In last year's edition of the evergreen 911-vs-Corvette comparo, we noted, "With its outrageous styling and bawdy exhaust note, the Corvette is pure performance art. It's new and it's impossible to ignore, so the 911 simply disappears in its presence." Some Porschephiles no doubt felt slighted by this assertion. Porsche itself may have as well, since they feel the need to offer a more visually outrageous Neunelfer that can't be ignored. It's the new, limited-run Martini Racing Edition, a Carrera S for those who find Porsche's Sport Exhaust option too subtle and its neo-Fuchs-style wheels lacking enough retro panache.
Purchasers are limited to the choice two body colors—white or black. Whichever you choose, the paint will cover Porsche's Aerokit Cup racy-look front fascia and fixed rear spoiler. Stainless sill panels read "911 Carrera S – Martini Racing Edition." Porsche Communications Management and Sport Chrono packages are standard on the Martini, as are the Sport steering wheel and Bose sound system. The gray tach face gives way to a black one, in line with this 911's older-school pretensions. And then there are the decals. Made super-famous by the Helmut Marko/Gijs van Lennep 917K that delivered Porsche's second overall Le Mans win in 1971, Martini stickers big and small have a time-honored tradition of being slapped on Stuttgart sportsters over the years, most recently as an available option on the 918 Spyder.
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The engine's unchanged, which is mostly all right in our book. The 400-hp 3.8-liter flat six is a ripping sweetheart of a thing, although it seems as though a light juice-goose would pair nicely with the more sportlich intent of the decals and aero bits. Americans, however, need not apply, as Porsche's not offering the car in the United States. Which kind of blows a whole in our original thesis—Unless they're just being petty. On the bright side, we spoke with Porsche Cars North America today, and they confirmed that you can basically build your own if you're so compelled. The Aerokit Cup parts will run you about $6K. The decals, which Porsche will begin selling later this year, will undoubtedly cost more than the examples you had printed at Sylvester's Sticky Vinyl Emporium, but hey man, Zuffenhausen stuff. Zuffenhausen stuff, y'know?
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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