Photo: Carpix
Ladies and gentlemen drivers, the time has come to meet the next-generation Porsche 911 in production form, with the prototypes having left the test mule we've shown you in the previous spyshots behind.
In the purest Neunelfer tradition, the two prototypes seen here give you the impression that, aesthetically speaking, the transformation isn't all that important.
Ask any Porschephile, though, and the changes start to show up. It all starts with the stance of the sportscar, as the 911 has grown in width, albeit not by much.
We'll move on to the nose of the rear-engined coupe, where we see a hood that runs straight down to the bumper, a nod to the air-cooled models in the 911 family tree.
On the side of the Zuffenhausen machine, we can see new door handles and yes, all the camouflage on the test cars is doing its job. For instance, the actual lines of the rear side windows remain hidden for now.
As always with the Neunelfer, most of the action takes place at the back. This is where we find a melange of Mission E- and 959-inspired styling cues. The reference to the iconic supercar comes from the wraparound rear spoiler. The much larger wing (compared to that of the current model) also means the next 911 will pack serious downforce, an asset required by the ever-increasing need for sharper lap times.
As for the link to Porsche's first electric vehicle, this is delivered via the LED strip layout of the taillights.
Obvious purity downsides aside, the gas-electric setup will bring an interesting weight distribution perspective, as the focus won't be entirely behind the rear axle anymore.
As those of you following the motorsport realm know, the 2017 911 RSR has already broken the rear-engined vow by switching places for the engine and the transmission. However, since such a move would turn the street car into a two-seater, we could perhaps expect an uber-special packing a similar configuration, but the majority of the models will maintain the tradition engine position of the 911.
Ask any Porschephile, though, and the changes start to show up. It all starts with the stance of the sportscar, as the 911 has grown in width, albeit not by much.
We'll move on to the nose of the rear-engined coupe, where we see a hood that runs straight down to the bumper, a nod to the air-cooled models in the 911 family tree.
On the side of the Zuffenhausen machine, we can see new door handles and yes, all the camouflage on the test cars is doing its job. For instance, the actual lines of the rear side windows remain hidden for now.
As always with the Neunelfer, most of the action takes place at the back. This is where we find a melange of Mission E- and 959-inspired styling cues. The reference to the iconic supercar comes from the wraparound rear spoiler. The much larger wing (compared to that of the current model) also means the next 911 will pack serious downforce, an asset required by the ever-increasing need for sharper lap times.
As for the link to Porsche's first electric vehicle, this is delivered via the LED strip layout of the taillights.
The tech side
Since the turbo revolution has already taken over most of the 911 line-up with the ongoing 991.2 mid-cycle revamp, the next generation should see the Neunelfer offering a plug-in hybrid setup.Obvious purity downsides aside, the gas-electric setup will bring an interesting weight distribution perspective, as the focus won't be entirely behind the rear axle anymore.
As those of you following the motorsport realm know, the 2017 911 RSR has already broken the rear-engined vow by switching places for the engine and the transmission. However, since such a move would turn the street car into a two-seater, we could perhaps expect an uber-special packing a similar configuration, but the majority of the models will maintain the tradition engine position of the 911.
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