Photo: SB-Medien
The warm-up before the marathon. Nobody could hold anything against you for looking at the recently released turbocharged 911 Carrera this way. With the 991 generation’s mid-cycle facelift paving the way to a greener future by using its downsized 3.0-liter turbos, the next generation of the Neunelfer will run straight into hybrid territory. While purists chew on that, we are now bringing you the first spyshots of the Zuffenhausen machine.
For now, the future 992 incarnation of the 911 is being tested as a chassis mule, using the body of the current car. The model we see here comes with Porsche’s “4” all-wheel-drive system, but we’re more focused on those add-on wheel arches instead.
The elements on the fenders point to the wider tracks of the machine. The tire size has remained unchanged compared to the current 991.2, namely 305/30 R20. Since Porsche is the most motorsport-savvy carmaker in the world, it knows the importance of rubber all too well. As a result, the company has already started working with two tire developers, Pirelli and Goodyear-Dunlop, to achieve perfectly tailored rubber for its sportscar.
With Porsche engineers having injected plenty of know-how into the current MMB platform, the next 911 will use an evolution of the architecture. The most important treat of the current chassis is the elongation of the wheelbase, a move that, among others, brought the rear-mounted engine a bit closer to the center of the car.
While nothing can be seen on the test mule, the next 911 is expected to grow a bit in length. Part of the extra space gained will be invested into the rear seats, an area that still gives the 911 an edge on all of its competitors, which only pack two seats.
After five and a half decades, the 911 will receive a hybrid powertrain, despite no signs of that being visible on the spied vehicle. Expect the 911 to use a plug-in hybrid setup, with Porsche having learned valuable lessons by introducing the 918 Spyder. And it’s not just Zuffenhausen’s halo car that uses a PHEV powertrain - from the Panamera and the Cayenne to most of the other VW Group gasoline-electric products, they all feature the type of architecture that allows you to use the socket.
It will be interesting to see how Porsche, a master of editions, will integrate the gasoline-electric into its line-up. For instance, the hybrid could be placed between the Carrera S and GTS in terms of performance, while returning frugal-fetish efficiency levels.
Porsche is also considering an all-electric 911. While the Mission E concept has brought us one step closer to a Porsche EV, the chances of the 911 being powered on electron juice alone are limited. With the battery technology still having serious limitations, that would bring too many compromises for the 911 badge.
While we keep an eye on Porsche’s test drivers, you can check out the in-detail shots included in the gallery below. We have all the time in the world until the vehicle makes its debut, which is expected to take place in 2018.
The elements on the fenders point to the wider tracks of the machine. The tire size has remained unchanged compared to the current 991.2, namely 305/30 R20. Since Porsche is the most motorsport-savvy carmaker in the world, it knows the importance of rubber all too well. As a result, the company has already started working with two tire developers, Pirelli and Goodyear-Dunlop, to achieve perfectly tailored rubber for its sportscar.
With Porsche engineers having injected plenty of know-how into the current MMB platform, the next 911 will use an evolution of the architecture. The most important treat of the current chassis is the elongation of the wheelbase, a move that, among others, brought the rear-mounted engine a bit closer to the center of the car.
While nothing can be seen on the test mule, the next 911 is expected to grow a bit in length. Part of the extra space gained will be invested into the rear seats, an area that still gives the 911 an edge on all of its competitors, which only pack two seats.
After five and a half decades, the 911 will receive a hybrid powertrain, despite no signs of that being visible on the spied vehicle. Expect the 911 to use a plug-in hybrid setup, with Porsche having learned valuable lessons by introducing the 918 Spyder. And it’s not just Zuffenhausen’s halo car that uses a PHEV powertrain - from the Panamera and the Cayenne to most of the other VW Group gasoline-electric products, they all feature the type of architecture that allows you to use the socket.
It will be interesting to see how Porsche, a master of editions, will integrate the gasoline-electric into its line-up. For instance, the hybrid could be placed between the Carrera S and GTS in terms of performance, while returning frugal-fetish efficiency levels.
Porsche is also considering an all-electric 911. While the Mission E concept has brought us one step closer to a Porsche EV, the chances of the 911 being powered on electron juice alone are limited. With the battery technology still having serious limitations, that would bring too many compromises for the 911 badge.
While we keep an eye on Porsche’s test drivers, you can check out the in-detail shots included in the gallery below. We have all the time in the world until the vehicle makes its debut, which is expected to take place in 2018.
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