997.1 Turbo
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Combining old-school 911 design cues with the latest tech, the 997.1 Turbo is a veritable gem of the 997 range. Turbos have always been about blending breathtaking performance with supreme long-distance cruising versatility, and in that brief the 997.1 Turbo excels.
The final Turbo to use a Mezger engine, it was the first to utilise Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) – famously the first petrol road car to feature the technology. At lower engine speeds the turbo vanes angle, cramming more air in. At higher engine speeds the vanes open. It combines the benefits of using two sequential turbos, as used on the 959, and is the reason behind the prodigious flat torque curve, minus the dreadful lag of the past.
The duality of the Turbo is its strength. Docile when you want it to be, yet unleash the full performance and it instantly turns into a car as senior as the figures suggest. That’s 480bhp and 620Nm of torque, with the majority of that available between 1,950 and 5,000rpm. Launching from 0-62mph takes 3.9 seconds, yet thanks to all-wheel drive and PTM, that sure-footed performance could be utilised in all conditions.
Excellent build quality, material choices and design, balancing classic looks, prodigious performance and
