Black Edition: Porsche's 911 Carrera dons its ‘little black dress’

Well, this is a rarity – a special edition Porsche model that costs no more than base model, so it’s little surprise that the availability will be limited. The 911 Black Edition is powered by the 3.6 litre 340 bhp (254 kW) engine from the 911 Carrera combined with a comprehensive equipment package and available in any colour you like – as long as it’s black.

Available as a Coupé or Cabriolet the 911 Black Edition is limited to 1,911 units and costs exactly as much as the basic Carrera models – £67,270 for the Coupé and £74,958 for the Cabriolet. The market launch gets underway in April 2011.

As you will have gathered by now, the 911 Black Edition is painted in plain black as standard, with basalt black metallic also available as an option. The Cabrio hood is principally of black cloth. With the Black Edition, the colour highlights are provided by the 19 inch 911 Turbo II bi-colour wheels, their dichroic effect ideally complementing the discreet elegance of the exterior colour. In addition, the rims provide an unobstructed view of the brakes, naturally with black, four-piston aluminium monobloc fixed callipers. The grey top-tint in the windscreen is standard in the 911 Black Edition, rounding off the overall impression on a harmonious note.

The interior continues the exterior colour scheme. Already equipped as standard with high-quality partial leather seats, the 911 Black Edition can of course be upgraded with the option of an additional leather interior. Also included in the series version is a sports design steering wheel. The instrument cluster naturally remains in black. On the glove compartment lid, a badge testifies to the 911 Black Edition’s limited production run. Conversely, the decorative moulding on the dashboard, gear lever or selector and air vents provide a contrast with their aluminium look paint. The rear centre console is painted in the exterior colour.

An acoustic highlight of the 911 Black Edition’s enhanced equipment is the BOSE® Surround Sound-System, fitted as standard. It was specially coordinated with the interior of the 911 Carrera models and comprises 13 loudspeakers (twelve in the Cabriolet) including active subwoofer and centre speaker as well as a seven channel digital amplifier with a total output of 385 W for a brilliant sound experience.

Coupé and Cabriolet are equipped with the Porsche Communication Management (PCM), as are 911 Carrera models. The GPS navigation module comes as standard in the 911 Black Edition as does the universal audio interface in the central console’s storage compartment. The 911 Black Edition’s enhanced equipment package also includes parking assistant, cruise control, automatic anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors and a rain sensor.

Under the rear lid of the 911 Black Edition is found the typical Carrera flat-six cylinder engine, producing 340 bhp (245 kW) at 6,500 rpm from 3,614 cubic centimetres. Coupled with the six-speed gearbox, this output enables the Carrera to achieve a top speed of 180 mph in both body versions. At its maximum acceleration the Coupé reaches 62 mph in 4.9 seconds, whilst the Cabriolet achieves the same increment in 5.1 seconds. Despite the impressive performance figures, fuel consumption remains typically frugal for a 911: The Coupé consumes a combined total of 27.4 mpg, whilst the open top Carrera needs only a tenth of a litre more.

The 911 Black Edition enjoys all the same technical special equipment options that are offered on the regular Carrera models. First and foremost the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gear system with its seven gears, lighting quick gear changes and no interruption to the power flow. PDK also provides for better fuel efficiency – 28.82 mpg for the Coupé and 28.53 for the Cabriolet.

With PDK, the Coupé accomplishes the sprint in only 4.7 seconds, the Cabrio in 4.9 seconds. Responsiveness can also be further enhanced by the Sport Chrono Plus package, available as an option. It features the additional “Launch Control” function for the fastest possible acceleration from a standing start allied with a gearshift strategy for extremely sporty driving that enables very fast gearshifts. Launch Control shaves a further 0.2 seconds off the acceleration times of vehicles equipped with PDK.

The 911 Black Edition’s sportiness and comfort can be enhanced yet further, by means of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and as an additional option for the Coupé – the PASM sports chassis with bodywork lowered by 20 millimetres and mechanical rear differential lock. To further optimise braking performance, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) with ceramic disc brakes is also offered as an option

The 911 Black Edition will be launched in April 2011 and you can learn more by visiting Porsche’s dedicated microsite.

Photo Gallery