CarObsessed

I just read in Automobile magazine (I think) that the Ferrari V12 models will continue to be naturally aspirated but with LaFerrari style KERS to stay ahead of emission regulations. The reasoning is that the V12 engines would need more than 2 (I think 4) turbochargers and their associated paraphernalia and there's not enough space in the engine bay.

It's only going to cost 400k$ though :-(

Strimdog

Agreed - From what I've read this car is more in the "RS" realm with a $215K ish price point. Not only do I think that Porsche will destroy them in terms of reliability and cost to keep but they really aren't that pretty either. Based on looks alone this one would never make it into my stable.

Alan Smithee

Can they? Sure. Will they? No, because a dedicated powertrain for a few thousand vehicles annually is too expensive with today's corporate greed. That's why the Mezger with a manual was replaced by the 9A1-derived motor with a modified PDK in the 991GT3 - it was the cheapest way. (Doesn't mean it isn't a great car.)

Once the mainstream Porsche sports cars are turbocharged, IMO the GT3 will be as well. The same turbocharged modular engine family across the board is cost efficient. Same blueprint currently being used by BMW and MB.

GrantG

You may be right, but I expect the GT3 (and hopefully the 981 GT4), 991 GTS and 981 GTS to continue to be normally aspirated Flat-6's, even after the 991/S and 981/S become turbocharged F-6's and F-4's.

C63toGT3 Guy

Interesting thread. After listening to Preuninger talk about the "nature" of the engine, I'd be really surprised if he was cool with forced induction. The comment about CAFE regs is spot on; there's few enough made that it won't affect the bottom line in any appreciable way. I don't see boost happening unless Porsche ditches the 3.8NA motors altogether. They already have the turbo and GT2 for horsepower freaks, so they have no *real* reason to jam it in the GT3. The possibility of going hybrid with it? Damn, I hope that doesn't happen. But Porsche already has some good racing experience with hybrids, so it makes more sense than FI in the evolution of the car... Sadly, hybrid almost guarantees start/stop and electric crawl, and I hope there'd be a switch to shut that crap off.

Who knows? Considering how different the 991 GT3 is from the 997, there's no way to predict what they have up their sleeve.

Personally, I hope they make a radical change and pull it off without killing the character of the car.

Josh

Terrence

No coincidence that several auto journalists in Europe have called the 991 GT3 as a bargain supercar! And we get it at almost half the price they pay there.

NateOZ

I don't see them spending the R&D and investment in manufacturing equipment to keep advancing a NA engine. Once the mainstream lines are FI it'll just be too expensive to keep the old lines active or create a new NA engine.

Here's an article on the suspected 992 platform for those that haven't seen it:
http://www.total911.com/say-hello-to...d-porsche-992/