2005 Porsche 911 Preview

By Alex Law,

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

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Porsche 911 2005 Preview

It looks different yet it looks exactly the same as it has for 41 years. What else could it be but the latest iteration of the 911 from Porsche?

The German SUV company (hey -- it sells more Cayennes in Canada than 911s and Boxsters combined) has released prices and pictures of the 2005 model year 911, which Porschephiles will also call the Type 997.

When it goes on sale in Canada this fall, the 911 Carrera will come with an MSRP of $101,400 and the more powerful Carrera S will be $115,650. That's about $1,000 more than the base model previously cost, which is no big deal when you consider what's happened to the euro-dollar exchange rate in the last couple of years.

Porsche Cars North America says the new car ''combines the classic 911 silhouette, a trademark of the model for more than 40 years, with new and more aggressive styling. The established design cues that have made the Porsche 911 recognisable the world over are given new energy, and further changes under the skin provide increased efficiency, more safety and greater levels of driving enjoyment.''

According to Porsche, the new car has a ''wider track and more emphasis on the waist,'' so it's a 911 which is ''even more dynamic, clear, powerful and, at the same time, elegant. Other features of the evolutionary design are new circular headlamps, more prominent bumpers and wheel arches, dual-arm exterior mirrors, altered seam characteristics and a more aerodynamic rear spoiler.''

Both models get Porsche's trademark boxer engine, which means the six cylinders are horizontally-opposed to one another. This time around, it's the 3.6-litre engine producing 325 hp in the Carrera and a 3.8-litre engine producing 355 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque in the Carrera S.

Porsche says the base Carrera will do 0-100 kmh in 5.0 seconds, while the Carrera S is good for 4.8 seconds. Top speeds for the Carrera is 285 kmh, while the S will do 293 kmh.