More Power, Active Suspension Enhanced Dynamics and Improved Interior Quality Mark New 911
While Porsche's new Cayenne sport utility vehicle is burning up the sales charts, its Boxster and 911 models having been a little stagnant in comparison. This has much to do with the Cayenne itself, which offers a new kind of Porsche to the sports car brand's loyal client base as equally capable of work as it is play, but the problem also reflects a general downturn in the sports car market.
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| Flush with cash from all its Cayenne sales, Porsche is releasing a completely updated 911 for 2005. (Photo: Porsche Cars North America) |
Not to worry, with profits high from SUV sales Porsche is reinvesting in its core 911 for 2005. Completely revised, for a 911 at least, the new Carrera sports redesigned front and rear fascias, including turn signals integrated into the front bumper and a return to the much loved oval headlamps of the previous 993 code-named iteration. The car's profile appears more sculpted as it nears the rear fender swells, while Porsche has modified the taillights, rear fenders and trunklid, but just the same has managed to keep the overall appearance of the current 911's rear styling more or less intact - a good thing according to most Porsche fans.
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| The new Carrera sports redesigned front and rear fascias, while maintaining classic 911 styling. (Photo: Porsche Cars North America) |
Under that trunklid the new model, which is internally referred to as the 997, will also feature a more powerful 3.8-liter equipped Carrera S version rated at 355 horsepower, venting through four large circular exhaust pipes instead of the regular 911's two rectangular tips. The "base" 911's 3.6-liter horizontally opposed 6-cylinder will boast an incremental increase of 5 horsepower, from 320 to 325, satisfying the need for speed psychology Porsche has fostered over its 40 years of 911 production. All 911s will come standard with an upgraded 6-speed manual transmission, and an optional 5-speed Tiptronic automatic with manual actuation via either the shift lever or steering wheel buttons.