MotorMouths

The seventh-generation 911 has greater mass appeal than before, yet without losing any of its thoroughbred character. We’d hesitate to use the word “flawless” in any review, so suffice it to say we’re massively impressed.

The new 911 ranks among the best cars we’ve ever driven. It’s confident yet benign, seriously quick but utterly manageable and radically capable, yet easy to drive.

For the money, it’s going to be difficult to find anything that comes close to the breathtaking performance and pure driving pleasure of the all-new 911 Carrera S.

If the standard coupe is the best all-around 911 ever, then the Cabrio is all that and then some, purists be damned. It’s so close in performance and feel to the coupe that few will notice the difference. Add in the slick-looking top that works better than ever and the allure is undeniable.

When the time comes to drop some hard-earned bills on a fresh new whip, the Porsche 911 is at the front of the pack, while its engine is still in the back. And that’s a tradition Porsche is keen on keeping.

The new Porsche 911 cabriolet is hugely convincing. In fact, it’s hard to think of an open-top performance car with such a broad set of abilities—and such entertaining qualities.

We’ve never felt Porsche has gone too far with the 911 concept. We still don’t, really. But we do think the 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is very near the limit, because we don’t see what more can be achieved by loading up the 911’s rear-engine design with even more power.

Reinventing the 911 for a new generation is a difficult and often thankless task. But the engineers from Weissach have improvied on the seemingly unimprovable.

The 911 GT2 RS is for the hardcore enthusiast who seeks the ultimate Porsche driving experience; casual fans need not apply. There will only be 500 GT2 RSs produced worldwide, each with a starting price of $245,000.

The 2012 911 Carrera S is brazen, an athletic machine on 20-inch alloys. It’s Brooklyn Decker in a Hervé Léger bandage dress and Louboutin heels.

The 2012 model is the ultimate folding-roof 911. It is exceptionally accessible with a phenomenal ride, a remarkably quiet cabin, and a sumptuous cockpit. The 911 is still an athlete, too.

The 911 GT2 RS is the most powerful and fastest production Porsche of all time (including the Carrera GT). But, for everyday riding and eve on twisty backroads, the Turbo S is easier, more fun and, in most people’s hands, probably also quicker. It also costs about $100K less.