By Ian Macpherson Yes it‘s true, years of test driving have ruined me to the pleasures of driving everyday cars. Once in a while though, something comes along that shakes me up and leaves me grinning ear to ear. A car so beautiful, fast and responsive that I could never become indifferent to its charms. I‘m talking about the new 911. It all started with the muchâ€"loved Porsche 356 which was built from existing Volkswagen Beetle parts. In 1958, Ferry Porsche, son of VW founder Ferdinand Porsche, set out to make Germany the world‘s greatest builder of sports cars. The redesign was from the ground up without the reliance on any existing VW parts. The result was introduced in 1963 as the 901 but because of a threatened lawsuit by Peugot, the name became 911. The inaugural 911 was big, pricay and somewhat less than New 911 is the greatest Porsche ever VOLNO IT‘S A ROCKET FOR THE NUCLEAR FAMILY. PORSCHE 911 CARRERA Carried over is the famous 3.6 litre, airâ€"cooled, sixâ€"cylinder boxer engine but Porsche engineers have managed to tweak another 22 HP thanks largely to a new Bosch Motronic engine management system. Power now stands at 272 HP (244 lb.â€"ft). Not a lot when compared with competitors like the Corvette ZRâ€"1 and Dodge Viper, both with 400 HP engines. But by virtue of its lightweight design, the 911 gives up little to these heavyweights, turning the quarter mile in 13.8 Seconds and rushing to 100 km/hr in a shade After 30 years, Porsche is poised for success with a 911 that offers a perfect balance of handling and ride without the shortcomings of past models. impressive with wooden brakes, questionable dynamics and a 90 HP engine that couldn‘t outrun a Cavalier. The all new 19?5 911 Carrera has nothing in common with its nameâ€" 485 King St. North Waterloo, Ontario (519) 885â€"5090 Looking for a car that‘s practical? Rational? Well, there‘s the Volvo 850 Turbo front whee| drive sedan. Four wheel antiâ€"lock dise brakes. A unibody steel safety cage. And Volvo‘s patented side impace air bags. This air bag systerm is the only one of its kind available from a major car manufacturer. Very practical. As for the 222 porsepower intercooled turbocharged engine? We‘re sure you‘ll find a ï¬' rational use for it. Drive safely. Bâ€"K MOTORS A rocket for the nuclear family. Stop by your Volvo deater for a whirl. The Volvo 850 Turbo THE 1995 VOLVO 850 TURBCO: $39,095 1995 Saah 900 Convertible Visit Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo‘s Auto Show at Bingeman Park and meet our newest family member from Oct. 27 to 30. â€"â€"KITCH ENE R â€"â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994 â€" PAGE 45 With a rear engine layout and trailing arm suspension. the 911 is renowned for being difficult to handle. It is espeâ€" cially susceptible to a phenomenon called "dropâ€"throttleâ€" oversteer", the tendency of a car to oversteer in a corner when power is eased off. The 1995 Carrera has been reworked with a doubleâ€"wishbone control arm rear suspenâ€" sion. This is a multiâ€"link setup mounted to the subâ€"frame providing an unprecedented leve} of ride and control. Pushâ€" ing it hard into a couple of corners and letting up on the throttle failed to induce oversteer with an almost unwaverâ€" ing rear end. Turn in is faster than ever and a tug on the steering wheel is now enough to snap you into the next lane over five. My favorite thing about the engine is the way it sounds. Even at idle, it is raucous enough to send people scurrying for the sidewalks. 450 Belmont Ave. W., Kit 744â€"5811 VOLVO (Continued on page 47)