New 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo Now Packs 500 Horsepower & Gets Real Paddle Shifters

After the last couple years or so of watching aftermarket tuners like 9ff and Switzer Performance crank out ridiculous horsepower from the 911 Turbo and having to deal with the constantly referenced Nissan GT-R topping their performance benchmarks for half the cost, Porsche has finally decided to do something about it. The new 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo tosses out the old 3.6-liter engine and replaces it with a modified version of the 3.8-liter V6 from the Carrera S. With the company's new exclusive turbocharger with variable turbine geometry thrown in the mix, this engine is good for 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is now rated at 194 mph. Not only does Porsche's new flagship vehicle have more power, but it also weights less, gets better fuel efficiency thanks to fuel-injection and has superior driving dynamics.

What will make folks most happy, however, is the fact that the new 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo will finally offer true steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters as an option for models equipped with the company's 7-speed PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (dual-clutch gearbox). The right paddle shifts up and the left down, just like it's supposed to be. The standard spoke mounted shift buttons are still available if you like to be annoyed. And, of course, you can always opt for the manual. However, to get the most out of this car and perform 0-60 mph sprints in 3.4 seconds, you will need to select the Sport Chrono Package and the PDK transmission. With this configuration you also get integrated displays for Launch Control and the Sport/Sport Plus mode.

Gas mileage figures get bumped up from the old Tiptronic's 20.8 mpg to a markedly improved 24.8 mpg using the PDK gearbox. With the manual transmission, the new model now gets 24.1 mpg as opposed to the old version that was rated at only 22.1 mpg. The new Porsche 911 Turbo also has an 18% reduction in CO2 emission compared to the old model.

The 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe has a list price of $132,800. The Cabriolet model will cost a bit more at $143,800. These cars will be available for sale in January 2010 in the US, with Germany kicking things off a couple months earlier. Look for this new flagship model to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

Source: Porsche