MKW

Their marketing folks will not lose sleep over this ...they will simply label all the forced induction motors as " turbocharged " , and like some have stated , the " Turbo " , will as always , continue as the top 911 grand touring model series .

Since everyone and their mothers are selling all sorts of supercharged and turbocharged motors now , from econoboxes to regular production Ferraris , the consumer , esp for 911s , will figure it out in no time.

The concern should be over the SOUND of these new motors, as we know from the Turbo, the boxer motor does not take kindly to it , even with aftermarket mufflers which only amplifies its vacuum cleaner whoosh ,but comes nowhere near making it sound like a normally aspirated GT3 or GT3RS

Larry Cable

Like they have done with the Macan, a badge and more HP ... I doubt they will go hybrid (in this generation of the 911)

petee1997

Expect to see smaller displacement TT engines for greater fuel efficiency by 2017 deadline. Actually, Porsche is behind the curve on this one. Even Ford is going 3.0L V6TT as their main engine for their all new aluminum body pick up. Most MB cars are now TT.

timothymoffat

What bothers me most about this trend to smaller displacement, turbocharged engines is that it's driven by the need to meet emissions and fuel economy tests. These new engines do very well in these very structured laboratory tests. Funny thing is, much of the time this DOES NOT transfer into real world driving situations. The smaller "more efficient" motor can drink just as much fuel if not more than the motors they replace.

MKW

anecdotal of course, but I have heard from a several friends that the 2 liter 4cyl turbo motors on their German commute cars got noticeably lower real world MPG than the stated EPA numbers when driven " normally " to keep up with typical urban slice and dice traffic , whereas their previous larger displacement normally aspirated commute cars pretty much got EPA numbers

not related to boxer engines, but all the trendy 2 liter turbo motors that I've listened to from the German big three have that farty " putt -putt -putt" rental car idle sound also.

disden

Just from personal experience, my real world driving mpg in my new Panamera V6 turbo vs my previous V8 Panamera is identical; I miss the sound and rumble of the V8, strikingly different driving the two

mtbscott

Only a couple of you have hit on the real reason for these upcoming turbocharged motors, meeting fuel economy standards.
I thought it was bizarre when 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo motors started showing up in $40K entry level luxury cars, but now it's the norm. Now while I have not owned one of these type cars, I have had some as either rental or loaner cars and my anecdotal evidence is not like what others have mentioned.
I had a couple of A4's with 2.0's as loaners when I had a TT-RS and although they are "entry level" they are not small cars. They actually got pretty good mileage (25mpg or better) for what they were, and add in some highway cruising and 30+ was attainable.
Like it or not, this is the future. As I understand CAFE standards, you can still sell some gas guzzlers as long as you sell enough eco-cars to make up for them.
I do agree that the sound of a turbo-muffled 4 banger will never live up to the growl of the flat six.

disden

If it was only about the mpg then they would be cranking out more diesels; great torque and mpg. My wife loves her Cayenne diesel, she never has to put fuel in that thing. I would get a Panamera diesel in a heartbeat. Hopefully with all the cayennes, Macans they are cranking out the flat 6 in the 911 can be spared.

GreenLantern

Same way they distinguish the Macan S and the Macan Turbo, both feature turbo engines.

GreenLantern

Yeah, it's about balancing mpg and fun. They can definitely make a diesel fun (look to Audi and Le Mans for an example), but no one in the US (except three and a half of us) would buy a diesel 911.

Key Left

I wonder if the 991.2's will have the four-wheel steering to soften the turbo throttle lag effect, and minimize the torque steer in four wheel drive variants?

coxswain

If 991.2 will be the beginning of the all turbo-charged era for 911, then 991GTS is to be the last product of the naturally-aspirated engine era. This GTS has a sort of added historical significance, I guess.

Key Left

Very good point....a new collectable is born.

MKW

the GT3 RS 4.0 from just three model years ago is now in the $375 -500k range , double what they sold for new , but it was the last of the legendary Mezger engined 911s , which the the 991 GT3 range does not have and which Porsche will not dare to race , so am not sure they will be worth much, even being possibly last of non turbos..or Porsche may cont to produce them as the only non turbo cars going forward, since their volumes are so low , which will result in current 991 GT3 depreciating as before

Larry Cable

+1