Impressions on Winding Roads and Highways

Since it’s still in the break-in period, I haven’t used high RPMs yet, so I’ll report only on handling impressions.

Like the ride quality mentioned above, this 992 has very sporty handling. For example, on the usual tight winding roads, with the Boxster GTS I might lightly brake before corners, but with the GT3, there are sections I can take without braking at all. When driving this 992, it’s actually close to the GT3. It corners smoothly without any braking.

When the GT3 was delivered, I described it as a car that requires little braking, and I feel the same with this 992. Of course, I’m not saying it performs exactly like the GT3, but it has similarly excellent handling.

Especially in Sport Plus mode, the engine mounts and suspension stiffen, transforming the car into a much firmer machine. The sharpness of the handling increases, and it delivers an amazing driving experience that’s hard to believe is just a normal Carrera. The steering gear ratio is 11% quicker than before, which is a big factor. Anyone familiar with previous Carreras will immediately notice the difference when driving the 992 on winding roads.

There’s no downside from the RR layout at all; you don’t need to worry about increasing front tire contact patches. Just turn the steering wheel, and it corners effortlessly as if there were weight on the front wheels.

From the perspective of an air-cooled Porsche enthusiast, this RR behavior might be described as “more like a regular passenger car” or “not very 911-like.”

But there’s absolutely no other passenger car that can corner like this.

Moreover, the 911 character remains if you properly load the front tires and drive according to RR principles. The 992 usually hides its RR traits but has the depth to respond to the traditional 911 driving style.

Honestly, driving the 992 on winding roads is a lot of fun. It’s not as race-focused as the GT3, nor as light and supple as the 981 Boxster. It’s just the right balance and feels very fresh. If I had to compare, it’s close to the 718 series but with even denser handling. I’m still in the break-in period, so there may be aspects I haven’t discovered yet, but personally, I really like this handling.

On the highway, of course, it’s excellent, boasting superb road-holding and high-speed stability. Some people think that because the 911 is RR, non-4WD models might be unstable at high speeds, but that’s not the case with the 992. It tracks perfectly straight, and the highway is where the 911 truly shines.

On the other hand, some might find this highway excellence a bit boring. At a steady 100 km/h cruise, the engine spins at just 1,400 rpm. It’s completely quiet, like a GT coupe, and compared to air-cooled 911s, it feels milder and more stability-focused rather than the raw “I’m driving the car” sensation or the lightning-quick lane changes described as “when you want to be there, you’re already there.”

This might be one reason longtime 911 fans view it negatively.

Still, the fact that it has become this high-performance deserves honest praise, and it’s wonderful that the 911 has become a car everyone can enjoy. Having driven the previous 991, I thought it couldn’t get any better, but once again, I was proven wrong. It has definitely improved and become more capable.

The phrase “the latest Porsche is the best Porsche” is often said, and this time, it seems to hold true once again.