UK: Porsche 911 facelift unveiled

Porsche has unveiled the facelifted 911 Carrera and Carrera S in the UK. Both the models get some mechanical and cosmetic updates.

Mechanical changes to the 911 Carrera and Carrera S include new engines and a reworked chassis. Both models are now powered by 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder, turbocharged petrol units. The Carrera's engine produces 365 BHP and 450 Nm of torque, while that of the Carrera S develops 414 BHP and 500 Nm of torque. This reflects an increase of 20 BHP and 60 Nm in the case of both cars.

Porsche claims that the 911 Carrera Coupe with Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Sport Chrono Package does the 0-100 kph sprint in 4.2 seconds, while the 911 Carrera S with PDK and Sport Chrono Package does it in just 3.9 seconds. The top speeds of the Carrera and Carrera S are rated at 295 kph and 307 kph respectively. The new engines are also claimed to be almost 12% more efficient than before.

The 911 also gets a re-engineered chassis and new dampers. The car's ride height can be lowered by 10 mm thanks to the PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management). The Carrera S comes with an option of rear-axle steering as well. The width of the rear wheels and tyres has been increased too.

Changes to the exterior are minor. These include new bi-xenon headlights with four-point daytime running lights, door handles without recess covers, a redesigned engine lid with vertical louvers, new tail lights with four-point brake lights and redesigned alloy wheels.

Coming to the interiors, the car gets a new infotainment system. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system, as it is called, has a satellite navigation system, a seven-inch colour touchscreen, voice control and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The smartphone tray is integrated in the centre armrest. There is an option of connecting an iPhone to the PCM to use Apple CarPlay. The navigation system provides real-time traffic information and Google Earth and Google Streetview are also integrated into the system. Other components of the PCM are Porsche Car Connect and the Porsche Connect app, which can be used for such functions as remote control of vehicle functions, transfer of destinations to the PCM for navigation and use of music streaming services by third-party providers via the PCM.

The 911 is equipped with a number of driver assistance systems and safety features.