Porsche 911 (2011)

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Porsche 911 (2011) first official pictures of new 991

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

23 August 2011 08:00

At last, the new Porsche 911 is here. This all-new, 991-spec Porsche 911 will be unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show next month, and although you may feel like you've seen it already, that's only because a few pictures leaked out last week.

What can you tell me about the new Porsche 911?

The 911 has been around since 1963, but even the most long-sighted, harshest critic will notice the new styling. (N.B. that’s new styling, rather than a new style direction). The architecture underpinning this latest 911 is all new, and the wheelbase is 100mm longer than the current 997-gen cars'.

Add in shorter overhangs (both front and rear), a lower roofline, a wider front track (and a new rear axle), and the new rear-engined icon looks much more curvaceous than before.

Hiding beneath the sleeker LED taillights and wider pop-up rear spoiler are two direct-injection iterations of Porsche’s famed flat-six engine. The Carrera now features a smaller but more powerful 3.4-litre engine (down from 3.6) while the S runs an upgraded version of the existing 3.8. The S is identifiable by its red brake calipers and quad exhausts, anoraks note.

How much more power do the 991's new flat-six engines boast? And how green are they?

Porsche has thus far only released details for the PDK-equipped 911s, as the double-clutch transmission ensures not only the quickest acceleration but also the cleanest emissions. Equip the basic Carrera with said gearbox and you’ll have a 911 that emits just 194g/km and manages 34mpg – today’s cleanest Porsche sports cars, the PDK-equipped Cayman and Boxster, achieve 214g/km and 31mpg.

Thank the aluminium and steel construction of the new lightweight body, which helps trim up to 45kg off the kerbweight. Plus the standard-fit stop/start system, clever electrical system recuperation, a ‘coasting’ function for the PDK transmission that decouples the engine, and (this could make or break the latest 911) new electro-mechanical power steering.

Another first for the 911 is Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), a system to reduce body roll when cornering and thus increase your speeds through the curves. 

	911 Carrera (the new 991)	911 Carrera S (the new 991)	911 Carrera (997)	911 Carrera S (997)
Price	£71,449	£81,242	£67,270	£76,172
Engine	3.4	3.8	3.6	3.8
Power	345bhp	395bhp	340bhp	380bhp
Fuel consumption	34mpg (PDK)	32mpg (PDK)	29.4mpg (PDK)	27.7mpg (PDK)
CO2 emissions	194g/km (PDK)	205g/km (PDK)	225g/km (PDK)	240g/km (PDK)
0-62mph	4.6 (4.4*)	4.3 (4.1*)	4.7 (4.5*)	4.5 (4.3*)