Used 2021 Porsche 911

The 2021 Porsche 911 is one of the world’s most iconic sports cars. The all-new type 992, which was introduced last year, doesn’t sway from the sports car’s familiar rear-engine recipe. Offered with three turbocharged variants of the famed flat-6 engine, and in three body styles, there is a 911 model for just about everyone – assuming you can afford the cost of entry. An 8-speed dual-clutch PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) automatic gearbox remains standard equipment, but a 7-speed manual transmission has been made a no-cost option for the Carrera S and Carrera 4S models. Turbo models are only fitted with the PDK.

While direct competitors are few, the biggest threat to Porsche’s sports-car monopoly is the new mid-engine C8 Chevrolet Corvette. Though equipped with a starting price that’s one-third more affordable than a base 911, the newsworthy new Vette has stolen a fair share of the German’s thunder.

Loaded with new technology and performance upgrades, the 8th-generation Porsche 911 ultimately represents more of an evolution than a revolution in the microcosm of truly world-class sports cars. But for an icon that has enjoyed continual improvements over its half-century existence, those improvements are simply the cherry on top of a hugely successful platform.

Climb into a Porsche 911 of any vintage, and you’ll be hit with a series of familiar elements — the sparse dashboard, a big analog tachometer front-and-center, and a fairly upright interior that comfortably holds two adults ahead of diminutive rear seats. But the most familiar part of the 911 experience is the drive. Available in rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) variants, the 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera’s incrementally elevated performance makes the sports car manage to feel both rooted in tradition, yet utterly modern.

One of the most immediate touch points of any sports car is steering, and the 911 Carrera feels intuitively connected to the road through the palms of your hands, conveying a clear picture of how the front tires are grasping the road. The 911’s accelerator and brake pedal deliver similar levels of communication, accurately conveying how much input will be needed to draw the desired acceleration and deceleration — which, for the record, is fierce in both directions. Handling is sharp, tenacious, and unflappable, with surprisingly supple ride quality; brakes are commensurately capable, with available carbon ceramics delivering track-ready performance.

Step up through the 911 range and you’ll get more “wow” factor; while the base model is plenty quick thanks to the enhanced output of the 379-horsepower twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine. The Carrera S’s enhanced 443-horsepower powerplant steps up the game with even more grunt, while the range-topping Turbo S models deliver an astonishing 640 horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder. Expect future variants to deliver even sharper performance and even more power.

The 8th-generation Porsche 911 Carrera’s general interior layout feels familiar to brand loyalists, with fresh design details tweaking the traditional formula. For the first time ever the instrument cluster features two thin, frameless digital screens flanking the (still analog) tachometer, while the main multimedia interface adds a large 10.9-inch touch screen. The sparseness of the instrument panel is punctuated by knurled toggle switches for key functions, and the passenger area of the dashboard has a trim section that can be finished in a variety of materials including open-pore wood and carbon fiber.

Countless contenders have come and gone since the Porsche 911 made its debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, many of them with styling treatments that have passed like last season’s fashions. By sticking to the same basic silhouette while adding subtle tweaks to each generation, the 911 has managed to retain its timeless character despite incremental updates.

Porsche is one of the few automakers that offers several different variants of the same body style with unique styling attributes for their specific mission. The 911 is offered in coupe, convertible, and Targa configurations and each has a slightly unique width based on engineered performance – the Turbo models are the widest of the family.

“JUST RIGHT” PERFORMANCE FEEL
Plenty of modern sports cars deliver astounding performance, with spec sheets that would put supercars of recent vintage to shame. But nothing feels quite like a Porsche 911, a model line that exudes a strong sense of its own unique personality.

PERFECT PACKAGING
A rear-mounted engine creates copious usable space throughout the vehicle. For instance, the 911’s lack of a transmission tunnel lends the cabin an open, spacious feeling, and the front end of the vehicle features a surprisingly capacious “frunk,” or front-trunk storage area. Plus, 2+2 seating allows the 911 to carry two additional passengers in a pinch.

All 911 models are fitted with full power accessories and dual-zone climate control. Leather upholstery, alloy wheels, multi-piston sport brakes, and high-performance tires are also standard. New-for-2021 is standard Comfort Access (keyless entry) across the model range.

If you’re feeling spendy, Porsche offers a plethora of ways to part with your money while ordering your 911 Carrera. Porsche charges for everything from fully leather seats to special leather colors, but performance options are even more tempting, among them a sport-exhaust system that can switch loudness levels at the touch of a button, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a sport chrono package that enables more aggressive drive modes and launch control.

Porsche is known for having one of the most comprehensive, and extravagant, options lists in the industry. A customization program called Porsche Exclusive offers a choice of any exterior color of the rainbow, a leather-lined trunk, and climate-control vents wrapped in leather!

While the architecture of Porsche’s famed flat-6 boxer engine has remained virtually unchanged for more than 50 years, the fully updated engine is one of the most advanced in the industry.

All of the 2021 powerplants include dual turbochargers, direct injection, and variable valve tuning. The 3.0-liter engine is used in several of the models. Porsche increases power in the S models with larger turbochargers and increased boost. The Turbo models have a larger, 3.8-liter, flat-6 engine with a pair of Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbochargers.

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 (Carrera, Carrera Cabrio, Carrera 4, Carrera 4 Cabrio)
379 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950-5000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg (all Carrera and Carrera 4 models)

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 (Carrera S, Carrera S Cabrio, Carrera 4S, Carrera 4S Cabrio, Targa, Targa 4, Targa 4S)
443 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
390 lb-ft of torque @ 2,300-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/23 mpg (S automatic), 17/25 mpg (S manual, S Cabrio manual), 18/23 (S Cabrio automatic, 4S automatic, 4S Cabrio automatic, Targa 4S automatic), 17/25 (4S manual) 17/24 mpg (4S Cabrio manual, Targa 4S manual), 18/24 (Targa 4 automatic)

3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 (Turbo S coupe, Turbo S Cabriolet)
640 horsepower @ 6,750 rpm
590 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (all Turbo and Turbo S Coupes and Cabriolets)