The next 911, known to Porsche and its fans by the 991 internal designation, is ready to launch this fall at the Frankfurt auto show. But as is always the case with the 911, the first showing will be just the beginning: Nobody has mastered the art of holding the public’s interest with a shrewdly calculated sequence of sub-model launches quite like Porsche. (Nor has anybody mastered the art of proliferating a single model lineup with more than 20—yes, 20—variations, which sort of forces a drawn-out introduction.)
One of the 911s we most look forward to seeing and driving is the Turbo, a car named for and defined by its means of forced induction. When the first Turbo launched in Europe in 1974, its performance represented an almost unbelievable leap forward from naturally aspirated 911 models. It required extraordinary skill to drive at the limit, and it wasn't until the 993 Turbo, the first one with all-wheel drive, that the car became somewhat civilized.
Since then, the 911 Turbo has morphed into a super-fast long-distance cruiser, but its performance is still far beyond that of the Carrera and Carrera S. This will remain the case when Porsche launches the next Turbo, based on the 991 model generation, in the first half of 2012.
Growing, but No Pains
The 991 will carry over many parts of the current 997 911 platform, but it will be stretched. It will accommodate front-seat passengers more comfortably, and while the back seat is said to grow, it would take a significant reengineering to actually make it very usable. Either way, the 991 will have a far nicer interior than the 997, taking cues from the luxurious Panamera.
The Turbo, as always, will get wider bodywork in the rear, and it works particularly well on the 991 seen here, which squats on immense haunches. Huge air inlets on its hips will again set it apart from lesser 911s, while ensuring the rear-mounted turbocharged flat-six can breathe. While the fixed, ironing-board-sized rear spoiler of the current car is gone in these pictures, it looks like it may be replaced by a deployable unit like the one on the Panamera rather than ditched entirely.
While the next 911 Turbo will be bigger, its exceptional handling shouldn’t be compromised, as Porsche will offset the growth with increased use of lightweight materials. It will, of course, remain all-wheel-drive. There will be no major change in the engine room, either, as we expect the 991 to reuse the turbocharged flat-six from the 997—Porsche’s model- and engine-development cycles aren’t exactly in sync. But we do expect a significant power boost. A version of this engine already makes 530 hp in today’s Turbo S, and Porsche managed 620 horses from the port-injected 3.6-liter in the GT2 RS, so something in the neighborhood of 550 hp seems reasonable—well, in a sense; that output is actually quite insane—for the 991 Turbo.
Don’t quite think that’s insane? Consider that today’s Turbo S goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds and rips the quarter-mile in 10.8 at 129 mph. That trails a Bugatti Veyron to 60 by just 0.2 second, falling behind in the quarter by 0.7. The next Turbo’s top speed will inch from today’s 194 mph closer to the magic 200-mph mark. Nevertheless, its small displacement—the direct-injected turbo six is currently just 3.8 liters—should help the Turbo to remain one of the most fuel-efficient supercars extant.
As usual, the next 911 line will spawn spin-offs like few other cars on the road. Besides the various drivetrain configurations—base or uplevel naturally aspirated engine, rear- or four-wheel drive—and Turbo and GT3 versions, Porsche will offer a hybrid and might even add a turbocharged four-cylinder engine to the portfolio. That is a mere possibility at this point and, of course, is not the car seen here; Porsche would have to be careful that a force-fed four didn’t dilute the "Turbo" moniker. On the other end of the spectrum, a completely rabid GT2 based on the Turbo should not be ruled out, although you’ll have to wait some time for that one. Remember: Always respect the sequence. View Photo Gallery
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