Sheikh Mohammad Raffah, Chief Operation officer of SAMACO; George Wills, Managing Director of Middle East and Africa; Sheikh Mohammad W. Sharbatly, Chief executive of SAMACO; Sherein Nassef, GM of Porsche Saudi Arabia, at a show to celebrate the arrival of new 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé. – Courtesy photoRIYADH — A thrilling reveal show arranged by Porsche Centre Saudi Arabia, SAMACO, at the Four Seasons Hotel here recently marked the arrival of the new 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé. The icon — highly anticipated by sports car aficionados and now available in its seventh generation — has undergone a complete redesign. Approximately 400 guests had been part of the exclusive gala event and witnessed live the new 911 generation reveal. With an incredible 3D show demonstrating the 48-year history of the 911 series, the involvement of regional racing heroes from the Porsche-owned GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, a high-tech product presentation and a virtual tour of the famous Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, the audience's emotions rose high before the cars appeared surprisingly from literally beneath all guests. Many said the new 911 Carrera could never be made better, but it now features a flatter, stretched silhouette, exciting contours and precisely designed details. Its wheelbase is now 100 millimeters longer, sits lower to the ground and consequently offers even better handling dynamics for more driving pleasure of 911 connoisseurs. George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, said: “This is a moment which marks a new era for our brand. The 911 Carrera is the redefinition of what a sports car should be. No fewer than 90 per cent of all components are either new or have been fundamentally revised. The aim of building ‘the best 911 ever' has been fulfilled — proven by the new lap time of just 7 minutes 40 seconds on the famous Nürburgring's Nordschleife circuit — 14 seconds faster than the previous model. “With a history spanning five decades, the new 911 remains unmistakably Porsche's iconic sports car,” Wills said. Offering a blistering top speed of 289 km/h for the standard version, it is the first passenger car in the world to feature seven-speed manual transmission. It is also the first sports car equipped with an auto start/stop function; electro-mechanical power steering and a new “coasting function,” in vehicles equipped with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). The new electro-mechanical power steering offers even better precision and response, while increasing efficiency and reducing general fuel consumption. The athletic 350hp 3.4-liter boxer engine on the 911 Carrera consumes a mere 8.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers that's 16 per cent less over its predecessor. And with an emission level of 194 g/km CO2, it is the first Porsche sports car to make it below the 200 g/km mark. The Carrera S, featuring a 3.8-liter boxer engine, produces 400 hp and manages to accelerate from nought to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds. Pressing the “Sport Plus” button on the optional Sport Chrono package cuts that to 4.1 seconds. The all-new, lightweight body is an intelligent aluminium-steel construction, providing an overall weight reduction of up to 45 kilograms, and significantly greater rigidity. Aerodynamic optimization measures — including a wider, variably extending rear spoiler — means the lift of the new 911 Carrera is further reduced. But not only on the outside has the iconic sports car been transformed. Porsche's Design team from Weissach created a completely new interior based on cues from the Porsche Carrera GT. The driver is now even more closely integrated with the cockpit thanks to the center console rising up to the front with the high-mounted shift lever located especially close to the steering wheel in typical motor sport fashion. Mohammad Wajih Sharbatly, Chief Executive of SAMACO Automotive, said: “There has been such excitement surrounding the release of this 911. We have had a great deal of interest, and I fully expect we will be working extremely hard throughout 2012 to meet customer demand. With the nearly endless options available through Porsche Exclusive and Porsche Tequipment, each one of the Porsche 911 Carrera models you will see in our market will be as individual as its owner.” With the new 911 Carrera, the span of apparently contradictory attributes that have typified the Porsche 911 — such as performance and efficiency, sportiness and everyday practicality — has been even further extended. First deliveries of the new Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupé started on Feb. 11.
