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2007 Porsche 911 Review
It's true: There is no substitute.
2007 911 Review Summary & Specifications
You can find sports cars with more sex appeal and you can certainly find sports cars that are more brutish. You will not find a sports car with better overall balance than the Porsche 911, however, and you will not find a true high-performance machine that is easier to live with as daily transportation. Which one? The basic Carrera is a terrific sports car and we'd be quite happy driving one every day. The S just adds a little oomph. A Carrera 4 with the Tiptronic is safe and comfortable no matter the weather or the ugliness of the traffic; it's a great sports car for the daily commuter. The Targa is interesting, but the mesh doesn't keep the sun out enough. The Cabriolets aren't as pretty to our eyes as the coupes, until we drive them, that is. The Turbo offers the ultimate in performance yet easy to drive and docile in traffic; it's our choice when money is no object. Surprisingly docile, though less comfortable for daily driving, the GT3 would be our choice for track events. No matter which 911 you buy you can pat yourself on the back and be confident you made a good choice.NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent J.P. Vettraino filed this report from Detroit, with Mitch McCullough reporting from Los Angeles and Birmingham, Alabama.
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| Vehicle Category | Sports Cars |
| Editor | New Car Test Drive |
| Model Lineup | Porsche 911 Carrera ($72,400); Carrera S ($82,600); Carrera 4 ($78,200); Carrera 4S ($88,400); Carrera Cabriolet ($82,600); Carrera S Cabriolet ($92,800); Carrera 4 Cabriolet ($88,400); Carrera 4S Cabriolet ($98,600); Targa 4 ($85,700); Targa 4S ($95,900); GT3 ($106,000); Turbo ($122,900) |
| Engines (standard) | 325-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24v horizontally opposed 6-cylinder |
| Engines (optional) | 325-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24v horizontally opposed 6-cylinder; 355-hp 3.8-liter dohc 24v horizontally opposed 6-cylinder; 415-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24v horizontally opposed 6-cylinder, 480-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24v turbocharged horizontally opposed 6-cylinder |
| Transmissions (standard) | 6-speed manual |
| Transmissions (optional) | 6-speed manual; 5-speed Tiptronic automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | dual front airbags, door-mounted torso coverage side-impact air bags with boron-steel door reinforcement beams, curtain-style head protection airbags, three-point inertia reel seat belts with load limiters and pretensioners, automatic-deploying safety bars and boron-steel reinforced windshield header and A-pillars (Turbo Cabriolet only), ABS, Porsche Stability Management (PSM), tire-pressure monitoring system |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | |
| Basic Warranty | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Manufacturer Phone | 1-800-767-7243 |
| Manufacturer URL | www.porsche.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 72400 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Porsche 911 Carrera 4 ($78,200) |
| Standard Equipment | automatic climate control with active charcoal filters, leather-trimmed height-adjustable seats with power recliners, leather-trimmed telescoping steering wheel, digital AM/FM/CD stereo, trip computer, power windows with one-touch power up/down, power locks with keyless remote, anti-theft system, power heated side mirrors, cruise control, power sunroof, fog lights, rear fog lights, speed-dependent retractable rear spoiler, heated windshield washer nozzles, LED interior orientation lights; Porsche Active Suspension Management, 19-inch forged alloy wheels |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | Power Seat Package ($1,550) includes dual power front seats with power height, length and backrest adjust, dual adjust lumbar supports, driver's seat memory; Bose Surround Sound System ($1,390); multifunction steering wheel ($1310); Sport Chrono package ($940); heated front seats ($480); auto-dimming mirrors ($385); floor mats ($115) |
| Destination Charge | 795 |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 85165 |
| Layout | rear-engine, four-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 325 @ 6800 |
| Torque | 273 @ 4250 |
| Fuel Economy | 18/26 |
| Wheelbase | 92.5 |
| Length/Width/Height | 175.6/71.2/51.6 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 36.0 |
| Seating Capacity | 2+2 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 38.0/NA/41.6 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Trunk Volume | 11.8 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | independent |
| Rear Suspension | independent |
| Ground Clearance | 3.7 |
| Curb Weight | 3197 |
| Stock Tires | 235/40R18 front, 295/35R18 rear |
| Brakes Front/Rear | vented disc/vented disc, with ABS |
| Fuel Capacity | 16.9 |
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