It seems we’re getting to a point now where there are about as many future Porsche 911 test mules running about as there are different versions of the current car on sale. Our adventures in spotting 991s (Porsche’s internal designation to refer to the upcoming 911) started late last year when we brought you a bevy of details on the base car, which was at that time roaming around with decals mimicking the Turbo’s massive rear-fender intakes. Those big ducts became the real thing back in March but that 911 Turbo test mule seemed to be missing something. Where’s the wing, Porsche?
Considering that early mule did show evidence of a Panamera-style retractable spoiler, it’s entirely possible that Porsche plans to offer the next Turbo with a smaller, power-deployable unit. But these new photos should soothe traditionalists, as they seem to indicate that the usual whale tail will reappear. As with past mules, the head- and taillight designs are fake-outs; the real things should be markedly different than these disguised shapes, especially at the rear. If you see a 991 Turbo on the street, that view is likely the only one that you’ll need to worry about, because it will pack an estimated 550 horsepower—bettering both the current base car’s 500 and even the Turbo S’s 530, and, with few exceptions, whatever you’d be driving.
The Turbo’s supercar-grade output and all-wheel-drive system put it near the top of the 911 hierarchy, but it also will boast all of the next-gen traits we’ve reported for the base car. That means a longer wheelbase and a jump in overall length, but also weight-savings efforts like aluminum skin to cancel out any extra mass from the increase in size. Because of its higher price tag and place in the 911 lineup as the acceleration king (or at least the crown prince), the Turbo is likely to boast a few additional lightweight bits. Porsche’s seven-speed PDK will carry over as the car’s automatic transmission option, but we’re more intrigued by the manual, which we expect will be the world’s first do-it-yourself seven-speed. The standard 911 will debut this fall in Frankfurt; figure on waiting a few months to see the Turbo.
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