Total 911 No. 224

Unpopular opinion incoming: the Carrera T is the most exciting new 992 release this year, usurping the recent GT3 RS. Why? It’s attainable for everyone – that is, anybody who walks into a Porsche Centre and puts down a deposit, even with no prior buying history, will get a build slot. The same cannot be said of the GT3 RS. Also, the T encompasses more of the essence of what a Porsche 911 is all about: dexterity in performance both on the road and the track. While the T is a heavily road-biased car, it’ll certainly do a good job on the track, whereas the GT3 RS really is a Cup car with an MOT. Fine if you’re driving to and from a track, but for a simple coffee run,…

UK’s first Destination Porsche opens The venerable Porsche Centre Reading has been transformed into the country’s first ‘Destination Porsche’ – a retail destination for enthusiasts and customers alike For 35 years, Porsche Centre Reading, located just off the M4 in Calcot, Berkshire, has proudly stood as Porsche GB’s headquarters, the primary Porsche showroom of the 45 sites in the UK. Following a lengthy programme of redevelopment work, the site has been transformed into the UK’s first Destination Porsche – a location offering not just a sales venue but what Porsche calls a “brand experience”. Porsche can trace its history with the Calcot facility back to 1985, but its history with the area began in 1977, while the ribbon on its latest incarnation was cut in mid-October. The Destination Porsche concept…

Contact Total 911 Facebook /total911magazine Email editorial@total911.com History of RSR: some corrections Dear Sir, Love the magazine and read every issue. One key correction I need to point out from your recent History of the RSR feature: on page 55, Kieron states, “But there would be no 993 RSR as such.” And that, “A small number of naturally aspirated 993s with 340hp and racing specification were delivered to Japan for a local race series, and referred by some sources as RSRs.” Actually, exactly 45 type 993 RSRs were made: 30 for 1997 model year, with the VIN numbers mixed in with the 993 Cups, and 15 for the 1998 model year. For the 1998 model year, the cars ending in VIN# 001-015 were Cup cars and the cars…

Dear Sir, How much oil is used between the top and bottom indicators on the small digital screen on my 996? I recently completed a lengthy road trip around Scotland and before I did the trip the oil was filled to one bar below top on the digital gauge. Back home and 1,800 miles later, and the reading is below half, so how much oil have I lost? And should I be concerned? Jon Wooldridge On the 996 the electronic oil level gauge is made of eight segments, with six segments indicating between the ‘minimum’ and ‘maximum’. If all eight segments are filled, this indicates the oil level is over-filled above the maximum; if only one segment is illuminated then the oil is under-filled below the minimum. It needs to…

Forgive us this diversion, but whisper it… other car brands do exist. Hell, there are even other Porsche models out there, and there’s every chance you’ll have one, or at least have experienced them at some point. While we’re not going to stray too far from our favourite brand here, this month’s trawl of the classifieds has seen us take a bit of a tangent because we’ve been looking at Audi RS2s. It’s unlikely you’re unaware of the RS2, but here’s a recap – just in case. In the early 1990s Audi was keen to make a go-faster estate and asked Porsche for a bit of help. The RS2 is the product of that alliance. Porsche took an Audi 80 Avant – Audi-speak for estate – and upped the power…

992 GT3 RS first drive There’s a warning the 992 GT3 RS is running out of fuel, which pops up on the central screen in the dashboard as we’re lapping the Silverstone GP circuit. We’re approaching Maggots complex at 137mph (220km/h), and Porsche ambassador and test driver Jörg Bergmeister casually starts prodding at the screen to dismiss it, taps the brakes before dispatching the fast direction change and gets right back on the accelerator. I’m dumbfounded – and pounded – as the car changes direction in a manner that until today I’ve never experienced in anything other than a pure racing car. The additional mental capacity to deal with things beyond what’s core to the driving task in hand separates merely good drivers from the best. Me? I would have…