Is the 992 Carrera is producing more power than advertised

Some of the power and torque produced at the crank is used to spin the transmission, driveshaft, differential, and half shafts before it gets to the wheels. For that reason, wheel horsepower and wheel torque will always be lower than the numbers measured at the crankshaft. The percent losses are extremely difficult to measure and vary from car to car, but a 15 percent drivetrain loss is a usable approximation.

So here are the numbers: the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S produced an average of 414 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque at the wheels over three dyno runs in fourth gear. The last time we measured the 520-hp GT3 RS on a dyno, it made 430 hp at the wheels—just 4 percent more than this comparatively pedestrian Carrera S.

Also, look at that torque figure for a moment. This 911 is putting down more torque at the wheels than Porsche is claiming it produces at the crank. Taking into account a 15-percent drivetrain loss, these numbers translate to 487 horses and 478 lb-ft at the crank, increases of 44 hp and 88 lb-ft over Porsche's estimates.

The shape of the power and torque curves are representative of the engine's forced induction. There's a huge spike in torque between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm, which is much earlier in the rev range than what you'd typically see from a small-ish-displacement engine. Horsepower builds as the engine spins faster and faster, only peaking right up against the engine's 7,200-rpm redline.

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