The other day, I finally had the chance to test drive the new Porsche 911, and my husband wrote down his impressions. We’ll share this in two parts, so please enjoy.

Although it’s been over six months since the new Porsche 911 (Type 992) landed in Japan, I hadn’t had the chance to test drive one at all—until now. This time, I was fortunate to get behind the wheel of the Carrera 4S.

Since I was able to take my time driving both around town and on winding roads, I’d like to share my impressions, including how it compares to the Boxster and the 991 model.

New Porsche 911 (992)

The test car this time was a top-spec Carrera 4S equipped with nearly 6 million yen worth of options. Some of the main features include:

・Glass sunroof
・Leather interior
・Rear axle steering
・Sports exhaust
・Sport Chrono package
・Power Steering Plus
・20/21-inch Carrera Exclusive Design wheels
・LED matrix headlights
・Adaptive cruise control
・14-way sports seats
・Burmester high-end surround sound system

…and more.

The body color is what I personally think might be “the next big thing after Crayon”: Aventurine Green Metallic. I had been keeping an eye on this color for a while and really liked it.

Seeing it in person, it’s truly beautiful. Especially since the 992’s design strongly echoes the classic air-cooled era, this elegant green suits it perfectly. Depending on the light and angle, it can look like a refined, mature green or sometimes even have a bluish tint.

In darker settings, it can even look like gunmetal. The color is close to the stunning iridescent wings of a jewel beetle, giving a calm, shimmering effect. “Aventurine” originally refers to the color of certain power stones and is said to evoke images of forests and nature.

Interior

The first impression when sitting in the driver’s seat can be summed up as a “mini Panamera.” It feels very refined and naturally newer compared to the 991.

Looking over to the passenger side, the single dashboard trim stretching across the width recalls the interiors of air-cooled Porsches, giving the impression that the design consciously nods to the air-cooled heritage. It skillfully blends classic elements into a modern package.

The test car featured the Dark Paldao Interior Package with wood panels, which looked incredibly stylish. The wood feels like something you’d find in a luxury hotel rather than the typical “wood grain panel” that might feel dated—this is a tasteful, mature 911.

Driving

Starting the engine, the sports exhaust-equipped car makes a fairly bold “bobobobo bot” sound. Even at idle, you can hear that distinctive Porsche blend of metallic and exhaust tones.

The throttle feel isn’t much different from the 991, so switching over is smooth. While cruising through town, I was surprised by the seamlessness and refinement of the PDK’s gear shifts. The 992 uses an 8-speed PDK, apparently the same spec as the one introduced in the 971 Panamera, but an evolved version.

The 971 Panamera’s PDK is already very smooth but you can still feel the gear changes a bit more. The 992’s transmission, while not quite as smooth as the latest torque converter automatics, comes very close.

If you weren’t told beforehand, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all. Acceleration and deceleration between about 30 km/h and 60 km/h feel very pleasant. Thanks to ample engine power, you hardly have to think about the gears; just press the accelerator and it responds.

Here, the PDK acts completely behind the scenes, smoothly selecting the optimal gear based on how much and how quickly you press the accelerator.

The engine sound is also very satisfying. As I’ll mention later, the sports exhaust’s ON/OFF doesn’t change the volume much; even with it off, the sound is fairly loud. It’s quiet at idle or low load, but when you press the accelerator a bit, you get a clear, metallic and exhaust note from the rear that sounds tougher than the 991’s.

My wife said it sounded “air-cooled-like,” and I agree. Of course, it’s not the same, but you can feel the developers’ intent to somehow revive that sound feeling despite today’s strict regulations.

The brakes on this test car are standard cast iron, but they left a very good impression—very firm and precise. Comparing them to the cast iron brakes on our 981 Boxster GTS and the PCCB brakes on the 991.2 GT3, they feel closer to the latter. The deceleration control is easy, and the uniquely Porsche sensation of “braking is fun” comes through clearly in the 992 as well.

Porsche brakes really are outstanding.

Winding Roads

Taking the car onto winding roads, I checked the steering feel. The steering operation isn’t drastically different from the previous generation and feels natural. However, the initial response when turning the wheel is quite different.

When you experience it for the first time, you can’t help but say “Wow!” — it’s that quick.

Compared to our Boxster and GT3, this feeling is closer to the GT3. That makes sense because the steering ratio has been changed, and the 992’s front track width has widened to 1589 mm.

For reference, the 991.2 GT3’s front track is 1551 mm.

Even on tight mountain switchbacks, it’s extremely easy to drive. Unlike air-cooled 964 models, which require consciously loading the front to turn properly, the 992 doesn’t need that.

Compared to air-cooled Porsches, it feels like you’re always driving with full weight on the front. Uphill or downhill, it hardly matters. Just turn the wheel normally, and it turns exactly as you expect, giving a strong sense of confidence.

On the other hand, I honestly feel that the sense of “mastering” or “controlling” the car is less pronounced compared to air-cooled models or the GT3.

In the second part, I’ll write about impressions when driving in Sport and Sport Plus modes, power delivery, suspension feel, and more.