Porsche 911 Turbo - 2003 Model
Published: 24th October 2001
Supreme performer
Second only to the 911 GT2 in terms of outright performance, the 911 Turbo has a top speed of 190mph (305km/h), making it one of the quickest ever road-going Porsches. Its sprinting ability is equally awesome - 0-62mph (100km/h) in just 4.2 seconds, and 0-100mph (160km/h) in a scorching 9.2 seconds.
Slippery yet reassuringly stable
Intelligent air-flow management makes the 911 Turbo a leader
amongst the ranks of the supercars in terms of its drag co-efficient.
Despite its wider body and increased air cooling requirements
compared with the rest of the 911 Carrera range, the Turbo
has a Cd of just 0.31. Its ability to cleave cleanly through
the air is matched by the high speed stability created by
its aerodynamic set-up.
Outstanding engine power
Boosted by two exhaust gas turbochargers and two intercoolers,
the Turbo’s 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engine develops
a maximum power output of 420bhp (309kW) at 6000rpm. Maximum
torque is also extraordinarily strong - 413lb ft (560Nm),
developed from just 2700rpm.
VarioCam with a Plus
In this latest development, the Porsche VarioCam intake-side
camshaft adjustment is accompanied by an intake-side valve
lift changeover system in the 911 Turbo. This new system is
called VarioCam Plus, and is now also fitted to the normally-aspirated
engines of the recently revised 911 model line-up. The valve
lift adjustment system comprises two variable-position bucket
tappets placed one inside the other on the intake side of
the engine, and actuated by cam lobes of different sizes on
the intake camshafts. By altering the engine’s breathing
to suit the prevailing operating conditions, VarioCam Plus
is able to provide optimum power and torque, while at the
same time improving fuel consumption and lowering emissions.
Reducing consumption and emissions
Measured in accordance with EU standards, overall fuel consumption
of the 911 Turbo is 18 percent lower than that of its predecessor
- 21.9mpg (12.9 litres per 100km). Equally praiseworthy is
an average 50 per cent reduction in emissions according to
the European approval procedure. As a consequence, the 911
Turbo has no trouble complying with the tough D4 emissions
limits, which in standard test conditions are equivalent to
the stringent EURO 4 limits that do not come into force until
1 January 2005. Naturally, the 911 Turbo also complies with
the extremely stern LEV standards in the USA.
Four-wheel drive - for safety and for fun
The 911 Turbo’s four-wheel drive system is similar to
the set-up in the Carrera 4. But in this instance the focus
is not so much on improved traction, but on supreme driving
characteristics and safety at the limit. The active safety
offered by the Turbo is enhanced considerably by Porsche Stability
Management (PSM), fitted as standard. This combination of
four-wheel drive, PSM and lowered (by 10mm), finely-tuned
suspension, guarantees not only unprecedented levels of active
safety on the road, but also the highest levels of driver
enjoyment.
Tiptronic S available on Turbo for the first time
The 911 Turbo is the first ultra-high performance 911 to be
available with the option of Tiptronic S transmission. This
five-speed automatic gearbox allows the driver manual operation
via toggle switches on the steering wheel, and its programming
has been tailored specifically to the high power and torque
outputs of the turbocharged engine. The shift programmes adjust
continuously to the driver’s particular style of driving
and to the prevailing conditions (fast A-roads, winding B-roads,
etc).
High levels of standard equipment
Over and above the generous levels of equipment carried over
from the Carrera models, the Turbo is supplied with metallic
paint, a wide range of leather upholstery choices, electrically-adjustable
seats complete with a position-memory on the driver’s
side, and a new high-end Bose sound system. Further features
include bi-xenon headlights, anti-dazzle interior and exterior
rear-view mirrors, and an integrated rain sensor for the wipers.
