Porsche readies new 911 for November reveal

Engineers have subjected the next-generation 911, known as the 992, to a rigorous test regime in a variety of conditions to make sure the model works in all markets. 

Hot weather testing in the US and Middle East subjected the car to temperatures in excess of 50 degrees, while cold-climate work in Finland saw the car examined at 35 degrees below freezing. Laps of the Nurburgring tortured its brakes and tyres, while the high-speed Nardo test track in Italy represents the ultimate test of cooling and stability. 

Set to be powered by a development of the current-generation car's twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, the 911 Carrera S will bring well more than 300kW of power when it debuts at the Los Angeles motor show in November.

The new car is based on the same platform as the outgoing 911, though it is expected to herald changes including a wide body shell for all models (broader rear ends were previously reserved for models such as the Carrera 4S and Turbo), a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (manual versions are still available) and the potential for hybrid power late in the car’s life.

On the inside, a new dashboard with close links to the Panamera and Cayenne places digital screens either side of a central analogue tacho, while the model’s high centre console is likely to borrow backlit glass-like buttons from Porsche’s latest four-door models.

The brand’s local arm says the new 911 will arrive locally mid-2019 in popular Carrera S form, with other models such as the 911 Turbo, GT3 and GTS to follow in coming years.