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AUTO REVIEW

there are still too many buttons for my
taste. I appreciate that you can do so much
on that screen with just a quick glance and
a touch, and that you can zoom in and out
with your fingers just like you can on a
smartphone. But it’s discouraging that op-
tions that many customers will skip – think
sports exhaust and sunroof – have re-
served space on the center console, so that
if you don’t order them a blank place sits
there reminding you that you’re kind of a
cheap skate (which you’re not since you
bought a car that starts at around $90,000
without options).
Driving the 2018 911 is a lot like driving
the 991.1, which might seem obvious since
they’re almost identical visually, but isn’t
because all non-GT 991.2 911s now have
turbocharged engines. That’s right, the 911
Turbo is turbocharged (duh), but now so
are all of the Carreras. Confused? Join the
club, but presumably Porsche thought that
the 911 Turbo was so established as their
performance pinnacle that they couldn’t
change its name. Whatever.
Anyway, one of the hallmarks of driving
a 911 is its linear throttle response, which
is not what turbocharged engines are
known for. And yet the Carrera 4 I drove
had no discernible turbo lag and a very lin-
ear throttle response. In fact, the only difference between the 2018 online configurator with a glass of Cabernet is not recommended.
model and the 2015 car I tested earlier was more low-end torque in As we enter the age of autonomous transportation, it’s worth tak-
the newer model. It even sounds the same. Interestingly, while the ing a moment to appreciate cars like the Porsche 911 which have
engine sounds you hear inside the cabin are very 991.1-ish, a loud enriched our lives for decades. Maybe let the millennials have the
turbo whistle can be heard if you roll down the windows. (2018 Car- autonomous drone pods while the rest of us enjoy the act of driving.
rera and Carrera S models come with twin-turbo 3.0L boxer engines Despite all of its hassles, it’s still a pretty great thing to do.
that make 370HP and 420HP, respectively.)
The dangerous off-throttle snap oversteer that early 911s were no- If you’re in the market for this kind of vehicle, call Phil Hornbeak
torious for was engineered out many years ago, so driving quickly over at 210-301-4367.
your favorite road now is a lesson in how well an engine, transmission,
and suspension can collaborate to help you go fast and feel good. No, Stephen Schutz, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist
driving the newest 911 isn’t as magical as it was in the late 1990s when who lived in San Antonio in the 1990s when he was stationed
the great 993 carried the 911 flag, but it’s still very, very good. here in the U.S. Air Force. He has been writing auto reviews
Buying any Porsche will test your restraint as there are many options for San Antonio Medicine since 1995.
available. This is a Hall of Fame car, but sitting down in front of the

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