Porsche : 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Spy Photos
While wicked, high-power variants of the 997-gen Porsche 911 have appeared with increasing frequency over the past couple of years, the base car is now due for a major redesign. The next iteration, which is known internally as the 991, will get lighter and even sportier, and will in fact be the first entirely new 911 since the model switched from the air-cooled 993 to the water-cooled 996 for 1998. The 996 later morphed into the cosmetically altered 997, and another face lift in 2008 masked major technical changes: Two years ago, the Carrera and Carrera S got entirely new engines and an optional dual-clutch transmission, which replaced the torque-converter automatic.
We hear that as soon as former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking was ousted in July 2009, VW chief Ferdinand Piëch demanded significant changes to Michael Mauer's design for this car. According to sources who have seen both versions, the requested alterations make the next 911 more modern and easily discernible from the 997. There was, of course, gnashing of teeth in Stuttgart.
Porsche has done a good job of disguising the car’s new shape and details in these spy shots. The proportions will be better, thanks to a wheelbase elongated by about four inches, a move that should bring more ride comfort and more-docile handling characteristics. The rear window extends down lower, and there are two pronounced creases that parallel the rear glass and run down the rear deck, at which point they meet an integrated, aerodynamic lip. The front and rear overhangs are shorter, and the rearview mirrors are now mounted on the door skins rather than the triangular space in front of the side windows.
The Turbo-style side vents seen on this prototype are fake, as are the taillights, which mimic the 997's but bear no relation to what's hidden below. The real taillights will be slim and rather futuristic, and the third brake light is hidden in the rear air vent. The headlights also are still camouflaged—the bulbous look here is another fake-out—but they will keep the same basic roundness. The daytime running lights and front turn signals will of course be LED units.
Inside, the 911 will get a more luxurious and stylish interior, similar in look and feel to those of the Panamera and Cayenne, and a high-end Burmester audio system will be optional. In the past, interiors weren’t a strong point for Porsche, but the 911 will now learn a lesson or two from its big brothers.
Aluminum Skin, Possible Active Aero
Porsche will use a heavy dose of aluminum for the 911's body panels, a move that we expect will help shave curb weight by about 100 pounds. The power steering will be electrically boosted, and dynamic helpers will include Porsche's torque-vectoring system and its computer-controlled engine mounts which stiffen to reduce powertrain movement during aggressive braking, acceleration, and cornering. Other possible technologies include active aerodynamic elements to help engine cooling, as well as a front-end lift system similar to the current 911 GT3’s, which would potentially save the front lip from being scratched on nasty curbs and speed bumps.
Power will come from—what else?—flat-six engines, likely a 3.6-liter unit making 350 hp and, for the S model, a 3.8-liter unit producing 400 hp. A GT3 variation, which would add direct injection, is a given, as are Turbo models. If the market demands a fuel-economy champ—or one is needed—Porsche also could install a turbocharged flat-four essentially identical to the one soon to be found in the Boxster. (If such a model happened, would it be called the 912?) Other green-leaning stuff: All engines will feature an engine stop/start system and clutched alternator tech. A hybrid is a strong possibility down the road, too, and Porsche is looking at using high-density supercapacitors for short-term energy storage and accelerative boosts.
Power output will be channeled to the rear or all wheels depending on the model, and the gearboxes will include a manual transmission and the ZF-sourced PDK dual-clutch transmission. Rumor has it that the manual transmission will be a seven-speed unit derived from the PDK. We can’t help but think it would be a bit weird to drive a seven-speed stick, but we'll withhold judgment until the thing is confirmed and we get some time behind the wheel.
As is the case now, look for a lot of commonality between the 911 and the next-generation Boxster and Cayman. Dynamically, the 991 should be a better car than the admittedly fantastic 997, but—just as it is today—the next Cayman might remain its fiercest competitor.
While wicked, high-power variants of the 997-gen Porsche 911 have appeared with increasing frequency over the past couple of years, the base car is now due for a major redesign. The next iteration, which is known internally as the 991, will get lighter and even sportier, and will in fact be the first entirely new 911 since the model switched from the air-cooled 993 to the water-cooled 996 for 1998. The 996 later morphed into the cosmetically altered 997, and another face lift in 2008 masked major technical changes: Two years ago, the Carrera and Carrera S got entirely new engines and an optional dual-clutch transmission, which replaced the torque-converter automatic.
We hear that as soon as former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking was ousted in July 2009, VW chief Ferdinand Piëch demanded significant changes to Michael Mauer's design for this car. According to sources who have seen both versions, the requested alterations make the next 911 more modern and easily discernible from the 997. There was, of course, gnashing of teeth in Stuttgart.
Porsche has done a good job of disguising the car’s new shape and details in these spy shots. The proportions will be better, thanks to a wheelbase elongated by about four inches, a move that should bring more ride comfort and more-docile handling characteristics. The rear window extends down lower, and there are two pronounced creases that parallel the rear glass and run down the rear deck, at which point they meet an integrated, aerodynamic lip. The front and rear overhangs are shorter, and the rearview mirrors are now mounted on the door skins rather than the triangular space in front of the side windows.
The Turbo-style side vents seen on this prototype are fake, as are the taillights, which mimic the 997's but bear no relation to what's hidden below. The real taillights will be slim and rather futuristic, and the third brake light is hidden in the rear air vent. The headlights also are still camouflaged—the bulbous look here is another fake-out—but they will keep the same basic roundness. The daytime running lights and front turn signals will of course be LED units.
Inside, the 911 will get a more luxurious and stylish interior, similar in look and feel to those of the Panamera and Cayenne, and a high-end Burmester audio system will be optional. In the past, interiors weren’t a strong point for Porsche, but the 911 will now learn a lesson or two from its big brothers.
Aluminum Skin, Possible Active Aero
Porsche will use a heavy dose of aluminum for the 911's body panels, a move that we expect will help shave curb weight by about 100 pounds. The power steering will be electrically boosted, and dynamic helpers will include Porsche's torque-vectoring system and its computer-controlled engine mounts which stiffen to reduce powertrain movement during aggressive braking, acceleration, and cornering. Other possible technologies include active aerodynamic elements to help engine cooling, as well as a front-end lift system similar to the current 911 GT3’s, which would potentially save the front lip from being scratched on nasty curbs and speed bumps.
Power will come from—what else?—flat-six engines, likely a 3.6-liter unit making 350 hp and, for the S model, a 3.8-liter unit producing 400 hp. A GT3 variation, which would add direct injection, is a given, as are Turbo models. If the market demands a fuel-economy champ—or one is needed—Porsche also could install a turbocharged flat-four essentially identical to the one soon to be found in the Boxster. (If such a model happened, would it be called the 912?) Other green-leaning stuff: All engines will feature an engine stop/start system and clutched alternator tech. A hybrid is a strong possibility down the road, too, and Porsche is looking at using high-density supercapacitors for short-term energy storage and accelerative boosts.
Power output will be channeled to the rear or all wheels depending on the model, and the gearboxes will include a manual transmission and the ZF-sourced PDK dual-clutch transmission. Rumor has it that the manual transmission will be a seven-speed unit derived from the PDK. We can’t help but think it would be a bit weird to drive a seven-speed stick, but we'll withhold judgment until the thing is confirmed and we get some time behind the wheel.
As is the case now, look for a lot of commonality between the 911 and the next-generation Boxster and Cayman. Dynamically, the 991 should be a better car than the admittedly fantastic 997, but—just as it is today—the next Cayman might remain its fiercest competitor.
No comments:
Post a Comment