It’s Porsche Scoop Week at CAR Online, as we bring you the lowdown on every future Porsche on our radar. These are exciting times in Stuttgart as Porsche is subsumed into the Volkswagen bosom – and the pace of new model development is accelerating. Stay tuned this week as we uncover every new Porsche sports car coming in 2011, 2012, 2013 and beyond!
Porsche unveiled the new 991-era 911 at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show – but the coupe is only the first in a large family of 911s. This model remains the backbone of Porsche’s model range and the company is clever enough to know it can rinse out numerous bodystyles/engines/levels of sporting focus to keep dealers busy and cash tills churning. Here’s what’s next for the 991-generation 911 family.
Porsche 991 soft-top: the new 911 Cabriolet
After the launch of the Carrera and Carrera S at the back end of 2011, we’ll see the 911 Cabriolet next. The 911 cabrio’s top still looks as if it was made of soft fabric, but it actually consists of three semi-rigid lightweight panels coated with a novel furry material which conceals the cutlines.
Our new scoop photos reveal the new 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet testing in Germany with the roof up. Inspired by the Boxster, the 911 convertible’s folded stack does without a rigid tonneau cover.
Porsche 991 four-wheel drive: the 911 Carrera 4
In December 2012, Porsche intends to launch the four-wheel drive versions of the new 911. Again, there will be coupes and cabriolets, badged both as Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S.
The sole available 911 engines for the first 18 months of production are a pair of uprated flat sixes. The next C2/C4 will be powered by a 3.4-litre direct-injection unit rated at 350bhp and 280lb ft; the C2S/C4S will be fitted with a 3.8-litre motor good for 400bhp and 325lb ft. Variocam Plus (adjustable camshafts), switchable manifolds and two-stage free-flow exhausts are standard on these ‘base’ 911s.
Porsche 991 Turbo
For 2013, the Swabians are readying the next 911 Turbo Coupé; it’ll be followed by the widebody whaletail soft-top in 2014, caught testing in our spy photos here.
Powering the 2013 911 Turbo is a more potent yet astonishingly frugal 3.8-litre flat six good for 520bhp, according to CAR’s sources.
Porsche 991 GT3
Still in 2013, we are going to see the new 911 GT3 powered by a high-revving normally-aspirated flat six – probably the last of its kind before the all-new downsized turbo boxers come on stream in 2015.
Porsche 991 Targa, Speedster versions
For late 2013 or early 2014, the Weissach oracle is predicting the replacement for the 911 Targa. After three generations of sandwich-glass-sunroof would-be targas, the designers are for project 991 reverting to the original roof concept. No, we’re not talking MkI with a zip-out perspex rear window and a rigid mid-section which would not fit in the boot. Instead, product planning wants to recreate the MkII targa which featured a folding rermovable top and a heated glass backlight.
The most prominent design detail of this classic Porsche roof treatment was the substantial roll bar available in anodized silver or matte black.
Porsche 991 Speedster
The new 911 Targa may even be joined by a new 991 Speedster. Although this model has not yet been confirmed, design has mocked up a chopped-screen 911 which could sell well in sunny climes such as LA and the Middle East.
The 911 Speedster could be derived from the 991 cabriolet at very little incremental cost. Mating a Turbo look lower to a bespoke upper, the new Speedster will likely be available in two different forms – as minimalistic pseudo-racer and as all-in high-end boulevard cruiser not unlike the limited-edition 2010 model.
Both variants would feature a lower, more steeply raked windscreen, bespoke side windows and a made-to-measure fabric top instead of the folding soft-shell hardtop under preparation for the 911 Cabriolet.
Porsche 911 hybrid
Encouraged by the motor sport success of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, Porsche has prepared the DNA of project 991 to accommodate a conventional plug-in hybrid system at a later stage.
Right from the beginning, all Porsche’s new rear-engined 911 sports cars will be fitted with a start-stop device, on-demand electrically driven auxiliary equipment, extensive thermo-management, ultracap regeneration under lift-off and braking and an AGM buffer battery. Masterminding the green hardware are a more advanced black box with CAN matrix. Together with the more efficient engines, these measures are said to warrant real-life fuel savings and emission reductions of 10% – minimum.
Porsche 991: the future
Penned by Michael Mauer of Mercedes and Saab fame, the new-look Porsche is scheduled to retain the restyled proportions for two seven-year lifecycles. So pay attention: you’ll be hearing plenty about the 991 over the next 14 years…
>> Come back every day this week for more Porsche scoops