2012 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.4 PDK
Now here’s a challenge. How do you possibly improve on a car widely acknowledged as the best of its kind, a car that was already technically close to the limit of what’s achievable in a sports car and a car whose many acolytes are intensely passionate about what it should, and should not be? Dependent on your psyche this is the stuff of cold sweats at four in the morning or a reason for being. For Porsche it’s the latter. There appear to be three guiding principles in the design process for Porsche. The first is to redesign from the ground up. The second is don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. The last is to widen appeal and increase sales.

Designated 991, this is the first fundamental redesign of the 911 since 2004 and only the sixth since the 911’s launch in 1963. No pressure then. The basic premise is the same as ever – rear mounted boxer engine and classic and instantly recognisable 911 lines. Visually, it’s evolution not revolution – being slightly longer and lower it looks more elegant and the rear view has been improved but otherwise it’s more of the same.

But the ‘chassis’ is brand new and makes extensive use of aluminium which means despite larger dimensions than its predecessor the 991 is 40kg lighter and also more rigid. The benefit to outright speed is obvious but the more subtle impact is on handling and ride. Firstly, the suspension’s job of maintaining maximum contact with the road surface is made easier so grip is greater and secondly wheel travel, and with it, ride quality, can be increased with minimal impact on handling, particularly since the 991 sits a little lower.

The chassis accommodates a longer, by 100mm, wheelbase and a wider front track too. That 100mm increases straight-line stability, suppleness and cabin space whilst the increased track improves front-end grip, particularly on turn in, eliminating any natural tendency to under-steer as a result of the rear engine layout. The end result of these chassis changes is even better balance than before – it’s almost poetic the way this 911 dips, dinks and dances through bends – and grip that is quite simply staggering. Ride is discernibly improved too, so much so the 911 will step on the toes of a few GTs. Hardcore drivers needn’t worry though as they still have the option of a button that’ll firm up the suspension for even better handling.

Perhaps the most controversial change is to the steering. The old school hydraulic system that oozed feedback has been replaced by an electric version. The benefit comes by way of much better fuel economy (an hydraulic pump draws serious amounts of energy from the engine), reduced resistance at low speed and less twitchiness but even Porsche can’t make it quite as responsive as before so purists may well grumble. To be fair though it’s arguing the toss as it’s still a great system and the best of its kind – nicely weighted and with pin-point precision.

The Carrera S keeps the incredibly responsive 3.8 litre flat-six engine with power increased to 400hp and 325lb-ft of torque and with the PDK double clutch auto gearbox manages to accelerate from 0 to 62 in 4.3 seconds. Our standard Carrera has a new 3.4 litre unit that delivers a bit more power (350bhp) and far better economy than the old, larger 3.6 from which it’s derived. It’s a zesty, free-revving engine that offers an amazing blend of performance and economy – 0-62 of 4.6 secs yet only 34mpg and 194gr CO2. The real star of the show is the redeveloped PDK box – recalibrated settings mean it’s faster, sharper and more responsive and makes the whole drivetrain more lively and athletic.

People familiar with the 911 will be instantly at home in the cabin – build quality, layout, controls and driving position are broadly the same and as good as ever but the new 911 takes more than a leaf out of the Panamera’s book when it comes to luxury and refinement. The finish has moved decidedly upmarket with much more attention paid to appearance and finish. Kit-wise leather, climate control, bi-xenon lights, a seven-inch sat-nav screen, MP3 and USB connectivity are standard on the Carrera, while the Carrera S adds 20in wheels, adaptive dampers, and the Porsche Torque Vectoring system with a limited slip differential. The seats whilst snug are very comfortable, there’s more space and there’s less wind and road noise too. Combined with the improvements to ride this all makes the 991 a very pleasant place on long journeys – that’s wider appeal box ticked.

The 991 still retains the feel of a proper 911 and won’t disappoint purists, even though it is more comfortable and uses electric power steering, because overall it has sharper, better handling thanks to the new chassis and wider track and it’s livelier thanks to revisions to the drivetrain. To prove the point despite concessions to comfort it’s 17 seconds faster round the Nurburgring than its predecessor. The best has indeed got better – the Porsche designers can sleep easy. 0-62: 4.6 secs
Top speed: 178mph
Mpg: 34.4
CO2: 194g
Price: £73,836


Chrysler Delta SR 1.6 M-Jet
Let’s be honest, most family hatchbacks conform to the same basic guiding principles established by the Golf and Focus many moons ago – the emphasis is on handling/performance, costs (running and purchase), perceived quality and practicality in roughly that order. Refreshingly, the Delta strives to be different. Not too much - that would be commercial suicide – but its designers have made a genuine effort to re-evaluate what a family hatchback can be and what customers might want.

It helps to understand the Delta’s background. Chrysler is owned by Fiat. In the US, the Chrysler group needs smaller, European style cars to thrive (hence Fiat’s involvement) but most Americans are used to their creature comforts and many like or need space; lots of it. In Europe, aside from Fiat (the value proposition in the group) and Alfa (sporting/glamour) there’s Lancia, which loosely fills the premium/comfort niche. The Delta, branded as Chrysler in the UK and US, was developed by Lancia to appeal to Europeans who want something a little more suited to the everyday practicalities of modern life and Americans who want to downscale. It follows that it can’t be too big but has to be comfortable, spacious and practical without sacrificing performance and handling – and some Italian flair would be handy too. So much for theory and sweeping generalisations – does it work?

In the flesh it looks good – modern, well proportioned and stylish, especially from the side and rear, we particularly liked the treatment of the rear light clusters. Some will like the strongly stated front grille, some won’t – but we do. Another noticeable feature is how close the wheels are to the rear corners. This is deliberate as it increases the length of the wheelbase by 100mm. This aids stability, can improve ride and benefits space.

It may have bog-standard, Euro-sized, compact hatch external dimensions but internally it’s anything but compact - thanks to that extra 100mm wheelbase, the cabin is huge. It will comfortably accommodate occupants well in excess of six foot front and rear simultaneously and the boot is enormous. To add even greater spatial flexibility the rear seats slide to and fro with ease and they also recline. When forward there’s 85 litres of bootspace (and at 380 litres the boot’s a decent size to begin with) but if cabin space is your priority simply slide them back – easy peasy and staggering that no other mainstream car does it.

The limo feel doesn’t stop there. OK, it may be stretching it a bit to liken the interior quality of the Delta to a limo but it’s a pretty good effort. The materials used within are pleasingly posh and luxurious. The leather trim on the seats and doors of our test car were soft and supple and the stitching looked hand-done (it’s unlikely, but who’s to know?). The seats are very well padded and comfortably shaped whilst the dash and instruments are well laid out, have an interesting 3D feel to them and are a refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous Germanic format prevalent elsewhere. Kit levels are about average on the basic model but moving up the range adds a lot more spec for not much extra cash – our Limited was all leather, had sat nav, bluetooth, cruise, climate etc.

On the move the emphasis on comfort and usability is again evident. Ride is supple and absorbs ruts and potholes well, wind and road noise are minimal and the cabin is quiet and refined. All the major controls are on the light side – the gear stick, brakes and steering all require minimal effort. For these reasons you wouldn’t call the Delta a “driver’s car” in the way a BMW is. Don’t get me wrong, it grips and handles well enough on twisty b-roads but the emphasis is biased towards assuredness on fast roads and ease of use – it’s meant to be a relaxing, undemanding drive. As if to demonstrate this point the Delta has a city mode that lightens the steering even more for low-speed manoeuvring and there’s a nifty auto-parking function too. For most people in most circumstances I think they’ve got the balance right.

Performance is strong thanks to the use of Fiat’s state-of-the-art powertrains. Supercharged, turbo, variable valve multi-jet technology in both the petrol and diesel units gives class-leading power to economy/CO2 ratios. Our 1.6 M-Jet diesel was a punchy, refined (totally free of diesel clatter) unit more than adequate for day-to-day needs. With 120bhp on tap and delivering 0-62 in just over 10secs with a top speed of 120mph it returns an excellent CO2 of 122gr and 60mpg on a combined cycle.

The Chrysler Delta is a thoroughly decent small family car that can compete well with the class leaders in most respects, and out-do them on space, practicality and, with one or two exceptions, comfort. If you’re looking for a sensible, interesting and financially attractive alternative to the mainstream, it makes a lot of sense.

0-62: 10.5 secs
Top speed: 120mph
Mpg: 60.5
CO2: 122g
Price: £21,195

Thanks to Porsche Centre Cardiff, Penarth Road, Cardiff and James and Jenkins Chrysler, Station Road, Llandaff, Cardiff

Car-isma