New Porsche 911 Carrera is more powerful, more expensive

Porsche have this week revealed the incoming ‘base model’ of the 992-generation 911 sports car. Initially revealed in mid-specification Carrera S form in 2018, specifications for the entry-level Carrera have now been revealed. The new 911 Carrera makes 283kW/450Nm from its three-litre twin turbo flat six, sending the car from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds as standard and as low as 4.0 seconds if the Sport Chrono pack is optioned.

The 992 Carrera is available in both coupe and cabriolet body shapes. The new body has grown around 20mm longer to 4,519mm, and 40mm wider to 1,852mm, while the kerb weight has increased to 1,580kg for the coupe and 1,650kg for the cabriolet. 

To compensate for the extra weight, power figures are up by 11kW over the previous 991.2 generation. The Carrera and Carrera S share the same three-litre capacity, with the power difference being the result of smaller turbos of the Carrera which produce more immediate torque lower in the rev range making the Carrera a more usable proposition for daily use. In getting the power to the ground the 992 Carrera uses an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission only, with no manual currently available (although we expect Porsche to announce one in the near future). Official fuel consumption figures are 9.0L/100km for the coupe, and 9.2L/100km for the cabriolet.

The Carrera sits on a set of staggered forged alloy wheels with 235/40/19s up front, and 295/35/20s on the rear axle. No official word from Porsche on how the suspension settings differ from the S, although we can expect a more supple calibration. Braking on the Carrera is taken care of by four-piston calipers front and rear, with 330mm discs all round.

The Carrera comes standard in Australia with AEB, park assist, lane keep assist, cruise control, and Porsche’s Wet Mode which is new for the 992. Wet Mode is a Porsche proprietary system that actively detects damp surfaces and automatically adjusts the PSM intervention to intervene sooner and with a gentler touch than it would usually.

The 992 generation Carrera certainly looks like a Porsche should. The classic wide rear end is now shared across the whole 992 range, there is no ‘narrow body’ as found in previous generations. The return to proper circular front headlights look great, the shape has translated well to the cabriolet too. We’re sure the Carrera will look even better in the metal where its width and presence will really be apparent. As you can expect from Porsche, the Carrera is not short on customisation, there are plenty of standard colours and wheels styles on offer – and the comprehensive options list that you can really go crazy with. We really hope that the gold wheels as pictured are going to be available too. 

The interior remains the same as the Carrera S, a classy design with digital gauges, a 10.9 inch touchscreen for multimedia and plenty of colourful choices of leather and highlights to choose from. 

The 992 Carrera coupe will start at $229,500 in Australia (driveaway pricing not yet confirmed) – an increase of $6,050 on the old shape – and if you’re after open air motoring the cabriolet will set you back an additional $21,500, at $251,000 (driveaway pricing not yet confirmed). Dealers are taking orders now, with the Carrera arriving on our roads in the fourth quarter of 2019.