Design driven: Porsche 911 Carrera

Some cars look great but drive like donkeys. Others look horrible but handle incredibly well. It’s tough to think of something that has consistently ticked both boxes better than the Porsche 911, which remains as captivating to observe as it is to drive since launching some 60 years ago.

It feels a little odd to refer to this as the ‘new’ 911, as the 992 generation has been around since before the pandemic. It is a refreshing longevity – a tonic to ‘new for the sake of new’ – and testament to strong design. It feels as modern today as it did in 2018, but the brand has not strayed far from the original blueprint of the 911. 

Nods to earlier iterations can be seen or at least felt throughout, most obvious in its silhouette, pronounced fenders and oval headlamps, of course. Cues continue at the rear. The fluted grille (rear-engined, remember) is unmistakable, modernised for this generation with two cylindrical brake lights at the centre. A thin lightbar connects each tail lamp, and dual exhausts sit flush within the rear bumper. All things considered, it is a very sympathetic evolution of the previous 991.2 generation while retaining that sense of heritage. It is particularly reminiscent of the 993 from the ‘90s, to our eyes.

The 911 has grown in stature over the years but by modern standards remains fairly petite. Viewed from our top floor window alongside a Toyota Aygo, it appears somewhat diminutive. A trick of the eye, perhaps, as this is a wide car by any measure – over two metres with its ears out. But down at ground level, it still feels quite compact. At 1,302mm high, it is more than 200mm lower than a Citroen Ami.

‘Our’ 2026 Carrera sitting on the drive came in Vanadium Grey Metallic. Grey is unlikely to be our colour of choice, but this finish seems to shift between a 'pebble' and aqua tone depending on the light. It is really rather lovely and in contrast to a plain silver or black manages to accent that swollen bodywork. Indeed, the musculature of the rear is as pronounced as it gets, and even unlocked a new favourite view: observing those massive rear haunches from the wing mirrors while sitting inside the car.

The ten-spoke rims (five groups of two) are in the correct silver spec, in our opinion – although Porsche’s Turbonite brass is growing on us – and celebrate those huge 350mm brake discs and callipers behind. The setup is staggered, with 20” at the rear and 19” at the front, almost creating the proportions of a toy car you might draw as a kid. In the best way.

It is telling that a ‘driver focussed’ car has been the least distracting or annoying of recent test mules. Even the inevitable warning pings were somehow of a tone that didn’t quite grate; more a gentle tap on the shoulder. Of course, everything can be turned off rather easily with some handy shortcuts both on the steering wheel and on the dash. It is telling that the press kit provided with the car highlights exactly where to find these; Porsche knows how to keep drivers on side, but also wants to ensure they have the most engaged driving experience possible. In this case, that’s without electronic nagging.

Elsewhere, the rectangular touchscreen is positioned relatively low on the dash and is unobtrusive. It’s there if needed, otherwise, eyes on the road. All other switchgear feels solid and offers a satisfying clunk when pressed. Most feature knurled ends that add extra tactility. Scrollers on the steering wheel are in thumb reach and allow easy scrolling of the digital instrument cluster. Out of habit I set one side to show oil and coolant temperatures, and with the optional Sport Chrono Package fitted, tyre pressures and temperatures. A traditional tach at the centre.

Realistically, all this is overkill for everyday driving, but nice to know when the tyres are at their stickiest and powertrain best prepared for spirited driving. Which is as often as road conditions allow. A similar thing could be said for the pop-up rear wing that can be deployed at the press of a button. Functionality aside – downforce – it is a beautifully integrated piece of engineering and, thanks to miniscule panel gaps, is almost imperceptible when retracted.

The cabin does well to provide ample headroom even for taller passengers, and although those rear seats are more decorative than functional, they can fit two adults in a pinch with the front seats pushed right forward. In a pinch... Get it? Otherwise, they make for a decent dog bed, complete with chin rest via the tail of the centre console. We were hoping for Pepita fabric, but the two-tone leather (Black/Chalk Beige) did chime nicely with the exterior paint.

Our time with the Carrera did require us to pop the front boot and stow some luggage. A holdall bursting at the seams did not touch the sides of the compartment, and we are sure another could be plonked on top quite happily, making it very much a grand tourer. There is additional space on the parcel shelf, which sits quite low and not level with the back of the rear seats like in most cars.

Deep potholes may reconfigure your spine, but otherwise the ride is soft enough for passenger and pooch to fall asleep

Driving dynamics need little explanation, but you’re not going to escape my testament to what was an absolute joy. The 3.0-litre turbocharged flat six makes a gorgeous howl on cold start before settling to a pleasant hum at idle. The surge around the midrange turns into a shriek near the red line, very loud in sport plus mode but always welcomed; it’s most of the reason why you’ve paid the money, so enjoy it. Otherwise, get a Taycan (our review on that is on the way). 

Pootling around town or cruising on motorways in normal mode, you may as well be in a family hatchback. Deep potholes may reconfigure your spine, but otherwise the ride was soft enough for our passenger and pooch to fall asleep on the motorway. Flitting through the gears with the paddle shifters on a clear, sweeping road devoid of traffic calming measures? Bliss.

Over 500 miles of driving, we averaged just over 27mpg which is impressive considering there were no attempts to hypermile. The eight-speed PDK gearbox sits at about 1,600rpm at 70mph, and is happy enough taking E10 fuel without drama, making a full tank around £75-80. We saw an indicated 410 miles range after brimming, which is mighty impressive and once again puts the car firmly in grand tourer territory. (If it were our car, it would be premium only, mind). 

While the 911 formula has remained largely the same, prices have inflated significantly. ‘Our’ test car for the week was the base Carrera model and is listed at £103,700 before extras. Ours came with £12,000 in add-ons, pushing it to £115,000. That is a huge amount of money for an entry level 911, but as we discovered, it is hard to fault both as a tool and a moving sculpture.

Porsche 911 Carrera (2026)

Base price: £103,700

Price as tested: £115,382

Powertrain: rear-mounted 2,981cc six cylinder, turbocharged

Power/torque: 394bhp/450Nm

Performance: 0-62 in 4.1 seconds, top speed 183mph

Key designers: Michael Mauer (design director), Peter Varga (exterior), Ivo van Hulten (interior)