Porsche completely redesigns the 911

Want to make friends fast? Just win the lottery. Impossible you say? There’s an easier way, just pull up to your local Starbucks in your Arctic Silver Metallic Porsche Carrera 911 and you’ll have people spilling their lattes and double-shot espressos, point and drool like retriever around a ham bone. You’ll gain instant friends.

“Cool car,” croons passersby as I exit my 911 tester for lunch at a local Phoenix eatery. They’re right, of course. Intuitively, people seem to know when they are in the presence of greatness. (No, not me, the 911.)

Few automobiles have defined success, art, legend and class as the Porsche 911 has for 41 years. The 911 is one of the most legendary sports cars ever built and now the Teutonic road champion has been completely redesigned for 2005.

This latest iteration of the 911 goes by a codename at Porsche and is known by Porsche aficionados as “997,” replacing the 996 (and before that the 993), which had been built since 1998 and introduced a liquid-cooled engine. Porsche says that 80 percent of the new 911 parts are new, including every body panel but the roof -- significant enough to change the internal codename, which is rare in its 41-year history.

While Porsche hasn’t changed the basic profile, 911 fanatics will instantly recognize the subtle changes to the familiar silhouette. For 2005, Porsche has seemingly infused some DNA from the original 911. Gone are the amoeba-shaped headlamps never much loved by loyalists and replaced with the upright round headlamps, separate turn indicators and fog lamps, along with a sloping front bumper that hearkens back to 1964.

In back, the taillights are smaller and more angular relative to the bumper. The new 911 is slightly wider with rear fenders that are a bit more dramatic in design. While the wheelbase remains the same 92.5 inches, overall length has increased by one and one-half inches.

Inside, the changes start with a new three-spoke steering wheel, which, for the first time, adjusts tilt and telescopic along with redundant controls that operate the audio, navigation and optional telephone.

The dash features an instrument panel of five interlocking black-faced circular dials that are larger and trimmed in satin aluminum finish. Climate controls are located in the center stack and easy to use. The air conditioner blew some of the most powerful and coldest air I’ve experienced in any tested vehicle. The ignition key remains on the left side of the steering column.

Most surprising was the amount of room for the driver and front passenger. Seats are comfortable and well-suited for even the longest drives. There’s rear seats, but don’t even think about putting anyone in back or picking up a friend from the airport with luggage. The seats do fold, but the limited space makes the Corvette look like a mini-van. Porsche offers a roof transport system as an option that will carry luggage or other bulky items, but you just can’t do that to a Porsche.

There are four versions of the 911: the Carrera ($69,300) Carrera Cabriolet ($79,100) and the Carrera S ($79,100) Carrera S Cabriolet ($88,900). For the first time since 1997, different engines power the regular 911. A 3.6-liter flat six-cylinder producing 325 horsepower powers the Carrera, while the Carrea S uses a 355 horsepower 3.8-liter six-cylinder. Each engine is now teamed with a six-speed manual gearbox with shorter shift throws that’s as good as it gets.

The 2005 911s equipped with the turbo engines remain on the older platform (996) for now. The all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo S ($131,400) is a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter that cranks out a whopping 444 horsepower. There’s a Cabriolet version ($141,200) with a power-operated top.

To drive the 911 is, in a word, thrilling. Our test car was the 325 horsepower Carrera with the six-speed manual transmission. We easily managed 0-60 runs entering the I-10 freeway in around 4.5 seconds. I couldn’t legally measure a 0-100 but I’m sure it wouldn’t add but a few seconds.

But the 911 isn’t just about acceleration. Indeed, the remarkable thing about the 911 is the way it does everything nearly perfect and almost effortlessly. It makes the average driver feel confident and like a professional behind the wheel.

I drove the 911 on twisting canyon roads out to Tortilla Flats and, with all that grip and power, it’s tempting to push the Porsche to its limits. It’s exactly the kind of performance you expect in a legendary sports car: sticking to the pavement through high-g turns, hustling through curves and brakes that grab and stop in less distance and with less effort than any car on the road.

Moreover, the six-speed shifter just seems to click in and out of gears with barely a flick of the wrist. Steering is precise, remiss of over-steer. It goes exactly where pointed, including when it hits a bump, that would leave other cars with suspension crashing, jolting and searching for correction.

Sure, it’s noisy inside with plenty of engine snarl and road noise from the huge 18-inch Z-rated tires, but isn’t that the point of driving a Porsche? The powerful engine vibration and throaty exhaust notes is the kind of performance one expects whether in the mountains or running to lunch in downtown Phoenix.

Yet perhaps the best thing about the 911 is how enjoyable it is as a daily driver. Its ride is remarkably civil and is as comfortable in sixth gear around town as it is on the highway.

All 2005 911s come with standard, state-of-the-art safety features, including Porsche Stability Management, an electronically controlled system that helps drivers maintain control in the event of a skid. And, the Carrera and Carrera S are the first 911s to be equipped with curtain-style head protection airbags that deploy from the door along with the side-impact torso airbags.

For the charmed, star-powered and blessed few who can afford to drive anything, few, if any, cars are more pleasing to own than a 911. If the 911 isn’t personal enough, Porsche will gladly customize your car at the factory with options that include any desired color or special interior leather, wood or metal trim. For me, I’m hoping to win the lottery.


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