Want raw power? How does a GT3-based, 3.6-liter boxer six with two turbos, 415 ponies and 413 lb-ft of torque on tap suit your fancy? Porsche's Zero-to-60 quotes range around four-flat with a 189-mph top end through a standard six-speed row-your-own. The optional five-speed Tiptronic transaxle adds about 150 pounds, adds a few tenths of a click, and knocks four-mph from the top-end, but it makes for fine cruising. The Turbo can pretty much play all day on Route 66 or the Autobahn, as you please. It's water-cooled, intercooled, and spools up smooth, without a hint of lag, through a long, smooth power band that'd be the envy of many a diesel engines; Torque peaks at 2,700 RPMs and remains strong and flat throughout the power band.

Still, even with all this brutish potential on tap, the Turbo's the kind of ride that makes a fellow perfectly happy to slink back into his bucket and set back for a long, lonely cruise. It's that smooth. The all-wheel-drive platform�engineered with a viscous coupling and variable torque distribution, keeps you glued like a gecko to the mean streets.

Exterior styling's fairly traditional, but fans of the brand may notice some revisions to the front fascia and decklid. Gaping air ducts under the laser beam peepers keep things cool and improve the aerodynamic profile. Same for the two-piece, retractable rear spoiler, which tilts out and down at speed to bump up downforce and further stabilize the rabid little beast. Toss on a set of lightly sprung 18" rims wrapped in fat ZR-rated meats, four-pot, ceramic disc brakes�the first clay clampers to make it into mass production, and do a little arithmetic. This is one finely balanced machine. With an MSRP in the $111,000 range, it almost seems a bargain.

The guts could have been ripped from a Carrera. Lined in comfy cow-skins, with easy to read gauge faces and a stereo that is entirely acceptable, the cockpit affords the driver a rather distinct take on the world as passers-by whiz by. It's like living in the storm's eye, the living payload of a precision-guided cruise missile cresting the horizon in search of prey. And there's even a surprisingly ample volume of space to stow your stuff.

The Turbo is offered with a standard six-speed manual transmission, and for the first time, a 5-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission with manual shifting buttons on the steering wheel spokes. The Tiptronic S in the Turbo is the most advanced Tiptronic transmission yet developed. While the previous version had 10 mapping programs, this version has 150 mapping programs - in other words, it's designed to adapt to whatever conditions the vehicle is being driven in, and to the driver's driving style.

Turbos also include standard all-wheel-drive, and PSM (Porsche Stability Management) an anti-skid system which helps prevent oversteer and understeer by automatically braking individual wheels to bring the car back into line.

Vehicle type:  Rear Engine / 4WD, 2-passenger
Base price:    $111,000

ENGINE
Type . . . . . . . . . . . Twin-turbo, opposed 6-cylinder
Bore . . . . . . . . . . . 100 mm / 3.94 in
Stroke . . . . . . . . . . 76.4 mm / 3.01 in
Displacement . . . . . . . 3600 cc / 219.7 cu in
Compression ratio  . . . . 9.4:1
Valve gear . . . . . . . . DOHC 4 valves / cyl
Power (SAE net)  . . . . . 309.5 kw / 415 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net) . . . . . 560.0 nm / 413 ft lbs @ 4600 rpm
Redline  . . . . . . . . . 6600

DRIVETRAIN
Final-drive ratio  . . . . 3.44:1, limited slip
Transmission . . . . . . . 6-speed manual transaxle
Gear Ratios
 1st 3.82:1   3rd 1.41:1   5th 0.92:1
 2nd 2.05:1   4th 1.12:1   6th 0.75:1
RPM @ 60 mph, top gear . . 2075

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wheelbase  . . . . . . . . 2350 mm / 92.5 in
Track width  . . . . . . . F 1465 mm / 57.7 in
                           R 1522 mm / 59.9 in
Length . . . . . . . . . . 4435 mm / 174.6 in
Width  . . . . . . . . . . 1830 mm / 72.0 in
Height . . . . . . . . . . 1295 mm / 51.0 in
Curb Weight  . . . . . . . 1579 kg / 3480 lbs

CHASSIS/BODY
Body / Frame Unit Steel

BRAKES
F: . . . . . . . . . . . . F 330 mm / 13.0 in vented discs
R: . . . . . . . . . . . . R 330 mm / 13.0 in vented discs
Power assist . . . . . . . Vacuum with anti-lock control

WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size . . . . . . . . F 45.7 x 20.3 cm / 18.0 x 8.0 in
                           R 45.7 x 27.9 cm / 18.0 x 11.0 in
Tires  . . . . . . . . . . F 225/40ZR18  R 295/30ZR18

PERFORMANCE
Zero to 30 mph . . . . . . 1.4 sec
        60 mph . . . . . . 4.0 sec
       100 mph . . . . . . 9.2 sec
Standing 1/4-mile  . . . . 12.4 sec
Top speed (approx.)  . . . 304.2 kph / 189.0 mph
Lateral  Acceleration, G . 0.96

PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY
EPA city driving . . . . . 15 mpg
EPA highway driving  . . . 22 mpg