By Kap Maceda Aguila

PORSCHE’S ICONIC NAMEPLATE is back with updates and new toys.

It’s kind of tricky to evolve what is effectively a sacred model line. And while it is technically a rehash of the current generation, there are “comprehensive upgrades” that give the new 911 (or 992.2, if you will) just enough good stuff to draw fans to the Porsche Philippines showroom.

At its core, of course, the coupe version of the 911 remains a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door coupe. It’s still driven by the generation’s familiar but “extensively revised” 3.0-liter six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine twin turbo mill — now delivering a maximum output of 394hp at 7,500rpm and 450Nm. This is mated to an eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission. Standstill-to-100kph speed occurs in 4.1 seconds (trimmed to 3.9 seconds if one opts for a Sports Chrono Package); top rate is claimed to be 294kph. The gains, shared Porsche Philippines Managing Director Stephen Recinto to “Velocity,” were enabled by conscripting the turbochargers from the previous-generation 911 Turbo and GTS models. A charge-air cooler is also situated above the engine and directly under the rear grille.

Up front, the exterior tweaking is immediately apparent. The bumper now, well, bumps off the lighting fixtures which now relocate to the updated headlamps — comprised of Matrix LEDs that sport the signature four-point look, and now appear like parentheses when lit. The turn signals also make their way there. Crucially, because the ancillary front lighting has been nixed from the bumper, Porsche engineers and designers now use the space for larger cooling vents.

The 911 Carrera rolls on mixed Michelin Pilot Sports — 245/35 ZR 20-inchers in front and 305/30 ZR 21s in the rear.

In the back, the Carrera also cuts a marginally changed image — leading off with a redesigned light strip with an integrated light arc and “PORSCHE” lettering. The move helps to accentuate the rump of the vehicle. “It effectively gives a 3D effect,” said Porsche Philippines Senior Sales Executive Patrick To.

Above is a new rear grille with five fins on each side — melding with the rear window to “form a visual unit that merges into the retractable spoiler below.” The location of the rear car plate has been raised.

The dashboard of the Porsche 911 Carrera now, for the first time, features fully digital instrumentation and infotainment. A customizable 12.6-inch curved display “fits elegantly into the new control and display concept” and offers up to seven views. And yes, the classic Porsche display with five round dials is one of the options. Another first: the 911 now gets a start/stop button — still, of course, on the left side of the steering wheel. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system is accessed through a high-resolution 10.9-inch central display. The company reports that Apple CarPlay is now “more deeply integrated into the car, displaying information in the instrument cluster and facilitating the operation of vehicle functions by using the Siri voice assistant.”

For more information, contact the Porsche Philippines Concierge at 0917-826-8522.