After spotting a camouflaged Porsche 911 Turbo prototype last December, our spy photographers caught a regular 911 during winter testing, hinting at an upcoming facelift for the current 992 generation. What is interesting is that the exhaust pipes of the prototypes hint at the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine which could mark the return of a non-turbocharged variant in the regular 911 range.
While the 992 still looks fresh in our eyes, it was introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2018. Thus, it will be four years old this autumn, meaning the time is right for the arrival of the 992.2 model. For comparison, the previous 991 generation was introduced in 2011 and received a facelift in 2015.
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The prototype was camouflaged and came with additional lighting units for driving in the snow, but we can see some changes compared to the current production model. The front bumper appears to be redesigned with larger intakes featuring complex slits (likely active). The profile looks identical but a zoomed-in shot from the side windows shows a new fully digital dashboard that has been also spied in previous prototypes.
The lower part of the rear bumper is camouflaged, hiding a revised diffuser with additional side vents and central-mounted dual exhaust pipes. The latter looks very similar to the ones on the GTS 4.0, GT4, GT4 RS, and Spyder variants of the 718 family, making us believe that the redesigned engine cover is hiding a naturally aspirated mill. Mind you, the 4.0-liter six-cylinder motor can be found in the 992 GT3 and will soon find its way in the upcoming 992 GT3 RS, but the non-GT range only uses turbocharged units. According to our spy photographers, who cite sources from within Weissach, this will change in the 992.2, which will get the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine in a non-GT series model.
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Another rumored addition to the range that could arrive with the upcoming facelift is an electrified variant of the iconic model. After all, Porsche has all but confirmed the first hybrid 911 since the current architecture was developed with electrification in mind. The hybrid 911 Turbo prototype that was spied testing at the Nürburgring last year supports this claim.
Porsche is expected to launch the 992.2 in 2023. The facelifted model could coincide with the debut of the 911 “Safari” which has been in development for quite a while now, featuring a jacked-up suspension and a different bodykit.
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