Search the Community

It seems the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S, one up from the base 911 Carrera model, has recorded a Nurburgring lap time of 7 minutes and 40 seconds. Nothing to actually shout about actually as you may know of cars that lap the 'Green Hell' faster than that. But the amazing thing about this figure is that this slightly better than the basic model 911 actually lapped the Nurburgring as fast as the 997 Porsche 911 GT3, the previous generation's Porsche 911 track day special. This is amazing indeed. This piece of news was brought about during a GoAuto.co.au interview with the Porsche 911 Product Director Mr. August Achleitner. The 2012 (surprisingly numbered Type 991) Porsche 911 Carrera S is powered by a 3.8-liter unit with an output of 400 PS (294 kW / 394 hp). The 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes just 4.3 seconds (4.1 with the Sport Plus function in the optional Sport Chrono package) and top speed is 302 km/h (188 mph). The 997 911 GT3 made 415bhp from a 3.6liter flat 6. So even with that firmer race car suspension and more focused demeanor overall, the newer more civilized car somehow manages to clock a faster lap time. This clearly shows that there is still much progress and magic that can be made through chassis tuning. I can't wait to see how the new 911 GT3 will perform. - A 997 Porsche 911 GT3

The very first official press photos of the new 2012 Porsche 911 were leaked onto the internet well ahead of the sports coupe's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. The new Porsche is closely modeled after the outgoing 997. Instantly recognizable, the model has a familiar front fascia with a redesigned air intake and restyled fog lights. However, there are differences among the similarities. The more obvious alterations include the concave front LED daytime running lamps, the door-mounted exterior mirrors and the slimmer and more futuristic looking LED tail lamps that adorn the more heavily sculpted rear end. As anticipated, the new 911's interior blends the two styling worlds of the 997 and the Panamera into one. A key highlight is the pronounced lower part of the center console that hosts a number of buttons. The entry-level model is slated to adopt a 3.4 liter flat six engine with 345 hp. Moving up, the Carrera S with a 3.8 liter flat six will reward drivers with 395 hp, while the Turbo is rumored to have an output of approximately 542 hp. Power is channeled to the driving wheels for the 3.4 and 3.8L models via a new 7 speed manual gearbox or an optional PDK transmission.

So Porsche has now come up with the new Porsche 911. Codenamed the 991, this latest iteration confusingly replaces the previous 997 based model and it sure looks similar. No one is going to rock the boat or shake the foundations within Porsche by coming out with a Porsche 911 that is going to look less like a 911 and more like, say a Maserati Gran Turismo, a Volkswagen Passat CC or a Kia Coup. So what we are looking at is basically the same outline, the same basic shape and the same basic curves like any other Porsche 911 that came before it. I suppose this is a good thing. No one is going to mistake it for any other car in the world. Porsche fanatics out there will still embrace it and those that always wanted one and can now afford it will do the same thing too. It