2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S: Beautiful Balance
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While not always defined by major or revolutionary changes, mid-cycle updates to the various Porsche 911 models tend to be introduced one after another, like a never-ending striptease designed to preserve the iconic sports car’s well-deserved aura at all costs.
For the 992.2 911 Carrera S introduced earlier this year, the Stuttgart-based automaker has made a number of significant improvements. It’s easy to understand why: in the outgoing 992.1 generation, the S was the most popular model of all, capturing 31 percent of the 911's global sales and no less than 35 percent of U.S. sales.
- Also: Tech Upgrades, Price Hikes Coming to Many 2026 Porsche Models
- Also: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T: The Bare Minimum Has Never Felt so Good
Originally applied to the 911 back in 1965, the letter “S” stood for “Super” at the time. It wasn't until 1995 that the first Carrera S was produced, and the “S” has meant “Sport” ever since. The Car Guide headed to San Diego, California a couple of weeks ago to put the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S through its paces, so here’s our review.
Your Ticket to the 400-hp Club
Available as a coupe or cabriolet, the 911 Carrera S slots between the Carrera T and Carrera GTS in the current 911 lineup, now delivering the same level of performance as the previous GTS. Motivated by the famous twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, the S gets a boost of 30 hp for the 2025 model year, bringing it to 473 hp and trumping the Carrera T by 85 hp.
Most of the extra output can be credited to the pair of turbochargers borrowed from the outgoing GTS. Not only that, but Porsche engineers have also recalibrated the turbos and extensively optimized the charge-air cooling system, which is now based on the design for the old 911 Turbo models.
Peak torque is unchanged at 390 lb-ft but accessible across a wider rev range. The flat-six is mated exclusively to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) sending power to the rear wheels. Alas, no manual gearbox is available. Want one? Then you need to settle for the Carrera T or move all the way up to one of the GT variants of the 911.
GTS Genes
The 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S benefits from a longer list of features and performance goodies resulting in a beautiful balance of sportiness and convenience, with as few compromises as possible. A sports exhaust system with silver tailpipes now comes standard—Porsche told us that 75 percent of customers used to check that box, so they won’t have to anymore. Ditto for Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+).
Upon request, Porsche offers the GTS-derived PASM sports suspension, which features a 10mm lower ride height. Damper tuning is identical, but the springs are softer. The braking system is also borrowed from the sportier sibling, although the track-proven Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system is optional. For even better agility, rear-wheel steering is another option that can be specified.
The 911 Carrera S' reflexes seem sharper than ever when its drive mode selector is set to Sport or Sport Plus. A gentle touch of the throttle is all it takes for the car to surge forward, with the PDK swapping gears manu militari in the process. A beast in corners, the S brilliantly continues the 911's tradition of surgical control. PTV+ and rear-wheel steering work in magnificent harmony, helped by excellent weight distribution. We appreciated the fact that Sport Plus mode gives the driver more freedom behind the wheel by keeping traction control intervention to a minimum. Meanwhile, delicate pressure on the brake pedal is enough to slow the car down and then quickly bring it to a complete stop.
In Normal mode, the 911 Carrera S throws most compromises out of the equation, making everyday driving both pleasant and comfortable. It becomes a smooth, even-tempered performer, putting aside its sportiest aspirations and (over)enthusiastically activating its start/stop system in city driving. The latter can be switched off, which is a good thing. In typical 911 fashion, the cabin is tight yet fairly ergonomic when it comes to controls. Oh, and increasingly digital, too—for better or worse.
Our Verdict
In the 911's comprehensive catalog, the Carrera S is more powerful than the base Carrera and more comfortable than the Carrera T. It also displays some of the character traits of the GTS, without the heftier price tag that comes with a hybrid powertrain. In short, it’s a low-compromise offering with a powerful engine that has proven reliable. Heck, it could have “only” 350 hp and be just as fun to drive. As for the cabriolet, we had a really hard time identifying the minor differences in chassis rigidity, which says a lot about Porsche’s work, here.
As for Canadian pricing, the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S starts at $163,600 for the coupe and $177,900 for the cabriolet—excluding freight, PDI, dealer fees and applicable taxes.
