Sleeker, larger, lighter, more powerful, faster, a good deal less thirsty and, according to
Porsche, better to drive. That's the short story on the
new Porsche 911, revealed here officially for the first time.
Known internally as the 991, the new 911 is the next generation in an illustrious 48-year history. The world debut will be at next month's Frankfurt motor show, prior to going on sale in North America in December.
Following the example of its strong-selling predecessor, the 2012 Porsche 911 will initially be sold in rear-wheel drive Carrera and Carrera S coupe guise.
In 2012, there will be a further flood of new 911 models, with various cabriolet and
all-wheel drive variants paving the way for the introduction of a range-topping 911 Turbo packing 523 hp from a further-developed version of the exiting model's turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six engine in 2013.
The first official pictures of Porsche's iconic coupe reveal a bolder look for the 2012 911, whose exterior receives lightly altered dimensions, freshly interpreted detailing, added sculpturing and optimized aerodynamics. It was designed under the watch of Porsche design boss Michael Mauer. The visual changes, in keeping with the evolutionary approach taken since its introduction at the Frankfurt motor show back in 1963, are subtle but effective enough to set the new
car apart from its popular predecessor, providing it with clear links to the past but with sufficient modernity to give it a contemporary air.
Official dimensions are yet to be revealed, but officials from Porsche's Zuffenhausen headquarters in Germany confirm the new 2012 911 is 2.2 inches longer, 2.6 inches wider and 0.4 of an inch lower than its immediate predecessor at 176.8 inches in length, 73.7 inches in width and 51.1 inches in height. It also rides on a wheelbase that has been extended by 3.9 inches, to 96.5 inches.
At the front, the most prominent design feature continues to be the traditional round headlamps. Set out on the front of wider and slightly higher front fenders, they have been made even bigger and house more complex internal graphics than before. The reworked headlamps--which come with distinctive LED main-beam projectors similar to those offered on the Porsche Cayenne and the Panamera as optional equipment--are complimented by curvy new LED daytime running lamps on the leading edge of a reshaped bumper that borrow their shape from those seen on the 918 Spyder concept.
Along the sides, there are larger wheel houses, large and more angular exterior mirrors that sit outboard on the doors rather than in the blanked-off quarter-panel at the base of the A-pillar, a slightly higher waistline, marginally shallower and more elongated glasshouse, a more defined crease line running underneath the doors, wider rear fenders and a more heavily angled rear window.
The rear is distinguished by a thin line of LED tail lamps that sit underneath a prominent lip that forms the tailing edge of the engine lid and wrap further around into the rear fenders than before. Changes made to the design of the rear wing, which continues to deploy at 75 mph, also serves to reduce lift without any detrimental effort to the low level of drag. Forming the upper part of the engine lid, the wing is wider, has three instead of the previous five air ducts to feed cooling air into the engine bay and now extends variably for smoother introduction of additional downforce at the rear.
While few are likely to mistake the new 911 for anything but a Porsche, the new model also carries Porsche badges along with individual model identification on the upper edge of a more shapely rear bumper for the first time.
In the interests of production efficiency and providing parts-sharing compatibility with next year's Boxster/Cayman, the Porsche 911 continues to be based around a unitary monocoque structure using a platform fabricated from high-strength steel. But in a clear break from tradition, the latest model gets a predominately aluminum body shell.
The move away from steel for the complete body was in an effort to cut weight, with Porsche claiming a reduction of 99 pounds for the 911 Carrera, although there is no official figure yet. But even with an increase to take into account the added dimensions and greater levels of standard equipment, it's lighter than the old model.
Engines and Gearboxes
Porsche is following the strategy taken with the outgoing 911 by offering the choice of two standard naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engines--both running the latest in piezo-guided direct injection and--as 48 years of tradition dictates--mounted aft of the rear axle line.
The big news is the downsizing of the base unit in the 911 Carrera. It drops in capacity from 3.6 liters to 3.4-liters, the same as the Boxster/Cayman S. But while the engine in the Boxster/Cayman S delivers 316 hp, the 911 Carrera packs a sturdier 345 hp, up 4 hp over the old model's 3.6-liter engine.
The 2012 Carrera S continues with a 3.8-liter unit, but it has been reworked with detailed changes to the induction and exhaust, liberating an added 14 hp for a total of 394 hp. The two models are distinguished at the rear: the 2012 Carrera continues to feature two oval-shape exhaust pipes while the Carrera S gets four round pipes.
Eschewing the traditional six-speed gearbox that has been a 911 mainstay since 1993, the model gets a new seven-speed gearbox. Details remain scarce, but it has been described to
Autoweek as being closely related to the new car's optional seven-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox, itself manufactured by German gearbox specialist, ZF.
Porsche has yet to reveal the ratios it has chosen for the gearboxes, although with 20-inch wheels now optional across the lineup, they are expected to alter slightly on those used by the outgoing model. In a move that makes the new 911 one of the most economical cars in its class, both gearboxes have been engineered to support standard automatic stop/start and brake-energy recuperation. The PDK also gets a so-called sailing function that automatically opens the clutch to allow the new Porsche 911 to coast with only minimal mechanical drag on a trailing throttle.
There are improvements in straight-line performance. However, they are minimal compared with the gains made by the last 911 model change in 2004. Porsche claims a 0-to-62-mph time of 4.4 seconds for the Carrera running the optional PDK gearbox and Sports Chrono package, an improvement of 0.3 second, with the similarly specified 2012 Carrera S put at 4.1 seconds, or 0.3 second faster than before. No top-speed claims have been made, however, various aerodynamic tweaks are said to see the Carrera top 180 mph, with the Carrera S extending beyond 190 mph.
By: Greg Kable
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