| A new Porsche 911 is always fascinating because it's | | | | can work more effectively and while not making such |
| interesting to see how after more than 40 years of | | | | a quantum leap as the team did with the 996. Porsche |
| development the Porsche team still manages to bring | | | | improved torsional rigidity by 8% and added as much |
| changes and improvements to this icon model. | | | | as 40% more flexural strength. |
| The new 997 bodyshell combines the sleek modern | | | | For the new car, Porsche wanted to improve crash |
| looks of the 996 series with the popular retro styling | | | | safety so they added two new air bags located in the |
| cues from older 911s. The front end is completed with | | | | side of each front seat back-rest, designed to protect |
| round lights and separate parking/fog/indicator lights. | | | | the thorax. They kept the previous two front and two |
| This change, combined with wider hips echoes the last | | | | side airbags, which means that now there are six in |
| of the air-cooled 911s, the 993. Other changes in the | | | | total. For the same reason, crash safety, the |
| bodyshell are the new door handles, wing mirrors and | | | | reinforced body shell features further protection such |
| the stylish cut of the rear wings into the bumper/lights. | | | | as a more extensive use of super high strength steel. |
| Even if the 997 looks a lot like the previous model, the | | | | The latest model is also 50 kg heavier than the 996. |
| 996, the new car is actually 38mm wider which | | | | The reason is that modern crash safety regulations |
| creates a more aggressive appearance. With each | | | | kind of force the new cars to come with increased |
| new model introduced, Porsche has aimed to reduce | | | | weight, despite the usage of a large range of weight |
| the drag co-efficient helping the 911 slide through the air | | | | saving measures, including an aluminum bonnet. |
| more effectively, and so aiding performance. The | | | | Aside from the crash safety improvements, much of |
| same thing has been done with the new car, and if we | | | | the additional weight can be attributed to the higher |
| compare the 993 Cd of 0.34 to the 997`s 0.28 we can | | | | standard specification of the new cars. Power to |
| see how far the aerodynamic game has moved on. | | | | weight is similar with the latest car offering 233 bhp |
| The latest body shell and rear wing combine with new | | | | per tone against it's predecessors 238 and the new |
| underbody paneling to also offer increased levels of | | | | models improved aerodynamics must help it post |
| down force for this latest evolution of Porsche's finest. | | | | Porsches claimed performance figures, which are |
| The latest Porsche model is the best handling 911 ever. | | | | identical to the 996. |
| Improving a car's rigidity helps ensure the suspension | | | | |