Road Test: Porsche 911 2dr Tiptronic S

This is it. The Y2k 911 Turbo. It'd be easy, and seem logical for me to say that it's the most powerful, quickest, fastest 911 Turbo to date, but, oh, if only things were that simple. Remember the GT1, GT2 and Turbo S? On paper they all had more power, and the £500,000 GT1 was certainly a little faster. But if we're talking full production 911s, not limited-edition specials, this one here is the business.

Externally it resembles the current type 996 911, but those huge front air intakes, headlamps, big scoops fore of the rear wheels plus a wide-bodied rear end and wing (that pops up at 75mph) haven't been seen on any previous 911.

The liquid-cooled 3.6-litre engine is not, as you might expect, derived from the cooking 996, but is a 420bhp twin-turbo version of the recent, normally-aspirated 360bhp 996 GT3 motor, in itself a derivation of the Le Mans winning turbocharged GT1 engine.

The four-wheel-drive system stays much as it is in the current Carrera 4 and, a first for any 911 Turbo, there's now an optional five-speed Mercedes-sourced Tiptronic transmission available. But let's not get too bogged down in detail, come for a ride instead...

I'm driving down a long straight road. There's almost no traffic, but it's a fairly built-up area so it's no place to verify Porsche's claimed 4.2secs to 62mph or 190mph top speed, so I decide on a more responsible type of test. Such is the flexibility of this engine I'd already noticed how easy it was to skip gears by changing up from first to third to sixth, or to pull away comfortably in second and shift straight to sixth without causing the engine, driveline or occupants any discomfort whatsoever.

Then I take it to the extreme. In sixth gear I lift off the throttle and, without depressing the clutch or changing gear, let the revs fall as it coasts down to a digitally-indicated 30kph, or 18.6mph. The rev counter's registering 600rpm, or 140rpm below idle speed. At this point the engine is about to stal, so just before it does I apply full throttle. Blow me if it doesn't accelerate cleanly.

By the time the needle hits 1,000rpm, it's pulling reasonably, and by 3,000rpm it's already past the point where peak torque begins and is doing 90mph.

Which means, taking into consideration its top speed, that this 911 Turbo has a range of a little over 170mph in one gear. This car could survive quite happily on just second and sixth, while three gears - second, fourth and sixth - could be deemed an overkill.

But it's engine flexibility which is the key to this new model's character. A while ago, you'd be forgiven for associating the 911 Turbo with unmanageable power, raucous noise and untamed handling - a he-man's motor if ever there was one. Well, not any more.

There isn't even a trace of turbo lag. It doesn't spit, bang or pop on the overrun. The power delivery is more linear than you ever thought possible, the torque curve flatter than a witch's tit and, should grip be in short supply, the 4WD system redistributes power from 95 per cent at the rear to 40 per cent at the front as required. In addition, the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system will reduce power and/or apply left or right side front or rear brakes should the driver get 'in too deep'. And there is a button to switch PSM off.

The only way I found of rattling this car's temperament was to experiment with a 0-60 sprint. Hold it at about 4,000rpm and dump the clutch while simultaneously applying full throttle. In fairness, no 911 likes doing this, but when there's 4WD the juddering at both ends as the tyres refuse to light up could cause internal bleeding and memory loss. Credit where it's due, though, it gets off the line pretty damn quick...

In normal driving, there's some tyre noise (hardly surprising, they're huge at the rear) and a crisp though far from intrusive engine note, but the cabin, for the most part, is a place of relative calm.

The ride quality, at virtually any speed, has more in common with a sports saloon than a typical supercar. That said, a Mitsubishi Evo VI or Honda Accord Type-R, let alone a GT3 or Skyline, would seem pretty harsh by comparison. The 996-derived chassis and steering behaves impeccably. The photo on the previous page was taken on a partially damp Italian roundabout (on cool tyres) at something not far short of 80mph. At this point those wide Pirellis are on the limit of grip, just slip-sliding both front and rear in equal proportion, and the PSM hasn't quite cut in to 'dilute' the experience. Bearing in mind the particularly public surroundings, I choose not to play silly buggers but feel confident that nothing is going to get too pear-shaped without adequate warning. The 911 Turbo's steering is superbly precise and perfectly weighted, whether executing a three-point turn or lane changing at 180mph.

In keeping with this mile-munching, continent-crushing ability, the interior comes with all you'd need or expect. Ten-speaker stereo, trip computer, full- leather, electrically-adjustable heated seats, aircon, airbags everywhere and more. All of which contributes to a weight of 1,540kgs, or 40 more than the old 993 air-cooled Turbo, 110 more than a 360 Modena, 190 more than the GT3 but 280 less than a DB7 Vantage.

Which is another pointer towards defining this new Turbo's character. It's a bit less of a pure sports car, a bit more of a mature grand tourer. For instance, the last incarnation of the air-cooled 911 Turbo, (the '98 Turbo S) had powerful but wooden brakes and a slightly tricky clutch.

This car is beyond such criticism. It demonstrably has the necessary power and speed (and then some), but it's not remotely intimidating and shouldn't be confused with any stripped-out light-weight track-day toys or other implements of hooliganism. Gone are the hirsute, bulging wheelarches and whale's tail spoilers. This is a gentlemen's express, with the accent on express.