Porsche 911 (992) – The Story
Bigger, Faster & More Refined
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"Faster, more emotional, and more connected" is how Porsche described the eighth generation Porsche 911 in their press release on November 27th 2018. We loved the design, harking back the 993-generation car. The front lid now has the groove in the middle (not so embossed as on the 993, but still) and the lid's front edge is straight, not curvy as it has meanwhile been on the 997 and 991 generations. While the 992 got good design stuff from the 993, its overall stance - its proportions and size - are naturally closer to the 991. The curvy shape of the fenders, especially at the back, is closer to the 993 than ever before. Interesting fact is that the 992 is the first 911 designed completely under Volkswagen.
Compared to its predecessor, the 992 is wider and now uses aluminium body panels. The 992 also has a new rear bumper with larger exhaust tips than its predecessor. While the 992's rear end width stayed the same as on the widebody 991, at the front, the body width was increased by 1.8"/45 mm, making room for the wider front track. The wider rear end is also standard across the entire range. That is really good news for the people who prefer sports cars with rear wheel drive, but at the same time want the wide body look.
The next generation of flat-six turbocharged engines has been further developed to be more powerful than ever. There are numerous revisions and tweaks to the powerful turbocharged engines of the 992 Porsche 911 generation that are worth mentioning. A larger central intercooler is found at the rear, replacing the twin intercooler units of the 991 generation. This change results in a 12% larger size that allows for lower intake-air temperatures. Better-flowing exhaust manifolds also help power delivery on the 992. Engine compression ratios have increased from 10.1:1 to 10.5:1 while maintaining 16-psi of boost pressure. Carrera S horsepower outputs increase from 420 to 450 as a result. Although brake rotor sizes remain the same, the newly optional PBSB (Porsche Surface Coated Brake) system helps enhance braking performance. The 992 engine has the compulsory particulate filter which adds around 10 kg/22 lb. The PDK multi-clutch automatic transmission has 8 speeds. The first gear has a shorter gear ratio than before, which better matches lower gears to the turbocharged engines. The 8-speed PDK is 20 kg /44 lb heavier than the previous 7-speed PDK in the 991. Cars with manual transmission come with rear differential lock and Sport Chrono package with automatic rev-match function. When the driver shifts down, this function automatically opens the throttle to increase the engine speed to match the gearbox speed.
The body is constructed to better safeguard the occupants in the case of an accident and is 12 kg/26 lb heavier despite the full aluminium outer skin. The larger wheels are heavier, too. All in all, the 992 with the PDK is approximately 55 kg/110 lb heavier than its predecessor. The new cabriolet roof hydraulics reduce opening time to around 12 seconds and the new engine mounting position makes the cabriolet torsionally more rigid than its predecessor. This allows - for the first time - to offer PASM Porsche Active Suspension Management sport chassis for the 911 Cabriolet. The PASM package lowers the car by 10 mm, the springs are harder, the front and rear anti-roll-bars more rigid.
The interior is completely new, but classic from the first glance. The gear selector is very small and only acts to select forward or backward driving direction. The instrument cluster is similar to the latest Panamera - the central tachometer gauge is accompanied with digital screens on the left and right. The touchscreen now has a diameter of 10.9". The car is permanently connected (while the GSM network is available) and the online navigation system is based on swarm intelligence. The new optional lightweight laminated noise-insulating glazing offers a weight advantage of around 4 kg/9 lb.
As expected, Porsche launched the Carrera S and 4S first and then we saw the rest of the lineup trickle in over the following 12 - 18 months. In 2021, we saw the full GTS lineup announced and the 911 GT3 (now with a dedicated GT3 Touring model). The lineup has never looked better and we cannot wait to see the rest of the special editions get rolled out in coming months.
Type: 992 / Generation: Eighth Generation 911 / Manufacturer: Porsche AG / Production Years: 2019-Present / Model Years: 2020-Present / Designer: Michael Mauer / Body Style: 2-door Coupe, 2-door Roadster, 2-door Targa / Layout: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, Rear-engine, all-wheel drive / Engines: 3.0 L twin-turbocharged flat-6, 3.7 L twin-turbocharged flat-6, 4.0 L naturally aspirated flat-6 / Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 7-speed manual, 7-speed PDK, 8-speed PDK / Production: Still In Production / Official photos: 2011 August 23 / Official photos: 2018 November 27 / Premiere: 2018 November 27 at Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles / Market launch: 2019 (as a 2020 model) / Predecessor: Porsche 991
Porsche 992 Model Guides
The first models to debut were the Carrera S and Carrera 4S. Both models are powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine. The Carrera S and Carrera 4S Cabriolet followed a few months later, while the base Carrera and Carrera 4 was introduced in mid-2019. Porsche announced the Targa cars a year later, in May 2020. As expected the Targa models are powered by the 3.0 liter as the Carrera 4 and 4S. All models now have the widebody design so telling them apart is harder than ever. In mid-2021 we saw the full range of the five GTS models announced and as expected they were all well-specced, almost perfect out of the box. The top of the regular model lineup is still the 911 Turbo and Turbo Cabriolet, both with 572 hp and all-wheel drive sure-footedness.
Porsche 992 Special Models
Introduced in March 2020, the 992 Turbo S and Turbo S Cabriolet were the first special edition 992 generation cars. The Turbo S has a twin-turbocharged 3.7-litre flat-6 engine rated with 640 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. The engine is based on the 3.0 litre unit found in the Carrera models and has a slightly shorter stroke than that of the outgoing Turbo S engine. Acceleration is insane, with 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds (2.7 seconds for the convertible) and top speed is 205 mph. Both the turbochargers and the air intake system are larger, with the latter now being located directly behind the engine instead of in the rear fenders as on previous 911 Turbo models. As always, the Turbo S gets lots of added extras included standard versus the "base" Turbo models, including Porsche dynamic chassis control (PDCC), rear-axle steering and ceramic composite brakes. In February 2021, Porsche introduced the 992's GT3 version. It uses the same 4.0 litre naturally aspirated flat-6 as the 991.2 generation, now producing and producing 500 bhp and 338 ft lbs of torque. Porsche spent a lot of time optimizing aero and managing weight. the GT3 features a large rear spoiler with larger air vents, a bigger diffuser, two large exhaust connections, bucket seats in its interior, and an optional roll cage. Porsche also introduced double-wishbone suspension, making the car stiffer and more stable with less body movements under braking. In short, the 992-gen GT3 has stiffer, faster-reacting damping, but with more comfort than before. The 992 GT3 recently set a lap time at Nürburgring Nordschleife with a time of 6:55.34 minutes. The GT3 uses a 7-speed PDK or a 6-speed manual instead of the 7-speed manual or 8-speed PDK used in other models. There is also a dedicated GT3 Touring model this time around.
Porsche 992 Motorsport Racing Models
The GT3 Cup gets bigger and bigger every year and with each generation, the cars get faster, more advanced and overall more impressive. The 992-generation GT3 Cup car is no different. The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is the first race car based on the current 911 model series 992, but we expect more motorsport models in coming months.
Porsche 911 Type 992 Specs & Performance Summary
Porsche 911 Type 992 (2020-Present) Technical Specs
Forget the summary, here is every either generation Porsche 911 (Type 992) broken out by model year and variant and the technical specifications for each one. Car data nerds, let us unite.
Porsche 911 (992) News & Updates
All the latest model announcements, pricing, specs, reviews and more. We cover everything going on with the current 911 model range.
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