Porsche’s future lineup has been subject to much speculation as of late, so what’s a little bit more? A new 911 is headed our way in 2011, and while the iconic sports car’s face will remain familiar in its new form, Porsche is planning plenty of changes under the skin.
Internally referred to as the 991, Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Dürheimer promises the new 911 “will be even more competent, even sexier, even more unique” than the current car. Although the 911’s overall shape will remain the same, Dürheimer revealed to Car Magazine the 911’s front fascia will actually have to be slightly altered to meet new pedestrian crash safety laws. The car’s rear will also be reshaped to become more slippery through the air and Dürheimer even promises the new car will do without door mirrors. Dürheimer didn’t elaborate on the latter subject, but it would seem safe to assume the car’s side mirrors will be replaced with rear-facing cameras – a concept car tech that has been promised but not delivered for years now.
The next 911 will also get a host of active aerodynamic bits. An extending rear spoiler will be part of the new package, as will adjustable front spoilers. Perhaps even more interesting, Car says the 2011 911 will feature adjustable air vents, which can selectively block air to increase top-end speed or function as “active jet-vents” to provide extra road-holding ability.
Lightweight composite materials will be used throughout the next 911, which will not only help overall performance, but should also squeak out a few extra MPGs.
Dürheimer even looked into his crystal ball to see what would be in store for the future 911, slated to bow in 2018. Porsche’s new PDK will soldier on to 2018 and beyond, but it’s quite possible that Porsche will launch a new CVT in 2018. As one would expect, the 2018 car would be packed with even more electronics, including four-wheel steering, a self parking system similar to Lexus’ and even a steer-by-wire driving system.
09/11, 6:26 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
I can’t wait!
09/11, 6:30 PM
posted by:
projectzr1
gotta love these optimists and their complete speculation of the future. the 2011 one i can believe. and i believe the PDK will last that long. but hey alot can happen in the world with 3 years, let alone 10
09/11, 7:01 PM
posted by:
Mike the loser
They all look the same to me
09/11, 7:06 PM
posted by:
golf4me
Is it 2011 or 2018?
A Porsche with a lame CVT is not a Porsche. It’s not even a car. It’s a golfcart.
09/11, 7:26 PM
posted by:
VWgrouP
What annoys me about the 911:
Why do you need 15 different trim levels on a car?
Will they ever re-design this car?
09/11, 7:49 PM
posted by:
Lau
^ VWgrouP
Totally agree, you don’t need a bazillion trim levels. What they should do is have 3 models. Base, convertible, and a faster one (s model or w/e). Then, if the customer wants to customize it, let them add options like leather, heated seats, etc similar to the way a person can customize a subway sub……you dont need 15 trims.
09/11, 8:24 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
No need even for an “S” model — just a way to suck more money out of men with male identity issues. All 911s should be built to the S standard. Any Porsche that is less than S is artificially dumbed down.
09/11, 8:25 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
And BTW that chrome window strip has got to go.
09/11, 10:30 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Anyone else notice there’s a 911 article on 9-11? Huh? Anybody? Sorry…way too many jalapenos on my Sammy J. Peppers ass-burner pizza this afternoon. I feel like a Porsche- lotta heat coming from the rear….
Sorry…
09/11, 11:59 PM
posted by:
wushuhsu
Noooooo! Kill the 911 and just make the Cayman. I really hate the 911 and Porsche AG now for holding back the the new and exciting mid-engine Cayman. No more 911s!
09/12, 1:55 AM
posted by:
brocky
Kill the 911!? If you owned Apple, would you kill the iMac?
09/12, 2:48 AM
posted by:
Stinky007
Kill the 911?! If you owned GM, would you kill the Camaro just because the Cobalt SS is only 2 seconds behind on the Nring?
09/12, 7:38 AM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
vWGroup, redesigning the car would be a mistake. It’s an icon because they gently massage the shape, the way a Japanese hooker gently massages the ballsack.
If they swung the design wildly from generation to generation, the end result would be a Ford.
09/12, 8:03 AM
posted by:
darmanos
It’ll be interesting to see how they manage to make a car without side mirrors…but does it really improve aerodynamics? maybe it’ll be just a waist of money without any improvement in performance…
09/12, 9:05 AM
posted by:
authority
Personally, all this speak of technical marvels bothers me. The 911 was always supposed to be a showcase of mechanical might and engineering prowess, not some bundle of wires and brains like a Japanese car. If I were to buy a 911 today, I would choose the GT3 because it’s the most raw, the most basic and the most ‘hardcore’. I don’t need all that technical voodoo crap, just give me a rear-engined, rwd porsche with a proper 6-speed manual please. I adore the 911–I always have, and I hope I always do. But for me, the ULTIMATE 911 is something from the late 70’s–a raw, unrefined and unforgiving beast of a car with a noisy air-cooled engine and medieval interior trim. That’s the essence of 911. It seems like now when I read a press release from Porsche, I encounter more 3 or 4-letter acronyms than I know what to do with. PDK, PASM, PCB, VVT, …BS! Just make an ass-engined go-kart that will put the fear of GOD into anyone who drives one! If you want a soft Porsche, buy a Cayenne.
09/12, 10:47 AM
posted by:
the weakonomist
By 2018, that flat 6 is going to have to be putting out 425 in a base model in order to compete. A GT3 unboosted would be 525 or so to justify the markup. Does the flat have that much potential?
I know power isn’t everything, but it does sell cars. M and AMG are proving able to reinvent themselves to meet demand. Turbo 4, I6, I6, V8, possibly a turbo I6 next? Porsche can’t redo the 911 like that. Maybe the base model will be a turbo CVT.
Porsche is smart, I’ll have to have faith they’ll figure it out. If anyone can create a performance CVT, its them.
Ill throw in my Porsche preferences since everyone else did too. The GT3 is where its at.
09/12, 10:48 AM
posted by:
golf4me
Darmanos, ever stick your hand out the window at 60mph? Multiply that force times 2. That’s how much force you would save…about 40 lb of air resistance, which is equal to about 200lb of static weight, I think.
09/12, 12:11 PM
posted by:
VWgrouP
What I mean about re-designing this car, is that year after year Porsche dont change one thing on the outside of the 911. I dont mean that they have to change it COMPLETELY, but a few changes here and there, so you can tell that its a newer model, might be nice..It would be better w/out the 15 trims. Id like to see those round headlights go, even if they are a “911 icon”.
09/15, 10:46 AM
posted by:
Z06ified
I’m surprised the Germans are trying to copy Lexus’ self parking system – a feature which I think is less than useless. Talk about gimmicky.
Steer by wire? Good luck with that one, Porsche. One of Porsche’s selling points is their steering feel. That’ll go out the window with steer by wire. Count on it.
No side view mirrors, replaced by cameras? Don’t think so, at least not in the U.S. The safety nannies at the NHTSA will kill that plan right quick.
Hey Porsche – work on more performance, less gimmicks. Lest you want to follow the path of Lexus to softness and boredom.
11/05, 6:38 PM
posted by:
smc
the new Nissan 350Z, the 370Z, looks like the old car; the Mazda MX5 has looked the same since 1990. this is because the original design was spot on. ditto Harleys. ditto the new Dodge Challenger which rips off the old one big time – and looks all the better for it. major changes in the bodyshell with every new model just means they got it wrong first time round, and no-one likes it. that said, there have been major changes in the 911 down the years. pictures are misleading. if you lined up an early 90s 911, a mid 90s 911, a late 90s 911 and the current one, the differences are there alright. there’s also the aspect that Porchse don’t have much choice. if they bling up or mess about the design, the 911 customer will desert them.or instance, in the last model 911, Porsche dropped the round headlamps for some trendy design. result: massive customer complaints and Porsche wised up next time round. in the 1970s, Porsche even tried to stop making the 911. again, no-one bought the car – the 928 – they tried to replace it with. a design classic, like a beer bottle or budweiser label, has a sense of history and evolves in a way that respects its past. if you want instant design gimmicks, you’re not a 911 customer anyway; you’re a fashion victim who rushes from one gimmick to the next, and you don’t know sh1t about cars either. Evo magazine said that there are lots of people who don’t get 911s, but most of them have never driven one; and they were right.