Porsche Introduces New Powerkit for 911 Carrera S

Factory options and customisation kits are big money earners for car companies, and none other does it better than the premium car makers, Porsche being one of them.

You can specify anything from a carbon fibre trim on the dash, to full performance kit that lifts performance to an all new level.

Porsche has just announced such a kit for the new 2013 911 Carrera S. Called the Powerkit, it promises to boost the power of the 3.8-litre boxer engine from an already healthy 394hp (400PS/294kW) to 424hp (430PS/316kW).

This translates to a 0-100km/h dash in 4.0 seconds (0-60mph in 3.8 seconds) for the 911 Carrera S with the PDK dual-clutch transmission in Sport Plus mode, down 0.3 seconds over the standard PDK Carrera S model, and 0.1 seconds compared to models fitted with the Sport Chrono package.

The sports car maker also claims the kit increases the top speed of PDK equipped cars by 4km/h to 306km/h (190mph), and to 308km/h (191mph) for the 7-speed manual models.

Unlike some other performance kits, Porsche’s Powerkit does not come with any fuel consumption penalties.

The main components of the Powerkit are special cylinder heads with different camshafts, a new variable resonance intake system design with six air flaps and a resonance flap, plus an additional centre radiator to keep temperatures in check and a sport exhaust system with two sets of twin tail pipes.

Customers also get the normally optional Sport Chrono package as standard, along with a titanium coloured engine cover and carbon inlays.

The Powerkit can also be complemented with a new set of just launched aero improvement exterior parts. These consist of a new front apron that now extends lower and features the open air intakes from the Sport Design package, a fixed rear “ducktail” spoiler and the Aerokit Cup that bundles a few other components.