Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S facelift unveiled

Facelifted versions of the Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S have been unveiled ahead of their planned public debut at the Detroit motor show in January.

Both models will be available in coupé and cabriolet forms, with the 911 Turbo S boasting a 0-100kph time of 2.9sec and a top speed in excess of 300kph, making it the fastest-accelerating 911 production model.

Modified versions of the turbocharged 3.8-litre, horizontally opposed six-cylinder direct injection petrol engine from the outgoing generation of the 911 Turbo will be used, with the new Turbo S getting an extra 20bhp to boost the total power output to 572bhp. Official torque figures are not available yet, but Porsche sources suggest it will have the same 76.4kgm as the outgoing 911 Turbo S.

The extra power is available thanks to modifications to the inlet ports within the cylinder head, as well as small changes to the variable vane turbocharger, while the torque is expected to remain the same because of loading limitations with the standard seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and four-wheel-drive system.

For 2016, the standard 911 Turbo gets a less-modified version of the same engine making 532bhp – 18bhp more than the model it replaces – but it is still expected to reach 0-100kph in 3.0sec with a top speed of 320kph in coupé form.

Porsche also claims improvement in fuel economy figures across the range, while a dynamic boost function is included to reduce the effect of turbocharger lag and offer sharper throttle response, according to the manufacturer.

Subtle styling upgrades include an altered front bumper with reworked cooling ducts, and 20-inch alloys. At the rear, a redesigned engine lid features a new grille to aid cooling properties, while in the cabin there’s a new 360mm-diameter steering wheel with a rotary controller to select between the four driving modes – Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Individual. There's also a new touchscreen and improved connectivity features, including Wi-Fi.

Doug Revolta