We all know that the 911 has grown a lot, but seeing Doug DeMuro next to this Lizard Green 992 has really cemented just how much. All 992s are now “widebody” cars, and as a result a base Carrera is a whopping 72.9″ wide. That’s 4.5″ wider than a 993 (though perhaps about the same as a Carrera RS), or 3.2″ wider than a 996. It’s a full 10″ longer than a 993. While it’s only slightly longer than a 996, the blunted nose and general proportions make the 992 appear to take up significantly more volume. Porsche has gone to great lengths to ensure that the 911 is both mechanically and visually a 911 through and through. It is simply striking how large it looks next to a 6’3″ Doug.
More striking than the size though is the dizzying array of technology throughout the car. From the lighting to the infotainment, there is a lot here to digest. Gone are the days of climate control sliders whose operation can be reversed if you hook the control unit up incorrectly (I’m looking at you, Project 944 GTS), and in are capacitive buttons governing most functions, vast infotainment displays, and multi-adjustable everything.
While some of those items, notably the capacitive buttons, will send enthusiasts who recall the Lagonda into convulsions, it’s really shocking how classically-Porsche the interior looks. The material choices look excellent. The shapes and layout inside the car will make an air-cooled 911 owner feel much more at home than any 996 or 997.
While enthusiasts have a luddite-like tendency to abhor technology in sports cars, I think Porsche deserves praise here. The new car seems to have given a lot of consideration to which controls are best served by physical buttons and switches rather than an endless array of sub menus. It’s a hard balance to strike, and while hardcore technophobes will never be truly happy with the 992, for the majority of us the car offers technology when you want it, and enough transparency when you do not.
While there isn’t much to take away from Doug’s driving impressions, you’d be better served looking to someone like Chris Harris for on-track insight, or JayEmm for on-road insight, his impressive level of thoroughness is always exceedingly helpful with the nitty-gritty of what a car will be like to live with.
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I suppose bloat is inevitable. I have a 993 and a 991 Carrera S-both narrow, and I think the 991, though a wonderful car, is really too big to feel like a driver's sports car (unless driven really fast). The 993, even with its limitations, is more fun to drive on public roads.
Correction: The 992 gen is the 8th generation.