Crown

I hope michelin will offer the PSS (which I hear nothing but good things about this tire) for every 911 model, because cup tires aren't easy to get a hold of, but Tire Rack was the final answer and shipped it the same day

so, with all the details all of a sudden materialising - any clue about the date when the press embargo falls ?

Mikla:
Interesting info on the new manual gearbox (from Autocar): "The PDK double clutch auto has been sharpened up again but it is the manual that might be introduced that breaks new ground. In effect it is a manually controlled single clutch version of PDK 

I noticed that too, but what does "single clutch version" of "double clutch transmission" even mean, LOL 

HI Carlos,

I know very well about that difference..by the way the sport suspension of the 997.1 was a manual one - not a PASM...just for the records.

However, I remain firm on my position, a completely new car (with apparently everything ten times better) cannot beat the previos one (and here Im only talking abou the 997.1) is for me ridicolous..sorry guys...

and when you compare an 991 and 991S youre forgetting that the 14s are also due to extra 50hp...

Rossi:

Pentium:

I really hope this car has some sexy exterior design details to make me forget about the "confused" interior. I HATE that center console. One thing I LOVED my 997 for was the free space around the driver.

Not a big fan of the new interior either. Of course we will get used to it rather quickly, but I neither like the Panamera-style centre console (I like it in the Panamera, but I don't need that in a 911), nor do I fancy this door styling. Just look at the handles...
 

 +1 . The center console would be nice in a more GT car, or an AM, but not in a 911. It makes it look '' heavy'' and less sporty.

The door panels are way too busy and I bet we will see better ones in the 991.2

I like the rest. The car has a very nice shape from the side . I hope it will not loose to much of the fun factor to the efficiency.

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Mikla:
Interesting info on the new manual gearbox (from Autocar): "The PDK double clutch auto has been sharpened up again but it is the manual that might be introduced that breaks new ground. In effect it is a manually controlled single clutch version of PDK which means, for the first time in any manual production car I can think of, seven forward speeds. In fact the first six ratios are identical to the auto, though a slightly shorter, more sporting top gear is fitted.

 That's the most exiting part   That manual seven sounds very interesting. And a mix of PDK- manual coulees be the best alternative 

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

a928:

HI Carlos,

I know very well about that difference..by the way the sport suspension of the 997.1 was a manual one - not a PASM...just for the records.

However, I remain firm on my position, a completely new car (with apparently everything ten times better) cannot beat the previos one (and here Im only talking abou the 997.1) is for me ridicolous..sorry guys...

and when you compare an 991 and 991S youre forgetting that the 14s are also due to extra 50hp...

Gnil:

Rossi:

Pentium:

I really hope this car has some sexy exterior design details to make me forget about the "confused" interior. I HATE that center console. One thing I LOVED my 997 for was the free space around the driver.

Not a big fan of the new interior either. Of course we will get used to it rather quickly, but I neither like the Panamera-style centre console (I like it in the Panamera, but I don't need that in a 911), nor do I fancy this door styling. Just look at the handles...
 

 +1 . The center console would be nice in a more GT car, or an AM, but not in a 911. It makes it look '' heavy'' and less sporty.

IMO the new console is more suitable for a 100K Euro car than the one on our cars.

I don't think there is a rule for the size of the console that goes with what type of car. The 458 has a shallow console, whereas the Gallardo a wide one and the Aventador an even wider with an upward slope. All three sportscars par excellence

The door panels are way too busy and I bet we will see better ones in the 991.2

 

Nitpicking

--

"Form follows function"

2012 Porsche 911 - Motor Trernd

Okay, everyone, get it out of your systems. "Oh, look! A new 911 that looks just like the old 911!" We know that sentiment is going to fill the comments section below this article. For fans of the 911, we celebrate the fact that every new 911 still looks like a 911. The first car was a near-perfect design for its time, and all Porsche has had to do over almost 50 years of production is modernize it with each new generation. What really matters is what's under the skin, and the 2012 991 has plenty going on.

To start, the dimensions have changed more in one fell swoop than ever in 911 history. The wheelbase has grown by almost four inches, while the overall length has only grown by 2. This may not seem significant, but the 911 has always been defined by long overhangs, especially in the rear. The shorter overhang in back is accomplished by using newly designed transaxles that move the axle line 3 inches back in relation to the engine. This is a big step in Porsche's -- and more specifically the 911's -- ongoing battle with physics. The more mass that is positioned between the axles, the less cantilevering that takes place under high-load conditions, something that defines and hinders the rear-engine design.

Moving the engine and transmission forward means more intrusion into the interior. To increase passenger space, the A-pillars and windshield have been pushed forward. The A-pillar has moved 1.4 inches, while the base of the windshield center is pushed forward more than three inches, translating to a more rounded windshield, also part of the 911's ongoing evolution. Trunk volume is said to be the same at 4.8 cubic feet, while the front-mounted gas tank volume increases by nearly a gallon.

With all the extra size, you might think the 991 has put on some weight compared to the 997, but the new design makes extensive use of aluminum and magnesium along with the traditional steel pieces. The front and rear structure, floor, hood, and doors are all built from aluminum, while the rear quarter panels, front longitudinal crash structures, A-pillars, and roof frame are all steel. Even a few magnesium pieces are thrown in for good measure as structural supports inside the car. The mixed metal architecture did provide some challenges with construction. Like-metal pieces are welded but aluminum and steel joints are affixed with adhesives. The entire body is larger and stiffer than the outgoing 997, but it actually is lighter, with a base 991 Carrera weighing almost 80 pounds less than the current 997.

With every 911 generation, Porsche has made huge strides in handling development. The 991 will be no different, not only because of its improved weight distribution, but several new systems Porsche has developed for the new platform. MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension is still being used, but the geometry has been recalibrated to reduce dive and squat. Porsche will of course offer a range of performance options for the 991 chassis. Adaptive dampers were developed on the 997 and will return for the 991, augmented by an adaptive anti-roll system similar to the PDCC system found on the Cayenne. Adding to Porsche's alphabet soup will be a yet-unnamed electronically variable limited slip differential offered on PDK-equipped cars. The LSD uses the hydraulic pump in the PDK to change the lock-up ratio to suit driving conditions. Cars equipped with the seven-speed manual will still have to make do with a standard mechanical limited slip differential.

For the first time in 911 history, the 991 will switch to electric power steering. While most electric power steering units don't live up to Porsche standards, the company insists this system does. Not only will it reduce complexity and the number of hydraulic lines that run the length of the vehicle, but it also is more efficient, only drawing power when needed.

Porsche is giving the new cars more efficient powertrains as well. The 997 mid-cycle update marked a switch to direct-injection, but there is a bigger change for the 991 base model. The engine drops from 3.6 to 3.4 liters but gains 5 horsepower. S models will still use 3.8-liter flat-6s but will gain 15 hp, up to an even 400 thanks to new fuel injectors, hollow camshafts, and lighter variable valve timing gear. The lighter rotating and reciprocating mass inside the engine also allows for a higher 7800-rpm redline. Transmission choices are either the seven-speed PDK or a seven-speed manual transmission based on the three-shaft semi-automatic. The PDK has proven itself to be the faster of the two transmissions yet again. Looking at Motor Trend data, a PDK-equipped 2012 911 GTS with 408 hp and weighing 3272 pounds did 0-60 mph in 3.9-seconds. We estimate a more efficient Carrera S 991 with similar power will be slightly quicker.

With the assembly line requiring a complete retooling for 991 production, we have to wonder how big of a gap customers will see in production of cars like the 911 and GT models. It isn't likely Porsche will want to see those nameplates, or customers' checkbooks, sit idle for very long. Porsche may move the development of those models along faster than in previous generations.

The 991 will make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September and first drives are expected in the fall. New 911s have historically received a cool reception from enthusiasts, and this one might be downright frigid. This will no doubt be the best 911 ever, technically. But will it be the best 911 ever, emotionally?

These renderings are well... Wrong!

yes..-20mm was with tradiotional shocks...but still you havent answered my point:

997.1 Sport Suspension: NS: 8:04 (355HP, 2005)

991 standard: NS:8:04 (350HP, 2011)

??

Hmm... Some clarification...

997.1 Carrera S with -20mm/LSD, PCCBs= Sport Auto HvS 8.04min

991 Carrera with standard suspension, 19" standard tires, standard brakes and manual gearbox= 8.04min

Now, add PDK, SPASM, 20" street tires, PCCBs and PTV to 991 Carrera and you will be around 7.50min level according to my P source.

oh oh..I see resemblence to the first 996 lights there..I think Porsche will get even more complaints...intererior + front lights..if they will look like this..

On average the outside is OK however, main concern is intererios..Panamera one and electric steering ...i think that will probably not be available for the GT3 as in racing series this is not yet allowed..

The 9A1 engine for the GT3...Porsche is gambling with its future..they dont know what they are doing..

Yes, this company has dome great things, but I may just remind some motorsport failings too, F1 (PS: I talked to the men beind the story a few weeks ago), Indycar, etc..plus 996 problems, etc..so not everything turned out to be perfect..

Lets see..but in todays internet world any failure becomes immediately a big story that cannot be stopped anymore..

a928:

yes..-20mm was with tradiotional shocks...but still you havent answered my point:

997.1 Sport Suspension: NS: 8:04 (355HP, 2005)

991 standard: NS:8:04 (350HP, 2011)

??

I did, you cannot compare a Carrera with standard soft suspensions with a CarreraS with -20mm spor suspensions and rear LSD, just because they have the same HP. 

Like Kreso said, the gap between a 997S and a similarly optioned 991S is 14 seconds per lap, the 50HP is only a fraction of those 14secs, the rest is all 991 handling improvement over the 997.

KresoF1:

These renderings are well... Wrong!

 Thank God!

 Those renders don't even show the correct rear spoiler

despite reading all this and liking the interior pics I would still get today the GTS......I wonder how much in CH a well specced S costs vs the "old" GTS.

I bought my 997.2 because I believed it was as close as a modern water cooled 911 was going to come to my concept what a 911 should be, an heir to a unique legacy of style and performance dating from the mid 1960s.  I cannot say that this new car fits my definition of what I expect from a 911 any more than the 996 did for me. It's always a personal choice, but I have no need to own the latest iteration of anything if it doesn't resonate with my automotive passion.  However, I have no doubt that the 991 will prove a success to a new generation of owners.
 

"Don't worry about avoiding temptation, as you grow older it will avoid you"  Churchill

Carlos from Spain:

 When the 997 came out we were talking about the variable steering and the 19" wheels and how bad it would be compared to the 996's steering and wheel setup, and look at us now. I for one will give Porsche the benefit of the doubt until I can actually test the car, they have never dissapointed before in over 40 yrs with its evolutions so why are we so quick to judge without even seeing the car? Lets wait until we get behind the wheel and see how it behaves, but when have we seen Porsche screw that up? I for one will take everything, the good and the bad with a grain of salt until I can jump in one.

I have to agree with Carlos on this one.  Sure, I have misgivings about a few things (especially electronic steering, the e brake and the interior), but I keep reminding myself that every new generation of 911 has been greeted with shock and horror, only to be embraced as we got used to the changes and learnt to appreciate the improvements.  I will reserve judgment until I've had a chance to see the 991 in the flesh (without all the disguises) and - more importantly - until I've driven it.

I'm particularly interested in seeing what Porsche does with the next-gen GT3.  Perhaps we'll see it becoming an even more hardcore sportscar to compensate for the standard 911 moving further and further into GT territory (or perhaps this is just wishful thinking - especially given the retirement of the Mezger engine).

I guess the real bottom line is this: have I seen anything yet which has caused me to regret placing an order for a Carrera GTS, rather than waiting for the 991?  Not a chance! 

Thanks Enzo

hmm..still dont agree..

one of us cant do the math:

But what about the Nürburgring times, Achleitner? No Porsche story is complete without those! The regular 991 does it in 8 minutes 4 seconds, the 991 S in 7:50. "With the best setup, we did 7:37," he says. For some reason, he doesn't want to tell us what his best setup looks like. Maybe it's with the optional carbon-ceramic brakes. Or maybe it's all the little things adding up, as always

You dont know under which conditions and what tyres etc the 7:37 was done !! - I bet you two beers it will not be possible to reproduce...like the 7:18 claimed for the GT2RS

From my experience and others: PCCB doesnt make you go faster around a track....just ask the guys from Porsche Motorsport..

2012 Porsche 911: First ride by Auto Express...

Porsche's next generation 911, codenamed 991 will launch later this year. We hitch a lift in the prototype, to get a feel for what's to come...

"The 991 forms the basis for all-new Boxser and Cayman models, it's the foundation of Porsche’s sporting future"

 -- by Richard Meaden (1 July 2011)

Remarkably, every 911 built from its introduction in 1964 to the last air-cooled 993 generation cars of the late Nineties shared something in common beneath the skin.

The first complete redesign came in 1998 with an all-new platform for the water-cooled 996 series range, and now after thirteen years that platform is about to be replaced by another all-new 911, known internally as the 991 series.

The 991 represents a complete redesign of Porsche’s rear-engined sports car. Its lighter structure promises greater performance and lower emissions, as well as finely resolved handling. Put simply it heralds a new era for the Stuttgart marque’s evergreen sports car.

We’ll have to wait until later this year to get behind the wheel, but thanks to privileged behind-the-scenes access to the 991 development team as they conduct final tests in the heat and wide-open space of South Africa we have been able to gain some insight into what the next-gen 911 has in store for us.

The big changes for the 991 start with an all-new platform made from a mix of aluminium and steel for the ideal mix of strength and lightweight construction.

Not only will it mean the 991 is lighter than the 997, but this new platform will form the modular basis for all-new Boxser and Cayman models, so it really is the foundation stone of Porsche’s sporting future.

The new 991 is longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, but not so much that it loses the 911’s sense of compactness. The body was heavily disguised (as was the interior), but we reckon the 991 will be prettier and more curvy than the 997, not to mention more luxurious inside thanks to a Panamera-style interior makeover.

Significantly, the wheelbase is longer too, which means the rear wheels have been pushed closer to the engine, further reducing the effect of that famous rear-biased weight distribution. Intriguingly this also creates extra space, which could be for a hybrid powertrain.

Porsche’s engineers would not confirm this, nor would they deny it, but in truth it’s inconceivable that Porsche – a brand that already has hybrid Panamera and Cayenne models - would commit to an all-new sports car platform without building-in the room for hybrid technology.

At launch, the 991 will be available in 3.4-litre Carrera and 3.8-litre Carrera S specifications. The former gains 5bhp despite a 200cc reduction in capacity, the latter gains 15bhp.

Torque figures are yet to be released, but we do know that emissions are down, making the 991 one of the cleanest sports cars of its kind.

The new platform has been designed around the current direct-injection engines and PDK gearbox casing, but enthusiasts will be pleased to hear Porsche has built a manual transmission that employs the PDK’s gear shafts, so fans of the stick can sleep easy.

This also raises the prospect of a 7-speed manual, although once again the engineers remained tight-lipped on the subject.

Other significant changes include a shift from hydraulic to electro-mechanical power steering and a new chassis set-up, which employs stiffer springs and softer damper settings than the previous 911.

More information will surface between now and the 991’s launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but from what we’ve already learnt there’s no doubt the 991 will outperform the last generation car on every objective level.

Some developments – most notably the steering and suspension changes - will certainly alter the character and feel of the car, but given Porsche’s skill in continually evolving the 911 without ever losing its magic, we’re confident the 991 will be something special.

a928:

You dont know under which conditions and what tyres etc the 7:37 was done !! - I bet you two beers it will not be possible to reproduce...like the 7:18 claimed for the GT2RS

I was refering to the 7:50 time of the 991S, I haven't even considered the 7:37 either since god knows how they achieved that time in a CarreraS, probably not very stock so could not be reproduced by a factory customer car.

ah..OK

buones noches

Seven-speed manual gearbox in the 911...

The seventh generation of the Porsche 911 is coming - and a technology revolution brings with it: As the world's first production car to the sports car with a seven-speed manual transmission are standard. The unusual shift pattern with five lanes, the seventh gear is located right above.

Porsche equips its refreshed classic 911 with a revolutionary seven-speed gearbox. The world premiere has fuel-saving reasons. But the plan makes sense?

Porsche plans for the new generation of 911, a technique revolution: the world's first production car to the sports car with a seven-speed gearbox will be equipped. The unusual shift pattern with five lanes, the seventh gear is located right above. Porsche wants to reduce the consumption by the narrow steps, without having to accept inferior performance in terms of purchasing need. Background are struggling to reach US consumption standards. Until 2015, the sports car manufacturer an exemption. "We approach the problem at the political and technical level," said a company spokesman. If the political path fail, the consumption decrease by ten percent annually - among other things, the new transmission from supplier ZF.

Porsche will sell it as an improvement: In autumn, the 911 gets a new transmission. To switch with seven forward gears manually. What kind of madness. And a step in the wrong direction. For the high torque of the engines would last five gears just fine. I'm sure will annoy the permanent Schalterei at the first trial run so that Porsche customers with the best argument for the 3500 € expensive dual-clutch gearbox provides free home. Progress seems to me different...

2012-Porsche-991-gearbox_AutoBild-article

Porsche Cayman finally caught in testing...

(30 June 2011)

Here are finally the first pictures of the new Porsche Cayman. We went there almost doubt on the Porsche car would start because even though we develop the new Boxster several times before the lens could have been well hidden the Cayman account. 

Earlier photos showed true formulas from which it became clear that a new Porsche Cayman worked, but hit their doubts. Much wiser these images however we have not. The Cayman is quite camouflaged and Porsche has done everything possible to make the design resemble its predecessor. Under the camouflage is however a completely new coach and ditto hiding technique. Next six-cylinder four-cylinder also come to hang in the model.

2013-Porsche-Cayman_Spyshots-NL

Caught Testing: 2013 Porsche Cayman - Spy Shots...

The Next-Generation Cayman is photographed on the Autobahn...

(30 June 2011)

It seems the flat-engine loving engineers from Stuttgart have been busy the past few months. Fine-tuning the 997-based 911 GT3 RS 4.0 and developing an all-new 911 should keep them plenty busy. But, based on these latest spy shots, it’s clear that Porsche has also been tinkering with an all-new Cayman. Although these photos show a car that at first glance looks very similar to the restyled Cayman introduced in 2009, they are actually shots of new Cayman being tested on Germany’s Autobahn.

Details are scant. From what our source tell us, the next-gen Cayman will share some features with the current Boxster prototype. From what we can see from the images, the back half of the new Cayman takes on more of a gradual slope, giving the chassis less rear overhang. The rear hatch on the new Cayman does away with the vertical steps found in the current model in favor of a flush design, and the rear pop-up spoiler seems to have much more articulation. Taking a cue from the new 911, the Cayman’s side view mirror has been mounted lower on the door. The rear windows appear to be longer, and both the headlights and taillights have been revised.

The vents allude that the Cayman will retain its mid-engine orientation, and we suspect the flat-6 to return, but with improved performance. With its sportier profile, we think it’s only natural that the new Cayman will have a more powerful engine.

...bring on the Cayman R!

2013-Porsche-Cayman_Road-and-Track

I like the rear quarter A LOT. It seems tougher and better resolved than the current car. I looks more muscled and seems to have a shorter rear overhang, although that may just be because the rear shoulders look beefier.

Me like.

"We all love the music. What we hope is that the music loves us." -- Tom Waits