992 Turbo Spied Testing at the Nurburgring!

It might be a hundred pounds heftier than its forebear, but the new 992 Turbo is certainly no slower [in fact it’s likely much faster]. Absurdly quick from A to B, the gold standard for all-weather supercars may lose something in terms of pure agility compared to the GT members of the Porsche family, but not much. Absurdly quick over crests and through direction changes, slight damp patches, and hairpins, the 992 Turbo is one of the most accessible supercars around. Watch this stimulating footage around the Nurburgring, where it belies its weight with style and composure—just like a Turbo should.

Carspotter Jeroen brings us footage of this larger, girthier Turbo, which looks nearly as large as a Panamera in the thumbnail. At the rear, the 992 is 0.8 inches wider than the 991 Turbo, and also 2.1 inches wider than the 992 Carrera. Bigger wings and splitters further contribute to this impression of growing size.

Power in Spades

A revised powerplant pushing over 640 horsepower is supposed to rocket the 992 Turbo to 60 miles per hour in a little over 2 seconds—2.2, to be exact—and cover the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds at 145 miles per hour. With 590 lb-ft of torque sent through an 8-speed PDK gearbox (the only gearbox available) and 4 driven wheels, the relentless, fuss-free acceleration is another quality which distinguishes the Turbo from sharper, punchier, and lighter cars. Truly, it might be one of the fastest cars over any given stretch of real-world road.

Grace and Confidence

The four-wheel drive system can be heard; it makes the fronts howl mildly and constantly. It also provides remarkable stability, and despite the speeds the 992 carries, it never seems to be working too hard. No snaps of oversteer, no unsettling hops over the Nordschleife’s many bumps. In great GT style, it absorbs the surface imperfections, grabs a hold of the asphalt underneath, and fires towards the next corner with a muted whoosh and plenty of confidence.