2021 Porsche 911 Turbo makes an entrance as the everyday supercar
The 911 Turbo minus the "S" is still super-freaking quick, and stupid powerful.
The sheer number of Porsche 911 variants is somewhat dizzying, but slow and steady, the German marque continues to roll them out, one by one. The latest name to return for the 922-generation car? The 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo.
" Porsche already revealed the 911 Turbo, though," you may say to yourself. Close, but we actually saw the higher-performing 911 Turbo S this past March, not the standard Turbo. See what I mean about all the variants? Let's not even mention the oodles of other options below the Turbo and Turbo S, like the Carrera, Carrera S and so on.
In any case, yes, the 2021 911 Turbo debuted Tuesday evening and comes back swinging as the everyday supercar. Tucked away in the rear of the car is a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine that makes 572 horsepower. That's down 68 ponies compared to the Turbo S, but it's 32 hp more than the old 911 Turbo. Torque also climbs from the past 911 Turbo by 67 pound-feet for a total of 553 pound-feet and Porsche's eight-speed PDK transmission handles shifting duties. All-wheel drive is standard.
I just want to reiterate that 572 hp in what's basically a middle-of-the-road 911 is astounding. In 2005, Porsche's banner supercar, the Carrera GT , made 605 hp, people. We live in a golden age of power, and that's why the 911 Turbo comes back swinging as an everyday supercar of sorts. This car will go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, or 2.8 seconds if you opt for a 911 Turbo Cabriolet. Bonkers.
I digress. The 2021 911 Turbo takes a ton of cues from the 911 Turbo S, and it shares its more muscular design with the more powerful car. Rear-axle steering -- also from the Turbo S -- finds a home on the Turbo, and rear track width grows by 0.39-inch over the last 911 Turbo to ensure lots of grip with 305/30 tires wrapping 21-inch wheels. There's 1.65 inches of extra track width up front, too, and a set of 255/35 tires hug 20-inch wheels. Wider, grippier and faster is a winning combination.
Larger cast-iron brakes this time around also help the daily supercar come to a halt in an efficient fashion, but of course, Porsche's ceramic composite brakes are an option. Two suspensions will keep the ride in check. Either a standard setup that balances comfort and performance, or the electronically controlled Sport Suspension. The latter drops the ride height by 0.39-inch and aims to produce sharper driving dynamics.
Just lovely.
Stepping inside the 911 Turbo reveals a cockpit almost identical to the lesser Carrera models. Standard equipment, while generous, is identical with a 10.9-inch center screen, 14-way adjustable seats, Bose premium audio and more. I won't even start to list the optional gear because there's a ton. This is a Porsche, after all; you're better off playing on the configurator that'll go live soon.
There are two significant optional packages, however. The Lightweight package shaves 66 pounds from the car, and notably removes the rear seats. To race things up even more, a Sport package adds black and carbon-fiber exterior accents and finishes things off with clear tail lights.
If you're OK with giving up 68 hp from the Turbo S, you'll save a lot of money. The 2021 911 Turbo starts at $172,150 after a $1,350 destination charge. Opt for the Cabriolet and the price jumps to $184,950. The Turbo S, meanwhile, starts at $204,850 for a coupe and $217,650 for the Cabriolet.
Then again, if you're shopping a 911 Turbo of any kind, you're probably not worried about saving a mere $32,000.
