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Here are the first images of the all-new 991 series Porsche 911. Yes, we know you’re thinking ‘What? Another new 911?’, but the 991 is an important car, all right. The newest iteration of the legendary 911 will be showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. To begin with, not only has Porsche set sharper focus on driver involvement, but it is also aiming to bring about significant changes in the areas of emissions and economy.
The rear-mounted engine is now positioned closer to the centre of the car. This obviously means that this 911 will now handle even better than previous 911s thanks to the weight being more centralised. Also, the car is rumoured to have an electronic power steering unit instead of a hydraulic one which means it won’t eat into the economy of the motor. On the flip side, whether steering feedback remains true to the 911 legacy is something we can only verify once we’ve driven it. Electronic power steering units are infamous for their pronounced lack of feel in today’s cars, although Porsche’s handling department will have you believe they’ve worked their way around it.
In addition to that, the new 911 also has a slightly longer wheelbase, with the rear wheels being pushed back by roughly 40 mm so as to make the 911 tighter in the bends. Also, the extended wheelbase will add to interior space, which will always be a welcome addition to the very capable grand tourer/sportscar that the 911 already is.
The new 911 is bound to get a seven-speed manual gearbox, thereby addressing the driver-involvement bit. The current PDK gearbox is already as good as boxes can get and while that will certainly be retained, a seven-speed manual will give the driver two overdrive gears to pick hence aiding fuel economy substantially. The tongue-twisting 991 911 is also reportedly 30-40 kg lighter. Lastly, and most importantly, the 911 is due to get a smaller, 3.4-litre flat-six motor that will produce roughly 350 bhp and the higher-up versions will get the 3.8-litre flat-six which should be good for 400 or so horses. And then there will be an S, an RS, a GT3 RS...
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