Porsche 911 Carrera or Carrera S?

Today, I’d like to share a question someone sent us for the blog, along with my husband’s answer.

I’m planning to buy a 992, but I can’t decide between the Carrera and Carrera S. I’d be trading in my Macan GTS, and I haven’t owned any other Porsche models.
You speak highly of the standard Carrera on your blog. Could you tell me a little more about the differences between the Carrera and Carrera S?

That was the question.

It sounds like the reader had already used the configurator and requested quotes. With options included, the standard Carrera came to around ¥18 million, while the Carrera S was a whopping ¥20.5 million.

With the budget in mind, they asked my husband for advice, since he has experience with a variety of Porsche models.

Still, the 911 is expensive! My husband’s first Porsche, a 981 Boxster GTS, cost just under ¥10 million new with options. When I first heard that, I thought:

Wait, ¥10 million for a car?! Why?! That’s way too much! You could do so many other things with ¥10 million!

Now, though, I find myself thinking, “Compared with a 911, the Boxster GTS is quite a bargain.” I’ve completely lost my sense of perspective when it comes to cars…

Is the standard 911 more than enough for Japanese roads?

In response to the question we started with—“Carrera or Carrera S?”—I asked my husband and replied as follows.

My husband’s pick: the standard 911

In terms of low-speed torque and ease of driving around town, I think the standard Carrera is easier to handle. By comparison, the Carrera S may feel like it takes a moment for the torque to come on in city driving.

As for ride comfort, I think the S is smoother than the standard model.

Several Porsche-owning friends have said much the same thing, so I don’t think we’re far off the mark.

When it comes to speed, the standard model is plenty for Japanese roads. It accelerates effortlessly when you pull away from a highway tollbooth and merge into traffic. To really notice the difference in high-rpm power, you’d need to compare acceleration above around 180 km/h. The S has more power, of course, but there are very few opportunities to use it on public roads in Japan.

And on track, too, the standard 992 Cabriolet I drove at Fuji Speedway last year was more than fast enough, with incredible acceleration on the straights. The engine felt remarkably strong for a turbo, and with Sport Plus selected and the throttle pressed hard, it surged toward 8,000 rpm, shooting past the 7,400-rpm redline.

I’ve also driven a 992 Carrera 4S on track. It was definitely faster, but honestly, the difference didn’t feel all that dramatic. To put it bluntly, I couldn’t feel a ¥3 million difference from behind the wheel.

After driving the standard 992 on all sorts of roads, I came away thinking, “For driving in Japan, the standard model is more than satisfying.” So if you’re torn between the Carrera and Carrera S, it might make more sense to focus less on the difference in power and more on what matters to you: choose the S if ride comfort is your priority, and the standard model if you want something easier to drive around town.

“If power, speed, and status still matter most to you,” he added, “waiting for the GTS could be another option. Looking at previous generations of the 911, the GTS is more likely to hold its value better.”

That was his take.

The reader who sent in the question has already booked a test drive of the standard 911 at a dealership. I’d love to hear what they think after getting behind the wheel.