Porsche 911 Turbo!
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05-31-2006, 10:37 PM
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Porsche 911 Turbo!
Porsche 911 Turbo!
Ampersand — May 2006: Razzle: Porsche springs its 480-bhp Turbo on a suspecting public. Dazzle: more from the Geneva show.
Edited by Mike Monticello
May 2006 1 of 6
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[ send to a friend ]
More photos of the Porsche 911 Turbo.
Plus: More from the Geneva International Motor Show.
The Geneva International Motor Show served as the unveiling for the much-anticipated 997 version of the Porsche 911 Turbo. While the new car doesn't look dramatically different from the 911 Carrera on which it's based (which itself was not a radical departure in styling from the 996), what lies beneath the skin is what's most important, and where this new Turbo features numerous advancements over the previous version.
The twin-turbo flat-6 retains the same displacement as the 996 Turbo (3.6 liters), but power has been increased to 480 bhp at 6000 rpm, along with 457 lb.-ft. of torque. For those of you counting, that gives the new Turbo 133 bhp per liter, an astounding number for a production car.
More interesting is the technology behind the Turbo's newfound power: Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), which has been used on diesels since the early 1990s, but rarely before on a production gasoline engine. Porsche says, "The heart of the technology is adjustable guide blades, which can vary in angle to most effectively guide engine exhaust flow onto the turbocharger's impeller wheel." Porsche developed its version of VTG with BorgWarner Turbo Systems, overcoming the far higher exhaust-gas temperatures of a gasoline engine with "temperature-resistant materials derived from aerospace technology."
The result provides the advantages of both a small and a large turbo, especially improving response at low engine speeds. This is shown by a rise in torque from 415 lb.-ft. to 457, as well as in the spread of the peak torque: previously from 2700-4600 rpm, now from 1950-5000. And if that's not enough, the optional Sport Chrono Package allows a 10-second "overboost," increasing turbo boost under full throttle to bring peak torque to 502 lb.-ft.
Look closely and you will see the Turbo's adjustable guide blades. These vary the angle of attack — and hence velocity—of exhaust flow driving the turbo impeller.
The Turbo will be available with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed Tiptronic automatic. A twin-clutch gearbox is in the works, but don't expect to see it any time soon.
The 911 Turbo will once again use all-wheel drive to transfer its power to the road, though the system is new, with an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch replacing the previous model's viscous unit. Power is variable to the front and rear axles according to slip. Porsche claims the PTM (Porsche Traction Management) awd system is one of the lightest in the world.
The 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brakes should halt the new Turbo even more quickly, with rotors at all four corners increased to 13.8 in. The super-expensive and virtually fade-free PCCB composite brakes will be optional, reducing unsprung weight by 37 lb.
In typical Porsche fashion, styling is evolutionary, minimal changes being a 0.9-in.-wider rear, a new rear wing and redesigned air inlets behind the doors. The new Turbo will be priced at $122,900 when it goes on sale in North America this summer. — Mike Monticello
Ampersand — May 2006: Razzle: Porsche springs its 480-bhp Turbo on a suspecting public. Dazzle: more from the Geneva show.
Edited by Mike Monticello
May 2006 1 of 6
[ printer friendly ]
[ send to a friend ]
More photos of the Porsche 911 Turbo.
Plus: More from the Geneva International Motor Show.
The Geneva International Motor Show served as the unveiling for the much-anticipated 997 version of the Porsche 911 Turbo. While the new car doesn't look dramatically different from the 911 Carrera on which it's based (which itself was not a radical departure in styling from the 996), what lies beneath the skin is what's most important, and where this new Turbo features numerous advancements over the previous version.
The twin-turbo flat-6 retains the same displacement as the 996 Turbo (3.6 liters), but power has been increased to 480 bhp at 6000 rpm, along with 457 lb.-ft. of torque. For those of you counting, that gives the new Turbo 133 bhp per liter, an astounding number for a production car.
More interesting is the technology behind the Turbo's newfound power: Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), which has been used on diesels since the early 1990s, but rarely before on a production gasoline engine. Porsche says, "The heart of the technology is adjustable guide blades, which can vary in angle to most effectively guide engine exhaust flow onto the turbocharger's impeller wheel." Porsche developed its version of VTG with BorgWarner Turbo Systems, overcoming the far higher exhaust-gas temperatures of a gasoline engine with "temperature-resistant materials derived from aerospace technology."
The result provides the advantages of both a small and a large turbo, especially improving response at low engine speeds. This is shown by a rise in torque from 415 lb.-ft. to 457, as well as in the spread of the peak torque: previously from 2700-4600 rpm, now from 1950-5000. And if that's not enough, the optional Sport Chrono Package allows a 10-second "overboost," increasing turbo boost under full throttle to bring peak torque to 502 lb.-ft.
Look closely and you will see the Turbo's adjustable guide blades. These vary the angle of attack — and hence velocity—of exhaust flow driving the turbo impeller.
The Turbo will be available with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed Tiptronic automatic. A twin-clutch gearbox is in the works, but don't expect to see it any time soon.
The 911 Turbo will once again use all-wheel drive to transfer its power to the road, though the system is new, with an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch replacing the previous model's viscous unit. Power is variable to the front and rear axles according to slip. Porsche claims the PTM (Porsche Traction Management) awd system is one of the lightest in the world.
The 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brakes should halt the new Turbo even more quickly, with rotors at all four corners increased to 13.8 in. The super-expensive and virtually fade-free PCCB composite brakes will be optional, reducing unsprung weight by 37 lb.
In typical Porsche fashion, styling is evolutionary, minimal changes being a 0.9-in.-wider rear, a new rear wing and redesigned air inlets behind the doors. The new Turbo will be priced at $122,900 when it goes on sale in North America this summer. — Mike Monticello