2018 LA Auto Show: 8th-Generation Porsche 911 (992) is Finally Here

Rejoice! a new generation of the Porsche 911 has finally made its debut. After months of spy shots and speculations, the eight generation of perhaps the world’s greatest sportscar has made its way to the LA Auto Show. The 992 follows on the successful philosophy of aesthetic subtlety, uncompromising driving pleasure and daily usability established by the previous generation 911s. As such, it remains almost identical to the 991 and all 911s before in terms of design and only improves on the the already exceptional driving dynamics.

Design

All the changes made to the design have already been apparent from the spy shots. The basic shape might be the same, but a number of elements have been overhauled, while a few other make their debut. There is a wider front and rear with enlarged fenders that would be standard on all the variants unlike the previous generation car. A new front bumper and the light strip that runs the entire length of the rear would help a 911 layman differentiate the 992 from the 991. There are new headlights, revised air intakes, revised rear bumper and different horizontal LED daytime running lights. The two character lines on the reshaped hood also make their return after having been dropped since the 996 gen car.

Interior

The interior sees much more considerable changes with a new instrument cluster, revised switchgear, and a larger 10.9-inch infotainment display. The dashboard has been made more angular, a design idea that Porsche says was inspired by the 911s from the 1970s.

Powertrain

The twin-turbo 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engines have been revised and now produce 370 hp on the base Carrera, while the Carrera S now has 444 hp which is an upgrade of around 30 hp over the 991. The Carrera S in rear-wheel drive form will do 0-60 mph in 3.5 sec and 3.4 sec in 4S all-wheel drive trim, making both models 0.4 sec faster than the 991 gen of the same variants. The optional Sport Chrono Package further slashes 0.2 seconds. Top speeds are now 308 km/h (191 mph) for the Carrera S and 306 km (190 mph) for its all-wheel-drive version.

911 customers will now have the option of an 8-speed dual clutch from ZF, besides the seven-speed manual transmission for the first time. The eight-speed unit replaces the acclaimed seven-speed PDK transmission. Rear-wheel steering is also available as an option for both the variants.

Among the new driving modes and driver assist systems is a Wet mode, which as the name suggests manages stability control under wet road conditions using an array of sensors. The 992 also gets a camera-based warning and brake assist system and Night Vision Assist with a thermal imaging camera for the first time on a 911.

The 992-gen 911 is available for order now with prices starting from €120,125 for the Carrera S and €127,979 for the Carrera 4S, including tax in Germany. In the United States, the 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S has a base MSRP of $113,200, while the Carrera 4S will start from $120,600. Deliveries in Europe will begin first with US deliveries starting in summer 2019.

Source: Porsche