EVs might neuter the appeal of combustion performance cars, but automakers continue to refine gasoline engines. They’re making them more powerful and efficient than ever before, with plenty of makes and models offering supercar levels of power to the masses. So it’s not that strange when the top-tier Porsche 911 Turbo S can hold its own against something as sinister as the McLaren 765LT, as a new Carwow video demonstrates.
This isn’t an entirely fair comparison, though. The 911 is down on power and up on weight, but it does blast all of its 650 hp (484 kW) and 590 pound-feet (800 Newton-meters) of torque through an all-wheel-drive system. Porsche uses a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six. The McLaren, which makes 765 hp (570 kW) and 626 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, only spins the rear wheels. This gives the heavier 911 – by 300 kilograms (661 pounds) – a small advantage.
Gallery: 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe: First Drive
That small advantage is noticeable in the first moments of the first race. The 911 gets a lead right from the start; however, McLaren’s extra power allows it to take the lead, crossing the finish line first. It’s the same result for the second race, with the McLaren completing the quarter-mile in 10.0 seconds. The Porsche did it in 10.2 seconds.
The two rolling races don’t surprise with their results, with the McLaren eating the 911 alive. It’s no contest for the more powerful McLaren supercar. The final contest is a brake test, and it’s the only even the Porsche wins. It stops at a shorter distance than the McLaren, which is a testament to Porsche’s engineering. The 911 Turbo S might not be a direct competitor to the 765LT, but the two deliver similar outputs. A lighter 911 might be a more significant threat to the McLaren.
