The 992 Turbo S is the most complete performance car on sale, and it achieves that by being ruthlessly unromantic. Its 3.7-litre twin-turbo flat-six uses variable-geometry turbochargers — a technology Porsche pioneered on petrol engines with the 997 Turbo — for 640 hp with almost no perceptible lag, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed PDK.

The reason it feels like nothing else is the traction. The rear-biased weight distribution loads the driven wheels under acceleration, so a Turbo S will launch from any surface, in any weather, at any temperature, with a repeatability that hypercars can't match. Porsche quotes 2.6 seconds to 60 mph; independent tests routinely beat it.

The rest is quietly excellent: active anti-roll bars, rear-wheel steering, carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, active aero front and rear with an airbrake function, and adaptive dampers with a genuinely usable comfort setting. It has two small rear seats, a front boot, and a ride you could commute in daily.

Its market position is the interesting part. It is faster point-to-point than most mid-engined supercars, half the price of many, and completely undramatic to look at. Enthusiasts sometimes call it clinical — GT3 buyers certainly do — but as a single car to own for every purpose, in every climate, nothing else comes close.

03 / How to use

Owner's walkthrough

Practical guide for everything a new owner asks on day one — starting the car, finding the gear selector, drive modes, infotainment, driver aids, and easy-to-miss features.

How to start it

Step on the brake. The starter is on the LEFT side of the steering column (Porsche heritage from Le Mans). Twist the cylinder forward — or on PCM-only cars, push the rotary knob.

Where the gear selector is (and how to use it)

Stubby PDK lever on the console — push forward for R, pull back for D. Some 911 trims still use a column-mounted miniature lever (~the size of a thumb).

Drive modes

Drive modes are accessed via the steering-wheel mode dial (Sport Chrono package). Available modes typically include Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Wet, Individual. Each mode reshuffles throttle mapping, steering weight, adaptive dampers (if equipped), exhaust valves, and stability-control thresholds. On performance trims, an 'Individual' or 'Custom' slot lets you save your favorite combination so you can recall it with one click instead of nesting through menus.

Cluster & head-up display

The driver display is a Five-pod digital cluster (central tach). Use the steering-wheel left thumb-pad to cycle layouts (Classic, Sport, Navigation, Minimal). When in Sport / Track mode the cluster automatically swaps to a wide tach with gear indicator and tire-temperature readout. The head-up display brightness, height, and content are configured from Settings → Displays → HUD.

Infotainment & voice control

Infotainment runs on Porsche Communication Management (PCM 6.0). Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard; pair from Settings → Connections the first time, then it auto-connects whenever your phone is in range. "Hey Porsche" wakes the in-car assistant for nav, climate, calls, and messaging without touching the screen. The main display also hosts vehicle-specific apps: tire pressures, performance data recorder (where fitted), drive-mode customizer, and the camera views.

Driver assistance

Standard driver aids include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Toggle each system individually from the driver-assist menu (steering-wheel left-pad → Assistance). Highway-driving assist (hands-off in marked lanes on supported roads), automatic lane-change on indicator tap, traffic-jam assist for stop-and-go, and a 360° surround camera with transparent-hood mode are all available and worth enabling for the first time before driving in heavy traffic.

Fueling

Premium unleaded (91 or 93 octane) is required on Porsche performance models — the engine timing is set for it and lower octane causes audible knock and reduced power. Fuel-cap release is a button on the driver door panel; the cap is capless (just push the nozzle in).

Keys & phone-as-key

Beyond the physical key, this car supports Porsche Digital Key. Set up phone-as-key from the My Porsche app: it provisions a secure credential to your phone's wallet so a tap on the door handle unlocks the car and placing the phone on the wireless charging pad authorizes ignition. You can also share temporary keys to family members (with optional speed and area limits on performance trims) directly from the app.

First-week tips & easy-to-miss features

A few things every new owner tells us they wish they'd known on day one:

Set up the head-up display brightness and content (speed + nav arrows + assist status) the first day — once it's tuned to you it's the most useful screen in the car.
Download the brand app (My Porsche) and pair it with your VIN before your first long trip — remote climate, charging/fuel-level checks, and remote lock-status save you walking back to the garage in winter.
Steering-wheel rotary mode dial: rotate AND press to commit (a single rotate doesn't engage the mode on most trims — it just previews).

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