Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

[bobkatkat]

The latest buzz around the sports car water cooler is that a refreshed Porsche 911 lineup, due in autumn of 2015, will signal the end of natural aspiration in the Carrera and Carrera S 911s, with a switch to smaller displacement and turbocharging in the name of addressing ever-tightening fuel economy and emissions standards. But in case this comes as a bit of bad news to some enthusiasts, there is a silver lining here.

That silver lining is more power – a lot more, especially in the Carrera S. According to Car’s sources, the standard Carrera will ditch the 3.4-liter flat six in favor of a 2.9-liter turbo mill which is said to offer an output in the neighborhood of 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, a significant increase from today’s 350 hp and 287 lb-ft. But the gains theorized for the Carrera S are even more substantial, as sources says the S will retain its current 3.8-liters of displacement but will still gain a turbocharger, bringing power to a decidedly meaty 530 horsepower and 520 pound-feet.



No word yet on what this means for the 911 Turbo, which normally occupies the 911’s forced induction space and whose power currently hovers around the theorized output of the new Carrera S, but it’s safe to say its output will likely increase substantially as well.

As for the GT3, it’s said that it will remain naturally aspirated and instead focus on light weight, so a glimmer of hope still remains for 911 fans who prefer normally aspirated motors. Stay tuned for further updates as we have them.

[All_Euro]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

Cool to hear things are being shook up a bit in the Porsche world - looking forward to the outcome!

[PRY4SNO]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

I have the feeling I'll really appreciate this move by Porsche in about 20 years.

[onceover]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

There goes that flat 6 roar

[hooddub]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

There goes that flat 6 roar

I think a turbo 4 porsche will be cool as crap

[onceover]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

[bobkatkat]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

I think the Boxster/Cayman are already slated to get a new flat 4 turbo for the facelift 2016 model and that 4 may even make it into the 911. Maybe 912? Supposed to be 2.5 litres, one turbo, 7500 rpm redline, 350 hp 360 torques. With that level of power it would make the 2.7 and even 3.4 flat 6's seem anemic. Also the Macan is getting a 4 pot from the VW/Audi parts bin.

[Remedys]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

I think when the Cayman moves to a 4cyl it will lose that special feeling for a while till people get used to the move. Kinda like how the 911 was regarded when it moved to Water cooled. Some people still are not over that, so I really think that this turbo Cayman won't be the same feeling car as the 6cyl. Porsche buyers can be a funny bunch.

[bobkatkat]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

I don't think the move to more turbo charged 4 and 6 engines in the same basic chassis really can be compared to the jump they made from a 993 to a 996. They not only abandoned the air/oil cooled engine but a chassis and interior layout that was basically unchanged from the 60's. And replace it with a heavier, plain looking, car that shared way to many design features with the first gen Boxster that was already out. And all this was had with no performance improvements over the 993.

I would look at it as just the phenomenal cayman only a little lighter with another 30 hp and 90 torques wrapped in a killer power band. Then the tuners will get a hold of it and in a flash it will be 450 hp and 500 torques.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

Facelift 911 Targa testing with perhaps a turbo engine in there...

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

Seems to be confirmed now:

Shocking news coming from Stuttgart as Porsche has announced the 911 will eventually embrace turbocharging across the entire range, with just one exception.

There were some rumors about Porsche’s plan for an all-turbo 911 range and now the company’s product chief Wolfgang Hatz told British media it will actually happen. In the first part of the interview with Autocar, Hatz said a newly developed naturally aspirated engine will power the belated 911 GT3 RS while all the other versions will eventually get a turbocharged version of the motor. Technical specifications concerning this new engine are not available at this point but in the Geneva-bound 911 GT3 RS it will generate an estimated 500 bhp (373 kW).

Hatz also confirmed a hardcore Cayman GT4 is indeed in the works as previously seen in spy shots and will be revealed sometime this year, possibly in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car is being developed by the same team in charge of the 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS duo and is expected to come with a significant weight loss and an output somewhere in the region of 400 bhp (298 kW) as hinted by the Porsche official who also said a track-only version will also be offered.

The Boxster is also about to receive a similar treatment but it's being developed by the firm's mainstream operation and it won't be that radical while the naming will be different.

Lastly, Porsche product chief Wolfgang Hatz also said they are cooking up a new model to slot between the 911 and the 918 Spyder. Details are scarce but the model is expected to get the newly developed V8 engine which will initially find its way inside the next-gen Panamera and Cayenne. The vehicle is slated to come out before 2020 "at the latest", according to Hatz.

[bart]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

n/a engines suck

[bobkatkat]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

GT4 specs look sick. 400 hp 3.4 flat 6 NA. Striped down interior with a cage...and most likely avalable with a 6 speed.

[dwvw]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

Porsche's have needed more power for quite a while. A VW GTI with a tune and down pipe have the same power. I also can't wait 20 years to be able to afford one!

[funkin]

Re: Rumor: The Naturally Aspirated Porsche 911’s Days Are Numbered

GT4 specs look sick. 400 hp 3.4 flat 6 NA. Striped down interior with a cage...and most likely avalable with a 6 speed.

Love. Can't wait to see the price tag on this