2011 911 Carrera(998) Spied

Here are the first decent spy shots we’ve seen of the 2011 Porsche 911 in something resembling its own metal; it’s the car which Porsche internals and Porschephiles alike will refer to as the 998. Clearly, this prototype wears the expected placeholder front lighting elements—these ones cribbed from a pre-face-lift version of the current 997-gen Carrera—bulging from tacked-on front fender extensions that conceal a flatter, Panamera-like nose. The roofline and doors appear very close in design to the current model—no surprise there—but the rear fenders of this car conceal a vastly wider track than the current 911, leading us to believe that this car could be an all-wheel-drive 4 or 4S model.

Active Aero?

With its signature sloping rear, the 911 has always needed all the aero help it can get. Thus, the appendage on this prototype’s back end, which appears to be sprouting the grille of a Kenworth, is in fact merely shrouding the latest iteration of the deployable rear spoiler that has helped keep the rear end of every standard Carrera since 1990 on the ground at triple-digit speeds. New, however, is the roof-mounted spoiler that deploys from the leading edge of the rear window. Front active spoilers are also said to be in the works, which this car’s odd, droopy lower front air dam and hash-style flaps on the fascia must be intended to impersonate.

But Porsche may think that even those measures are not enough, and rumors have swirled about how Porsche plans to make this one slip through the wind even better. Some suggest that Porsche may use active vents that open and close in order to stabilize the car in corners, and others claims that the 911 could be the first car to do away with side mirrors in favor of some other rear vision devices. Indeed, could cameras—not parking sensors—be peering through those small dimples in the corners of the rear bumper?

Evolutionary Powerplants

Since the 2009 Carrera hosts all-new 3.6- and 3.8-liter engines, we suspect only evolutionary changes to the flat-six motors housed within the 998’s plump rear end. No bad thing, since it’s been years—decades, perhaps—since we’ve complained about a lack of power behind the rear axle of any Carrera, and it can be argued that the base Carrera/Carrera S' 345/385-hp engines are the most prolific powerplants yet. We’ve been told by Porsche insiders, however, that there may be room for a little growth, both displacement-wise and in terms of output, so don’t be surprised to see a 350–360-hp Carrera, or even a 400-plus-hp Carrera S in the future. Rear- and all-wheel drive will certainly show up for duty, as will Porsche’s new seven-speed PDK double-clutch automated manual.

Porsche will use liberal amounts of aluminum in the new car to save weight, and many of the 998's parts will trickle down to the next-generation Boxster and Cayman.

All signs indicate that the 998 will be introduced for 2011, but whether it will hit the road here or abroad at some point during 2010 is unclear. Certainly, Porsche will have its hands full launching the new Panamera sedan for 2010. Given the criticism we have seen surrounding the controversial four-door, we suggest getting it out ASAP in order to quell the clamor.