Its shape may look very similar to the previous model, but Porsche’s 911 that made its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September is pretty much a brand-new car.

Porsche’s motto of “evolution, not revolution” clearly applies primarily to the shape of its iconic sportscar, which has been its mainstay product for more than four decades.

It doesn’t necessarily extend under the skin, though: the only stipulation so far is that every 911 must have a flat-six engine placed at the rear.

Before releasing the new generation code-named 991 to the public Porsche engineers had to make sure that it would be operating perfectly under even the most extreme conditions. It’s not something novel, as most car manufacturers usually test their models rigorously to avoid costly mistakes.

Seeing Porsche engineers burning the midnight oil and rigorously testing the 911 in such diverse conditions as South Africa and the Arctic Circle, and even witnessing some components fail is, in our opinion, anything but boring.

You can watch the 10 minute-long video (and envy the test drivers all you want…) right below the jump.

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