2009 Porsche 911 Carrera

The 911 Carrera isn't all-new for 2009, though it has been significantly updated: Revised styling, new engines and a new twin-clutch automatic transmission. It's the last item -- which Porsche calls PDK -- that brings it to this list. PDK is what a twin-clutch transmission ought to be. It provides near-instant upshifts and downshifts with absolutely no interruption in power, and I mean none -- PDK can downshift from 7th gear directly to 2nd without even the slightest jolt. It's a truly amazing transmission -- and the 911 has the power and the handling to really put it to good use. I still prefer my Porsches with three pedals, but the 911 PDK is the best automatic-transmission-equipped sports car I've ever driven.
I just recently posted my 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera test drive, in which I gave you an earful (eyeful?) of how wonderful the 911 Carrera is. There are a lot of changes afoot for 2009, so I'll skip my usual drooling and get right to the nitty-gritty.
Inside the 2009 911, you'll find a new stereo with in-dash CD changer (finally! Last year's changer was in the trunk), Bluetooth phone compatibility, full (and extremely well-executed) iPod integration, and a new navigation system with a touch screen in place of last year's buttons. But that isn't the big news.
2009 Carreras get all-new engines with direct fuel injection. Though the engines entirely new, displacement is unchanged from last year; the Carrera's 3.6 liter flat-6 puts out 345 horsepower, up 20 from last year, while the Carrera S' 3.8 is up 30 hp to 385. But that isn't the big news, either.
No, the big news is Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe -- PDK to its friends -- which is Porsche's new 7-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission. Similar in operation to Volkswagen/Audi's DSG (explained in detail here), PDK is the best twin-clutch I've driven. Stomp the pedal and the transmission goes from 7th gear to 2nd in the blink of an eye -- and with no surge, no lurch, absolutely no interruption in power. Truly amazing. PDK can be shifted manually with steering-wheel buttons or the shift lever, but with two sport modes you can let the transmission pick the gears and never be left wanting for power. PDK is expensive ($4,080) but worth it for the performance it delivers. For purists, Porsche still offers a 6-speed manual.
Touch-screen nav, Bluetooth, iPod and in-dash CD player were much-needed updates, and the PDK transmission is a huge leap forward. The 911 Carrera is better than ever, and I'm disappointed -- not in the 911, but in the fact that I can't afford one. -- Aaron Gold