The Porsche 911/991 was already revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but nothing is more appealing than checking it out in drop top form. The Porsche 911 Cabriolet will be virtually identical to the Coupe model, but will feature either a soft canvas top or a hardtop built using lightweight panels covered in a soft fabric.
Like with the coupe version, the 911/991 Cabriolet will receive an updated exterior featuring an even more muscular stance, a new headlamp design, remodeled exterior mirrors, and new wheels. The interior will be more driver-focused and will offer better technology.
Powering the standard Carrera will be a 3.4 liter direct-injected flat-six engine delivering a total of 350 HP. The Carrera S model will feature a 3.8-liter flat-six with direct injection engine delivering a raised output of 400 HP. Performance times will obviously suffer just a tad with the added weight of the soft top, but shouldn’t be too far off of the 0-62 mph time of 4.6 seconds for the Carrera and 4.3 seconds for the Carrera S.
Stay tuned as the 2013 Porsche 911/991 Cabriolet should debut at a major auto show within the next few months!
The Porsche 911 has had many illustrious and iconic generations, but the newest 911/991 is about to break the record for the longest 911 generation to date. Most 911 generations were only offered for about three to six years, but the 2012 911/991 will be around for two seven-year lifecycles and kept alive by a number of variations.
The first model to grace us with its presence after the standard 911 Carrera will be the 911 Cabriolet set to be revealed at the beginning of 2012. Following that will be the four-wheel-drive versions, the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, in December 2012. These models will mark the end of the current 3.4-liter direct-injection engine as it will only be available in the first 18 months of production. After that, standard 911 models will get a 3.8-liter engine delivering a total of 400 HP.
After the engine switch, the next model to present itself will be the 911 Turbo which will arrive in 2013. This model will get a 520 HP 3.8-liter flat engine and will be followed by the GT3 set to arrive in the same year. The GT3 variant will be powered by a high-revving normally-aspirated flat six. A Targa and a Speedster version will also be offered, with a Hybrid variant being a strong possibility.
As previously mentioned, the 911 will be offered for 14 years in two lifecycles. It will get a facelift after seven years of production.
With everyone seeing green these days, inquiring on whether or not Porsche’s new 911/991 will see hybrid technology is not completely out of the question. Just a few months ago, Panamera Hybrid Development Chief, Michael Steiner, had to hack away at rumors that the new 911 would receive KERS technology, but left the door open to hybrid power by stating, "...The new 911 will not be offered with hybrid drive for the foreseeable future. If and when it is, then it will most likely happen as a plug-in." Now, during a recent interview with Motor Trend, new Porsche boss Matthias Muller, has revealed that a hybrid version is still under consideration: "If this [technology] will be available at 911 level is under discussion."
With fuel efficiency and emissions being at the top of many automakers’ lists these days, it would be rather surprising if Porsche didn’t take full advantage of their hybrid technology for the new 911. They’ve been ahead of the game in many aspects of the automotive industry - the Cayenne and Panamera, to name just a couple - so it doesn’t seem to be a matter of if hybrid technology will be adopted for the 911, but more so of when it will happen.
The current hybrid system used in the Panamera Hybrid is a 3.0 liter V6 compressor engine combined with an electric motor. The technology is there, all Porsche has to do is modify and transfer it to the 3.4L direct-injected flat-six engine in the 911.
During the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, Head of Porsche Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen, gave an interview in which he discussed the technology transfer from the track to the road, as well as future developments in the world of racing.
Specifically, he discussed the technology used in the 2011 911 GT3 RSR and how it was transferred to the street-legal model, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0. The GT3 RSR is powered by a 4.0-liter, six-cylinder boxer engine mated to a six-speed gearbox. This combination delivers 455 HP at 7,800 rpm and a peak torque of 331 lbs-ft. The 911 GT3 RS 4.0 uses a 4.0 liter engine producing an incredible 500 HP and 339 lb-ft of torque.
The technology used in both models has helped the GT3 RSR win in its category at the 24-hr of Nürburgring this year, while the GT3 RS 4.0 delivers incredible performance for a car in its class.
Art cars have become an integral part of the auto industry, and it doesn’t surprise us to find out that more and more models have been treated to some sort of artistic interpretation by artists from all over the world.
Recently, we found out that the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany was holding a special exhibition on a new collection of decorative hoods for the Porsche 911 GT2. The exhibit is called Colección Goméz after Argentinian curator Jorge Goméz, a man whose love for art is only matched by his love for Porsches.
To pay homage to his two passions, Porsche decided to enlist the services of 19 Latin American artists to create 24 dynamic hoods for the 911 GT2, each coming with their own unique designs. Every form of artwork - be it the simple variety or the meticulously designed - offered a different perspective on the artistic style of each of the artists that were involved in the project. Look at those hoods a little closer and you’ll notice that there’s a couple of nude artworks in there, as well as...Astroboy.
Not sure what he has to do with a Porsche, but nonetheless, you can’t deny the peculiarity of seeing a 911 GT2 with Astroboy on its hood.
In any case, the Colección Goméz will run until January 8, 2012 and is available for public consumption from Tuesdays through Sundays between 9 am to 6 pm. If you happen to be in Stuttgart from here until the new year, it’s definitely something that’s worth your time.
