generation 992-series variant, it's an automotive icon that's globally loved. Which is why though this version was substantially re-designed, Porsche didn't mess with the fundamental formula. In other words, if, like us, you've always loved this car, then you'll love this one. There are surely lots of reasons to. Compared to the previous 991 design, the improved six cylinder twin turbo used in the Carrera series is efficient, yet sonorous and gloriously tractable. Plus the cabin's more up to date and the infotainment's been brought up to scratch. In addition, like its predecessor, this 911 is practical and easy to use - and remains satisfying to drive in a way that rivals can't quite match. Of course, with over fifty years of development behind it, you'd expect this car to be impressive. Porsche though, could still have pleased its loyal buyers with a far milder evolution than this. But it felt like a decent step forward was taken here. The technology that caused so much comment with the previous generation version - electric steering, turbocharging and so on - here feels a natural part of the 911 proposition. And Porsche managed to enhance this model's usability, quality and refinement while at the same time making it a more incisive, better balanced and faster driver's car than its '991'-series predecessor ever was. In summary, what we have here is a worthy evolution of the world's longest running sports car dynasty.