Porsche 911
Wider body, more gears, extra power, an interior to make Panamera drivers jealous and space for an electric motor... all in the eighth-generation 911
Attention, awed masses and hardto-impress Porsche enthusiasts: this is the eighth-generation Porsche 911, the ‘992’. Unveiled in the more-desirable ‘S’ form at the LA motor show, this is our officially official first look at the latest generation of the iconic German sports car.
Design-wise, it’s obviously an evolution of the old one; a delicately feathered crank of the design knob that keeps things classy, but will cause people to say “it’s boring” because “it looks like the last one.” Yes, the silhouette is very much a 911, but the proportions have had a radical shake-up. Unlike 911s of the past, there’ll be no narrow-body cars, as the front track has been widened by 40mm, and all Carreras will have the same wide booty as the GTS. It doesn’t matter if it’s two- or four-wheel drive, the 911 has one-size-fits-all bodyshells for all. And it’s made of more aluminium than ever.
Also new is staggered wheel sizing, which, in the Carrera S, means 20in fronts and 21in rears. Up front, there’s now a recessed bonnet that nods back to design cues on early 911s, while the rear has been shot into the future with this year’s must-have design cue: a full-width lightbar.
We first saw it on the Mission E, then the Panamera and Macan, but it’ll be a styling attribute Porsche will take forward on all its models. Above that bank of LEDs is a bigger variable-position rear spoiler – perfect for people who like to park with them up like some sort of peacock tail. Overall, it’s an incredibly powerful yet simplistic design with tidy, modern elements like those flush doorhandles.
Underneath that familiar shape lies the cleanest and most technologically advanced 911 ever. Most importantly, it’s quick. Still powered by an engine, one that remains in the back, no
less. At face value, it’s similar to the 3.0-litre flat-six turbo that you get in the current 911.
But because of new, stricter emissions regulations, it’s had to be heavily reworked to be cleaner and more efficient than ever. There’s now piezo injection, an all-new intake system, an exhaust with a particulate filter, repositioned intercooling, revised turbo housings and more. If you’re expecting the return of the tingle, zap and yowl of the old nat-asp cars, keep dreaming.
It doesn’t mean it’s gone soft, though. With 444bhp, the Carrera S has gained 30bhp on the previous model, which, in turn, is the same as the
“Could this be the first model to go hybrid, electric or mid-engined?”
outgoing GTS and will give it the performance to equal a 997 Turbo. We’re yet to get a weight figure, but it must be similar to the current 991 gen, as the RWD Carrera S does 0–62mph in 3.7 secs when it has the new 8spd dual-clutch PDK.
Worryingly, there’s no word from Porsche on manual gearboxes, but they will be coming later. Meanwhile, the AWD Carrera 4S manages the sprint in 3.6secs – making both cars 0.4sec faster than their current equivalent model. Not quick enough for you? Then you better spec the Sport Chrono Package to lower the time by a further two tenths. Top speed? That’s 190mph if your 911 is driven by all four wheels, 191mph if it’s by two.
Inside, the 992 has received a tech overhaul. The central rev-counter – typical 911 – is brought into focus by two thin, frameless dials, while the centre screen is now 10.9in. Those who’ve sampled the latest Panamera will be familiar with the controls, but the real progression is with the systems. There will be the normal array of gofaster acronyms but there’s also now the inclusion of a specific ‘Wet’ mode so you don’t fall off the road when it starts hosing down, Night Vision Assist with thermal imaging, plus more connectivity than you can shake an iPhone X at.
No doubt, later down the line, the 992 will be offered in a gazillion different variants when Porsche starts chopping the roof off completely to make cabrios, semi-chopping it off to make a Targa, giving you all the options you want in one bundle to make the GTS, then lightweighting it a bit if it continues to do a T, all before handing it over to the motorsport-derived GT division. But there could be even more exciting leaps for the 911; could this be the first model to go hybrid? Electric? Or potentially mid-engined if the racecars are anything to go by? Time will tell.
If you like the look of one before even knowing what it drives like, a 911 Carrera S with PDK will cost from £93,110 before the many, many options you can add, while the 4S starts at £98,418. Both are available now.