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There’s 329 Nm available at 5000 rpm, but a fraction of that will suffice for most conditions. Blasting to 4000 rpm in first and second gears from a stoplight is enough to drop all traffic far behind, although the engine will eagerly spin to its 6800 rpm redline. (Max power is 270 bhp at 6100 rpm.) Throughout the rev range, acceleration—and engine sound level—are quite linear, and the gas pedal acts as both speed and volume control. The six-speed gearbox has short throws and well-defined gates. After every shift, the engine picks up right where it left off, as if continuing a conversation, each phrase bringing the car closer to its 260+ km/h top speed. Braking is as fierce as the acceleration. Cross-drilled and radially-vented discs stand guard at all four corners, and bring the car to a halt as effectively as we imagine a deployed parachute would. No wonder: the wheels are 17-inchers, but the large brake discs and calipers are nearly scraping the inside of the rims. Mounting the engine aft of the rear wheels benefits both acceleration and braking. When accelerating, most of the car’s mass is on the drive wheels because of weight transfer rearward. During braking, weight effectively transfers to the front tires, but most of it still remains at the rear. Suddenly this rear-engine layout is starting to make sense. At rest, about 60% of the weight is on the rear tires. This is immediately apparent even with a quick glance at the tires. The fronts are slim 205/50 ZR 17s, while the rears are pavement-chomping 255/40 ZR 17s. That rear weight bias is also evident from the moment the car enters a corner. There’s no understeer to speak of, and when the car settles into a corner, we could feel the mass rotating somewhere behind our seats. The rear never threatened to break loose though, as earlier 911s were infamous for, and remained firmly planted even on our notoriously twisty flyovers. Some enthusiasts maintain that only convertibles can qualify as true sports cars. Well, we won’t argue with that, because with a push of a button on the center console, the Porsche automatically retracts its canvas roof and folds it into a neat pile behind the vestigial rear seats. Suddenly, the engine is pleasingly louder and the upright windshield feels perfectly positioned. The body feels utterly solid, lacking any sort of squeaks, shakes or rattles, despite its topless configuration. However, wind noise is quite loud—don’t expect to converse normally at more than 80 km/h. Raising the side windows helps quiet things down. Ride quality is surprisingly compliant and comfortable. To those used to the cushy cabins of today’s cars, the 993’s cabin might seem bare. Everything there is for function only, and sensibly so. Why play with a CD changer when the entire car is a plaything? A large tachometer dominates the instruments, its needle spinning gleefully clockwise at one’s command. A smaller speedometer, oil and coolant temp, oil pressure and fuel level gauges, and analog clock complete the instruments. |
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