Porsche 911 (991) – The Story
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The Type 991 911 series was the seventh generation of the iconic 911. The 991 generation models were unmistakably 911 in looks and design philosophy, but the 991 was really the ultimate evolution of Porsche 911s becoming highly technical, high quality and well built machines. Quality improved and the technology jump finally vaulted Porsche to the top of the automakers in terms of building the best cars on the planet. The Type 991 represented the most technically advanced 911 model to date and the 991 looked more powerful than any other 911 before – an effect that was heightened by the wider track and a stretched wheelbase. It also featured adaptive aerodynamics: the 911 was the first series sports car from Porsche to adopt this technology from the 918 Spyder hybrid super sports car.
On the inside, the 911 ranges got a more modern design and enhanced ergonomics with higher quality materials. At the same time, the new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) was introduced with improved connectivity, multitouch monitor and real-time traffic information (it was updated thoroughly in 2017 with the 991.2 update also). The 991 911 was more athletic and more powerful than ever before. The lightweight body in aluminium-steel design was again more rigid and helped to reduce the weight by over 90 pounds. The 991 was also the Porsche 911 that cemented the "lots of variants" approach for Porsche, with over 20 variants produced for every niche you can imagine. Commercially, the 991 was a huge success, with Porsche selling 233,540 units from its production in 2011 till the last one rolled off the production line in December 2019.
The 991.1 generation cars launched as MY 2012 cars. The 345hp 3.4 liter Carrera and 400hp 3.8 liter Carrera S launched first, in both Coupe and Cabriolet bodystyles and could be had with either rear and all-wheel drive drivetrains. The 991s all got electric power steering which took away some of the feel we were used to. The Carrera S got PASM standard (optional on the Carrera). The new Turbo (in coupe and cabriolet) came out in 2013, now with a whopping 512hp 3.8 liter twin-turbo powerplant and absurd performances. The Targa 4 and Targa 4S launched as 2014 MY cars, this time with the traditional "targa" roof and the best open/close automated dance in the business. The pick of the "regular" 911 range has to be the GTS models (available in lots of configurations), designed to fill the gap between the Carrera S and the track focused GT3, with their own look and feel and all the right options out of the box. Truly special.
For the 2016 model year, the 991 evolved into its second generation. The updated Porsche 911s (referred to as 991.2 or 991 II) introduced new styling including updated front and rear bumpers, new dual exhaust pipes along with new head and tail lights and options, along with all new, 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six engines across the range. Marking the first time the base 911 models had turbocharged engines. Despite the engines smaller capacity and turbos, it was a useful 30hp increase for the Carrera and 20 hp for the S models and even bigger jump in torque. The change to turbo power also delivered better fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions, with the only downside being the loss of that glorious naturally aspirated scream.
As expected we saw a lot of special 911s during the 991 generation, as both 991.1 and 991.2 models. The 469 hp 3.8 liter GT3 was groundbreaking but had some technical issues after launch. The 500 hp 3.8-litre GT3 RS took that glory to a whole new level on track. Controversially, both the GT3 and GT3 RS were only available with PDK transmission and rear wheel steering. Porsche fixed this with the 991.2 updates, making the GT3 available with a manual gearbox and even more excitingly, offering us the GT3 Touring option, which removes the wings and made the GT3 a stealth street monster. Perhaps the most interesting 911 generation car was the 911 R, a special edition car that shared most of its underpinnings with the GT3 RS, but does not include the roll cage, rear wing, and associated bodywork for a weight saving of 110 lb. The 911 R comes only with a 6-speed manual transmission and it was one of the most special 911s we have ever driven.
The Porsche 991 was titled World Performance Car 2012 shortly after famed Porsche designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche died. The GT3 was awarded the title of World Performance Car Of The Year in 2014.
Type: 991 (991.1, 991.2) / Generation: Seventh Generation 911 / Manufacturer: Porsche AG / Production Years: 2011–2019 / Model Years: 2012–2019 / Designer: Michael Mauer (2008) / Body Style: 2-door Coupe, 2-door Roadster, 2-door Targa, 2-door speedster / Layout: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, Rear-engine, all-wheel drive / Engines: 3.0 L twin-turbo Flat-6, 3.4 L Flat-6, 3.8 L Flat-6, 3.8 L twin-turbo Flat-6, 4.0 L Flat-6 / Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 7-speed manual, 7-speed PDK / Production: 233,540 units / Official photos: 2011 August 23 / Premiere: 2011 September 15 IAA Frankfurt motor show / Market launch: 2011 December 3 / Predecessor: Porsche 997 / Successor: Porsche 992
The 991 was probably the greatest engineering leap in the history of the 911. For generations the benchmark in its class, this 911 generation sets the bar another notch higher in terms both of performance and efficiency. A completely new chassis with modified wheelbase, greater track width and beefier tires, plus an ergonomically optimized interior produce an even sportier and more comfortable driving sensation.
In engineering terms this 911 is all about Porsche Intelligent Performance: even lower fuel consumption and even more power – created, for instance, by reducing the engine size to 3.4 litres on the base Carrera model (yet still delivering 5 hp more than the 997.2) and using a hybrid construction method (steel/aluminium), which leads to a considerable reduction in weight. Also new: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and the manual 7-speed transmission.
In the 991 series of the 911, which was introduced in 2011, Porsche has further perfected lightweight design for sports cars. It achieves a number of goals: improving vehicle dynamics while reducing fuel consumption, as well as enhancing safety and raising levels of comfort in comparison with earlier vehicles. The engineers chose a concept which puts the right material in the right place, using the right construction method. The current vehicle generation is therefore lighter than its direct predecessor for the first time, by approximately 40 kilogrammes. And this despite the additional weight originally expected due to the longer wheelbase, the more stringent safety requirements and the enhancements to the overall package. The largest proportion of the weight saved (around 80 kilogrammes) was due to the new body-in-white with mixed aluminium-steel.
With the exception of local reinforcement parts, the front body section and large parts of the floor and the rear section are made of aluminium. This is also true of the lids, wings and the door structure. The coupé is 44 per cent aluminium and the cabriolet 43 per cent. A significantly larger proportion of the steel parts are made of super high-strength and ultra high-strength materials. The hot forged, press hardened steels provide a particularly high degree of occupant protection.
And this with up to 400 individual parts which a body-in-white is made up of. The key areas are the many steel and aluminium joints – they cannot be welded. The increased use of structural adhesives, which also prevents bimetallic corrosion between the two materials, is one solution. However, new mechanical joining processes are also used, such as clinching, punch riveting and friction drilling. The ideal joint is selected in each case.
The world's first seven-speed manual gearbox is used in series production of the 911 – again in the 991 series. It gives the 911 a new, crisp shift characteristic. The new gearbox was designed on the basis of the seven-speed Doppelkupplung and provides excellent shifting comfort and sporty shift forces. The new 911 cars reach their top speed in sixth gear. The seventh gear has a long ratio and helps to save fuel – a high cruising speed is attained at a lower speed. The high level of efficiency and the optimised weight of the gearbox help to make the vehicle more fuel efficient. It is also combined with an automatic start/stop function as standard. As the seven-speed Doppelkupplung is designed as a modular system, many of the same parts could be used for the construction of the seven-speed manual gearbox. However, one particular challenge had to be overcome – due to the concept of the Doppelkupplung, the gears are arranged differently than with a normal "H" shift pattern.
This 911 boasts a flat, elongated silhouette, taut surfaces, razor-sharp sculpted edges and precisely designed details but it is still immediately recognizable as a 911.
The starting point for the new design was the modified proportions of the sports car. The 100-millimetres longer wheelbase, the wider track at the front and the reduced height, coupled with the up to 20-inch wheels are the foundations of a new Coupé with an even more athletic appearance. From this basis, the designers developed the new 911 shape with an optimised height/width ratio. Without changing the overall width, a sports car was created that sits even lower on the road. The standard bi-xenon headlights have also been reshaped and reflect the traditional circular headlight.
Following tradition once again, the new 911 does not have a radiator grille but side air intakes – a characteristic feature of the Porsche sports car with rear engine. The other front lights (LED indicators, daytime running lights and position lights) have been moved to the very outside and have been extended around the front to the side.
At the rear a continuous ridge above the new, strikingly slim rear lights structures the rear end across the entire width of the vehicle for the first time, thus giving an impression of width. This effect is further enhanced by the powerful shoulders of the sturdily shaped rear wings. The rear spoiler below the air intakes of the engine cover has been redesigned and is now wider.
The 991 Cabriolet is also special. The fabric hood follows the contours set by the Coupé roof almost exactly and gives this 911 Cabriolet a look that is as perfect as that of the Coupé. The credit for this mainly goes to the roof designers who have developed technology for retracting and putting up the roof which can create exactly this shape.
As with most 911 facelifts, the 991.2 is mostly about the little details. From a design perspective, the 991.2 got a design refresh that was pretty minor.
Up front, the most notable change lies in the bumper. Though the three-piece intake configuration was carried over from the previous model, the actual openings are different in shape and size. The main intakes extend farther toward the sides and feature three horizontal slats instead of two. Also, the LED light strips above are significantly slimmer and completely integrated into the frame surrounding the openings. In the middle, there are now two horizontal slats instead of one and the trapezoidal shape. Down below, there’s a slightly larger splitter, which in conjunction with the Cayman GT4-like bumper, makes the new 911 seem a bit more aggressive. The headlamps have also been revised, now featuring four-point daytime running lights.
At the back, the engine lid grille was updated. Gone was the horizontal louvers for a new configuration with vertical ones. The rear bumper received extra air outlets on each side, a feature borrowed from the Turbo models. Other details that set the 991.2 apart from the outgoing model are the longer lights in the bumper and the slightly reshaped taillights, with a 3D effect vs the flat 991.1 design. They also include four-point brake lights.
The 991.2 can sits about 0.4 inch lower and gets half-inch wider rear rims for those with eagle eyes that notice the really small stuff. In fact, the 991.2 is actually longer and wider than the 991.1, but we are talking less than two tenths of an inch for both numbers.
The 991.2’s interior is pretty much identical to the outgoing model, with the main highlight being the new steering wheel. Based on the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder’s, the three-spoke steering wheel looks and feels sportier, featuring improved grip sections and aluminum center inserts.
When the Carrera is equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package, it receives a mode switch derived from the hybrid map switch of the 918 Spyder. The new feature consists of a rotary dial with four positions for the driving modes, including Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual.
The most important interior difference between the 991.1 and 991.2 cars is the all new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system (with an online navigation module) that can be operated by multi-touch gestures on the upgraded 7-inch display.
It includes an expanded range of functions and simplified operation, Wi-Fi connectivity for smartphones, and Apple CarPlay for iPhones. For the first time, the 911 received Google Earth and Google Streetview besides real-time traffic information. Overall, it is nicer, faster and more intuitive in the 991.2.
The biggest change in the facelift is under the bonnet. Porsche replaced both the naturally aspirated 3.4- and 3.8-liter flat six engines that powered the Carrera and Carrera S variants, respectively. In its place was a totally new, twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter unit. The changes made the 991.2 the first-ever Carrera and Carrera S to use forced induction as well as the first base 911 to not feature a naturally aspirated engine.
Specifically developed for this model, the new turbo-six enhances the Carrera’s output by 20 horses and 43 pound-feet of torque. The base model now comes with 370 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque on tap, while the Carrera S is motivated by 420 horses and 368 pound-feet of twist.
On top of being quicker and more powerful, the new Carreras are also significantly more fuel efficient and greener. The torque increase is what you notice most when driving the Carrera and Carrera S vs the 991.1 versions, with much stronger pull across the entire rev-range, giving you instant go in a way that standard 911s never had before.
After the facelift, the active damper system, which is called PASM at Porsche, is standard. Previously it was only available at an additional cost. In this way, two chassis are connected with one another: comfort for the long distance, sportiness for the circuit. In comfort mode, bumps and bumps are noticeably cushioned, while sport mode allows a harder damper characteristic. This minimizes the body movement and is much more sporty.
In the course of the facelift, some adjustments were made to the front, but especially to the rear. The turbo engine gets its fresh air through a central ventilation slot in front of the rear wing. The charge air coolers also get their fresh air through this ventilation. The combustion air reaches the turbochargers from the air filter box via two intake ducts, which can be found in the lower area. There, the compressed air is cooled down again with the aid of the charge air cooler so that it can then be fed to the engine. The heated cooling air from the intercooler is expelled behind the wheels.
Along with being the first Carrera to feature turbocharging, the 991.2 is also the first Carrera to employ rear-axle steering. However, the system borrowed from the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 is only available as an option. The system makes the Carrera more precise when changing lanes at higher speeds and delivers greater maneuverability in city traffic, thanks to a turning radius that is 1.6 feet smaller compared to models not using rear-axle steering.
Porsche 991 Model Guides
There are too many "regular" 911 models to mention in just this paragraph. In fact, during the 991 911 generation we saw a total of 35 individual models (not including special edition cars). The base Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were all available as both coupe and convertible bodystyles and were made as both 991.1 and 991.2 models. The Targa 4 and Targa 4S are both all-wheel drive and likewise were available in both generations. The Carrera GTS range grew, now with five models (GTS Coupe, GTS Cabriolet, 4 GTS Coupe, 4 GTS Cabriolet and Targa GTS). The 911 Turbo and Turbo Cabriolet continued to sit at the top of the regular range, with an entirely new Carrera T variant making an appearance in 2018 as a refreshingly simple carl with just the basics for a great driving experience. The biggest difference between the 991.1 and 991.2 cars is obviously the change from naturally aspirated engines to the turbocharged flat-six unit, as well as some design tweaks and a much improved PCM and entertainment system. The Carrera T was the only regular model not offered as a 991.1 generation car.
Porsche 991 Special Models
The special editions is where it gets fun for the 991 generation 911. The anniversary edition was a stunning design exercise coupled with a tasty powerkit fettled 430 hp flat 6. The 991 generation GT3 was immediately polarizing when released thanks to no manual option, yet it still blew away every driver, taking performance cars to a new level (yet again). The Turbo S models continued to wow with their stupid-fast speed and GT-comfort, while the track-focused GT3 RS was still the weapon of choice for the track-rats. The finest 991.1 car though was definitely the 911 R, thanks to its 4-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine and six-speed manual gearbox. Probably the best 911 of the modern era. For the 991.2 special edition cars Porsche listened to its buyers and released the 911 GT3 with a manual gearbox option as well as giving us the GT3 Touring option (no wings, subtler look, manual only) and a new Speedster model that proved that manuals are just better (always). There was no doubt that the 991.2 GT2 RS was the pinnacle of the 991 generation in terms of sheer performance. It is the fastest and most powerful 911 in history and the quickest production car to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Porsche 911 Type 991 Specs & Performance Summary
Porsche 911 Type 991 (2012-2019) Technical Specs
Forget the summary, here is every seventh generation Porsche 911 (Type 991) broken out by model year and variant and the technical specifications for each one. Car data nerds, let us unite.
Porsche 911 (991) News & Updates
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