00:00 This is the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S. Sure, it looks a lot like the 2011 Carrera S, but
00:26 there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye. For starters, the new 911 is bigger.
00:32 In the biggest single-dimensional change in the 911's history, the 2012 car is 2.2 inches
00:38 longer and a quarter inch lower. The real change, though, is within those dimensions.
00:44 The wheelbase has been stretched a startling four inches, which has moved the rear axle
00:48 rearward three inches. Besides shortening the front and rear overhangs, this stretch
00:53 has effectively moved the weight of the rear-mounted engine and transmission closer to the middle
00:58 of the car. With less weight behind the rear axle, the new 911 shifts its weight distribution
01:04 forward 1%, resulting in a 61% rear weight bias. To appreciate the effort that took,
01:10 you have to look underneath at the car where you can see that Porsche has redesigned the
01:14 transmission to move the rear axles as close to the engine and as far rearward as possible.
01:20 Moving the weight towards the centre of the car and between the axles should make the
01:24 new 911 slightly less likely to oversteer and reduce the polar moment of inertia, allowing
01:29 it to change direction faster.
01:36 Helping the 911 achieve better handling are some low and high-tech upgrades. The standard
01:41 MacPherson-struck front and five-link rear suspension remain, but have been recalibrated
01:46 for less squat and dive under acceleration and braking. Both have been augmented with
01:50 adaptive shock absorbers and new adaptive anti-roll bars. The front has also been updated
01:56 with a new electric power steering rack, a first for Porsche.
02:01 The transmissions have also been updated. In a world first, the manual transmission
02:05 now has seven gears and is aided by a mechanical limited-slip differential. The PDK dual-clutch
02:11 automated manual you see here now features an adaptive limited-slip differential and
02:17 a sailing mode that allows the car to coast in gear at any speed, with the engine off
02:21 and your foot off the gas pedal. Both transmissions also feature automatic engine start/stop.
02:29 Speaking of stopping, 13-inch brakes and four-piston calipers are standard on all corners, and
02:34 S models get larger 13.4-inch brakes. Carbon-ceramic rotors are optional.
02:41 The real excitement, though, comes from the new 3.4-litre six-cylinder Boxer engine. It
02:46 may be smaller, but it makes five more horsepower for a total of 350 horsepower and 287 pound-feet
02:52 of torque. With just over 3,300 pounds to move, Porsche says the new 911 should beat
02:58 the old car to 60 miles per hour by up to half a second, with the Carrera S doing the
03:03 deed in just 4.2 seconds. We'll find out for sure when we put the new 911 to the test
03:09 in the very near future.
03:15 (rock music)
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