The Porsche 911 is due for a makeover, and after a series of increasingly more revealing spyshots and leaked photos, we’ve now got the new 992 version in all its glory. The eighth generation of Zuffenhausen’s iconic rear-engined sports car has been thoroughly rejuvenated with a fresh new look, a fettled turbocharged engine and a slew of new technologies.

We’ll start on the outside, where the 992 follows an evolutionary design direction while referencing a few classic cues. At the front, the bumper shutline now goes under the round LED headlights instead of through them, while the bonnet sports a deep centre recess. Both these features have been taken from early 911s.


The body is significantly wider than before – 45 mm wider at the front, in fact – to house wheels that measure up to 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear. The rear width, which used to be wider on all-wheel drive models, has been standardised to emphasised the tapered middle section. The smooth surfacing along the sides is now unbroken thanks to the flush, pop-out door handles.

Moving to the rear, the full-width tail light on all-wheel drive models is now a standard feature across the range, complemented by the wider active rear spoiler. Prominent features include the vertical centre brake light as well as a blacked-out bumper section with large oval tailpipes. Apart from the front and rear fascias, the body panels are now entirely made from aluminium.


Inside, the new 911 takes after other new Porsche models such as the Panamera, Cayenne and Macan, with a bluff, horizontal dashboard design and a tall centre console. Ahead of the driver, there are new digital instruments flanking the analogue centre rev counter; beside it, the touchscreen for the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system now measures 10.9 inches.

The PCM itself has been revamped and features a new online navigation system with crowd-sourced data – the company calls this swarm data – as well as Porsche Connect Plus smartphone connectivity. There are also five shortcut buttons under the screen to access important vehicle functions, plus new seats and a mini gearlever for the PDK dual-clutch transmission.


This brings us to what’s under the bonnet – or rather, what’s under the rear engine cover. For now, only the Carrera S and 4S models have been detailed so far, and both get a revised turbocharged flat-six of unspecified capacity (3.0 litres in the current facelifted 991) making 450 PS. That’s 30 PS more than before.

All this comes thanks to an improved injection process and a new turbocharger and intercooler layout. From launch, the only transmission available will be a new eight-speed PDK, though a manual should come later – we doubt Porsche would abandon its purist fanbase quite so easily.


Naturally, with increased power comes increased performance, with the S taking just 3.7 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h (3.6 seconds for the 4S), 0.4 seconds quicker than before. This drops by another 0.2 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package, and the two cars max out at 308 km/h for the S and 306 km/h for the 4S. Fuel consumption is rated at 8.9 litres per 100 km on the S and 9.0 litres per 100 km on the 4S.

Last but not least is safety, and the 911 has been improved significantly in this regard. First up is the new Wet mode, which is prompted to the driver thanks to sensors that detect water on the road; it then preconditions the stability control systems accordingly. There are also standard warning and brake assist systems with autonomous emergency braking, plus Night Vision Assist and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.