With the rest of the industry already turning their attention towards developing more means of improving fuel efficiency, it appears that German automaker Porsche is ready to join the fold as far as the direction of their next generation engines for the 911 are concerned.
The word comes from Porsche 911 Powertrain Project Manager, Thomas Krickelberg, who laid out the company’s plans to develop a new range of turbocharged engines that could be in the offering for most of the 911 range. According to Krickelberg, Porsche is looking at two options for their engines: one that reduces displacement on turbocharged engines and another that involves improving their naturally aspirated engines through reduced friction and improved combustion.
“We haven’t made a decision yet,” Krickelberg said. “We have to make a decision very soon [by the end of] this year.”
While both options are still on the table, the most likely result from these discussions will be smaller capacity engines, which could even drop all the way to the legendary 2.7-liter capacity that was used in the 911 of the 70’s and 80’s. In the end, the decision on what kind of engines the next generation Porsche will most likely depend on upcoming regulations, both in Europe and in the US.
For his part, Krickelberg would rather see naturally aspirated engines on future Porsches as they are regarded as the best of the lot to drive for purists of the German brand.
Whatever decision Porsche ends up making with regards to its future engines, a lot of considerations still have to be made. And while the company does put tradition in high regard, they have, in past occasions, veered away from it in favor of producing a better product overall.
Whether the company does go down that route again with their new engines still remains to be seen. One thing we do know is that Porsche needs to cover all their bases before making any decisions on the matter.
Now that we have seen the new generation Porsche 911, in both coupe and convertible versions, its time to put our imagination to work and to bring you some details about the upcoming 911 Turbo Cabrio. Our latest rendering adds some sportiness to the standard 911, and uses elements spotted in the latest spy shots. We just hope you will like it.
The 911 Turbo Cabrio is set to be released a few months after the 911 Turbo coupe version, so do not expect to see this until late in the summer of 2012. The Turbo version will be distinguished by wider rear fenders, additional cooling vents, a new active rear spoiler and of course a soft top for the cabrio model. Under he hood there will be a 3.8 liter turbocharged flat six engine with an impressive output of 530 HP. Porsche has also promised that next to the extra power, the 911 Turbo will also offer an improved fuel consumption.
Let us know in the comments below what do you think about our rendering.
A few years ago, Porsche boss Michael Macht gave hints on the possibility of building a hybrid version of the company’s most iconic model, the Porsche 911. While it wasn’t a full-on declaration of intent and purpose, Macht did leave the door open for Porsche to explore whatever possibilities are found behind that door. But now, it appears that the German automaker is moving away from the idea of seeing a hybrid 911.
To that, we think they finally figured out it was a bad idea.
It can be argued that a lot of people are on the fence about the thought of seeing a hybrid 911. There are those that would like to see one, considering that it’s expected to be more fuel efficient than a full-on gas-guzzling version. Others, on the other hand, are weary of tainting the legacy of the 911. For these people, there’s a simple solution: If Porsche plans on producing a hybrid sports car, they should just come out with a new model altogether and leave the 911 alone.
Now, history has shown that Porsche has caved in to market demands when they introduced the Cayenne SUV and the Panamera family sedan in their line-up. But the difference between those two models and a potential 911 hybrid was that they didn’t touch any of their existing models, opting instead to build an entirely new model based on those specific platforms.
Our calendar has been so full of auto shows that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of all the vehicles that are scheduled to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Not that we’re complaining because this is what we live for.
Over at the Essen Motor Show, some of the best auto tuners in the world will be on hand to present their latest creations, including Porsche tuner extraordinaire, TechArt.
The German tuning firm will be on hand to show three of their latest projects, including the new Porsche 911 Turbo GT Street R.
The full details behind this project have yet to be revealed, although we’ve been informed that it’s going to come with a doozy of upgrades, including Techart’s new TA 097/T3 power kit that improves the output of the 911 Turbo’s 3.8 liter six-cylinder bi-turbo engine from the standard 500 horsepower and 516 lb/ft of torque figures all the way up to a massive 700 horsepower and 650 lb/ft of torque.
As far as additional details surrounding Techart’s all-new 911 Turbo GT Street R, we’ll share all the new information as soon as it become available.
The latest video from the Rennsport Reunion IV event is called "This is how you meet your heroes" and, as its name suggests, it is a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Porsche’s greatest racing heroes - be it cars or drivers.
Names like Hurley Haywood, Derek Bell, and Brian Redman are very familiar with Porsche fans and, in this video, these fans will get the chance to see them next to cars like the Porsche 917 and the Porsche 962 - cars that made history in the racing world. So, turn up your volume and listen to the exhaust notes of these two amazing cars.
