The shifts in ‘Sport’ happened at about 5,000 revs, here, the S Boxer went up to 7,500, and then just stood there, knocking on Red Line’s door, before shifting up and letting me power through to the next corner, almost immediately down-shifting. The straights came too soon. Time to let loose. The Targa 4S, Powerkit and all, may have 430 PS and 440 Nm, but that’s more than enough for this 1.5-tonne sports car to accelerate to 100 km/h in just about 5.5 seconds. Third gear stays on till 170 km/h before the PDK decides to return to clutch number two and select that second cog. The Targa 4S will hit near 300 km/h. Lift off slightly and the exhaust lets out what can only be described as the delicate sound of thunder. The motor is phenomenal and the power simply keeps coming.
Of course, the next thing to do was brake, and those big 340-mm brake rotors, when bitten, shed speed akin to a shepherd hauling sheep at you in the face. The G-meter (yes, I checked) showed 1.2 G under reasonably hard braking. Cruising speed of 80 km/h is a petty affair for this one. After all those shenanigans, the trip-computer still showed me 15.6 litres/100 km, or about 6.4 km to the litre. Not bad at all. What is bad, and I must cringe as I type this, is the Rs 1.75 crore ex-showroom price-tag. That’s a lot of import duty and taxes, and, if you think that’s expensive for an everyday sports car, it’s because it is. But this is a 911. The shape is instantly recognisable. The engine is at the back. The car is low and infinitely exciting. Exclusivity is a given, as is performance. Peace of mind and pride of ownership, however, are priceless.
The Porsche 911 has achieved cult status, and, dare I say, is even a religion for some; one that pushes us to be better; to do more with less; to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday; to eliminate mediocrity; and to inspire others to do just that. And, no, I didn’t need greenbacks to sign up for that trip, just a heart that pumps blood like petrol to fuel the inner passion.
NOTE:
For the detailed road test report and performance figures, refer to the May 2015 issue of Car India.
