I attended the launch of the new 911 Turbo last week at Stuttgart Auto's Leng Kee Road showroom. Well...to be honest, I didn't even know there was a 'new' Turbo in the works. When they finally unveiled the Turbo, low and behold it looked exactly the same as the previous model. I seriously think the Porsche designers are getting lazier with every 'new' Porsche. I know Porsche calls it 'evolution' but it looks as if evolution has skipped over the latest Turbo.

Granted the new Turbo comes with a brand new engine. The 3.6-litre from the previous model has been tossed out in favour of a 3.8-litre water-cooled unit. This engine shares its architecture with the Naturally Aspirated one found in a Carrera S. Porsche claims that this new engine is the most powerful and the most efficient to ever emerge from their factory. Efficiency has been improved further by mating the new engine with their unpronounceable PDK tranny.

Improvements in the new Turbo are new daytime running lights in the front lower bumper. Dynamic headlamps (which means they go around corners) and new side mirrors that've been tweaked slightly(although I think it'll take a surgeon to spot the 'mods'). A quartet of 19 inch forged alloys with race inspired centre lock complete the exterior picture. On the inside you find paddle shifts that use magnesium shift levers (ta dah!) hidden behind a brand new three-spoke steering wheel.

Despite looking almost exactly the same as the previous Turbo, I still love Turbos. If I could have any Turbo, it'll be a 997 or the current 997.5 Turbo. What can I say? I love Porsches! Duh! Have you seen my nick?

And what better way to celebrate the new Porsche Turbo than with a tongue in cheek commercial?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh3A1ERsvY4