998 spyshots

[Flieger]

2012 Porsche 911 Caught Testing

They say the wheelbase is 4 inches longer. That is a lot but it does look a bit longer behind the door to the eye. I hope they left the engine where it was and moved the rear wheels back (or better still, the transaxle drive flanges) like they did for the first LWB models. This would decrease the polar moment of inertia and make for quicker turn-in and make the car more stable mid-corner. If they just stretched the car it will just be slower to turn and need a larger radius.

[esotoracing]

i like. i dont know how much further back the could put the diff in the gearbox. id say it about as far back as mecanicaly possible.

i know ill get a lynching for this but i hope theres a mid engine 911 coming soon. . . maybe in a GT2 or GT3 version.

Just looked at the side shot of the car. . . maybe its just me but i see the front wheels moved forward. Looks somewhat unbalanced overhangs front to rear now. im loving it tho!

[Flieger]

I guess if the engine is in the middle, that would explain the wheelbase stretch. That would accomplish the same effect of lowering the polar moment of inertia.

[Reaper930]

Is it me or do the headlights remind of the 959? Bit more upright looking than a 997.

[esotoracing]

Originally Posted by Reaper930

Is it me or do the headlights remind of the 959? Bit more upright looking than a 997.

It's just you buddy. . . . . . well, maybe me also

[areaves]

Looks good. I think I already prefer the new rear wing shape.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Reaper930

Is it me or do the headlights remind of the 959? Bit more upright looking than a 997.

The headlights look faux to me. I suspect they are hiding the true contour with the ugly bumps.

If that is what the headlights will look like, the car is going to be a step back in the looks department.

Scott

[jac1976]

Agree with Scott, the headlights look disguised. On the right side, there seems to be a hump in the bra-like film just behind the headlight. On the left side, the lower aspect of the headlight appears beneath the film and suggests the headlight is more of a kidney or teardrop shape and not as round or oval.

[jac1976]

Anyone think the pics of the rear suggest a hatchback?

[Flieger]

Headlights are disguised but I do not see a hatchback in there.

[Wil Ferch]

I don't get these comments....looks like a 997 wide body Turbo....nothing more and nothing less. Don't see the big changes .

Maybe the 4" extra wheelbase length ( if true) makes room for a flat-8 ???

[KNS]

The longer wheelbase (and size) is to comply with coming regulations regarding vehicle size and fuel economy. It sucks but the next 911 is going to be bigger (yet again).

[exc911ence]

Hood looks taller. Possibly to meet the new Euro pedestrian-impact standards?

I doubt (hope) that you'll ever see a mid-engined 911. The back seats are an important selling feature I believe. You'll see a mid-engined Corvette first.

[JP911]

Looks like the design is heading towards Panamera. Wrong direction, IMO.

[exc911ence]

Originally Posted by JP911

Looks like the design is heading towards Panamera. Wrong direction, IMO.

As long as they don't start slapping that asinine fender/body cut line from the Panamera on all of their models. That's probably the worst styling offense on that car!

Besides, aren't they building a Panamera coupe soon anyway? To make the iconic 911 resemble that line-up would be suicide.

[Ionizer]

I agree with Jeremy Clarcsson.

Lazy Porsche engineers wont bother to change anything, you can't tell one modern 911 from the other.

Lets see some drastic new changes or at least some retro like modern ducktails, flatnoses, 959...

[oldE]

I wonder if the 4 inch increase in wheelbase came about in the same fashion that Audi used to increase their wheelbase in the A7.

Audis and Porsches have had the clutch next to the engine, then the differential then the gearbox. With the A7, Audi found a way to move the differential closer to the engine and move the clutch closer to the transmission. With the fwd Audi, it meant moving the wheels forward while the engine stayed where it was, with an improvement in weight distribution.

If Porsche managed the same trick, it would allow them to move the half-shafts rear-ward while keeping the engine in the same place for a longer wheelbase.

I guess we'll see.

Les

[Evan Fullerton]

7 speed Manuel would be interesting but having 4 gates rather than 3 could get confusing.

[jsveb]

I don't know a thing about it, but it might not be a flat 8 this time, but the chassis may leave room for a "mid-life" update to include a new 8 cyl. engine.

[Bob Kontak]

A flat eight or a mid engine is out of the question for a 911. It would be Porsche suicide.

It absolutely will not happen.