(23:22:32 April 06, 2004)
997 Report: Porsche updates its 911 for the new millennium
THE CLASSIC DETAILING, SUBTLY altered lines, four-square stance and Cayenne-inspired interior of the next-generation 911 can be seen in AutoWeek’s scoop photographs of the latest version of Porsche’s legendary rear-engined coupe.

Codenamed 997, the new car won’t make its world debut until the Paris motor show in September. But with left-hand-drive production starting at the Zuffenhausen factory in Stuttgart a month prior to its Paris premier, and sales of today’s 996 version on the wane, Porsche intends to have the car in U.S. dealerships by year-end.


The next-gen 911 picks up Cayenne interior touches.

A host of new 911 models are in the pipeline, including an S version conceived with the U.S. market in mind. Expected to emulate the popular Boxster S, it gets beefier exterior styling, a more powerful engine and higher levels of standard equipment than the volume-selling Carrera 2. In all, Porsche is planning to unleash 12 new rear- and four-wheel-drive 911 models in the next three years—stretching from the Carrera 2 all the way to a storming replacement for the GT2. Porsche used a similar model strategy with the current, seven-year-old 996. At launch, only the rear-drive Carrera 2 will be sold, meaning that today’s strong-selling 996 Turbo will continue to be sold alongside the 997.

Unlike the outgoing 911, which departed radically from its forerunner in every aspect of design and engineering, Zuffenhausen insiders say the new car is evolutionary, more along the lines of a major facelift than a completely new car. The most obvious changes come in exterior styling, with details that harken back to 993s built between 1993 and 1996, including a switch back to round headlights separated from the turn signal indicators and fog lights.



Three large air ducts mirroring the shape of those seen on the 996 Turbo provide additional cooling for the car’s front-mounted radiators, while wider front and rear fenders give the 997 a more shapely appearance. New mirror housings, Cayenne-style pull-out door handles, altered taillights and revised tail pipes complete the appearance work.

Power comes from an updated version of Porsche’s water-cooled 3.6-liter flat six-cylinder engine, tuned to produce around 345 hp, up 25 hp from the existing model. An even more powerful version, with up to 380 hp, is rumored to be under development for the new 911 S. Direct injection is in the works, along with a 10 percent improvement in economy and power, but is unlikely before a planned 2007 facelift for the 997. For the first time on the 911, buyers will be able to order a six-speed Tiptronic with steering-wheel-mounted shift buttons, or a dual-clutch gearbox. A revised six-speed manual gearbox is standard.



Inside, the 997 gets a Cayenne-inspired cabin and dashboard, with the classic instrument layout housed under a single binnacle. The center console and air vents form a one-piece panel that picks up switchgear similar to that gracing the Cayenne. And while top speed is expected to push the 180-mph mark, prototypes are sporting speedometers with 330-km/h (205-mph) maximums.