Key issues
• Out there for £60,000
• 3.0-litre flat-six petrol twin turbo, two or all-wheel drive
• Even the slowest Carrera can do 183mph and 4.4sec 0-62mph
• Not problem-free, primarily on the rattle entrance
• GTS is predictably superior in two or four-wheel drive
• … however the ‘lite’ Carrera T may be the one to look at
The 991.2 replace of the 991 sequence of Porsche’s 911, unveiled on the Frankfurt present in 2015, was vital for 3 causes. One, it was the mannequin in play when the millionth 911 was constructed. Two, it gave us probably the most highly effective 911 ever, the 700hp GT2 RS. And three, the 991.2 established turbocharging because the default engine standing for all 911s bar the specialist GT3, GT3 RS and Speedster fashions which have been powered by Porsche’s 4.0-litre naturally aspirated dry sump unit. For final turbo energy, the blown 3.8 motor endowed the refreshed Turbo with 540hp and the Turbo S with 580hp, however the 911s we’re going to be taking a look at listed here are the common turbocharged 3.0 litre 991.2s.
The primary two of those ‘on a regular basis’ 991.2s, surfacing in Porsche showrooms in autumn 2015, have been the bottom mannequin rear-wheel drive Carrera with 370hp (up 20hp on the 991), and the Carrera S, up 20hp on the 991 to 420hp courtesy of its bigger turbos and driving 10mm decrease than the bottom Carrera. Each have been obtainable in coupe or fabric-roofed cabriolet physique kinds, and each might be had with both a seven-speed handbook or a seven-speed PDK double-clutch auto gearbox.
On the finish of 2015, wider-bodied all-wheel drive ‘4’ variations have been introduced alongside new Targa 4 and 4S fashions. All 4s had PASM energetic suspension as normal. After that there was a hiatus till January 2017 when a blizzard of at least 5 variations of what many take into account to be the seminal 991.2, the GTS, arrived on the scene: coupe and cabrio GTSs in rear-drive, the identical two in all-wheel drive, plus the Targa choice in all-wheel drive.
With 450hp at 6,500rpm and 406lb ft from 2,150rpm to five,000rpm the GTS wasn’t simply probably the most highly effective rear-drive 911 but, it was additionally probably the most sharply centered ‘on a regular basis’ 911 and general a mighty machine. Normal equipment included PASM adaptive suspension, Sport Chrono pack, a trip peak 10mm decrease than the S’s, 20-inch centrelock wheels, the wider-track physique from the AWD vehicles, a better-looking steering wheel and the black trim accents that typified GTS fashions. The essential 2WD GTS coupe price a little bit over £94k, £8.5k greater than the Carrera S, and it went around the Nordschleife in a bonkers 7min 26sec, or 7min 22sec with P Zero Corsa tyres fitted.
A British Legends Version got here out in 2017 in honour of Le Mans race winners Derek bell, Richard Attwood and Nick Tandy. Out there in pink (Attwood), blue (Bell) or white (Tandy) it was mainly a specced up AWD GTS with Sport Chrono, four-wheel steer, PASM and Dynamic Chassis Management and a few badges and decals hooked up. We’re undecided what number of have been made – they simply mentioned that provide could be ‘restricted’, which suggests nothing – however the £122,376 begin value for the Attwood vehicles (the opposite two have been £123,210 every) attracted some derision from PH posters. Justifiably so it appears, as a result of in the middle of placing this collectively we noticed a white 5,000-miler up on the market at just below £110k, which was removed from the appreciation you’d usually anticipate to see in a 911 particular.
In late 2017, Porsche revealed the rear-drive Carrera T (Touring), an attention-grabbing ‘GT3 lite’ at £85,500 that had the lower-power 370hp handbook drivetrain, thinner glass to the aspect and rear (so long as you didn’t need tints), decreased sound insulation, and a no-cost delete choice on the rear seats and infotainment system, all geared toward delivering a pared-down driving expertise. Normal spec included 10mm decrease PASM Sport suspension, Sport Chrono, 305mm rear tyres, material door pulls, a mechanical restricted slip diff, shorter closing drive ratio (and shorter gearlever) and a twin-exit sport exhaust.
For £1,600, T consumers may add the rear-axle steering system that wasn’t on the choices listing for the straight Carrera (however was for the S). For one more £3.3k they might once more trump Carrera consumers by changing the usual electrical seats with a pair of GT3-style bucket seats. You would have your T with a PDK gearbox however you then’d miss out on the restricted slip diff and the PTV torque vectoring.
We’ve talked about the Sport Chrono pack. This feature put the cherry on high of the already appreciable bare means of a 991.2. It was visually distinguished by the timing clock on the dashtop and, on the underside proper hand nook of the steering wheel, a knob with 4 settings: ‘O’ for, hmm, Peculiar (?), or regular, giving a softer trip, earlier upshifts, closed valves on the game exhaust (a near-£1,800 choice), and retaining the cease/begin perform; ’S’ for Sport, firming up the suspension, sharpening the throttle response, altering the settings of the dynamic engine mounts (that have been ‘delicate’ in regular driving to cut back vibration, stiffening in additional aggressive driving), delaying the upshifts and opening the valves on the game exhaust; S+ for Sport Plus, clearly Sport with an additional edge; and ‘I’ for Particular person, which gave the motive force shut management over not simply the person chassis and drivetrain settings but additionally the deployment of the rear spoiler.
The button within the centre of the knob on PDK-equipped 991.2s was the PSRB or Porsche Sport Response Button which gave you 20 seconds’ value of overboost allied to the near-instant number of the most effective ratio by the gearbox. That was fairly one thing. Thoughts you, all of the 991.2 shifted alongside a bit. PDK-gearboxed 991.2s have been on common 0.2sec faster by the 0-62mph run than the manuals, and Sport Chrono knocked one other 0.2sec off the PDK occasions, which for the coupes have been 4.4sec (Carrera), 4.2sec (T), 4.1sec (S) and three.7sec (GTS). The equal occasions for the PDK’d AWD ‘4’ variations have been 4.3sec (Carrera), 4.0sec (S) and three.6sec (GTS). There was no AWD model of the T.
The 992 successor launched on the Los Angeles Porsche Expertise Heart in November 2018 previous to its 2019 entry into the showrooms introduced extra styling modifications and standardised physique widths. Primarily after all the essential 911 form hasn’t altered since 1963, or the late Forties for those who embody the 356, and whereas hell stays unfrozen it in all probability by no means will. This fidelity, together with the well-controlled pricing of 911s and naturally their common fabness is all nice information for resale values for those who personal one.
What for those who don’t personal a 991.2, however would very very like to? Effectively, the very first thing to say is that there aren’t that many base-power 370hp Carreras floating round. Guide gearboxes aren’t as frequent as dust both. The upshot of that could be a slight discount in selection on the ‘discount’ finish of the market. The bottom priced 991.2 we discovered was a four-owner 365hp Carrera PDK in white with Sport Chrono, sport exhaust, 50,000 miles and a full service historical past at £58,995.
That was a 2016 mannequin. The 991.2 was launched in 2015 however the chances are high that any ‘common’ 911 sporting a 2015 plate can be a 3.4-litre 911, so watch out. Not that you just wouldn’t watch out when making this form of outlay. So, underneath £60k for a contemporary totally developed 911. May this be your new ‘first 911’ selection? Learn on to both affirm that or, presumably, to stay along with your unique 964 plan.
SPECIFICATION | PORSCHE 911 991.2 CARRERA (2015-18)
Engine: 2,981cc flat six 24v twin turbocharged
Transmission: 7-speed handbook or 7-speed PDK auto, rear-wheel drive
Energy (hp): 370@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 332@1,700-5,000rpm
0-62mph (secs): 4.6 (4.4 PDK)
Prime velocity (mph): 183
Weight (kg): 1,430
MPG (official mixed): 34
CO2 (g/km): 190
Wheels (in): 8.5 x 19 (f), 11.5 x 19 (r)
Tyres: 235/40 (f), 295/35 (r)
On sale: 2015 – 2018
Value new: £76,000
Value now: from £59,000
Be aware for reference: automobile weight and energy knowledge are exhausting to pin down with absolute certainty. For consistency, we use the identical supply for all our guides. We hope the information we use is true extra usually than it’s unsuitable. Our recommendation is to deal with it as relative moderately than definitive.
ENGINE & GEARBOX
The 991.2 signalled the top of the 9A1 engine. The brand new automobile had a twin-turbo 9A2 unit that’s usually described as being extra ‘linear’ in its energy supply. Though the linearity was clear to most who had expertise of each the 9A1 and the 9A2, so was the newer automobile’s slight lagginess. It was all relative although and really not often an issue even for those who have been within the ‘unsuitable’ gear, which it was exhausting to be given the unfold of torque. Some house owners have been likely completely happy to view this minimal lag as a form of indirect tribute to the primary (very rather more clearly laggy) 911 Turbo.
The rationale for the worldwide change to turbocharging, no matter what automobile you have been doing it to, was to realize extra planet-friendly and environment friendly inside combustion. The 991.2 ticked that field with a claimed 12 per cent enhance in effectivity. There was a small value to pay for the pressured aspiration, specifically a discount in high-rpm whizz. The addition of the blower {hardware} clearly elevated engine weight, by round 35kg all advised, however the general 991.2 weight penalty was decreased to 20kg by way of lighter elements elsewhere, most importantly within the exhaust – which by the way introduced a brand new sweetness to the sound of the 911 engine.
Mechanical reliability up to now has been good. There was a workshop marketing campaign to exchange a dodgy vacuum solenoid for the change-over valve (COV) which managed fairly a couple of 911 intake-related features. A bit valvegear noise may usually be heard for the primary jiffy on a chilly engine and the odd spot of misfiring was famous by some house owners, however this could usually kind itself out.
A recall was issued for the enlargement tank which may generate bogus low coolant/overheating warnings, and there was one other for a gas system bolt that would corrode. Some water pumps have been changed early on of their lives by extra strong gadgets after that they had proven leakage primarily on vehicles from late 2017 to early 2018. There have been defective thermostats too.
Old-fashioned varieties raised an eyebrow on the plastic sump, one of many weight-saving measures introduced in to offset the extra bulk of the turbo {hardware}. Fashionable supplies know-how ought to have allayed any fears about sturdiness however a minimum of one proprietor thought that Porsche had dropped a clanger, or maybe extra precisely a clunk, with the manufacturing facility torque settings for the (additionally plastic) drain plug, after reporting that his supplier had advised him that the sump threads had ‘fallen out’ and that there have been backordering points on guarantee alternative sumps, indicating that others had had the identical downside. So far as we’re conscious there have been no situations of extreme oil consumption with this engine.
Porsche’s PDK transmission established itself because the benchmark double-clutcher with solely the occasional fault warning or skipping of even-numbered gears that might normally be sorted by a software program reflash or perhaps a easy restart, however you shouldn’t ignore common modifications of fluids and filters. PDK modifications needs to be bullet-quick and syrupy clean. Prime gear was an overdrive for higher gas consumption. On handbook vehicles grabbing seventh may typically really feel a little bit awkward however in comparison with most seven-speed manuals on the efficiency block the 991.2’s was an absolute pleasure to make use of. The plastic ring that holds the highest of the boot to the handbook field’s lever has been identified to interrupt.
CHASSIS
You have been unlikely to expertise a sense of being shortchanged by the 991.2’s dealing with because it was uniformly good. Some most well-liked the ‘purity’ of 2WD, others the added safety of AWD. Regardless of the electrical energy working by it, Porsche’s electro-mechanical steering setup was additionally excellent certainly.
If a automobile you’re taking a look at has PASM, examine for clear variations within the really feel of the person trip settings. Worn suspension bushes manifested themselves as distant however noticeable creaks. A chirping noise over bumps these might be brought on by dry rear higher strut mounts. A dab of grease would repair that. Not so simply traceable was the odd random deployment of the rear spoiler when hitting a chunk of damaged street after an extended bend, with no reset till the automobile had come to a whole halt. Usually the spoiler ought to activate at round 79mph and pop again in at round 53mph.
Any uneven tyre put on behind the automobile wanted investigating. Wheel alignments on some new vehicles with fewer than 1,000 miles on the clock have been discovered to be outdoors manufacturing facility tolerances. Carbon ceramic brake discs have been an costly choice, however they did final a very long time and so they didn’t endure from fracturing between the drilled holes. That might be a problem on metal discs, as may squealing. Tyres are imagined to be N-rated for these vehicles. Don’t be tempted to depart outdated (5 years or extra) tyres in place simply because they’ve not worn down.
BODYWORK
The 991.2 was decrease, longer and wider than the 991, and had an extended wheelbase, however we’re speaking fractions of an inch right here. To all intents and functions it was the identical measurement. Stying modifications have been equally minor. On the entrance the three-intake design was retained, however the shapes of the openings have been totally different and the 2 aspect intakes featured three horizontal slats moderately than two. The centre consumption had two slats as an alternative of 1 and its form was inverted in comparison with the outdated automobile. The LED mild stripes have been slimmer on the newer automobile and there was a barely greater splitter. The brand new headlights had 4-point DRLs.
On the again the engine compartment cowl had vertical slats as an alternative of horizontal ones, a pleasant styling change paying homage to the primary 911s. Air shops appeared on the outer edges of the rear bumper, after the style of the Turbo fashions however not fairly as huge. The rear bumper lights have been longer within the 991.2 and the taillights have been reshaped, incorporating 4-point brake lights.
The one bodily variations from the aspect view have been the 991.2’s new wheel designs and its uncovered door handles. Some reckon the 991 seems higher than its successor. That’s up for debate, however what isn’t is the .2’s higher efficiency, mannequin for mannequin.
You would possibly hear some squeaks and rattles out of your 991.2 on unhealthy roads. Windscreen wipers typically got here on when the automobile hit a bump, and there have been tales of windscreen seals ‘melting’. Some 991.2s with the electro-hydraulic entrance axle carry mechanism have needed to have their pumps changed underneath guarantee.
INTERIOR
There weren’t wholesale cabin modifications with the 991.2 replace. The steering wheel was new, with higher grip items and aluminium inserts. The PCM (Porsche Communication Administration) with on-line navigation module was new, too. The upgraded seven-inch show might be operated by multitouch gestures and there was a wider vary of performance, with Google Earth and Streetview each showing for the primary time in a 911.
Though the design and atmosphere of the 991.2 cabin was undoubtedly cool and opulent, there have been a couple of blips for customers. Seatbelt mechanisms may rattle if somebody on the manufacturing facility forgot to place the felt-like materials into the buckle receptacle. Adaptive Sports activities Plus heated seats have been a candy choice, particularly in one thing just like the Carrera T with the rear seats eliminated.
Rattles may additionally develop within the door playing cards, from the sunshade when it was within the open place, and from the sprint space across the tweeter items, a part of the Bose audio system which was not universally admired for the smoothness of its sound. The Burmester various appears to have acquired extra positivity amongst house owners.
The infotainment interface didn’t go well with all people both. The steering wheel controls didn’t all the time work for some house owners, and after they have been working they didn’t appear to dovetail that effectively with the touchscreen controls. The PCM would often self-reboot. Not each proprietor succeeded in activating the voice command perform. The hand of the Sport Chrono clock may fall off. Alcantara headlinings may come unfastened on the again, requiring new clips.
Some house owners reported an odd banging or thumping noise which sellers have advised them was coming from a valve within the air con unit and was regular. Air con compressors have been identified to lock up, in a single case a minimum of due to inadequate or no oil having been put in at whichever manufacturing facility they got here from, and ventilated seats may cease ventilating, resulting in a service bulletin alerting techs of a wiring chafing downside. New wiring harnesses have been fitted underneath guarantee. There was a recall for defective airbag screws in 2019.
PH VERDICT
When you have been an promoting copywriter given the job of writing an advert for the Porsche 991.2, ‘engineered into excellence’ wouldn’t be the worst starter for ten to your headline. Sheer persistence over many a long time has allowed Porsche to show a frankly daft design into one thing so good that the necessity to promote it has been all however finished away with.
They’re not good, thoughts. Rattles and squeaks of assorted varieties do occur. Fairly a couple of of the random occasions in a 991.2 appear to happen because of bumps within the street. You wonder if there may need been difficulties sustaining the standard of the availability of some outdoors elements. Even so, and even amongst those that have had issues, the respect for the 991.2’s skills may be very excessive. When you’re searching for your first 911 and also you’re on a funds, chances are high you received’t be trying on the halo GTs. They’re particular, certain, however they’re additionally very costly. And in case your precedence is driving moderately than investing, any of the three.0 turbo 991.2s will serve you effectively.
Which one although? The GTS is routinely nominated because the candy spot of any Porsche vary, and in 991.2 guise it’s certainly a stonking automobile with both the PDK or handbook field, and (some say) particularly so in rear-wheel drive. We’ll dig one up so that you can take a look at on the finish.
Nevertheless, for the sort of minimalist, short-run attraction which you could simply see accumulating curiosity and worth because the years roll by, the 2018 Carrera T has loads going for it. They’re noisier than the usual Carrera due to the decreased sound insulation, thinner glass and wider rear tyres, however so long as you don’t spend all of your motoring life on rubbishy roads or motorways it is best to be capable to stay with it, notably if you keep in mind that the 20kg weight saving over the S signifies that the T feels not far in need of the powered-up S on the street. Throw in its standing because the final narrow-body 911 and it turns into an actual beard-stroker for the considering Porsche purchaser.
Carrera Ts aren’t massively plentiful on the used market however there have been a minimum of half a dozen on PH Classifieds on the time of writing together with this tempting handbook automobile with GT3-style carbon fibre bucket seats and 11,000 miles lined at £82,495. This 13,000-miler dips underneath the £80k mark and so does this PDK specimen with simply 9,000 miles and reportedly £20k value of extras together with the Sports activities Plus heated seats. Essentially the most inexpensive 991.2 we discovered on PH classifieds was this 30,000 mile, 2016 base-engine Coupe in black with prolonged pink leather-based and 20-inch alloys. Yours for £66,499.
For £3k extra you might have a equally mileaged and moderately good-looking Carrera PDK coupe with Sport Chrono, 20-inch alloys and PDLS, Porsche’s matrix-LED dynamic lighting system for flexible roads. That very same cash – just below £70k – will get you into a better mileage 420hp 2WD S like this big-spec early ’15 coupe All-wheel drive 4S coupes of the identical classic and mileage received’t be that a lot totally different on value, additionally beginning at round £70k. The GTS premium is fairly sturdy. The most cost effective one on PH was this rear-drive 2017 automobile with 34,000 miles, a superb spec and an £85,995 price ticket. You possibly can pay effectively over £100k for a late mannequin S, GTS or Targa.
Navigate leftNavigate proper
1 / 19
