Getting ready to buy a Porsche 911? You may want to wait until you see these photos

Agent001 submitted on 02/25/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 9:24 PM
from: www.autospies.com

[39] user comments | category: Spy Shots

Tags: Porsche, 911

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Porsche

911

Getting ready to buy a Porsche 911? You may want to wait until you see these photos

Just when you think it's impossible to improve on the iconic Porsche 911, the designers at Porsche take things to the next level.

As one can see in our exclusive photos of a nearly undisguised 911 prototype, Porsche seems to be ready with the upcoming facelift of the 911-range.

We expect the facelifted 911 to make its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year. While we can be sure that the normal 911 coupe and the soft-top will receive the facelift, it remains uncertain whether or not the makeover will also include the brand-new 911 Turbo, and the yet-to-be-released Turbo Cabrio.

While the cabin might get a bit of polish, too, we still believe that power will continue to come from the current 3.6- or 3.8-liter flat-six with an output of 325 and 355 bhp respectively.

Exterior modifications will include a new layout for the headlights, all-new taillamps, as well as a re-designed front bumper with more aggressive air-intakes, which carry over the styling from those of the new 911 Turbo. Finally, the rear bumper will also be updated.

Brenda Priddy & Company

The Spies say the lower front bumper area will also get the new indicator lights like on the Turbo, a new network that will finally allow satellite radio and bluetooth capability, new wheel choices and two new color choices.

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MB3494 - 2/25/2007 9:30:51 PM

0 Boost

crap i just bought a 911 (997)C4S

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Carboy - 2/26/2007 3:43:52 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

It looks exactly like the last one, so why do you care?

ronnsscooby - 2/25/2007 10:13:08 PM

-4 Boost

YOU HAVE SOME MONEY AND BALLS

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rom64 - 2/25/2007 10:14:37 PM

0 Boost

I'm sure the facelifted 911 will look beautiful with the integrated LED lights in both the front and the rear.

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RS6Fiend - 2/25/2007 10:20:16 PM

+2 Boost

Is it me or does this 911 look a too bit "Caymanesque"?

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EvoAudi - 2/25/2007 10:54:40 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

you took my line d'oh

S4cabriofoxone - 2/26/2007 12:09:06 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I've never met a 911 I didn't love... this isn't changing that stance.

I'm yearning for a bit more power, though. If Porsche wants to sell me on a $95K sports car, it better have at least 330hp.

Or not. It's hard to resist.

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supermoto - 2/26/2007 12:18:21 PM

0 Boost

Totally agree! Now that every other car half the price of a 911 comes with 300 or 400hp engine options, Porsche really needs to kick up the power by a significant amount, like 50-100hp across all models.

d1sinfo - 2/26/2007 2:41:23 PM

0 Boost

I can't wait to see more. The 911 is my dream :)

pnsb24a - 3/1/2007 6:33:05 PM

+1 Boost

I agree. It is RIDICULOUS that a car like the 911s with their prices bascially has 325-380hp, excluding the turbo. PORSCHE, for the money, needs to BOOST the hp big time on all the 911s. Every other car has 400++++hp and the turbo needs 500+. This aspect of Porsche has always pissed me off. (I currently have a 04 911 cab turbo and love it)

d1sinfo - 2/27/2007 9:33:53 AM

-1 Boost

And maybe the same damn car is what we want.

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Matthew1 - 2/26/2007 1:21:44 AM

+4 Boost

I din't know the Chevolet Malibu had a quality, tasteful interior that takes inspiration from the angled dashboards of Porsche's past?

I think DavidThande's posts are waaay more stupid than any 911 face-lift themed articles, personally.

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MBKing - 2/26/2007 4:40:36 AM

+2 Boost

why change something that is perfect, porsche changes their cars very lightly over time and then when you look down the line like 5 lil updates you see the car has totally changed, it's just super slow process but the car is damn near perfect. The turbo beats everything out their in its class, and it's the benchmark obviously with Audi and AM trying to create cars that will beat it.

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quizz - 2/26/2007 2:46:20 PM

+3 Boost

911 Turbo: 0-60 in 3.5 seconds? Yep, destroys the Lambo for half the price and 100X the reliability.

The "Toyota" of exotic sports cars.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/26/2007 8:29:27 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

It's a classic. There really isn't a need to change it.

I have to add, though. C/D just tested the R8, and got it to 60mph in 4.0 seconds. They then did an "informal comparison" to the 911 C4S... and the R8 won.

Justifiably. It's $30K more and has 70 more hoserpower, so it should be a better car. I'd take either, gladly.

theman - 2/26/2007 8:02:46 AM

+1 Boost

"You may want to wait until you see these photos"

I was expecting something new, but ITS THE SAME! the same car that I have been seeing for the past 5 years, please change your cars, its getting boring, repetitive and annoying...Until then I will not "wait" for anything..

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Agent63 - 2/26/2007 8:16:32 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Porsche's rear engine design is great. The balance between the weight and power is distributed evenly for a nice performing and handling car. Why mess with a good thing?

On TOP GEAR they tested a V8 Vantage, a M6, and a Porsche 911. Guess who won? It had the least power and it still beat the two other on a test run in the wet. If that doesn't prove Porsche has found the key to success with a great chassis, great body, great suspension, and great balance then i don't know what is. The Cayenne for Porsche is somewhat controversial. But the Carrera GT was not. It was a brutal car to drive and it takes a lot of energy to control it when you're on a track but it's what a true super car should be about. RAW power delivered in the most brutal way possible so the driver can experience a thrilling ride. It's a stimulation that can never be replaced by anything, not even an advanced driving game with the most realistic graphics.

So to say it's a boring design is being dumb. It's all form following function.

-Agent63

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SSP350 - 2/26/2007 9:31:35 AM

0 Boost

Wait until what photos? These photos look like every other Porsche had to offer as far as I can see.
Why mess with a good thing? I'm sorry, thats like saying we can't come up with anything better so we stuck with the same design for the past decade.
Don't get me wrong, Porsches are great cars, but after seeing the same thing for soooo long...I can't tell A car from B car. Unless you own one..maybe.
It is a thrill to drive a Porsche, but damn, all we ask is to see something 'different'.

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Shredmo - 2/26/2007 11:51:46 AM

+2 Boost

The 911 is an icon. The only other vehicle produced that is as instantly recognizeable is a Jeep Wrangler. The cars are still great. The designs are timeless. These automobiles are present day classics.

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mini22 - 2/26/2007 1:06:49 PM

+2 Boost

You can moan all you want. Question-Who is the most profitable auto company on planet earth? Answer-Porsche. Who is poised to own a majority stake in VW.Answer Porsche. I think they know a thing or too about cars,sales and marketing. True they don't change the body style very much and their interiors are not that exotic looking. Funny thing though,people still keep buying the cars. So don't expect much change from Porsche on the 911 unless the market demands it. Small concillation their new direct injection engines will up HP about 10% accross the board(starting with the 911 and gradually working the change down to the Boxster/Cayman).There is the new Panamera coming out in 09 and the Panamera Coupe coming out in 10 or 11.Both front engined and very expensive. Porsche should makes lots of money on them as well. The only real competion to the 911 if you factor in high performance and total everyday useful practicality is the new Audi R8. Guess who will soon own Audi?

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S4cabriofoxone - 2/26/2007 8:31:20 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Panamera coupe? Won't that be a bit too close to other cars in the segment?

Or could it be the spiritual 928 successor that we've all been waiting for? GT coupe... that would be nice.

quizz - 2/26/2007 2:43:31 PM

+1 Boost

Theman, Ricemaster, SSP350 you guys clearly "don't get it". Lovers of the 911 can immediately spot minor cosmetic changes, beacause it affects the identity of the car. Just adding (or removing) 1 inch from the rear fenders would cause a huge response (I'm all for adding 1 inch, BTW) from 911 lovers. But most of the rest of the posters here probably will find this detail unimportant - but it is. We see the 911 as a constantly evolving Mona Lisa; each improvement must be subtle, because it must not destroy the stylistic identity which made the original 911 such an icon. Are we living in the past? Maybe, but it's our $90,000, so we have every right to voice our opinions.

Porschefiles are a very loyal and fanatical lot. They LOVE that the 911 has not changed much in terms of theme over the last 40 years. As a matter of fact, the jump from the 993 (1997) to the 996 body style (1998-2005) caused a lot of rancor and unhappiness by fans, because it appeared to be too different.

Porsche is catering to people who love the 911 for what it stands for and the heritage it represents. It could care less what Ricemaster and his ilk think, because Ricemaster would never buy a Porsche anyway, even if it did do something "radical". Ricemaster would most likely by the next generation Skyline GT or Lexus IF Supercar.

Porsche knows exactly who its target audience is, and will not alienate this very loyal (and rich) following just to win over fickle and loud mainstream car nuts who have zero appreciation for what Porsche represents.

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FerrarisR4me - 2/26/2007 5:31:15 PM

+1 Boost

whats the difference?

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quizz - 2/26/2007 7:25:05 PM

0 Boost

That's the point: to non 911 fans, the differences are subtle and unnoticeable.

Most car fans will not notice the difference, and therefore, will not care.

d1sinfo - 2/27/2007 10:39:34 AM

+1 Boost

Which is fine. I would rather the 911 be bought by people who specifically want the 911. For people who want to look good there are plenty of other cars out there which gain attention and do little more.

Josh

S4cabriofoxone - 2/26/2007 8:33:34 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Ahh, if everyone here hates the 911's design so much, why post? Just let us drool over the car. It's a work of art, and its style is timeless. If Porsche, the richest and most powerful exotic car maker on the planet, felt they needed to change it to gain acceptance, they would have. But it doesn't need change, and we don't want change! TIMELESS.

And it's really just amazing when you see it in person. Up close is the best. At a local electronics store, they frequently have nice cars on display. We were shopping for a television, and I absent-mindedly wandered over to where the cars usually are... there was a white Carrera S coupe. It's so beautiful.

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Matthew1 - 2/27/2007 2:46:46 AM

+1 Boost

Ricer's don't buy Porsches, that's why they are called 'ricers'!

You do talk a lot of crap.

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SSP350 - 2/27/2007 9:00:16 AM

+1 Boost

Ricemaster,
I did remember how they almost went bankrupt, but is it true, that the Japanese had to help them out?

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d1sinfo - 2/27/2007 10:11:54 AM

+1 Boost

Can we all agree that arguing with ricemaster about Porsche is like pissing in the wind?

Seriously your argument is either meant to troll, or you are so out of touch with the idea's of Porsche that we can't discuss why this new 911 is either good or bad.

Porsche has always designed great sports cars, and hopefully will continue to sell great sports cars. Your perspective is either warped or limited. The numbers prove it, the driving experience proves it, the reviews prove it, and there is nothing else for some of us to believe. If you have some perspective that we don't know about that is all of a sudden going to shake our belief that Porsche makes great sports cars then by all means share that perspective, that idea, that concept.

Until then I will continue to trust reliable sources who have driven the 911, and who share a similiar automotive enthusiast perspective with myself. I will also rely on real world experiences.

They make great sports cars.... and fund that by making whatever the hell that thing is with 4 big wheels, and ground clearance... But we won't talk about that ;)

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quizz - 2/27/2007 12:30:46 PM

+1 Boost

The reason Porsche turned around was because of the following:
1. Production of a more affordable car, the Boxster
2. Production of the more affordable engine, which cut corners and was cheaper to make, but most fans do not know this; cheaper engine + more expensive car = higher profit margin. The 911 before the 996 model (pre-1998) all shared the same engine block, from turbo models on down. But after the 996 generation, only the turbo, GT2, and GT3 used that racing engine block; everybody else got the el cheapo block.
3. Production of the SUV.

What saved Porsche was the Boxster and cost cutting the 911 engine.

If you notice, the current 911 is returning to its roots and rather becoming more radical, is actually bearing more resemblance to the old generation 993 (pre-1998) rather than something innovative. Why? Because Porsche is listening to its fan base.

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993Turbo - 3/2/2007 8:44:59 AM

+1 Boost

Yes the ricers really know how to do it. Mitsubishi and Nissan come to mind!Ha Ha.

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d1sinfo - 2/27/2007 3:02:40 PM

+1 Boost

None of that seems bad. I ignore the SUV. The boxter despite having a hairdressers image is a great sports car.

I don't mind if it gets back to its roots. Porsche's don't need to be radical they just need to be great.

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answer - 2/27/2007 6:21:55 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I really hope this new 911 offers a speedster convertible version. There hasn't been one since 1994 I think.

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urapns - 3/1/2007 8:44:13 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota turned Porsche manufacturing around when Porsche almost ahd all the wheels come off. They hired 6 Toyota experts to train and completely revamp manufacturing....

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993Turbo - 3/2/2007 8:41:13 AM

+1 Boost

The GT3 is still the best looking. The Turbo was a bit of a disappointment for me personally.

Ricemaster is an idiot. There probably isn't a more consistent and long lived icon in the automobile world than the 911. That's why it's voted car of the year in its class almost every single year. A perennial benchmark. Oh, and you can drive it to work everyday.

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