Road and Track, May 1st, 2006
In tuner-car circles, sometimes reaching for the stars can put you in the cellar. It's easy to overstep the bounds of style and good taste for dramatic effect. Or pump power to half shaft-snapping levels while throwing the oh-so-civilized factory driveability out the window.
Thankfully, the TechArt 997S qualifies for none of the above. Instead, it's a tastefully modified Porsche Carrera S whose front splitter, side sills, rear diffuser panel and Type II rear wing give Zuffenhausen's golden child the sheen and special aura of a bona fide exotic...in a subtle way, if that's possible. The signature 20- in. TechArt Formula GTS wheels, whose five spokes are done in glistening black, really set off the bodywork, as does the ride height that's lowered 0.75 in., which still offers usable ground clearance. Hulking Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, size 245/30R- 20 front and 325/25R-20 rear, look to be a friction fit within the fenders. Yet even at full steering lock, nothing rubs.
TechArt, based in Fellbach, Germany, was founded in 1987 by a businessman and an aerodynamicist. So it's not surprising that the beautifully finished urethane bodywork pieces offer significant reductions in lift, verified in the wind tunnel at the University of Stuttgart. At a speed of 140 km/h (about 87 mph), the TechArt car shows 3.3 lb. of lift (stock is 26.3) and 8.3 lb. of actual downforce at the rear (stock is 4.8 lb. of lift). On the freeway, it makes for a stable feel; and on the track, it should shave tenths of a second from your personal best.
Suspension gets a full makeover, with 9-position adjustable Bilstein shocks and progressive- rate Eibach springs that are about 15 percent stiffer than stock. Powertrain modifications are mild, as the Carrera S's 3.8-liter flat-6 already puts it in the near supercar league. Stainless-steel headers, low-restriction catalysts, sport mufflers, a more aggressively mapped ECU and an oiled-foam high-flow air filter bump output to a claimed 375 bhp and boost the torque curve most noticeably in the 4000-6000- rpm region. With slight wheel hop that seems to be a 911 trademark, the TechArt 997 launches to 60 in 4.1 seconds, with a quarter-mile posting of 12.6 sec. at 112.2 mph...wicked quick by anyone's standard.
Out on the road, the TechArt car is an edgier, quicker-reacting animal than a standard Carrera S, with more immediate turn-in, less body roll and harsher-but-not objectionable ride motions, the only real downside being more tire noise transmitted through the structure. And exhaust sounds are certainly more feral, a reedier, harder edged note that barks out of the TechArt's stainless-steel tips with big throttle openings, yet softens to near-stock sound levels when you're simply loafing along.
It's a well-sorted package that doesn't unduly compromise the civility of the standard Carrera S, with curb appeal guaranteed to draw small, salivating crowds wherever it's parked. Yes, bring bags of money-- parts alone total more than $30,000 on our test car, $4300 solely for that trick rear spoiler--but for some, the result will be well worth the price of admission.
TechArt 997S Price est $125,000 Engine 3.8-liter flat-6 Horsepower 375 bhp @ 6500 rpm Torque 300 lb-ft @ 4200-6200 rpm Transmission 6-speed manual Brakes Front: 13.0-in. drilled & vented discs Rear: 13.0-in. drilled & vented discs Tires Michelin Pilot Sport Front: 245/30R-20 Rear: 325/25R-20 Wheels cast alloy; 20 x 8½ f, 20 x 11 r Suspension MacPherson struts, lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/multilink, coil springs, tube shocks, anti- roll bar Curb weight est 3350 lb Upgrades: TechArt aero & styling pieces (type I front spoiler, type II rear spoiler, side skirts, headlight covers, mirror covers, rear diffuser); remapped ECU, air filter, exhaust manifolds, cats, mufflers & stainless-steel tips; height-adj coil-over suspension; sport steering wheel; alum. pedal covers; Formula GTS wheels & Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires ACCELERATION 0-60 mph 4.1 sec ¼ mile 12.6 sec www.cecwheels.com
