The wall of secrecy surrounding the brand-new 2012 Porsche 911 has cracked thanks to a forum member of Teamspeed who downloaded and shared Car & Driver’s upcoming August issue in which the magazine has an exclusive first ride of the car. C&D joined the Porsche team during the new 911’s final tests in South Africa nd here’s what they found out.

The new 911 is code-named 991 and will be launched in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Compared to the 997 that it replaces, it is 2.5 inches longer and has a 4.0-inch longer wheelbase so that it can accommodate a hybrid system, presumably from the Panamera.

The shape, though, is unmistakably 911, and even though the car has grown in size and features smaller overhangs while sitting lower to the ground, Porsche’s engineers have made sure that it has the same drag coefficient as the 997 (0.29) and is lighter than the outgoing model.

The interior is roomier for the driver and the front passenger, but the rear is still cramped and more suitable for kids. The magazine says the updated instruments retain the classic 911 feel with the key still on the left, but the new center console mimics the one found in the Panamera while the handbrake is now electronic.

The standard Carrera is now powered by a smaller capacity (3.4 instead of 3.6-litre) flat-six engine with direct injection, which it shares with the Boxster S. It’s output is 350HP at 6,400 rpm and its max torque reaches 280 lb-ft between 4,400-6,000 rpm. Power is directed to the 19-inch rear wheels (well, until the Carrera 4 comes along with its four-wheel drive).

The interesting news is that the latest 911 will be offered with a ZF 7-speed manual (!) gearbox, and the ZF dual-clutch 7-speed PDK, which was launched in the facelifted 997.

The sportiest version available at launch will be once again, the Carrera S. It is powered by a 3.8-liter version of the flat-six with direct injection producing 400-horses at 7,200 rpm. Like the base model, it will also be available with a 7-speed manual gearbox or a PDK transmission.

Another first is that the launch control system is now available not only with the semi-auto, but with the manual gearbox too. In addition, the new 911 is said to be more eco-friendly, as it reportedly consumes between 12 and 15 percent less fuel than the current models.

Eco-friendly or not, what everyone wants to know is what it’s like on the road. According to C&D’s editor who rode in the passenger’s seat of a Carrera S, the engine sounds fantastic and the car feels more stable and less nervous than the 997 thanks to the new limited-slip differential. The author also noted that it understeers notably less at the entry of the corner, and is more supple thanks to the softer anti-roll bars.

The driver gets to play again with gadgets like the buttons for the damper adjustment and the PSM stability control system can be deactivated completely. No, scratch that: it can actually be deactivated and stay that way unless the driver’s foot touches the brake, at which point it intervenes. A 911 with a stability system that, even when deactivated, kicks back in? That’s a novel idea…

According to Porsche’s people, the new Carrera S accelerates from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.5 seconds (presumably quicker with launch control) and reaches a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).

And what about the ‘Ring? How fast does the new 911 go around the legendary Nordschleife, something that has become an obsession amongst sports car fanatics? Porsche told C&D that the Carrera laps the circuit it in 8:04, and the Carrera S in 7:50, though they add that with “the optimum set-up” (which they don’t reveal) the Carrera S has recorded a lap of 7:37. Not bad at all…

Source: Caranddriver via Teamspeed

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