Automotive

The 2020 Porsche 911 Looks About The Same But Is Way Quicker

By TechKee Admin

Posted on November 27, 2018

The longstanding joke is that Porsche doesn’t ever really change the 911, and they all look kind of the same. Certainly some visual cues are retained with each generation, and it’s always been a four seater with the engine slung out back and bulgy fenders. But this new 2020 Porsche 911, called 992 by the cognoscenti, looks so similar to the current 991 that I’m not entirely positive Porsche isn’t pulling a large-scale gas lighting operation.

The 992-generation 911, launched tonight as Carrera S and Carrera 4S models, has a few noticeable differences from the outgoing model, with the rear fascia showing off brake lights moved higher on the car.

At the front, you will see a hood with sharp corners, reminiscent of the G-series 911s of the 70s and 80s. It looks a bit unfinished, and it’s not good. The worst part might be the center high mount brake light in the middle of the engine lid grille, however. It looks like an afterthought.

So, what is good?

The new engine is a development of the old engine with an “improved injection system,” as well as optimized turbos and intercoolers, for a solid 443 horsepower. That’s up from the current Carrera S model’s 420. A manual transmission will be offered later, as the new 911 will launch with a brand new 8-speed PDK dual clutch box.

When equipped with Sport Chrono package with overboost and PDK, the all-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4S will sprint from 0-60 in a wicked quick 3.2 seconds, several tenths quicker than the model you can buy in showrooms right now.

Porsche has made it clear that it wants the 911 to be an accessible car to drive in all conditions for all people. As a result, the new car is available with a high tech Wet Mode, which uses sensors in the fenders to detect water conditions on the road surface and change vehicle outputs as a result. Night Vision Assist, available in the Cayenne and Panamera, is now optional for your 911 as well. The new car also adds adaptive cruise with stop and go functionality.

Scoping out the interior of the car, it looks like a really nice place to sit for a full fuel tank range at highway speeds, which with an 8 speed gearbox and a more efficient engine could be quite a long distance. The 911 continues its steady march toward Grand Tourer status with luggage space behind the rear seats, and hold the fucking phone, is that a real actual functional cup holder in the center console?

With two giant screens flanking a central-mounted tachometer, the 911’s gauge display is a modern take on a vintage theme. Throw in the huge center stack display and you’ve got a sportier version of the interior found in the Cayenne and Panamera. Thankfully, however, the center button mass appears to have actual toggles instead of the touch buttons of its stablemates.

The PDK shifter is bad. I hope the manual shifter looks more in line with the rest of the car.

The Carrera S will start at $113,200, while the C4S starts at $120,600. This constitutes a more than $8,000 price increase over the current model. You can contact your Porsche dealer to place an order now, but don’t expect to take delivery until sometime next summer.