OT: the next 911
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Instructor
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From: Houston TX
OT: the next 911
OK, perhaps the wrong place to post because some here may consider air cooling as a quintessential 911 qualification but... what the heck... 
What should porsche do to make the next gen 911 a "true" 911? Will a flat 8 911 still be a 911 or must it be 6...a big bore 6? 4.2L maybe?
Considering that high powered cars like V8 M3's, super Z06's, and V10 R8s aleady here or just around the corner...I think porsche will do something radically different in the near future to keep pace.
I don't know if a flat 8 911 would look funny considering the potential lenght of the tail and its proportion to the rest of the car, but that sure would be intresting to hear, especially in GT3-RS guise.
What do you guys think?
What should porsche do to make the next gen 911 a "true" 911? Will a flat 8 911 still be a 911 or must it be 6...a big bore 6? 4.2L maybe?
Considering that high powered cars like V8 M3's, super Z06's, and V10 R8s aleady here or just around the corner...I think porsche will do something radically different in the near future to keep pace.
I don't know if a flat 8 911 would look funny considering the potential lenght of the tail and its proportion to the rest of the car, but that sure would be intresting to hear, especially in GT3-RS guise.
What do you guys think?
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
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From: New Zealand
I reckon they will keep squeezing more power from the 6. They have done it for so long now they must have the technology. Ewe, imagine a V8 911. That would be different. How would they get the "sound" anyway? Na, flat 6 all the way IMO.
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From: Onterrible
It's unfortunate that there's such continual pressure to build the next generation of car as "bigger, better, more horsepower". I hope that Porsche has the ***** to go a different way and build the next car faster, lighter, simpler using lighter materials and a flat 6!
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Leeds, UK
Flat 6 for a while yet - perhaps forever.....997S power pack is 385bhp now so plenty scope yet....and that's before they increase over 3.8litres.
New M3, Audi RS4 are heavy cars - much heavier than 997.....I think power to weight on a 355bhp 997S is very slightly higher than the 420bhp RS4 already.
There's so much more to a proper fast car than just power (as 993 owners know so well!).
And then of course we know Porsche horses are bigger than everybody else's.
New M3, Audi RS4 are heavy cars - much heavier than 997.....I think power to weight on a 355bhp 997S is very slightly higher than the 420bhp RS4 already.
There's so much more to a proper fast car than just power (as 993 owners know so well!).
And then of course we know Porsche horses are bigger than everybody else's.
Seared
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From: Ellicott City, MD
I certainly hope Porsche keeps the 911 and its familiar 6-cylinder layout for a while. On the other hand, I thought the company had plans of bringing back a modern 928. If that's the case, let this model compete with the V8/V10 crowd. I, for one, find the 997S to have more than enough power.
Andreas
Andreas
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From: London England
Agree, all other manufacturers seem to be in a hp war, which Porsche hasn't participated in.
Instead, it still manages to post superb performance figures thanks to a combination of light weight, low centre of gravity and great traction, not to mention great track times thanks to superb chassis engineering.
Wrap all this up in a car that is great fun to drive fast or slow, reliable with great looks and they have a winner and rightly so.
I think the 911 formula should stay and continue to be evolved, but I'm sure there is room for a more expensive faster model with more cylinders, perhaps looking like this:
Instead, it still manages to post superb performance figures thanks to a combination of light weight, low centre of gravity and great traction, not to mention great track times thanks to superb chassis engineering.
Wrap all this up in a car that is great fun to drive fast or slow, reliable with great looks and they have a winner and rightly so.
I think the 911 formula should stay and continue to be evolved, but I'm sure there is room for a more expensive faster model with more cylinders, perhaps looking like this:
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From: FF county, Connecticut
hybrid - rear and mid combo...
How about a hybrid - "mid&rear flat-12" engine combo - with the transmission connecting two flat 6 engines one aft and one fore of the rear axle, with the transmission in between
- maintaining the lowest center of gravity.
- two seperate oil tanks or oil lines connecting the two engine.
Why not.... VW, did it with interleaving/offsetting two V6s to get the W12 !!
Let me go patent this now....
hmm... 3.8x2 = 7.6 Liter or cayman's 2.7/3.4Lx2=5.4/L6.8L
should we use the Subaru flat 4: 2.5x2=5L?
- maintaining the lowest center of gravity.
- two seperate oil tanks or oil lines connecting the two engine.
Why not.... VW, did it with interleaving/offsetting two V6s to get the W12 !!
Let me go patent this now....
hmm... 3.8x2 = 7.6 Liter or cayman's 2.7/3.4Lx2=5.4/L6.8L
should we use the Subaru flat 4: 2.5x2=5L?
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From: www.rlsafespace.com
Lopping 400lbs off of the 997 is akin to jacking the power up to 407bhp at its current weight. The upside of lopping 400lbs off is that it will brake shorter, handle better, get better gas mileage, etc. The downside is, well there is no downside. Dropping 25# off our own fat asses helps too. The problem is that the 997 is morphing from an athletic sportscar into a GT car because thats where the consumer demand is. Buy a GT3 and the problem is solved except it still is a little on the heavier side than it should be. Porsche should re-introduce a 997 that is similar in spirit to the 964 RS America. Yank out the rear seats, put in seats that arent boat anchors, pull Sport Chrono/PCM, etc., put on aluminum doors and decklilds (mooch off of the development costs of the 997 Turbo) and you'll pull 350+ lbs easily. The problem is that it would give the GT3 a run for the money for a lot less $$$. Dr. Wiedeking could not have anything to do with that... He's not all bad though, we do share a birthday.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: South Carolina
Originally Posted by 993James993
I think that the 911 will remain a six cylinder car and that Porsche will develop a new car with a larger engine to compete with the Vipers and Ferraris.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Austin, TX
+1 on light weight. I guess part of the question is how a manufacturer can reduce weight yet keep the car up to par in crash safety. That process sounds expensive, so my guess is power tuning is what tends to get the attention. I know in my case, removing 300lbs made the car perform much much better in all respects. If Porsche had a Cayman or 997 that was a lightweight version with a little bit less exotic engine and price than the 997RS I am sure there would be lots of takers. It's the Colin Chapman formula ya know.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: The 2-1-Thrill
I would suspect that the manufacturing experience with the CGT and carbon fiber bodywork will be paired extensively with aluminum and other lightweight materials to improve performance in the future. Leveraging that know-how would put Porsche at a competitive advantage, especially against traditional sedan makers like BMW and Audi, and obviously vs. older tech-reliant American manufacturers.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Westlake Village, CA
Just extend the motor more inboard to a more "mid-engine" location and you can probably fit an 8 in there. That should do the trick and possibly improve the front to rear weight distribution. Then we won't have to hear how Caymans are such better handling, better balanced cars!
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From: South Carolina
Originally Posted by 993James993
Good point bpoteat, but I wasn't refering to the track 
I'm not saying they won't come out with a big horse racer, but I doubt it. They will most likely keep looking into the sedan market for which they have yet to offer any product.
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From: Bethesda, Maryland
Easy Answer to an Easy Question... 
Enlarge the engine to the size of your choice...
Move the engine forward replacing the useless rear seats...
Bigger engine - more of a "mid engine" vice "rear engine"...
Now where did I place that crack pipe...
Enlarge the engine to the size of your choice...
Move the engine forward replacing the useless rear seats...
Bigger engine - more of a "mid engine" vice "rear engine"...
Now where did I place that crack pipe...