Used 2016 Porsche 911

For over a half-century, the Porsche 911 has set the standard for performance, elegance and excitement. From the Chevy Corvette to newcomers like the Jaguar F-Type, all owe a little bit of their existence to the 911. Rather than starting every few years with a clean slate, the 2016 Porsche 911 coupe, targa and cabriolet continue the long tradition of evolving the iconic design. This mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) masterpiece delivers exceptional handling, powerful straight-line performance and unparalleled civility. The 911 is available in a wide range of trims and powertrain choices ranging from the $85,000 Carrera to the nearly $200,000 Turbo S cabriolet.

Placing a car’s engine over the rear axle complicates the weight-and-balance reality beyond comprehension. So naturally Porsche engineers relish the challenge. Having the engine behind the driver has always allowed the 911 to make rapid directional changes while simultaneously increasing the risk of setting the car into a tailspin. Over the years, Porsche has managed to lessen this rather undesirable side effect without diminishing the 911’s handling and performance attributes. Porsche’s 2016 911 is responsive, quick and communicative, inspiring more spirited driving maneuvers. As fun as the 911 is to race around a track, it’s also a very comfortable daily driver. Be it the 350-horsepower Carrera or the mighty Turbo S, there’s always the feeling of exhilaration when driving this car. The 7-speed twin-clutch PDK automatic transmission is a joy to operate and makes driving a 911 in congested traffic much less exhausting than when equipped with the 7-speed manual.

The 911’s 4-place cockpit remains a low-slung exercise in luxury, sophistication and comfort – at least for the pilot and front-seat passenger. The 911’s tiny rear seats are suitable for only the briefest of trips with adults. Just fold them and use the space as a storage shelf, which you’ll probably need since the front trunk only accommodates 4.7 cubic feet of cargo (4.4 in Carrera 4 and 4S models). The optional 18-way sport front seats are supremely comfortable and supportive, and a tilt-and-slide sunroof improves headroom. Controls for audio, climate and navigation are small but easy to figure out.

The 7th-generation platform that underlies the 2016 Porsche 911 preserves the car’s unmistakable appearance even though its roof is lower, the length and wheelbase have increased considerably, and detailing, fascias and lighting have been freshened. The car looks both sleeker and more muscular. Casual observers may find it difficult to distinguish the new 911 Turbo from its Carrera-badged counterparts, but the differences are actually quite dramatic. For instance, the 911 Turbo and higher-performing Turbo S variants are slightly longer and wider than a “wide-body” Carrera 4S.

OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS
The number of options and custom tailored features offered on the 911 is nearly infinite. Be it carbon-ceramic brakes, the Burmester audio system or color-keyed seatbelts, dash vents and trim pieces. You can even pick custom colors for the paint and fabric, but none of it comes cheap.

PDK TWIN-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION
The 7-speed PDK transmission may just be the best automatic transmission made today. The PDK operates like a normal automatic or can be shifted manually by either tapping the shift lever or operating the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Test your manual-transmission shifting skills against this automatic and you’ll lose every time.

In base form as the Carrera coupe or cabriolet, the 2016 Porsche 911 includes 4-way-power front seats with manual fore/aft adjustment, partial leather upholstery, a faux-suede headliner, bi-xenon headlights (xenon illumination for the low and high beam), dual-zone climate control, 19-inch wheels, and a 7-inch LCD navigation display and 9-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with a USB input and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The 911 Carrera 4 and Turbo models offer all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard fare. In terms of safety, every 911 includes eight airbags, a wide array of electronic stability aids, and high-performance brakes comprising 4-piston calipers and 13-inch ventilated rotors.

There is a vast list of options available for Porsche’s new 911, in both individual and packaged forms. Among them are ventilated front seats, a 12-speaker Burmester audiophile system, ceramic-composite brakes, Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, and the Sport Chrono package with its launch-control programming (PDK transmission only) and overboost function (Turbo models only). For the enthusiast who desires the best of both worlds, we recommend Porsche’s Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) that essentially eliminates body roll through a multitude of sensors and hydraulic motors while also providing a more compliant ride in normal driving conditions.

All 2016 Porsche 911 models use a flat-6 “boxer” engine in one of three sizes: 3.4-, 3.8- and 4.0-liter. The naturally aspirated 3.4-liter makes a robust 350 horsepower. Most 911s employ a 3.8-liter, available as a naturally aspirated engine in Carrera S, GTS and the GT3 models, or turbocharged in Turbo variants. Power ranges from the aforementioned 350 horsepower in Carrera, Carrera 4 and Targa 4 models to a neck-snapping 560 in the Turbo S. The 911 GT3 RS uses a 500-horsepower 4.0-liter engine. Any of the engines can be paired with Porsche’s excellent 7-speed PDK twin-clutch automatic transmission. The Carrera’s manual alternative is the 7-speed gearbox Porsche introduced for the 2012 model year.

3.4-liter flat-6 (911 Carrera and Carrera 4)
350 horsepower @ 7,400 rpm
287 lb-ft of torque @ 5,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/27 mpg (RWD manual, coupe & cabriolet), 20/28 mpg (RWD automatic, coupe), 21/28 mpg (RWD automatic, cabriolet), 19/27 mpg (AWD manual, coupe), 20/28 mpg (AWD automatic, coupe), 19/26 mpg (AWD manual, cabriolet), 20/27 mpg (AWD automatic, cabriolet), 18/26 mpg (AWD manual, Targa), 19/26 mpg (AWD automatic, Targa)

3.8-liter flat-6 (911 Carrera S and Carrera 4S)
400 horsepower @ 7,400 rpm
325 lb-ft of torque @ 5,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/27 mpg (RWD manual & automatic, coupe & convertible), 18/26 mpg (AWD manual, coupe & cabriolet), 19/26 mpg (AWD automatic, coupe & cabriolet), 18/25 mpg (AWD manual, Targa), 18/26 mpg (AWD automatic, Targa)

3.8-liter flat-6 (911 Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS)
430 horsepower @ 7,500 rpm
325 lb-ft of torque @ 5,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/26 mpg (RWD & AWD manual, coupe), 19/26 mpg (RWD & AWD automatic, coupe), 18/25 mpg (RWD manual, cabriolet), 19/26 mpg (RWD automatic, cabriolet), 18/25 mpg (AWD manual & automatic, cabriolet)

3.8-liter flat-6 (911 GT3)
475 horsepower @ 8,250 rpm
325 lb-ft of torque @ 5,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (RWD automatic, coupe)

4.0-liter flat-6 (911 GT3 RS)
500 horsepower @ 8,250 rpm
338 lb-ft of torque @ 6,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20 mpg (RWD automatic, coupe)

3.8-liter turbocharged flat-6 (911 Turbo)
520 horsepower @ 6,000-6,500 rpm
487 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950-5,000 rpm (524 lb-ft w/overboost)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg (AWD automatic, coupe & cabriolet)

3.8-liter turbocharged flat-6 (911 Turbo S)
560 horsepower @ 6,500-6,750 rpm
516 lb-ft of torque @ 2,100-4,250 rpm (553 lb-ft w/overboost)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg (AWD automatic, coupe & cabriolet)