zizu

Mid engine 911 with flat 8.

fer2367

obviously i have not clue, but the logical evolution could be a mid-rear engine platform (a la GT1)

gota911

I respectfully disagree with all of your points except the comments on the wheels.

The placement of the exhaust tips are not much different, if any, than on the 997.5 cars (see pics #1 & #2).

As for the exhaust, what you are seeing in the "mule" in pic #1 is the CAT. The 997.5 exhaust system is a completely different set up than the 997. There are now 3 mufflers and the CATS have been moved from under the bumper cover (on the 997.0) to either side of the engine, running front to back (see pic #3). The exhaust exits the CATS and passes into the center muffler, where the coss over occurs, then out to the side mufflers.

I agree on the wheels, they do look different. I suspect they put wide spacers on the front (only my guess) to change the visual appearance. Porsche usually does something like that with the wheels on a mule, often having completely different wheel designs on the front versus the rear.

Just my thoughts. Either way, it is an interesting discussion!

Carrera GT

I find it hard to imagine there's a V8 in the front of this thing. It looks like a 997 wide body, disguised as Turbo (inlet decals, stick-on driving lights on the front bumper) and it has a strangely curved chin spoiler. Everything else looks pretty much stock 997. Typical for Porsche test mules. The 997 already has enough space for a flat 8 and if the a91 is mounted lower with a redesigned PDK (the old "bell housing" would be gone and that space would be occupied by the fourth pair of cylinders) there's potential for a 911 to compete with the 430 successor.

As for this test car, it's puzzling. I wonder what they're actually testing? Presumably just mechanicals, since the body is basically a stock 997. And presumably a new design of fixed or moving wing under there.

The 997 is so close to "right" as a 911, I really hope we're not in for another generation of 996 iterations.

C.J. Ichiban

something to think about- that's a gt3 chin spoiler so the front of the car is really wide. it's bowed out because of how it's stretched (think 3D).

there is definitely not a V8 anywhere in this car but- but- there could be a flat 8 like CGT said above.

theoretically the height of the engine (intake manifold and oil sumps) on that extra 4th bank of cylinders could alter the rear end and be a reason for why it is so high.

Carrera GT

It doesn't look exactly like a GT3 spoiler, but I think it does suggest that car is quite a bit wider than a 997, at least along the bottom of the front bumper cover.

I don't think it's got anything to do with the Panamera coupe.

The V8 intake could be a lower profile runner design and still get the same variable intake lengths. I think I read that the A91 "height" is less previous engines (maybe that was limited to the Carrera engines.) In any case, if you look around the engine, especially with the transaxle out, there's an almost conspicuous space for a pair of cylinders. I was really hoping the design of the PDK for the GT cars was going slower because Porsche was working at having the clutch packs on the front of the gearbox, which would create space for those cylinders, move weight forward, centrally and at the lowest point of the car as well as help with power transfer to a center diff for AWD and for heavier vehicle applications.

With the prospect of electric AC and electric power-steering, those accessories or ancillaries can go between the front wheels, making even more room (and less weight) in the rear. Maybe I'm asking too much of the 998 ... although that "8" really begs for a double meaning ... : )

OldGuy

with all these great engineering ideas even amongst us popcorn gallery, I am REALLY going to be
disappointed if this in another in a long line of small evolutionary steps. The market dictates that Porsche be bold and step up to the plate to meet its competition head on. They could use the excuse that the economy wont allow them to be bold. But its time.

Analog Theory

The next 911 has the internal designation 991 not 998 as many have speculated.

Likemystoppie?

I'm with the crowd that it's more of a mechanical test mule then anything else. The faux Turbo Inlet's along with a lot of other crap is there to throw you off -visually.

I do NOT think they could jam an 8 cylinder in the front. And actually, to me, the front chin spoiler looks not stretched; but jammed under the front. If it was stretched; it woud be very flat in front. Not bowed.
Regardless I think most of that (obviously) is just to throw you off.

Million dollar question is what's in the back?

C.J. Ichiban

thread bump-

I saw the car today. well to be more accurate I saw a lot of test mules today. the new gt3 sounds amazing- it was on the test track...but alas we're not able to take videos. also, the panamera sounds pretty sick.

MJSpeed

^^I second that!!

MJSpeed

Think more mid-engine GT Coupe when you see this car...as for the other models; Porsche's design department are getting it right, each generation looks better than the last.

Analog Theory

What if that mule is indeed the next 911 but it's a mid engined flat 8? That will sufficiently distance the 911 from the 6 cylinder Cayman/Boxster and still keep pace with the M3's and Aston's. With the flat-6 nearing it's maxium development, wouldn't this make sense?

am722

Only if the reason they spent all that money on developing the new 9A1 was actually for the Boxster/Cayman chassis on a long term basis. Otherwise, they should have just kept the m96 powerplant until the 998/991/99x debuts.

Would it even be possible for them to make a mid-engined Carrera that retains the vestigial rear seats? I have a hard time believing they will eliminate them from the standard 911 platform.

Carrera GT

The "definition of a 911" question comes up every decade or two (last mooted in the shift from air-cooled to "wet") and Porsche questioned their customers' devotion to a rear-engine anachronism by the creating the 928. Both questions have been pretty convincing answered by record sales growth of the 911 to date.

The chances of the 911 still being a 911 in name, but with a mid engine like the GT1 are zero. The prospect of Porsche adding yet another mid-engine vehicle to the line-up with their plate already full and the world economy in the pooper would be a "divide by zero" business plan.

I could see Porsche testing the market with a flat-8 "super car" 911 (something above the current GT cars in performance and price) but again, this is not the time for bringing a quarter million dollar uber 911 to market. Still, it takes years for these things to happen (just look at the gestation of the Boxster and now the Panacea) so they could be working on a replacement to the slow-selling Cayman (and perhaps relegating the Cayman and Boxster to "entry level") and pushing something new in a mid-engine but with a design closer to the current 911. This would be something after the current 2010 products. I'd be interested. Much more interested than a Panamanian two door anyway. All pie in the sky of course. Again, for my humble two cents', I'd be asking for exactly the current 997 Carrera (humble 3.6, circa 350HP) stripped to the bone, no frills, 2800lb or less. Same price as a Carrera and pay extra for CCBs and PDK, but it comes with steel spring suspension, no more electronic intervention than ABS and switchable TC. No Litronics, no leather, no sunroof, manual lift side windows (no regulator) and an abundance of the words "no" and "deleted" in the description (no froufrou options whatsoever, color palette of cheap paints, no trunk trim, etc.) I'd like to see it pre-configured with weld plates for a 6-point and access to the Motorsports shopping menu for lightweight options. As a concession to "livability" I'd include adequate sound proofing in the cabin, but no carpets or other trim. Options like a dealer-installed audio system might make sense.

Nothing innovative. Exactly what hundreds of forum posts have called for. They're already tooled to make it, they'd have to jump through DOT hoops (maybe making it a unique, limited production vehicle to keep regulatory costs in check.) It would have to be street legal. I don't think this would steal away sales of GT3's (since it was a sold-out success anyway) and I doubt that many Carrera buyers would want to wait in line for a "stripper" and those that do should be on a preferential list of having bought other 911's previously anyway.

I'm pretty sure that's what Porsche's doing. :|