New Porsche Carrera S hits the road

Sometimes dreams do come true, particularly if your dream is to be behind the wheel of one of the most iconic sports cars in the history of sports cars. And if that’s not enough to persuade you, the introduction of a brand-new model that combines instantly recognisable styling with a bit more power and a bit more specification should do the trick. Especially when it comes in the shape of the brand-new Porsche Carrera S.

Slotting into the range between the existing Carrera and Carrera GTS T-Hybrid, the new Porsche Carrera S adds a fantastic new option to the legendary 911 family.

It features an upgraded powertrain that delivers a level of performance similar to that previously reserved for the last generation of the 911 Carrera GTS, an extended list of standard equipment, and significantly increased customisation options compared to the regular 911 Carrera range. In true 911 fashion, it can also be specified as either a coupe or cabriolet version.

In terms of styling, you know exactly what you’re going to get when you choose a Porsche 911. And in that regard the new model is exactly the same as the rest of the current Carrera range. When a car has been essentially the same shape for all of its particularly distinguished history there’s not much point in any bouts of unnecessary fiddling with one of its defining characteristics.

What the new Porsche Carrera S does give you is a little bit more of everything else you desire.

Most importantly, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder flat-six ‘boxer’ engine has been fundamentally upgraded, resulting in both an increase in power and a reduction in emissions.

New turbochargers and optimised cooling have brought the engine design much closer to the last generation of the 911 Turbo. The changes have resulted in an increase of around 30bhp, bringing the total power output to almost 480bhp. The extra power is transferred to the rear wheels via the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, the result being a ridiculously quick 0-62mph time of just 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 191mph.

The extra power and performance has also meant a few tweaks to the rest of the car were deemed necessary to comply with Porsche’s notoriously over-engineered approach.

Standard equipment on the new Carrera S now includes staggered tyre fitment for the 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rear wheels, a sports exhaust with silver tailpipes, and Porsche’s Torque Vectoring system previously unavailable on the standard Carrera. The brakes have also been updated to bring them in line with those fitted to the GTS version, which means 408 mm disks at the front and 380 mm on the rear, both featuring red painted callipers.

You can also specify further performance-enhancing options for your Carrera S including Porsche’s ceramic composite brakes and the PASM sports suspension with its lower ride height, optimised hydraulic dampers, and rear-wheel steering for improved handling and agility.



As impressive as the engineering most certainly is, it’s a story of luxury and refinement on the inside.

Porsche’s black leather interior is included as standard so the seats, headrests, dashboard, and door panels are trimmed with smooth leather. As with the rest of the Carrera range, the folding rear seats can also be specified as a no-cost option for the coupe version if you don’t want the standard two-seater configuration – cabriolet versions already have rear seats installed. There is an additional option available to extend the leather finish across more of the interior (glove box lid, side panels, and seat bases) and add contrast stitching.

In terms of the actual equipment level, the new Carrera S benefits from the upgraded standard equipment found in the entire 911 model series. That includes Matrix LED headlights and a wireless smartphone charger, and you can expand that further with options including a front axle lift system, upgraded HD-Matrix LED headlights, and Porsche’s Sport Chrono package with the Track Precision app for those wanting to indulge in a little track day action.

The most dynamic Porsche 911 Carrera S to come out of Stuttgart is already available to order, and considering it comes with an unsurprisingly hefty six-figure price tag leasing yourself one is obviously the sensible way to go.