Porsche knows exactly what it's doing when it comes to its signature model, the 911. Since 1963, the Porsche 911 has been the ideal sports car for millions of people and customers. As competitors have come and gone, the 911 has not only consistently remained in production over the decades but has retained its rear-engine setup. It's hard to kill some traditions. And then in 1975 Porsche decided to turbocharge the 911's flat-six air-cooled engine and a new legend was born.

Today, the original 930's descendant has arrived in the shape of the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe. The 992 generation 911 can now be had with a pair of turbochargers which produce and an unprecedented level of power. How does a total of 640 horsepower sound to you? We thought so.

Not only is the new 911 Turbo S Coupe more powerful than ever, but it's also more refined and has become a technological powerhouse as well. Some claim the 911 Turbo is the ideal combination of luxury, technology, and high-performance. The all-new 992-generation more than accomplishes this.

Unmistakable 911 Design

It's nearly impossible to mistake a Porsche 911 for any other car. However, every 992-generation 911 is turbocharged, including the 911 Carrera. Differentiating the 911 Carrera from the 911 Turbo is actually very easy: the latter features large air vents directly ahead of each of the rear wheels. That powerful engine needs extra air to breathe, after all. But there are also other ways the 911 Turbo's design is made unique.

For example, there are dual front light modules with standard LED matrix headlights with dark inserts. The extendable front spoiler and a large rear wing both deliver 15 percent more downforce than before. The rear also features integrated air intakes and rectangular tailpipes in high-gloss black.

Compared to its immediate 991.2 911 Turbo predecessor, the new model is about 1.8 inches wider up front and is 74.8 inches wide at the rear axle, an increase of 0.78 inches. The modified track widths now measure 1.65 inches at the front axle and 0.39 inches at the rear. There are also new cooling air flaps located at the front. For the first time ever, the 911 Turbo S sits on staggered center-lock wheels, 20-inches up front and 21-inches at the rear. Rear tire width has also slightly increased compared to the previous generation.

Luxury, Sport, And Tech Dominate The Cabin

The 992-generation 911's interior has taken yet another remarkable leap forward in terms of not only design but also technology and luxury. Standard features include full leather and carbon fiber trim combined with silver accents, 18-way adjustable sport seats with stitching patterns that harken back to the first 930 911 Turbo, and some unique graphics and logos located in the instrument cluster.

A 10.9-inch central touchscreen is standard, just like on the 911 Carrera. Only this time there's a standard GT Sport steering wheel and Bose Surround Sound system. The rear seats, as usual, are a tight fit for anyone who's not a child. In fact, they're probably best left for a gym bag and a few other like-sized accessories. For the rest, there's a front trunk, or frunk.

Power, Performance, And Handling

Behind the rear seats is where every 911's heart is located, a flat-six engine. As mentioned earlier, every 992-generation 911 has a turbocharged engine, but the new 911 Turbo S has a 3.8-liter, twin-turbo flat-six producing an insane 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. That's a whole 60 hp and 37 lb-ft more than its immediate predecessor. The sole transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox that sends power to all four wheels.

Performance times are impressive. Porsche claims a 0-62 mph sprint time of just 2.6 seconds, or 0.2 seconds faster than the outgoing model. Going from 0-124 mph requires 8.9 seconds, while the quarter-mile takes 10.5 seconds. Top speed is 205 mph.

To help manage all of that power, especially when drivers are pushing the limit, Porsche is offering an Active Suspension Management Sport system. This lowers the car's ride height 0.39 inches compared to the standard setup. It also includes the aforementioned sport exhaust system with adjustable flaps. Other technological aides are Porsche's dynamic chassis control, rear-axle steering, and ceramic composite brakes. 10-piston front brake calipers are standard.

Pricing And Competition

Competition in this segment remains fierce but the 911 Turbo S Coupe has often dominated. In other words, the new generation model has little to fear from a largely outdated group of competitors. Some include the McLaren 570S, Nissan GT-R, and Acura NSX. More than likely, the new 911 Turbo S has the most to fear from a certain other German-built rival, the Mercedes-AMG GT R.

Sales are set to get underway in the US by the end of this year. Pricing for the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S will begin at $203,500, not including the $1,350 delivery and process fee.