Photos of the new 2012 Porsche C2S have hit the Internet before their official release next month. It is no big secret that a redesigned 911 will appear in 2012. Porsche has been teasing us with camouflaged videos and photos while waiting for the first day of September to release the first official photos followed up by a live preview at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Its plan have been derailed (we now wonder if it will release the photos early) by a Spanish forum that was able to get its hands on some of the official photography.



We doubt the styling of the new 991 911 is as polarizing as the blogs want you to think. Sure, it looks like the current-generation 911 but so did every generation before it. Besides, the changes are more than skin deep. The 991’s wheelbase stretches four inches father than its predecessor but overall length has only grown by two inches. This means that the front and rear overhangs are shorter and the engine sits more mid than rear compared to the 997. Rear legroom has also increased and the A-pillar has been pushed forward and thus has a stronger rake. Despite being bigger, the 991 weighs less than the 997 due to extensive use of aluminum.

Under the rear hood, the base engine shrinks in size from 3.6 to 3.4 liters but power is up five for an even 350 hp. The 3.8-liter engine’s reworked internals in the S model help it produce 15 more horse for a total of 400. Power will run through the seven-speed PDK transmission we have now or a new seven-speed manual unit.



Altogether, the 991 is reportedly 12–15 percent more efficient. Part of this increase is because the car’s hydraulic power steering has been replaced with electric unit. Porsche says feedback won’t be affected but every Porschephile in the room should be worried that the 911’s nearly telepathic steering has been altered.



The Turbo and C4 models will continue in current 997 guise for 2012 and return in new 991 form post-2012. The GTS, Black Edition, and 918 Spyder Edition variants will be available as well. If history tells us anything about the future, which it always has a way of doing, the 991 will be available with all-wheel drive in 2013, Turbo and GT3 trims by 2014, and in GT2 trim by 2015.



[via Motor Trend and SoloPorsche.com]



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