Getting the best zero-to-60 acceleration time out of a Porsche 911 with a manual transmission requires a bit of a sadistic streak. Dropping the clutch in the rear-heavy coupe for a wheelspin-induced launch creates a violent bucking—known as axle hop—that resonates throughout the entire car and feels certain to dislodge a few expensive components. Surprisingly, we’ve found that Porsches survive this punishment unscathed—at least for a few runs. Do it correctly in a Carrera S via the following steps, and you will go from a standstill to 60 mph in less than four seconds. Porsche now offers a launch-control function for its doppelkupplungsgetriebe (German for dual-clutch gearbox), a clutch-pedal–free setup that’s better known by the letters PDK, so now it’s easier to get the best numbers out of a 911. But the affair still requires a penchant for mechanical cruelty.

Disclaimer: Most owners won’t likely subject their cars to this abuse, which is why we created the 5-to-60-mph statistic. In that instance, hard acceleration begins with the car already rolling at 5 mph in first gear and with the clutch engaged. The driver then simply floors the gas pedal, and the clock starts. That test gives a good idea of a vehicle’s real-world acceleration ability. So, when it comes to an all-out maximum acceleration run, it might be best to leave a launch this severe to the experts, and by experts we mean the parking valets at your country club.

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