cthronson

The recent issue of Excellence has two interesting articles to compare: The first is a cover story and brief preview of the 2010 Turbo with the 9A1 Turbo engine (and the frankly ridiculous-looking GT3RS). The second is report of the ALMS race at Mid-Ohio, where the Flying Lizard GT2 entry was penalized 55 pounds for the use of 9A1 engine blocks that were not "production." It turns out that the blocks were strengthened internally via steel inserts which will "likely be added to future production engines."

"Strengthened internally?" "Added to future production engines?" Hardly confidence-inspiring, especially for the future tuners that are planing on 600-700 hp from the 9A1 block. Get your welding equipment out...I'll keep my GT1 Turbo.

boolala

So you're happy with what you have?

Yawn....

cthronson

Yeah, pretty much "Boolala." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

brannonspillars

cthronson's personality is as colorful as his/her/its photo---nonexistent

Some moderator needs to introduce you to proper etiquette, or did this happen before? I can imagine after athronson and bthronson got the "gong", cthronson returned for more of the same. This reminds me of the redneck joke:
question: redneck, redneck, where ya been?
answer: nowhere yet and I'm going again

StanThePorscheFan

You dont get it. Imagine you see three guys standing at the corner, talking. If you walk up, stand there and occasionally say something, noone notices. But if after eleven words you crack a wise one, as if you know these guys since potty training, it's enevitable to get beat up for such audacity. Its called street etiquette. Plus your mama wouldn't approve you talking about a woman, like that. My eight year old son knows that.

TB993tt

Interesting, thanks for sharing..... My sources said they were having trouble making the 9A1 reliable for the next ~550PS GT2 so the above is not surprising.

Alex (UK)

Yes, not looking good for those wanting more than 500bhp, or those going past their warranty period (2 years here in the UK). I suppose only time will tell though.

Hey, can someone clarify for me though if the new Turbo engine is just a facelift Carrera engine with Turbos strapped on or if it has a different block?

Macster

In a UK published indy Porsche mag came across a review of the new Porsche GT2 or GT3 with the new 9A1 engine and the info was that in spite of having ot use steet/iron cylinder liners -- I guess cause of cylinder wall thickness with the bigger bores the 3.8l engine requires and the higher combustion chamber pressures and higher engine speed -- the new engine still weighed in under the old outgoing engine.

My impression is the steel liners are in the production engines from the get go.
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Updated:

Sorry, the above info wrong. I looked up the article in GT Porsche June 2009 issue and the GT3 engine in the car was stated to be the old GT3 engine.

Writer does say the engine is not of the current family of engines used in the other new 997 models but a bored out version of the engine used in the old GT3. Points out this old engine derived from that of the GT1 racer and a proper motorsports power plant. And yet the bores so large steel vs alum. liners used for strength even though this added 3kg of weight, but Porsche went through rest of engine and subtracted weight and the engine ended up 1.8kg lighter.

Sincerely,

Macster.

sparkhill

Well, I was at the dealer and I was told (famous last words prior to posting gross misinformation) that the new Turbo motor is essentially the same as the Carrera motor with the addition of turbos. The person I was talking to is the best tech at the dealership and a really smart guy who received his information from his Porsche training. The interesting comment was that the castings for the turbo plumbing have been in the 9A1 engine all along just not used or machined out. I don't know if it is true or not, but the it was an interesting comment and makes you think Porsche has been planning this switch for a very long time.

I fully expect the 997.2 TT with PDK to be an evolutionary step forward when compared stock to stock vs. the 997.1. I am sure it will be a great car. I just don't see how some people can be excited that the 997.2 costs more and has a substantially cheaper engine (and 6 speed transmission). While things move forward, I just can't drink the Kool-Aid on this one.

Land Jet

Only time will tell on this engine. I think it has great potential with 40% less moving parts. That being said, when tuners up the HP to 700-800, the truth will come out.

Alex (UK)

Thanks sparkhill, that's what I thought too. Stunning car by the way

TT Gasman

I agree it's a dramatic improvement over the m96. Just don't use it in the top of the line Turbo, but if they insist then the price should reflect the downgrade.

ltc

The flat 6 Boxer engine from a Subaru would be a dramatic improvement over the M96...

TT Gasman

AFAIK the ALMS cars do not run 9A1 engines. The GT3RSR, and all front line competition Porsches, use the dry sump engine. I would be very surprised to see a 9A1 in the Fying Lizard car.

brannonspillars

Why can't internal combustion engines, like nanoelectronics, become faster/cheaper/better over time? ...because the technology is so mature that changes are mostly evolutionary rather than revolutionary. There is no Moore's law for the otto cycle. That being said, 40% less moving parts in a lighter, lower-placed engine for the new turbo sounds revolutionary to me. Also, the DFI engine cycle must be more thermodynamically efficient in order to increase power, torque, and fuel efficiency simultaneously---truly revolutionary, in my humble opinion as a former mechanical and aerospace engineer.

I'll be willing to pay more for such advances in technology once it is time to get a new turbo.